Fender '69 Competition Mustang Reissue

First of all I bought this because I had a '72 that looked just like this reissue and it was the first brand name guitar I got when I was 11 years old back in 1978. Man how time changes things. At first I did not like it. I now know why girls in lots of Girl Bands choose Mustangs. Not very heavy, and very thin. But the neck I grew to like.
It is very smooth and the action after working with it isn't too bad.
Very buttery and easy bending. All of these were probably ideal when I was 11. It is very ideal for a clean tone with a bit more of mid in the spectrum. About average for rock distortion. The switches really dont do much distinguishing between the neck and bridge pickups for as many combinations it offers. It does stay in tune very well with Fender Bullets 10 guage, but if you mess around with the tremolo forget staying in tune no matter what. It is also a very pretty guitar as far as finish and detail.

Like I said it'll be fine for cleans and semi decent for distortion.
I had a friend that had a Fender Bronco. Same guitar but with one humbucker and no toggling. But with a Dimarzio Superhumbucker installed, it was great for rock. The pickups on this model are average. If you like KISS, Thin Lizzy or 80's metal stay away. If you like punk tone, or say even a John Cougar Mellancamp kind of tone, maybe.

The guitar is well made for being a Japan model. The finish is brilliant, nice laquer on the headstock and neck. Action is very easy
and will stay in tune but without the tremolo. I just leave the arm off.

It will last the test of time. Would I gig with it, probably not. To have in my collection, and to practice....yes. As I said from the beginning I bought it because I wanted that guitar back from the past,
and with the reissue available I didn't have to hunt and probably pay a fortune for an original.

Never had to deal with Fender.

A nice guitar for practicing or for a beginner or mid level learner.
Not heavy, big, or hard to play. But as a main axe in a hard rock band or metal band, forget it. You dont pay a lot, and for that value it is pretty good. It is very well made for a "Fender from Japan" model. Nice for rhythm and clean tones. Being that I used to have one and bought it for that, I would miss it. It does have its own character, and it is very pretty being Arctic Blue metallic with the stripes. And I have over 20 guitars that serve in the other needs for playing

Fender CIJ (Crafted In Japan) 1969 Competition Mustang Re-issue.
I bought it from a pawn shop on Ebay, and they said 9if i remember correctly) that they had had it for about a year. My guess is that this guitar is about a year and a half to two years old. To my knowledge, that is about when Fender stopped making them.
This guitar is, as with all mustangs i believe, short scale. It was originally intended to be a smaller, lower-quality student guitar. don't let that put you off, though. the quality is excellent, but i'll get into that later.
It has a solid basswood top with body contours on the upper back for your arm, and on the backside for your stomach. Mine has been beautifully painted Lake Placid Blue, with ther signature Sonic Blue racing stripes near the arm contour. I am not lying when i say it is one of the most beautiful guitars that I have ever seen, but that's just me.
I believe the neck is maple. The fretboard is rosewood, and is pretty fast. Then neck has been laquered so that it gives it a nice aged yellow-ish look. The neck is, as i mentioned before, short scale, so the frets are rather small. At first i wasn't sure if i would like the shorter scale, but once i played the guitar i found that i really didn't have a problem with it. People with smaller hands will definately apprteciate this feature. The headstock is the large, pre-CBS-ish type, and looks quite nice against the neck. I am not sure what type of tuners the guitar has, but they are the same as on the Jaguar, Jazzmaster, and vintage Strats and Telecasters.
The guitar comes with two single coil pickups covered with a black plastic...well...cover. I am not sure exactly what type they are. The guitar has one volume and one tone knob, situated in the usual front location, with the input jack right beside them.
One of the things that makes this guitar so unique is the variety of pickup selection. instead of a toggle switch, there is a three-way selector switch above each pickup. While the combinations aren't as complex as those on a Jaguar, or even a Jazzmaster, they take a little while to get used to. When each switch is pushed to the left (looking down in a playing position), the pickup is in the phase mode. when the switch is in the middle position, the pickup is "off" and produces no sould. And when the switch is pushed to the far right, the pickup is "on" (even though it is also on in the phase mode, the far right position produces a more trebely tone). these pickups take a lot of criticism, as they are positioned right above each pickup. A common complaint is that one of the switches will be hit in-advertaintly while playing, thus muting the guitar, which makes for a rather awkward situation. I myself don't find this to be too much of a problem, however once in a while i will scrape one of my knuckles on the plactic switch. If they are really a hassle, then one could always have them removed, or take a much more economical approach and just duct tape them into a desired position, as did Kurt Cobain with his Jaguar. I will keep them as is, though, because the variety of sounds available between the switches, volume/tone knobs, and amp/pedal settings can be quite interesting.
Oh, and the pickguard is white pearloid (AKA Mother of Toilet Seat), which compliments the blue quite nicely.
Another thing which falls under the heat of critics is the "dynamic vibrato" system. It has been written off as being cheap, and many people say it puts the guitar out of tune very easily. However, i like it. I think it is very attractive, and it really completes the guitar. But besides aesthetics, it is also very effective. I hardly think it is a "piece of junk", as so many other reviews have stated. It is perfectly capapble of doing everything from subtle wavers to complete dive bombs, and still stay in tune. Every once in a while, though, a smack of the vibrato with throw a string slightly off (

This guitar not only looks great, but it fits my style quite well. I have several different musical preferances, so i will examine the Mustangs capabilities 9or lack thereof) within each realm.

70's and 80's Punk/Grunge (Husker Du, Mudhoney, Sex Pistols, Black Flag, Nirvana, Melvins)

There are not too many of these types of bands that were not farmiliar with mustangs. The cover of Mudhoney's "Superfuzz Bigmuff" shows guitarist teve Turner with a Mustang. The Mustang was Kurt Cobain's favorite guitar. Now, this doesn't mean that you should go out and buy one because they had one, but if you are into that type of gritty sound, then the Mustang is right up your alley. It is capable of both a thick overdrive, a dirty crunch, and heavy fuzz. I have been able to practically replicate the exact tone as used in the intro of "Smells Like Teen Spirit". This guitar and that sound area match made in heaven.
However, with the heavier bands from that era (TAD, Melvins, etc.), i would stick to something with humbuckers, simply because they are just beefier. The single coils can be pretty thick, but they fall short on things like palm mutes and the like. I usually leave that up to my Ibanez Iceman.

