Fender Bronco

A 1974 small scale student guitar with a single coil in the bridge. 22 fret 24" scale maple neck with a rosewood fretboard.

Being as the price of these has gone up I replaced the pick guard and the stock p/u with a gold sensor lace. Which sounds great though I have no idea how the original sounds. The tremolo knocks the score down. More on that below.

A Feista Red finish with dings and scaling all over including the head stock. I absolutly love the feel of the neck but the tremolo kills all sustain. The worst sustain of any guitar I've played. A First Act guitar at Wal-Mart rings out longer than this thing. I use the whammy and it stays in tune fairly well. The neck doesn't fit in the pocket very well. The truss rod adjust is on the body side of the neck which I'm not a fan of.

This guitar has lasted this long and it's taken much abuse. It stays intune fairly well. I wouldn't play live with this. I will record with it however. The Sensor lace helps out.

I would play a guitar just like this at a pawn shop in the mid-90's and I have always wanted one. I'm glad these started popping up on ebay but the quality doesn't match the price even if it is slightly older than I am. That being said; I don't regret the purchase but I would never buy another one. I would love to mod the bridge with a mustang style but I'm not into destroying something that is vintage regardless if it's a pos or not. I'll more than likely keep this thing for a few years then sell when I need money.

This was my first electric guitar. It was a 1978 model, according to the serial number, with one single coil quite horrible pick up, volume and tone switches. And that's it. Over the years (been playing 23 years now) I have come to value and love simplicity in guitars, but to a 14 year old it wasn't nearly enough in the way of features and sound variation.

Horrible. Really weak and weedy. If I thought for a moment it was worth it then I would have replaced the pickup with two others - but that would have required extra routing and expense. I started using it with an old SEGA practise amp. When I sold the Bronco about a year ago I gave it one last try through my gorgeous Fender Twin - and it still sounded like a poor-man's Strat. And I hate Stratocasters...

Despite several trips to my guitar tech (who is v. good) it still buzzed along a number of frets. It fretted out quite badly on the B and G strings at around fret 16. Sustain was virtually non existant, despite it being absurdly heavy. The routing was quite poorly done as well. On the plus side I gave this guitar some serious abuse gigging and practising when I was in my teens and desperate to out windmill Pete Townshend - and it stood up to it. Tuners were good and it stayed in tune. Bridge was solid enough. The finish was white and became badly chipped so I took it to pieces and stripped the body. The neck never fitted properly afterwards but still stayed in tune and didn't waver to badly when I moved. Neck remained straight as a Roman road throughout the 21 years I had it.

Can't fault it - see above.

n/a

I held on to this guitar for a long time for emotional attachment (first electric and all that) but over that time I grew to loathe it dearly. It really was a hateful instrument. It never sounded good, never was able to really make it sing (and I can with others - I am good and play pro) and always left me feeling frustrated and annoyed. Conversely it may well have helped develop my technique when I was younger because I really worked at stuff! I bought it because it said "Fender" on the headstock and I was young and stupid. Conversely that's how I managed to sell it - to someone presumably young and stupid who wanted "Fender" (and "made in USA") on the headstock. I would not have replaced it had it been stolen - and in fact would have jumped for joy as I could have collected the insurance and bought something good instead. Call me heartless and unemotional but I'm glad it's gone! The overall "4" is bumped up solely by reliability and durability - certainly not by playability!

I was told it was a '74 by the guy at JK Guitars in Flagstaff, AZ. I haven't checked the serial number to confirm this. The color is a vintage whitish-yellow, which I'm not sure was ever a stock color for the Bronco, or any of Fender's "student" guitars. Not sure of the body material, but it seems solid from the nicks I've put in it over the years. Fingerboard is rosewood, though I can't recall exactly how many frets there are. Seems like more than 22. Neck is a shorter scale that Gibson whores will enjoy, minus the weight and pretention. Bridge is a trem/sorta-tune-o-matic combo that just rocks. Trem bar came with guitar. Tuners are stock as far as I know, and are set up like bass tuners, where you stick the tip of the string down a hole in the center. This looks clean and prevents pricking your fingertips on string-ends. Body is shaped like a Mustang, but without all those damned switches and the hefty "Kurt played one just like this" price tag.

