Fender Mustang

My 'Stang is a 1968 slab body model purchased cheaply from eBay in March 2009 as a nearly-playable project. Poplar body, originally red judging from traces in the neck pocket, but long ago stripped down to natural and since well and truly relic'd - looks like it's been played really enthusiastically from all the dings and scrapes: looks really great (I hate shiny, unscratched guitars). 22-fret 24-inch neck with "veneer" rosewood board and nickel-plated Kluson "two-band" patent-number tuners with plastic buttons (strange, as Fender reputedly moved the Mustang over to F-stamped tuners in '66, but I've no reason to believe that these were substitutes). Pearloid white scratchplate, black pickup covers and switch buttons, Jazz Bass style control knobs, all original Fender blue cloth-covered wiring. The original neckplate with serial number has been supplanted by a plain un-numbered generic plate, but the neck and both pickups are all clearly stamped or handmarked 1968, so I think it's safe to assume it's otherwise all original and not a parts mutt. The only other dubious features with respect to originality were that one Kluson had been replaced with a later "one-band" nickel-button example and that the whammy arm that came with it has a threaded end and was clearly from a Strat. Oh, and at some early stage the cavities have all been neatly lined out with copper sheeting, and the back of the scratchplate sprayed with what I take to be conductive paint, to reduce hum. Almost certainly a custom job as I can't believe Fender did this to their budget models.

To get it up and running I had to cut off the original bridge saddles, whose screws and springs were immovably rusted in place, and to address very slightly loose, raised fret ends on the five highest frets (how did that happen?). It now has a set of replacement saddles from Allparts, and the loose frets have been backfilled (with window putty!) and their ends carefully filed to remove the sharp corners. I've also replaced the original Klusons with brand new genuine Klusons in the same style to ensure tuning stability: be assured that my vintage guitars are all players, and not museum pieces. The slide switches work OK, if a little noisily, but the original jacksocket was corroded and crackly so I fitted a new one. All other components - pickups, pots, bridge height adjustment, that crazy whammy system - work fine. That done, I now have a fully playable, reliable vintage Mustang for considerably less than the price of a MIJ repro. And I have to admit I'm very fond of it already. For a budget model, it's well armed, so a gracious 8 out of 10 for features.

Sound is, as you'd expect, somewhere between a Strat and a Tele. The pickups, if raised to the closest sensible spacing from the strings, are surprisingly powerful with a full frequency range including a strong bass; they certainly don't sound inexpensive. There are four distinct sounds depending on the positioning of those esoteric slide switches. Used through my Roland Cube 60 on the clean channel, neck alone is strong and Stratty; bridge alone is wiry and Tele-ish but not as biting as Tele bridge; both in parallel is a ringer for the Tele mid-position. And there's the out-of-phase option, which is nothing like a Strat on neck-plus-mid or mid-plus-bridge but very individual. Other reviewers have implied a weak sound from their 'Stangs; I suggest they ensure their pickups are set as close to the strings as possible, as this really can make a remarkable difference. Frankly, I think it sounds brilliant for what was supposedly a student model.

God, I don't know what the original setup was like - it's been used and abused for 40 years! It's set up pretty well now though after a day's effort on my part. Neck appeared loose in the pocket but that could be a result of stripping the body paint off. I've shimmed it sideways with cardboard for a snug fit of the bass side of the butt end of the neck against the side of the channel, and all the strings run true and central along the neck. I don't use whammies, so I've hardtailed it by wrapping the legs of the bridge in insulating tape to stop it rocking in the body cups, and by setting the whammy unit tailpiece bar as low as possible, just leaving room for the strings to pass underneath. Strings I've fitted are Gibson Brite Wires 10s, which are perhaps a little light for the short scale, but which permit wonderful three-semitone string bends and finger vibratos and which present no tuning issues in hardtail configuration. Action is a little high even with the bridge in the lowest possible position, but I could easily correct this by shimming the neck pocket. In fact I'm happy with it as it is as I'm an Atkins-style picker, not a shredder, and also play slide on it, so I won't bother shimming it at present. Possibly it will require a refret at some stage if the temporary repair I've made to the slightly loose high fret ends proves untsustainable: if so that would also allow further lowering of the action. However it's well playable at present, so I'm in no hurry to do this. I should add that because of the short scale I find playing clean, fast single notes on the uppermost frets tricky as they're so close together; however I rarely venture above the fifteenth fret, so no real problem.