Indie/Underground/College Rock (Velvet Underground, Pixies, Sonic Youth)

I know that Thurston Moore from Sonic Youth used several mustangs, and Frank Black from the Pixies also had one. This type of music usually isn't as gungey, but more clean and chorus-y (even though the Pixies did have a lot of louder stuff). When the neck pickup is off, and the bridge pickup is in the far right position, I get a crisp, chimey, clackity sound that i absolutely adore. It is rather similar to Frank Black's Telecaster, and works well with songs like "Caribou", "Hey", "Mr. Grieves", "Debaser", and the like. A little chorus/flange produces a really nice tone (like Sonic Youth's "Teen Age Riot"). This position in clean also suits that old Velvet Underground sound well. Now all you need is someone as creepy as Lou Reed, and you'll be all set!

Classic Rock (Beatles, Bob Dylan, Zombies)

I don't really play this genre as much as the others, but occasionally i will be so inclined as to play a few chords of "Mr. Tambourine Man". The bridge pickup in the same position as listed above also works quite well here. A bit of chorus makes for a very nice "Across the Universe". I'll also fool around with "Yesterday", "In My Life", and "Imagine". Good stuff.

Surf

While i am farmiliar with the Beachboys (who isn't?), I am not really a hardcore surf guru. However, when the chorus is one and the reverb is turned all the way up, i'll indulge in some bodacious tones, really putting my vibrato to work. there have actually been a few instances where i have literally lulled myself to sleep on the couch, guitar in hand, and that is really specia. *tear* While i believe that nothing can do surf like a Jazzmaster's soapbars, the Mustang gives it all it's got. and does a fine job in the process.

Metal/Thrash/Heavy Rock (System of a Down, Rise Against)

While i despise a lot of death-meatal, extremely hardcore, screaing-into-oblivion bands almost as much as i hate shlock-rock glam rock hair metal (which, believe me, is A LOT), i have taken a liking to some groups that have emerged. However, this area is not a strong point for the Mustang (Refer to my Melvins and TAD analysis at the top of the list for more details). Again, i would stick with my Iceman for the really heavy stuff.

I also kind of like Cream, Creedence Clearwater, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Snow Patrol, etc., and I REALLY love Radiohead. The Mustang does a pretty good job with those types of things.

PICKUP SELECTION: Despite their appearance, the Mustang's pickup selectors aren't really too complicated. One you get used to the different options, you see that they aren't really something one needs to be i

Since i ordered this guitar from a pawn shop, i think it is logical to assume that it just sat and collected dust before i freed it. I also didn't expect it to be in tip-top shape. unfortuantely, my presumptions were correct.
The body itself was fine. There wasn't any pick scratches or blemishes. There are a few dings here and there, but nothing severe and nothing on the face. The bridge and vibrato were pretty dusty, and since they are chrome the really showed. I wanted to re-string the guitar anyway, so i cleaned the bridge and tailpeace while i was at it.
This doesn't really have to to with this topic, but my biggest pet peeve about this guitar is the tuners. they look great, and hold tune pretty well, but it is an absolue pain in the you-know-what to replace the strings. If it bothered me enough, i could get some Schallers or someting, but i don't think that i will.
The biggest problem that i encountered was with the pots. They came loose, and i suppose that my fumbling with them only exacerbated that. anyway, when i turned them, i though that i was turning them back and forth, but i was really spinning them around and around. This eventually caused some of the wires that connected the pickups, pots, and input jack to snap. I had to go in, tighten the pots, take out the broken wires, put new, better ones in, aolder them, and close it back up (poor little me). I think, though, that the end result was better than before! It didn't cost any money, either, and i found out at home and not on stage, so i'm not really complaining. I'm just not sure if that was an oversight by the previous owner, or the pawn shop. I doubt it was Fender's fault.
Besides that, everything is fine. Bridge and saddle heights are good, action is fine, no rust, nut is ggod, frets aren't like a buzzsaw on my fingers...no complaints!

I think that this guitar would play well live. Fender is famous for high-quality instuments. It would most likely bounce rather than break if thrown (the first few times, anyway).
The strap buttons that i recieved were added. They are dunlop locking buttons for the straplocks. the butt button was a bit loose, but a toothpick, screwdriver, and some elbow grease fixed tha right up. the paint is great, and not flaky at all. Even the dings haven't caused any paint to chip.
I would never go to a gig without a backup, not even with a 50,000 dollar gibson (which i would never bring to a gig, anyway). It is always a good idea to gig with a backup, in case of emergencies.
Hey, Kurt Cobain liked mustangs, and any guitar that can withstand Kurt has to be durable, right ;)

I have never had to deal with the company directly, so i don't know. I also don't know the specifics of the warranty, being that i bought it from a pawnshop. All warranties are most likely void. I also worked on it myself, so that has to nullify something.

I have been playing for a bit more than a year now. I have an Epiphone acoustic (the model escapes me), and epiphone EB-0 bass, and an Ibanez ICX120 Iceman. I teasted this guitar in shops before i bought it, so i knew what i was getting into. I don't think that guitars should be bought blindly. You should get to know the instument before you make a commitment.

If it were stolen, i'd hunt down the guy who stole it to the ends of the earth. Or, if i were feeling lazy, i'd get another one. Wait...make that two :)

JApan made fender mustang 96' reissue with 22 frets 1 volume/1 tone, 2x 3-way pickup selectors, 2 fender stock mustang single coil. Passive electronic. Basswood body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard. Mustang shaped! Only letdown is the position of the pickup switches coz with them above the strings you hit them a lot when strumming which can turn off the pickups and a crap vibrato which puts your guitar out of tune the second you use it.

Couldnt love the sound much more which is great for loud , fast oi!oi!oi! punk rock, use it alongside a fully valve marshall master reverb 30, crybaby wah-wah pedal and a electro harmonix big muff. Pickups hum sometimes but its not as bad as a strat and can be solved by switching pickups configurations around. Get a nice sound from the stock pickups not too trebly in the bridge and not too bassy in the neck . can get a great selection of sounds and tones suiting all types of music except for maybe hair metal or death metal. nothing to dislike here!

Perfectly set up in every possible way (Action, pickups, bridge you name it was set up great!)

This is a great guitar to use for gigs coz it can withstand a fair share of knock but still plays fine. I've used it for 3 gigs so far and it doesnt ever go out of tune! Unless you use the wahmmy bar! Nice long lasting finish (Mines 8 years old and not showing any signs of the finish fading or wearing off) Good solid strap buttons which wont let the strap fall off. So dependable we should worship it in temples and we would call it the reliable mustang god! Wouldn't even consider taking a backup guitar to a gig! There would be no use unless i was gonna smash up some gear at the gig!

Never had to

I fell in love with this guitar as soon as i played it. it has the tone the looks the playability! the neck is so fast you can easily play those tricky solos and the short scale length makes even big stretches easy on the finger. If anything happened to it (Lost or stolen or properly smashed up then i wouldnt consider any other guitar i have played i would quite happily buy this guitar and use it for the rest of my life. only a few modifications would be needed in my opinion - double stacked humbuckers to get rid of the noise, and the pickup switches moved to below the strings but thats it.