Initial sound: Chintzy crap. The single coil that came stock in the bridge position was tinny and soul-less. I had to go out and buy a Boss EQ pedal to beef up the lows and mids, but this only improved the sound minimally.
Current sound: Balanced and ballsy. I had this guitar modified to accept a neck pickup and then set it up like a telecaster. Bridge pickup is a Seymour Duncan Jerry Donahue Tele bridge. I chose this particular pickup because it offers balanced output across the frequency spectrum. Lows, mids, and highs all come through crisp and clear. The neck pickup is a Seymour Duncan Strat Standard Tele (looks like a tele, sounds like a strat) pickup. Another good, balanced pickup, though it could use a bit more output. I initially had a Duncan Nashville Special put in, and that put out a very cool, unique twangy tone. However, I dropped the guitar, cracked the magnet, and that was that. Anyway, the sound that comes from a stock Bronco isn't all that impressive, but the price of the Bronco allows you to customize it new pickups. I'd actually like to get another one.

Action is perfect. Not too high, not too low. Finish is fine.

This guitar went on tour with me and it held up fine especially since I play kind of hard. Tuners will most likely last forever, though the G string tuner sticks a bit. Bridge stays in tune, remarkable for ANY tremolo bridge. Pretty solid for such a little guitar.

Vintage. No warranty.

Been playing for 10 years. Own a Univox Hi-Flyer and a Squire Strat that I haven't played in years. I'd freak if this guitar was stolen. I'd defintiely replace it. I love the size, the shape, the playability, the tuners, the bridge/trem setup, the shape of the headstock (big), and the sound since I've replaced and added the pickups. I also love the price and the fact that the Bronco seems to slip under the radar of the "Kurt played one just like this, so I'll pay $600 for it" crowd. I hate the original pickup. I chose this guitar because it was shaped like a Mustang, but without all the damn switches. It also plays well, and I like the shorter scale. What I love most about the bronco is that you can buy one and put in a new pickup (or two) and have an instrument that is superior to the Mustang, yet still cheaper. Perfect for the working musician.

This is a black 1978 Bronco that has been altered by over-enthusiastic owners in the past. The tuners are replacement Schallers, and theres a dimarzio humbucker at the neck. There's no tone control, as the one that says 'tone' is the humbuckers volume. Although the repair work looks like it was done by a disabled child, it sounds and plays really well. I love the look of 70s Fenders, but cruel friends have called it ugly in the past.

The original pickup sounds beautifully twangy. It doesnt really sound like a mustang, which is what you'd expect, but it sounds cool. I'm not so keen on the humbucker, which makes it really heavy, but the factory single-coil is amazing. Not really a bluesmans guitar, though.

The finish is thrashed. Someone routed the hole for the humbucker with a drill and they managed to hit the paint with the drill, too. The action is good, which is just as well, cos adjusting the bridge is a nightmare. The trem doesnt really return to pitch at all, but the fretboard feels really good. The neck is the biggest on any Fender Ive played. Everyone hates it at first but grows to love it. I love it. You really feel ready to rawk when you get that fat neck in your hand! The switches on the pickguard get in the way when you play, but thats not fenders fault cos it shouldnt have any.

This guitar is built like a tank. The finish is really thick and although previous owners have given it a thrashing, its taken it all. build-wise I'd trust it with my life, sound-wise I wouldnt wanna play it for a whole gig.

I doubt Fender acknowledge they ever made it. Confusingly enough, they make an amp called a bronco.

This guitar is great. I plan to restore it a bit, getting rid of the new pickup, and then it'll be even better. A bargain.