It's a Fender solid, so built to last forever, like a good bicycle. As with a well-used bicycle, some parts have worn out with use - the original Klusons were a bit wobbly - and other suffered with neglect - the rusted bridge saddles and jacksocket. Replacing these has made it a player as good as the day it was turned out. That's why I love Fenders! Vintage Gibsons, Guilds and Gretsches are pieces of antique furniture, and require luthier skills. Vintage Fenders are machines, and can be rebuilt by amateur engineers like me.

Hardly applicable? Allparts can provide just about any part you need for Fenders, old and new. The only thing to watch out for is that threads and dimensions are now metric rather than Imperial as in the sixties, so mixing and matching on an old guitar won't always be straightforward. Example: my replacement Klusons have shafts which are fractionally narrower than the originals, so a little loose in the original peghead ferrules. As it happens that doesn't really matter, but of course it would if the shafts were fractionally wider!

The 'Stang joins my '77 Strat, '71 Tele, '66 Coronado, '65-ish Newporter and '67-ish Villager, so I guess you could say I'm a bit of a Fender admirer. I just love the looks, feel and sound of the 'Stang. And, let's face it, Johnny Winter, Curt Kobain and Dave Alvin couldn't all be wrong. And did you know that John MacLaughlin allegedly played all his parts on the stuff he did with Miles Davis in the late 60s on a Mustang?

Baby blue "just like Kurt" (I think it is Daphine Blue) finish, 2 single coil pickups with phase reverse, white pickguard, 1 volume 1 tone, 24 inches scale, dynamic vibrato...not really much. Made in Japan, 2006, it is a 65 reissue, so no racing stripe or body counters. The switches take some time to get used to, sometimes you can kick them off or they can bother a palm of your right hand. But I used to have same kind of problems with a les paul style switching and learned to avoid them, so I think it's just a matter of time.

I tend to experiment with my sound, although I'm leaning more towards heavier stuff, and I bought it to try out something with single coils but different from a strat/tele. It sounds really loud unplugged, but plugged in it was not that great, sounded rather week although it could provide some cool rhythm playing. I replaced the pickups with Lace Hot Gold and now it sounds much better, I can even pull some metal tones off(although it does not go too good with the looks haha). The vibrato is pretty nice too. Also, it came with the 10th's and it sounded kinda weak, I replaced the strings with 11th's Blue Steel and now it has more of low end and highs are better defined, I like it. The sustain is not that great, but if you mind the fact that it is not a hard tale guitar, it sustains pretty impressive. I forgot to mention that it's a shortscale, so you can do some really deep string bends. I heard other reviewers complaining that it throws it out of tune, but I think it is because they don't have their intonation set too precise. After I adjusted it, the guitar stays in tune pretty good unless I go to wild. And even then, sometimes I can do divebombs and stay in tune, but sometimes I can't, I have no idea why is it so. But hey, if you wonna do divebombs get something with a floyd. Otherwise, I'd say it is more for a bigsby type effect, and if you do it that way it stays in tune nicely. I'd give it a 7 with the stock sound, but after my mods I think it'd deserve 9 or 10.

The guitar was set up pretty good, although I had to readjust the whole thing after switching to a heaver gauge of strings. I did not like the way the intonation screws are located, as well as the truss rod nut(its in the heel of the neck so you have to remove the neck to make adjustments). The frets are filled nice, and the neck has a glossy finish on it-the feature that I absolutely love. The body finish is really nice too, it used to be smooth and glossy, but I had it for about half a year, and it has got some dings and scratches on it. But I'm not too disappointed with that because 1. It's made of basswood, so there is no way to avoid it and 2. Its a Fender, do I need to say more? I give it a 10, because this guitar looks flawless brand new (at least, mine did).

I dont play live that much, and if I do its mainly acoustic stuff, so I didnt have chance play this guy live. But I think it is built well enough to be played live, and because of the price tag, it MUST stand playing live. I dont think the finish will wear down(that's a disappointment, since it's Fender) and the strap buttons are good, considering the fact that guitar is not heavy at all.