2002 Japanese reissue, short scale neck, two single coil pickups,
vintage style tuners and vibrato, blue with white/cream racing stripe, natural colour headstock.

A very cool looking and well finished guitar if you like this kind of style, and I do.

I was a bit disappointed when I plugged this guitar in because the pickups are weak and thin sounding. The sound improved to a degree when I replaced the super light strings with a set of 012's and adjusted the hight of the pickups. It now sounds o.k. through a '74 Marshall lead 100 and a Fender Pro Junior. The pickups will definitely be replaced though. Maybe some vintage style Duncans, NOT humbuckers.
You do get a lot of different sounds out of this guitar, the out of phase sound is great with all kinds of effects.
The vibrato is a piece of crap, it will put the guitar out of tune everytime you use it.
I mainly use the Mustang in the studio for rhythm tracks and overdubs.

The set-up at the factory was poorly done, it took a lot of work to get it in good playing condition. The intonation was way off and the frets needed some work as well. But it's worth the time and effort to get this guitar in shape because now it plays like a dream and, providing you don't use the vibrato, it stays in tune forever.
I changed the hight of the pickups; lowered them on the treble side in an attempt to get rid of the spiky highs and improve the bass response. Like I said, the pickups will be replaced by a set of darker sounding ones.

I haven't used this guitar in a live situation yet. The finish looks like it can withstand some rough handling, I'm not sure about the hardware, especially the strap buttons.
I wouldn't gig with this guitar without a backup.

Haven't had any dealings with Fender.

I've been playing for 15 years and I currently own a Fender American Standard Tele and some Gibson acoustics.

If the Mustang got stolen I would get it replaced because although it has many flaws I love this guitar. It plays really well and it's very useful in a studio situation where you need a lot of different sounds for overdubs or textures. I love the short scale neck and the body shape and colour are very nice as well. It needs a bit of work
(and a set of aftermarket pickups), but all in all this is a great little guitar.

I guess people buy mustangs because of the Kurt Cobain connection, but there is so much more you can do with this guitar. It's great for surf, indie, blues, country, hell, I even used it on a recording session backing an acoustic type singer songwriter.

2002 Japanese reissue, short scale neck, two single coil pickups,
vintage style tuners and vibrato, blue with white/cream racing stripe, natural colour headstock.

A very cool looking and well finished guitar if you like this kind of style, and I do.

I was a bit disappointed when I plugged this guitar in because the pickups are weak and thin sounding. The sound improved to a degree when I replaced the super light strings with a set of 012's and adjusted the hight of the pickups. It now sounds o.k. through a '74 Marshall lead 100 and a Fender Pro Junior. The pickups will definitely be replaced though. Maybe some vintage style Duncans, NOT humbuckers.
You do get a lot of different sounds out of this guitar, the out of phase sound is great with all kinds of effects.
The vibrato is a piece of crap, it will put the guitar out of tune everytime you use it.
I mainly use the Mustang in the studio for rhythm tracks and overdubs.

The set-up at the factory was poorly done, it took a lot of work to get it in good playing condition. The intonation was way off and the frets needed some work as well. But it's worth the time and effort to get this guitar in shape because now it plays like a dream and, providing you don't use the vibrato, it stays in tune forever.
I changed the hight of the pickups; lowered them on the treble side in an attempt to get rid of the spiky highs and improve the bass response. Like I said, the pickups will be replaced by a set of darker sounding ones.

I haven't used this guitar in a live situation yet. The finish looks like it can withstand some rough handling, I'm not sure about the hardware, especially the strap buttons.
I wouldn't gig with this guitar without a backup.

Haven't dealt with Fender.

Japan made with American parts.
All specs are on fender.com
The only interesting thing to say about the mustang's features is that the pick-up selectors are cool. Actually they're not only pick-up selectors but also on/of switches. Telecasters and strats don't offer this feature. It allows you to cut your sound and make it come back while a sustained note is ringing. Jonny Greenwood from Radiohead had his tele customised to include a switch like this. There are interesting effects to obtain out of this... But it's not ideally placed, and if it gets in the way with your hand and accidentally turns your pu of in the middle of a solo, you're fucked...

Ok, there is the intersting point about this guitar... I use it with an ac-30 tbx and lots of boxes in between. My mustang is not my main guitar. I use a 52 telcaster most of the time. The mustang IS a versatile guitar. You can actually get a few different sounds out of it. Warm bluesy sounds with the neck pick-up, tele-ish aggressive sounds with the bridge pick-up and a balance of the two with both in phase. But these kinds of sounds are not the mustang speciality. Don't expect the depth and personnality of a tele or a strat with these settings. Still it's not a crap tele or strat, it does have its own sounds. The real unique sound of the mustang is obtained when using both pu's out of phase though the output level is even weaker this way. For clean sounds, this setting gives you a very liquid sound which reacts very well with flanger, phaser and filter effects. But when used with my Rat set on light but punchy overdrive, it gets excellent. I get a kind of ANGRY sound perfect for lo-fi punky garage stuffs which makes me want to strum harder and harder. I think angry is the best word to describe that sound. You'll never get a big fat metal sound out of this, but this is why you want it; it's an "anti-metal" guitar. Still you can get some great nasty perverse sounds. If you want to hear what I'm talking about, check "A1M1" by Gorillaz. They have a Duo Sonic II which has the same pick-ups.

This mustang was made in Japan with american parts. This is my first Japanes Fender and I was really impressed. The finish is actually very good and It's extremely well built. The only complaint I have is that when playing unplugged, I hear an unpleasant vibration when playing certain strings. I think it comes from the saddles, but since I'm a crap guitar tech, I haven't done anything. Anyway you don't notice it when the guitar is plugged (what it was basically made for...).

As I said earlier, It's very well build and feels very sturdy, much more than any Mexican made fenders. I don't gig a lot with it because I usually only bring my tele. But I would, and without any backup. Fender guitars don't need backup (except vintage ones). It also stays in tune very well, even when using (moderately) the whammy bar.

Never dealt with them, and don't want to.