'75, American made, maple neck, rosewood fretboard, thin frets, one single-coil pickup, tremelo, Mustang-style body.

Amazingly noise free. This guitar is 25 years old, so I can't guarantee that the pickup hasn't been changed, but there are no signs of any modifications. I was really surprised at how good it sounded. With only one single coil pickup it doesn't have a wide range of sounds, and it's not a real high-output pickup, but much better than you would expect from a student-model guitar. I see no need to change anything here. My only gripe is that it could be a bit louder.

The finish on the body is nothing great, but the neck finish, set-up and construction are better than on most new Fenders I've pulled off the rack in the last 5 years. And don't get me started on the Squiers. The neck/body joint is not as tight as it should be so I'm sure that affects the sound. This guitar doesn't have any frills, but the money and attention were spent getting the basics right. The frets are small, but the fretwork is great. The vibrato is unique to this guitar. It's functional, but not intended for dive-bombing.

It's 25 years old and looks almost brand new. It obviously hasn't been played much, but it feels solid. I never play without a backup just because of string breakage, but I don't foresee and problems with this guitar. I play Les Pauls live and bought this guitar for studio work only, but I am impressed with how well it's put together.

Old guitar so forget about a warranty.

I've been playing for 28 years and play mostly Les Pauls. I bought this guitar just to add color in the studio, although it's so much fun to play that I'm considering getting one that's not as nice as this one and adding a couple humbuckers to play it live. This one's too nice to modify. For what it's worth, I recently sold an equally near-mint '66 Fender Mustang and replaced it with this guitar. I think this guitar is built better, plays better and sounds better, not to mention it doesn't have those annoying switches.

Circa 1969. Red body whith one piece maple neck and rosewood fingerboard. One pickup (stratoid) in neck position. Fancy tremolo (very nice).

Very bright. Lovely sound. It is like a strat without its bass. I like this sound with some tremolo and reverb (use a twin reverb). This is perfect for gothic and brit-pop sounds.

This a circa 69 fender. Well made but very simple. The fiesta red color is very nice. The body is little contoured but the neck is very playable (this is a short lenght neck)

It is 30 years old today, and plays and looks fine! The pots are OK too.

Yes I would buy it again and agian. I love these little fender. All the spirit of vintage fender without the price!

The Bronco, with an accompanying amplifier of the same name was introduced in mid-1967 to it's discontiuance when the 'Squier' line developed in 1980. It was a 'student model' guitar intended to replace the Musicmaster that was apparently requested by Fender Sales (who also requested a 'bright red finish). It utilized the Musicmaster body with a routing for the pickup (same as a Musicmaster, sealed black single-coil), at an angle like a strat in the bridge position. Leo, and possibly Gene Fields (who worked on the development of the Starcaster) developed a simple steel vibrato bridge unique to this model, and standard. The basic features include: maple neck with indian rosewood fingerboard (only); 24-inch scale; 22 frets; trus rod at pickguard end; single string guide; Fender "F" tuners (which were white plastic, switching to metal from '75 on); 2 pots vol/tone; and the jack socket on the pickguard. Frets were thin, as is the neck (which has no 'skunk stripe'), which you would expect on a student model. The pickguard is a 13 screw white only (15 screw from 1970) and then black only from 1975. The body itself came red only, best guess is Fiesta Red, and then in '75, black or white only. Neck width at the nut is 1 5/8", and body depth 1 1/2". It's pretty light (basically the same as a Musicmaster, at around 7.6 lbs. Original price was around $150, when it was introduced.