I have not dealt them too much, but once I wrote them about ordering a new pickguard and no answer.

I been playing acoustic(including classical) on and off for about 7 years. I'm kinda fresh to electric, I got my first electric like 5 years ago and the 'stang is my first "real" electric. So far I love it, the only thing I dont like as much is the color, I wish I got it in white with red pickguard, but oh well, too late to complain and the store where I got it didnt have that. Also, I say this guitar is grossly overpriced, it's in the same class as Gibson Melody Maker but costs twice as much. Although maybe it's worth paying for the vibe and feel that this guitar provides, you decide. If it was stolen I would try to get it back as best as I can, and if I fail, I'd get another one, but maybe in Olympic White or sunburst. Overall it's a good guitar, with an interesting sound that not everybody may like, and it is crafted and put together very nice.

22 frets, Fender Dynamic Vibrato, 2 pick-ups with 2 selector switches. I prefer to use it without the arm, and just rock the vibrato with my palm heel. My beauty was made in 1978 and I bought it in 1987 second hand. I can't think of anything I'd want to add or change to the hardware.

There are so many sounds that this guitar can produce. With the tone high and the bridge pick-up only, we're in serious twangin' country territoy. Similar to a Tele, but with a tad more sustain and less of the almost instant attack. Recently I started hankering after a Tele, but then began learning banjo rolls and my Mustang was absolutely perfect.

With the neck pick-up and eased off tone, I am able to play jazz, albeit only basically. But the sound is mellow and full enough to sound and feel authentic.

Both pick-ups on presents a choice depending on whether I have both selectors closest together (difficult to describe. I have never owned a Strat, but suspect it is that out of phase sound they always chunter on about) or furthest apart (More of a rounded tone.)

Bearing in mind no guitar can truly or realistically cater for absolutely every type of musical genre perfectly, I feel there is nothing enormous lacking in this guitar for the styles I play : Blues, rock, rockabilly, country, jazz and the occasional avant-garde punk.

I have no idea how the original factory set-up would have been like, as it was second-hand. I have it currently fairly low with D'Addario 9s and it is easily the most comfortable guitar I have played. String bending is really smooth and easy for those pedal steel bends I'm practising. I have not had reason to make any major adjustments since the set-up I did on it back in 1997. Wow, that's 10 years ago. Amazing how time flies.

Well, given how old it is, I am confident that this guitar will continue to age rather like those really posh wines snobby people get snobby about. It has withstood live playing and has been used in the studio. I admit that it has a couple of battle scars - courtesy of the bloke who owned it before me - but I feel it adds character. This is one tough survivor. Still stays in tune dependably. The only slight irritaion is that a few of the screws holding the scratchplate in place have become a little rusty.

Not applicable.

I've been playing guitar since 1986. I've never owned any other real guitars; just an awfully cheap copy of a Les Paul and an even more horrendous Mockenbacker. I used to be a guitar tech, and so have played on lots of other people's guitars, so I have a reasonable grasp on what is good and what is a complete load of J Arthur. I genuinely like this guitar and would not sell it. If anyone stole it I would spend 3 years at university to obtain a degree in Applied Torture, and then find the foul miscreant and then torture him for another 3 years. I can't really expect to replace it; I know it far too well.

1964 Fender Mustang. I bought it in 1990.
Original electronics (switching, etc) as came from the factory--two single coil pickups with plastic covers (no pole pieces).
I bought it used (approximately 26 years old when purchased); the finish had been slightly abused, but still looked pretty good. It was a creamy white (possibly originally Olympic or pure white?) color with a red faux tortoise shell pickguard.
Tuning pegs were similar to Klusons but had white plastic buttons.
Short scale 22-fret (as were all Mustangs and Musicmasters) maple neck with rosewood fretboard. Neck profile was c-shaped, but the width at the nut was VERY narrow--almost too narrow to play regular chords at 1st position.
Original funky Mustang tremolo; trem arm was missing (but I never used tremolos much anyway). It didn't have a problem with intonation.
It came with the original silver "snake skin" hardshell case (interior was red velvet).
Overall, it was a cool-looking guitar.