I've been playing for about five years (I'm 20 year-old). I sing and play guitars, keyboards and some other weird stuffs in a Blur-Radiohead influenced band. This is not a "main guitar" (except if you don't have the credits to purchase a better one), BUT it does have some UNIQUE sounds. It's also an unusual and good looking guitar (though a bit flashy next to a beautiful 2-tone sunburst...), great to put stickers on! It's also very small and light which is cool. I use it for angry strumming and for some modulation effects, but I prefer my tele for all the rest. I love its lo-fi "practice amp" feel which I can't get with my tele. I almost sold it to buy the ac-30, but thought I would miss its distinctive sound which I personnaly find usefull in my range. If it were stolen, I would look for a vintage US made mustang or duo sonic II, or maybe buy it
again. The mustang is highly underrated on the vintage market and the only affordable 40 year old fenders.

ok, FIRST let me state this, people knock the mustangs saying that they have bad pick ups and never stay in tune. First off, the 60's mustangs and some of the 70's mustangs aprox 1964-1972 had the EXACT SAME PICK UPS as a Stratocaster, I own a 1965 mustang and a 1965 strat. I have been inside BOTH and they are every bit the same, built in the same building with the same wire and same magnets by the same employ's. Second, the mustangs "don't" stay in tune because ALL MUSTANGS were intended to be played with 10 gauge string NOT 9 gauge, Neither of my mustangs ever fall out of tune, and I play both for several hours a day, I also own a 2001 DEXLUX fender strat. and a 1981 strat. So I THINK I know my guitars being as I have re-built a few my self. Anyways the mustang in a 1969 re-issue and is a near perfect mirror of the original, the only difference I can see is that they changed the tuners used on the back, other then that it is the same.

The mustang despite short sight reviews is one of the most versatile guitars there is, They took the pick ups of a strat. and changed the body, using larger strings to change the sound.
I use lots of effects while performing, the mustangs are the ONLY ELECTRIC GUITAR I have found that will work for acoustic sound.
There is a little feedback noise as with all non-noiseless/hum buckers.
the guitar is one of the most unique sounding guitars made and can do most anything, sweet child of mine sounds great on it, some lower lead such as certain Ozzy songs get a little fuzzed out because of the larger strings and heavy tones.

The action is wonderful, the shorter neck makes it a LOT easier to play then a full scale neck. The pick-ups are just fine factory styled. Everything on it is just perfect. The finish is the lovely red with white racing stripe, I wish they made competition orange again.

I use this guitar for live shows, the hardware will last, they have been making re-issue mustangs in Japan since 1980 and the original mustang in America about 20 years before that with only one change, the contoured body. The finish is just as any American Fender, but at a lower price, strap buttons you may want to replace with locking ones, I have had no problems with them. It is one of the most dependable guitars I own, I have 7 Fenders and only two are not made in the USA and this one runs right up with the BEST they make in the American line.

I don't talk to fender. they dont reply to many e-mails.

I have been playing for near eight years, I know guitars I asked nothing I walked in i played it for five minutes, and bought it. The ONLY thing I would change is the toners, the big F toners are very nice looking. Anyways the reason I did this review was because some one who I think owned one I am not really sure gave it a horrible review saying it was a good beginners guitar but not good for some one who has a lot of experience or knows their guitars, and I had to ask myself why he would say something like that after only trying it for punk, I think he said? And how many times he plugged it into a 4 speaker 2,000+ watts PA system for his gigs.

516.47 Not worth $200

late 2002 Japanese Fender Mustang Reissue
Lake Placid Blue with Sonic Blue racing stripe
Standard short scale
Basswood
Cheap pickups S/S
In/Out phase switches
CRAP!

I play alot of punk, blues, rock, and pretty much anything I hear on the radio. I have 2 ratings for this.

3

If you play with only a distortion pedal and nothing to jazz it up, this guitar sounds like a Sears catalog guitar.

8

If you have a processor, you may be able to tweak it a little. Then it stands a chance.

I suppose its fine for a beginner or someone who doesn't know his guitars. Average - 5

I ordered it at the beginning of August. I received this right after Hurricane Lili hit Louisiana (late September). Guess that says alot about Sam Ash.

The settings sucked. The action was way too high, the vibrato bridge was shit, and every little thing knocked it out of tune. Badly needed an intonation as well as new pickups.

I brought it to my local music store for an intonation and spent $289 on modifications to make it sound OK. Pardon me for being extremely dissatisfied.

Want some adive? Buy a Strat.

This guitar will NOT withstand live playing. Our band opened at Harvest Fest in October of 2002. By the 2nd song, the tuning was off. We said f**k it and kept playing. The strap buttons came flying out of the body when some kid came to the stage and tripped over a cable, taking my guitar with it.

Not dependable. I'd rather use the Sears guitar.

I would not use this guitar for backup.

Sam Ash doesn't know shit about what they sell. After hearing, "The Mustang is being shipped the next day" everytime I called, I kinda told them if they didn't ship today, I was canceling my order. Realise, it was NOT on backorder!

Fender was really nice when they told me how to fix the problems with the bridge. I give them a 10.

I've been playing for roughly 7 years. I immerse myself in music theory. I also own a Fender Cyclone which is better than this. I had a Strat but it was stolen during the Bright Ideas tour of '97 - which ironically occured in late 2002.

If it was stolen, I'd track the criminal down and demand at least $5. This guitar is crap...seriously. I'd advise anyone with $500 to go buy some wood, some parts, and some pickups and make your own. Your first attempt will sound better than this.

I wish I was rich enough to own a Les Paul Custom (preferably Gibson). I played two of these at Mars Music in Dallas. Buy one of these.

Standard Japanese '69 reissue with competition strip, 2002. 22 frets, thin shortscale neck etc. All stock. Candy apple red. I got a gig bag, stand and tuner winder with it (nothing to do with Fender though. If it were up to them, you'd just get a cardboard box).

I play rock and funky stuff that requires just as much clean sounds as dirty. I was plesantly suprised with the sound of this baby. I've played and owned mustangs before and the sound has always been awful. The sound on this one is bright and punchy and is not such low output as i thought. I play thru a Marshall half stack, and it growls beautifully thru my Big Muff. There's a quiet hum when not touching the strings when both the pick-ups are one, but this seems to be common with Fenders. It does have that typical Fender sound, and that is why i bought it. It does have quite a variety of sounds which is suprising.

As usual the set up was a DIGRACE from the factory. I played this guitar about 6 months ago and gave it back to the assitant in disgust and bought a Jazzmaster instead. The action was so ridiculusly high, you coulda placed your hand in between the strings and fret board. Due to this the sound was dull and quiet. Why did you buy it I hear you ask? Well I wanted a cheap guitar to practise on, and that needed some work on it to make it play nicely. I enjoy setting up guitars and this was the ultimate test. When I went to buy it, the bloke in the shop said they had adjusted the truss rod and set it up recently. My work had been done I thought, but no. The action was still way too high, so much so that bending strings caused your fingers to catch on the strings above, and the intonation was waaaaay out. Not the best set up I've seen. I don't think they know you have to adjust the bridge saddles to set the intonation, a lot of people seem too concerned with adjusting the neck first. Anyway I stuck some 11's on it (came with 9's) and spent a while setting and letting it sit. And after a couple of days it was perfect. It plays as well as any of my other guitars (Fender JM, Gibson SG standard), I'm extremely impressed. The frets on the underside haven't been shaved down as much as on the topside, but they're not sharp or uncomfortable when you play. I think I'm just fussy. The finish is great, very deep looking with a hint of metallic. So my rating is for how it is set up now.