I actually dig the sound. If you are used to the sound of Musicmasters, imagine if you moved the pickup back towards the bridge, and that's the sound you get. Or try out a Duo-sonic on the brige pickup only, and there you are. They are not high-output pickups, but they have their unique sound. It is pretty bright and crisp, and the pots are responsive and fairly smooth, so you can warm it up if you choose. I compare it feature-wise to my '68 SG Junior (one P-90 mounted near the bridge, on vol, one tone, trem system), but the pickup comparison is not fair. The P-90 screams, where this little Fender guy is, well, student model Fender-y. Not that it's bad at all, like I said at the start, I dig the sound. (Some Bronco's I have seen at vintage stores have a Strat pickup or a Hot rails installed.)

The action is great and the neck size is wonderful. If you have small hands like mine, it's a real joy play. From an interview, the fine leader of the Pretenders keeps a Bronco around her house to pick up, strum on, and write some songs now and again. A good testament to the playability, weight, and friendliness to small hands. I actually have 2 of them. One is from '71, and the other from '76. The frets are a little thin, but nicely playable. They actually look unusually well put together overall. When you think student model and some of the low quality put into the top range Fenders of the day, these are really neat little guitars. The maple picked out for the neck of my '71 is the best I have seen from a Fender of that era. It has a little birds eye sort of quiltiness to it and it is almost white even after all these years. They also feature, like their cousins the Musicmasters, 4-bolt necks which are nice and feel solid as well.
The finish of the red ones are amazing (as are the black). They really look nice. The polyester laquer seems to hold up really well. It is fairly resistant to scratches and looks thicker than it is. The white finished ones (from '75-80) however, fade to yellow like you wouldn't believe. My '76 was white, the only way you can tell is from under the pickguard, and even there, protected from the UV's it is well on it's way to yellow. *This should be a knock against the guitar in this category, but my friends, it looks fantastic! It looks like the color Jimmy Lee Vaughan's main strat (which also started out white). The bridge/trem system is functional, but unusual. If you lose any of the parts, welcome to Hell. You will find no help in the world due to the uniqueness of the Bronco. It is, as I said functional, and you get a neat reasonance from the system and the way the whole thing fits together.

As I mentioned with the 4-bolt neck, the nice finish, the stoutly-mounted trem system (something like 8 screws holding this thing in the body), they are great little guitars. You see tons of Musicmasters around, because they held up. These are the same body, although routed differently.
The plastic tops of the tuning keys and the plastic nut are suspect, but then again the ones on my '71 are still looking good. The intention, I think, is to have them look like bone. They actually look pretty neat, not cheap like you would imagine. Both of my Broncos are solid little guys and serve the role of being the guitars you leave out to have access to while your nice Teles and Strats are in their case safe from the occasional tip over in the stand. You could gig with these guys no problem if you so desired, I haven't, but I applaud the very, very, very few I have seen that do.

Even Fender themselves have no idea about this guitar. I have asked for help on a couple of occaisions, but them seem to think I am asking about the Bronco Amp, which has been reissued.

I have been playing for around 14 years and a devout Fender Junkie. I have a host of Strats, Teles, Musicmasters, Starcasters, etc. I also have the odd Gretsch, Gibson, Ibanez, and a couple of others. I have a thing for the oddball Fender which pushes me toward the lesser known, but quality fellows like the Starcaster and Bronco. (I am always on the lookout for a Swinger, LTD, or Montego, by the way.) It is a joy to have a quality, playable, fun, classic Fender that you can still pick up for 3-bills or under. Heck, that's what people are paying for some analog effects these days! You owe it to yourself to snag one of these guys and enjoy them. They are getting hard to find, but one fun thing is, sometimes when you do run across one, the seller is offering them as a set with a vintage Bronco amp. Not that the amps are that great, but it's usually a really great deal on the two. Anyhow, they are fun, decent looking, playable, and overlooked by people clamoring for Cobain-inspired Mustangs. A couple of good sites to look at some Fender oddballs like the Swinger and the Bronco are: http://members.aol.com/~gggagliano/bronco.htm and GGJaguar's Guitarium and Ampeteria page. I'm giving the overall guitar a 10, because with the wacky vintage prices, they are a good value. Good luck.