2008
Tobacco sunburst flamed maple body, rosewood neck with mother-of-pearl dot markers, ebony center strip on reverse, 3-layer black pickguard, 2 black pickups, 2 roller knobs and selector switch on bass side of pickguard, 3-position toggle switch and volume and tone knobs on opposite side, floating tremolo, with custom aluminum case.
Provenance: Santa Barbara Surfing Museum.

From an idea conceived by skateboard hall-of-famer James O'Mahoney, Reynolds Yater shaped 3 prototype surf guitars for Fender in 2008: a pintail Telecaster, a pintail Stratocaster and this teardrop Jazzmaster. The rosewood neck is by Phil Kubicki (late Fender luthier who built the rosewood Telecaster for George Harrison and the rosewood Stratocaster for Jimi Hendrix, as well as the creator of the innovative Factor Bass). The finish is by Jim Lombard, the stunning maple cap is by Paul Schürch, the electronics by Seymour Duncan and the unusual aluminum case is by Scott Dapron.

An alluring blend of styles with the stylish offset waist of the Fender Jazzmaster combined with the flowing teardrop of the lower bout from the hands of a surfboard-building legend, Reynolds Yater. These prototype guitars created by the collaboration of some of the best craftsmen in their respected fields never went into production at Fender and are of the greatest rarity.