I don't think I'd have a problem with playing this guitar live. It appears to be very robust. I would use it as a back up tho. The finish really sets this guitar out from the rest, and looks like it will last. It's bound to fade slightly, but time will tell. The body is basswood so i'm not sure how it will fair against knocks. My old mustang had a problem with the strap buttons coming out, and I could imagine the same happening with this one. Hopefully not tho. I wouldn't use it at a gig without a backup. Strings are such a pain to put on Fenders compared to Gibsons. Without a winder it is a nightmare.

I've dealt with Fender one about a request. They were quick with with their reply and very useful. If it was a complaint tho, i don't reckon they would be as helpful.

I've been playin for ten years, and own various other guitars. This one is very respectable for the price. I own an Epiphone Casino aswell and it is equal to that in ratings i think. Same price range aswell. I love the sound, shape and finish on this geetar, but I don't like the competition stripe. I wish it wasn't there. I choose not to use the tremelo, I've heard terrible things. I haven't even tried it. I've heard the wiring is cheap and crap, so i'll probably end up with some problems there. They shouldn't save money on wiring.

trouble with buzzing: only repair to fix is to get new tremelo
made in japan vintage all the way around

good variety of sounds but not like a telecaster range and clear sound

good finish, tiny rust spots, buzzing strings because of tremelo I was recommended to get a new one

appears well built great paint job racing stripes who cares

don't know don't have money to get new tail piece so haven't checked it out yet

had it now 7 8 months also have marshall micro stack grunge pedal telecaster
if stolen I would get new one or look for a jagstang
great looks! (the shape)love the selectors
I hope to change out the pickups to get my own sound

2002 Competition Mustang ('69 reissue), Lake Placid blue w/ racing stripe, made in Japan. 22 frets, 24" scale, thin, rounded neck. 3 way sliding switches (in, out, off) for each pickup plus volume and tone knobs. Vibrato tailpiece. Stock single-coil pickups.

I've been playing on a Fat Strat, using the bridge humbucker exclusively for a very trebley, cutting tone. I've always liked the high-end tone of the Mustang for indie-rock, but when I got this home, I was shocked by just how much treble this bad boy puts out. I tried all the pickup settings and decided that the bridge coil pickup was just too much, even with the tone rolled back a bit. My biggest problem with the sound is that the output level is so low, I have trouble saturating the tubes in my Twin Reverb, hence it's a little too clean for the music I play. I'll likely replace the pickups with something a little more full-sounding. While I'm in there, I may as well replace the slide-switches and pots (pretty cheap). Otherwise, I really love the twang this guitar can make and it sounds absolutely awesome through distortion pedal with pickups out-of-phase.

I have fingers like sausages, so the thinner neck helps me out a lot. The action is pretty low, which kinda sucks, only because the slide-switches for the pickups get in the way and I accidentally turn them off all the time when I'm thrashing about live. That's why duct tape was invented, I guess. The vibrato design is pretty awkward, but I never use it, so it's kind of a moot point. The finish is stunning. The metallic sparkle gets a lot of oohs and aahs, and the pearloid pickguard and racing stripe are nice touches. My girlfriend said it looks like a tuxedo. Classy...

I've heard a lot of bad things about some of the electronics (namely the switches and pots) and wiring. I'm pretty rough on guitars, so we see how it handles. The finish is pretty tough. I've only had this thing for a week, dropped it a half-dozen times and not a scratch. I probably wouldn't rely on it without a backup (because of the vibrato design, if you pop a string you're screwed), but I always have a backup, anyway.

I haven't had to deal with Fender.

I like the Mustang a lot. I haven't had a new guitar in almost 7 years, so it was quite a treat to pick this up. I know it's not perfect; I'm going to have to sink some money in it to make it sound right, but it looks great and it feels fantastic. This will be my primary guitar for a while, at least until I win the lottery...

2002 made in Japan -- true to the original it is modeled after, to a FAULT. mine WAS (hint, hint) lake placid blue with the creme competition stripes. no gig bag or hadrshell case included ;P .

i have smaller hands, so the neck felt just great and the small body was comfy and easy to sling around when things got cookin'.

i have a couple of major issues with the design of this guitar.

1). the only thing fender got right with the virbrato* is the name. at the time, i think Ralph Nader called the original design "unsafe to play at any speed" (ask you parents). the two fulcrums have no point of reference, so there's no way they can land in the same place after you've used the virbrato bar. i know it's not a floyd-rose system, but i'm not trying 80's style dive-bombing either. just a little surfy 1/4 or 1/2 step warble makes the the thing go out of tune. just as i was learning to live with it, i broke a string. this just threw all of the remaining strings way out of tune (like so out of tune, you'd not be able to finish a song/set). even how the bar clamps into the stop piece is a crapy design; there's a set screw, that doesn't allow for it to swing away freely. keep the set screw too loose, and the arm just falls out. locking tuners would be akin to re-arranging the deck chairs on the titanic. i thought of just locking down the tail piece, but i really wanted to be able to have a little virbrato on the palette.

2). the switches that govern the on-off-on of each pick up have a problem. they can "jam" between the off and on position while strumming, causing the pickup have no output. a better designed switch would help, but is not likely, due to the guitar's low, low price.

*remember: tremolo=volume oscilation -- virbrato=pitch oscilation.

one word: Fun.
the switching could create a great woody neck sound to a double pickup thump-swagger to a bright bridge sound worthy of blistering double-stop rock and roll, or an out-of-phase sound that you could just get plain wacky with.
yeah, gibson types would prolly call it "lo-fi," but it does what it does quite well.

the finish was a 7... deep & sparkly. someone got a little slopy with the glue around the nut but no big deal.
the action was exactly as planned. a short scale length of 24" and a really tightly curving fretboard radius made for a neck that felt as good as a broken in doc martin.
i did have quite a problem with the two outside strings (high e & low e) strings sliding off the fret board. i realize that my poor technique, the lighter string tension (due to the short scale length) & curved fretboard has something to do with this, but a poor fret job didn't help any. i even went up in string guage to .11's, but it didn't help.

the neck pocket was nominal.

it was interesting... i basically disassembled the guitar just to see how it was made and to plan for modifications. i was very pleasently surprised to see foil shielding under the pick guard. also, there was a ton of this powdery rubbing compound in all the routs. it has no effect on the guitar's functionality, but just a quality touch (guess it costs just too much to just blow some compressed air in there before putting on the pick guard & control plate).

my biggest concern here is the basswood body. one of the funest things to do with a mustang is to customize it to make it truly yours. it wouldn't take long before removing & replacing the pick guard/control plate/virbrato plate screws would cause the soft wood to strip, no matter how careful you were. i'd also worry about the strap buttons pulling out.
the pickups' slide switches seemed of marginal quality. (see an earlier review that had some interesting things to say about the pots & electronics).

this was from musician's friend. i know that these big wholesale houses get a bad rap, but i was very successful in acquiring & exchanging my mustang. let it be said that i followed all the rules on my end, too (returned it within 45 days, in 9+ condition with the plastic velum still on the pick guard, packed in all the original boxes, etc).
i followed the rules and didn't get screwed.
i also did a TON of research on what kind of guitar i wanted (thanks harmony-central.com and all those who contribute to it), found an on-line retalier that had it IN STOCK and with free shipping at the time. yeah, i had to pay return shipping on the return, but that's a small price to pay to not have to go through the frustration of dealing with the 'ole "local music store."
as far as fender... i have no idea.

i've played since the early 1980's & my current #1 is an 1997 epiphone dot (see review elsewhere on this site).

i was looking for a single coil #1 and tried a mustang because of its short scale and surf-a-licious look (compared to say a tele).

the H-O-R-R-I-B-L-E design of the virbrato & the fretwork amplifying the strings falling off the fret board issue made this not a #1 for me.

it is what it is; a replica of a student model, stylized & tempermental. if you're willing to put up with all of its idiosyncrasies, you can have a ton of fun with it.

i returned it for a cyclone, and one mod with solder iron later, i found my single coil #1.

it was made in japan last year. it has 22 vintage frets (custom). i think it has a polyurothane coat over the top of the finish, which is lake placid blue(like Kurt's at the holywood rock show). there ar two great in-out-phase switche located above the pick-ups and 1 vol. and 1 tone pot on the control plate. i was one of the lucky one who actually managed to buy one with a set of black fender lace sensors which soud amazing. again i think the elctronic are passive. the body is made from basswood and the neck from maple with a round-laminated rosewood fingerboard and large lam. headstock w/ transition decal. the body style is a dual cutaway and offset. the tail-piece is 60's vibrato with a tune-o-matic type bridge piece and tele style sadles. the tuners are fender vintage slot-in tunig pegs. the neck is quite thin 24' scale. i cheated the store and got a bargin which included the mustang it'self and the original silver tolex mustang case, delux black/ silver cable and strap as well as the two (free) hex key for adjusting the tail piece and truss rod.

i mostly play rock (alternative) and a bit of blues (only somtimes though)and the mustang fell just right for both styles. i think this might be a bt abvios but i'm a massive Kurt Cobian and Nirvana fan so thats what i tend to play but also play hendricx stuff as well. i currently i am using a fender stage 100 head into a MESA/Boogie 4x12 cabinet. the fx i'm using are a pro co rat, E-H big muff russian, electro harmonix stereo poly chorus and small clone, boss ds-1 jim dunlop rotovube and crybaby a pitch shifter and an echo pedal al on a pedal board. i dont actually write down the settings so i couldn't really say but when ever i use them it always sounds revolutionary with the mustang and is never too noisy and also creates some cool feed back (a la Kurt). because the mustang is so bright sounding it is realy easy to mess around with the sound and create new ones but i much prefer the clean/cleanish bright tone trough the poly chorus or small clone like on Drain You and Teen spirit(Big Yawn). the variety depends on the style but i'm happy with the in-out phase sitches to fiddle around with and try a bit of funck like the chili's. like kurt i am bised against any other guitar apart from fender's so this one is best left to the imagination. the mustang has a woderful and much apreciated unique sound.

i don't know how it was set up at the factory because the store i bought it from very generously included a full set-up saying that the a ction was the lowest possible without any fret buzz what so ever, i timed the sutain(how sad) and got sick of waiting for it to finish. the pick-ups fited perfectly into the routed area of the body and were not lose. the guiar arived at the store in pristine condition and thats how it stayed. all the hardware is nickle paled so it didn't corrode or oxidise on its journey from japan and is perfent now. every thing on the guitar was perfect.

i am only 15 and have been playing live since i aquired my mustang and have used it for every gig, since then i'v completely hammered it and luckily it's lasted. i'v knocked it and droped it and there is not a blemish in sight on the body,neck,headstock or fingerboard. again i dont realy know about the strap button because i had jim dulop strp locks so the strap didn't come with all the thrashimg about like kurt did. i think the previous says it all, i totaly depend on it and don't use anything else although i do take my hendrix vodo strat with me incase of and string breakages.

not needed it - fucking brilliant

iv'e been playing 5 years and as i've said i only like fender and own a hendrix voodo strat. if it were stolen or damged i would definetly buy another (even if it isn't). i totaly baby this guitar and don't let anydody touch it(not even family). however i am going to buy another and get it refinished in sonic blue with a tortoise pick guard and white pick-up covers. one last thing i would like to mention fender fucking RULE! the guitar industrie.

A '69 reissue it has got to be the best guitar i have ever owned and the fact that i idolize Kurt Cobain makes it that much better

It is an awesome guitar with many different capabilities. I dont have any real dislikes about this guitar, only good things to say about it

This guitar came strait from the factory so i am the first owner. It is in excellent condition

This guitar would not only withstand live playing, it would blow all other guitars out of the water the only other guitar i can think of that can beat the Mustang is the Kurt Cobain Jag-Stang also made by Fender

I'm definitely going to buy another one in the near furture but maybe in a custom sonic blue finish

This is the 2002 Competition Reissue in blue - made in Japan. All the standard features: vintage tuners (also made in Japan), two inexpensive single coil pickups (more about the electronics later), two pickup switches, basswood body, awkward vibrato, 24" scale, etc.

A lot of people are all fired up about the basswood body. Yes, Fender misadvertised it, but to me it's a moot point. Basswod sounds fine, it was even used on some Strats in the 50's.

One thing I really don't like though - the pickups, wiring and pots. The pickups have molded plastic bobbins with magnets pressed into them. The wire used is 24 awg stranded stuff. Very thin and prone to accidental breaks (see durability). The pots are the dime-sized miniature type with a weird taper, not my favorite. If you want to replace them you will find that the holes in the control plate are too small and need to be re-drilled. The capacitor is a pleasant surprise, though. It's not a cheapo ceramic disk like in most guitars, but rather a metalized film cap.

The knobs are not true to the original. They look similar but are smaller and press onto the splined pot shafts. The real deal used J-bass knobs with solid shaft pots.

I enjoy playing dirty, lo-fi rock, Sonic Youth, noise, and anything with tons of reverb a la Mazzy Star. They set their reverbs to 11, not the volume. The Mustang suits these styles well. There are four possible combinations for the switches (actually 9 but some are doubles). The stock pickups are pretty cheap and quite trebly. I have to turn the highs way down on almost every amp. My friends who tried the guitar and weren't expecting it said that it was unbearably trebly on what might be considered "normal" amp settings. The tone control helps to cut some of that, obviously, but it still seems odd. I do not doubt for a second that this guitar would sound much better with a set of good aftermarket pickups.

Having said all of that, after the propper eq-ing, the neck pickup can sound very sweet, the bridge can do a nice icepick Tele thing. The combination in phase is very nice and jangly and I use it a lot, partly to eliminate the hum of a single pickup. The out-of-phase combination is pretty interesting. On a clean setting it souds pretty dry - usefull sometimes but not my favorite. Overdriven, though, it has a very cool hollow sound with the midrange all sucked out and a lot of harmonics all over the place.

I have used it through a variety of amps including Fender Twins, Blues Juniors, Marshalls, a Vox AC15, a Crate VFX5112, and some crappy practice amps. You can get decent sounds from all of them. My favorites are the Fenders and the Vox (clean and mild overdrive). Amps with saturated, toneful distortion sound okay, too. Ultra-heavy distortion is not the Mustang's strong point, nor is it mine, so I don't care. I can't figure out why every user review of any piece of gear always says "sucks for metal" at the end. When did metal become the standard for critiquing gear? "Sucks for metal" means I'll probably like it.

When I got the guitar it was set up pretty well and was even in tune. I was surprised. The fretwork was very nice and the action was fairly low.

The vibrato stayed in tune fair enough, but it seems to bend the pitch too much for the amount of movement on the arm. I removed the springs and locked the tailpiece down. Tuning stability is great.

The odd little bridge was made to move around with the trem. I don't like that, so I wrapped the studs with electrical tape to keep it from moving. Quick, cheap, and effective.

To compensate for the low string tension of the short scale I strung it up with a set of .011 - .058s and adjusted the truss. It helped out a lot.

The guitar itself was beautifully finnished and assembled. Japanese Fender gear would be on par with the American models if not for the cheap electronics.

I think this guitar will last. It feels sturdy and I would play it live. The vintage strap buttons have been replaced with Schaller locking buttons. I'd hate to drop it, though it wouldn't hurt the guitar much.

When I first took of the control plate I broke one of the tiny wires just by turning the plate over. I fixed it myself in five minutes(goodbye warranty!) but it should not have happened. When I replace the pickups I will replace the wiring and pots, too.

Fender is sometimes helpful, sometimes not. It depends on the rep you speak with, or at, as the case may be. 50-50.

All in all I love this guitar. It suits me very well. A few minor problems aside, I think I got a good deal. Since this guitar will have little resale value I don't mind changing out some of the parts to make it into the guitar it could have been from day one. If for some reason I ever find myself without this guitar I would want another.

CIJ 2002. Lake Placid Blue w/Stripe. 22 Frets. Volume and tone controls. 2 3-way switches. 2 single coil pickups (stock). Basswood body. Included gig bag. If someone doesn't give you a freakin gig bag when you buy a brand new guitar go somewhere else.

I could write an essay on the sound of this guitar. I use a Marshall and play all kinds of music. I love the pickups. I will not change them. This guitar really is great. The only difference I notice in the new Mustang and old is that the new one doesn't go out of tune every other song like the old one (when you're playing the hell out of it).

Guitar arrived in PERFECT condition. The factory did a wonderful job. I really was suprised that I didn't have to do any mods at all.

The only question I can answer in this section is whether I would use it on a gig without a backup. The answer is a definite yes. Time will tell how durable it is, but it is a Fender so I think it'll be fine.

I called Fender about the Basswood/Alder issue. They were very courteous and apologetic. At first I was kind of pissed about this, but I'm over it. Besides it was just the fact that it was advertised as alder. I don't really care that much. Basswood is much lighter anyway and that'll be good on my back.

All I have to say is this; When my tax return gets here I'm buying a red one and another blue one. I know I'll have three but who's counting

I have a candy apple red one. It has a rosewood fingerboard and a basswood body. Alder would have been nice, but what can you do. It has 2 single coil pickups and 2 3 way switches. It also as the trem tail piece.

The pickups produce a nice single coil sound. I like them, I uses the bridge pickup a lot. I don't have any plans to cahnge them as I like single coils.

The finish is very nice, the neck smells really good. It looks like it will last for years and years.

It's a Fender.

Overall this is a good guitar, while the sound is not asrich as my American Strat it still gets sound good sounds. The 3 way switches are nice, and offer a wide range of sounds. If anything ever happened to shis guitar I would get another one.

When fender first announced the new mustang ri, they said it had an alder body. It was all over the namm reports, and a lot of stores still sell the competition mustang with the 'old' spec shied. Cause it seems like fender suddenly decided to change the specs on their website. I don't know when this happened, but if you're one of the suckers -like my friend- who wanted to have this guitar the minute it was available, you've probably been screwed. All of a sudden the mustang has a basswood body. What's up with that?

My buddy ordered his mustang 'cause he thought it had the same tonewoods as the original american mustang, and that's why he payed more then what the older '90s mustang reissues went for. Sorry for the rant, but this is a big f***ing deal. Basswood isnt even a friggin hardwood, it's squire material just like polar. And we're not talking about a small time no-name guitar builder here, the reason why fender keeps fucking with it's customers is beyond me.

2002 japanese fender competition mustang. lake placid blue with ridiculous looking racing stripe (hell, the only reason i have this guitar is i orded the wrong colour by mistake. i actually wanted the sonic blue one, but nevermind). pearloid scratchplate, black pickup covers, chrome hardware. machine heads are exactly the same (in my view) as the vintage fender/gotoh one's off my MIA 62 reissue jaguar. neck is almost identical to the jag as well, it and the body are obviously polyurithine finish though, nitrocellulose would have been better. bass wood body, maple neck, rosewood fretboard-looks just like a jagmaster fretboard and not dark and er....creamy like the jaguar (by the way sorry if i keep comparing it to the vintage jaguar it couldn't possibly live up to that for the price). if you don't know by now its an 'offset contour body', but does look stretched. fender probobally thought if it was any smaller it would be percieved as a students guitar, as the neck is 24", when they designed it all those years ago. didn't come with a gig bag, but i think that is because the company i bought it off are incompetant, you should expect one with yours, if you buy one. came with 2 allen keys, one for the bridge assey, one for the tremolo.

when i get some flatwound strings on it i'm sure it will sound great! the pickups are very bright. although one problem i have is that when only one is turned on there is a sort of interferance noise, and when i turn them both on (which luckily i would always do) everything is clear. to be honest i don't really understand the different sides of the off switch. to the left is supposed to be louder i think, but i haven't noticed any difference. i'm told the guitar is very limited in the variety of sound it can create......what the hell does that mean???? just get on and play!!

when i first recieved the guitar it was literally freezing. delivered in a cold english winter in the back of a van. when it finally warmed up (left to slowly warm up so as it didn't warp i may add) it was obviously slightly out of tune, but i believe half a step down. hmmmmm how strange. intonation perfect. but action a little high for my liking. truss rod adjusted perfectly, although i suspect all that will have to change when i put thicker flatwound strings on it. and you know what that means? yes taking the f-ing neck off about 4 times!!! as the truss rod on the jag/mustang/jazzmaster is located at the opposite end of the neck, although i wouldn't have it any other way.....because it looks better....vanity.

i suspect it will be reliable. i don't know if the electics are made with case hardened steel, i doubt it. my only problem may be the location of the pickup switches. they may be caught with my strumming hand, i wonder if this is why the action was so high?

N/A

not got alot to say really. i wish i had the sonic blue one to be honest. but i'll have to keep this one, anyway its mechanically the same. i love the size and weight of this guitar, it must be great to play live! i do compare it to the jaguar actually, although as i said it can never compare. being honest i would never have bought this if it wasn't for kurt cobain. i remember seeing him use one mtv's live n loud. i don't think i'll be routing this one for humbucker though!

2002 MIJ Candy Apple Red Competition Mustang - "Limited Edition" (probably not going to be that limited). Basswood solid body, not alder as they advertised: called Fender and cleared this up, 24" scale, 22 fret rosewood fingerboard on a maple neck with vintage Kluson style tuners. Two single coil pick ups, two slide switches, one volume and one tone pots, Fender "Dynamic Vibrato" tail piece. Rating would be better if Fender would have advertised as it is. Otherwise, the guitar has all the features of a vintage and other reissue Mustangs.

I play mostly punk rock. It suits me fine when appripriately modified. Even though I use humbuckers, I was pleasently surprised by the output of the stock p/u's. Not my thing but they may good for a lot of people: remember all these comments are all subjective. The slide switches allow you to turn off the p/u's, turn each on individually, use them both in-phase or out-of-phase creating a thin metallic sound. Very versatile pickup arrangement!

Well, first of all it was a big disappointment for me to call Fender regarding discrepancies in information between Fender's site, where they advertise alder body, and Musicians Friend and Sam Ash, where the guitar is advertised as basswood. When I called Fender customer service it was cleared: it is basswood. None the less I still ordered. The pickups were well adjusted, the neck was straight, paint job is flawless and pretty as hell. But... there were two frets that were not properly set, a bit loose, the slide switches are cheap, cheap, cheap, they feel like they are going to break apart on you. The Jag-Stang's and the previous Mustang reissues had the better slide switches: very similar to the original 60's and 70's. The pots are 250K mini pots that always run into trouble over time. The hardware is the standard Mustang type which lasts, the fretwire looks good and the tuners, well thay are the standard Kluson type with the slot which holds tuning and last.

Basswood is light, but seems to hold a fair amount of use. The finish looks thick enough. I always change the strap buttons to Schaller strap locks. Again, the slide switches are not an amusing joke by the folks at Fender Japan and the mini-pots are crap. I recommend you change them as soon as possible.

Well, at least they were honest to tell me that the website info was wrong. Very easy to get a hold of, and have been very helpful on other occassions

I love the Fender Mustang. I own a '69, '75, '78 and a hybrid; Fender reissue Mustang neck with a Warmoth competition blue alder body. The '69 had no electronics so I placed DiMarzio Fast Tracks, and aftermarket 500K pots, slide switches, control plate, knobs and pickguard (All Parts): it has the original tuners, the neck was immaculate and the body is the yellowed, cracked white, and 60's patent numbered tremolo. The '75 is refinished in white with red pickguard, DiMarzio full sized white X2N humbucker in the bridge position and a white Fast Track in the neck position, aftermarket slide switches, control plate, 500K pots, knobs, pickguard: original tuners, neck is also immaculate and patent numbered original tremolo. The '78 is completely original in black, it's a beaut. The warmoth body is all aftermarket except the Fender reissue neck and the reissue tremolo: p/us are a black X2N and Fast Track also with 500K pots. . So... what about the reissue comp. Disappointment regarding the wood, we should take this as an issue to Fender. The slide switches were gone the day I got it and replaced with aftermarkets from AllParts, which are very similar to the originals, The control plate was drilled for full sized 500K pots with aftermarket Mustang type knobs, the pickups were replaced to single coil sized humbuckers: Razor from All Parts: let me tell you they are cheap but they kick ass, frets were leveled. All in all it has potential, but I think Fender should try to be more honest regarding advertising, and make an effort to use quality electronics, because honestly they SUCK.

2001 CIJ, 22 fret-short scale maple neck with rosewood fretboard. Lake placid blue with baby blue racing stripe. Vintage tremolo, pearloid pickguard, natural headstock (the domestic japanese models have painted headstocks like the originals =( ). Vintage tuners.

When I first saw this thing, one word came to mind -- TOY. But I'm realizing that this is fairly true, but is not necessarily a bad thing. The pickups sound tastefully thin in some settings (think sleepwalking), but this is useful for acheiving a good tonal palette. Great pristine single coil sound in the in-phase neck position, I'm really impressed by the stock pickups. The key to the mustang's sound is in it's short scale and the vintage mustang tremolo, punchy and clear; it's almost like a built-in compression at points. I play through a VOX Valvetronix ADV120T which gives the mustang a variety of sounds. I can truly hear the difference when using the fender twin preset--the mustang sounds like a dobro (shrill, thin) under normal settings (bass full, treble 3/4, mid 1/2) whereas my strats sound "normal". I have found it necessary to turn back the treble and presence from my usual settings. Bottom Line--If you're expecting anything like a Strat sound from this guitar, you'll be disappointed. Not nearly as versatile as a strat (but what is?), but has a wonderul and unique tone.

Great setup with .10's (I believe) directly from the factory. Definitely a difference with the short scale, which takes some getting used to, but very comfortable neck. Smooth as silk action, no buzzes whatsoever. Finish is AWESOME, it sparkles slightly and tastefully (nowhere near a flamboyant Danelectro or gretsch sparkle, I might add), no blemishes whatsoever

Japanese Fenders are usually pretty solid in my experience , but it's too soon to tell anything.

Never dealt with Fender directly, so no opinion.

If you can spare the cash and accept the fact that this will not be your main instrument, you'll LOVE this guitar. It's amazing for what it is.