I play Texas Roadhouse Music (mix blues, classic rock and outlaw country) with a Fort Worth, Texas-based group called the SCREAMIN' ARMADILLOS.
At the time I bought this axe, I had no band--I just jammed anytime, anywhere, with almost anyone that would have me. I had only been playing for about a year and a half, and didn't really know what I was looking for, instrument-wise. I thought, "Vintage Fender=good for anything!"
I later found out that a person had to find what worked for them personally, and that not all "Vintage Fender" instruments were created equal.
The sound I got out of this guitar was okay--it was a little on the thin side (which I compensated for with my big bad Bassman Ten amp (that amp could make any guitar sound beefy). Not too noisy, but the pickups were weak in comparision to the G&Ls I owned at the time (a Nighthawk and an F-100).
The switches and knobs gave a pretty diverse set of sounds within that somewhat limited range--the weakness and lack of beef in the tone made this axe a one-trick-pony.

I have no idea about the factory setup--the instrument was 26 years old when I bought it. But it was set up well and played well when I bought it.
Unfortunately I found out (later) that 1964 Mustangs had terribly narrow necks at the nut--almost like a four-string banjo!...I thought I would adjust to it, but I never did.
It would have been a great guitar for a kid or a person with extremely small hands.
Mechanically, I can't gripe, it just wasn't the right instrument for me.

It was durable enough, but I never used it playing live due to its weak, thin tone and skinny neck.

Never had an issue with it, but I have dealt with Fender before on other instruments, and I like the company overall--they have done right by me over the years.

First af all--I am a HUGE fan of Leo Fender's designs...especially Stratocasters, Telecasters and various G&Ls.
The Mustang just wasn't for me. I sold it to a young Japanese rhythm & blues player who was as happy as a clam to get it--and it sounded good in his hands.
I have learned a whole lot about picking the right instrument for my own wants and needs; I don't think anything bad of this guitar (as opposed to BC Rich and several other buzz-bomb pointy-headed pieces of crap)--it just wasn't the right guitar for me.
I've been playing for approximately 18 years, and have owned too many instruments, amps, effects, etc. to list.

96 made in Japan Mustang reissue. Sonic blue with a red tortoiseshell pickguard. Maple neck wirh rosewood fretboard. 2 singlecoil pickups with no visible posts, 3 way slider switch for each pickup, master volume + tone. Mustang Vibrato (trem).

This reissue is a faithful reproduction of the original. Very bright without alot of output. The pickups buzz when singled out just like the originals. Unplugged it sounds guite clunky, but is fairly loud when not amplified. Not alot of bottom to it, and the 2 switches make it possible to run the pickups in or out of phase. Great for surf, bright rock tones, and out of phase it has a good blues tone.

The action is similar to a Strat, but it is a shortscale guitar. The finish had a flaw by the top hornd strapbutton, but otherwise no issues. The bridge is quite quirky for a Fender; it sets into the Vibrato plate and is held in place by the strings. The strings go in, and wrap under the mount bar, which some people like, but I prefer less moving of strings in a trem. To adjust the trussrod, you have to unbolt the neck. The pickup switches are located above the strings when you're playing, making them easy to hit when playing hard.

Had to replace one switch, but otherwise this has been a solid guitar. The finish is the older type nitro cellulose similar to the 60's Fenders, so it should age in a simslar manner to the Mustangs of old.

Quirky. The Mastang was reissued for people who like mustangs (plus Kurt Cobain using them at the time didn't hurt). This is not a guitar capable of heavy balls out tone, but how many Fenders are?

1966 daphne blue - all original
22 frets got a Tone and Volume control and two 3-way- switches fpr the PUs. Two Single Coils.
i absolutly love the simplicity of this guitar,and the fact that
you can bypass the pick ups by putting the selector switches in the middle cause lets just face it most vintage fenders with original wireing are a bit noisy.

The mustang is a guitar with its own unique sound.I bought this guitar in used condition!!!! i play into my '59 fender bassman ltd, 1986 proco rat, ibanez ad80, boss ce-2.

ok!!!!!!!!!!

ok!!!

ok!!!

play guitar for about 13 years. i also have a only acoustic ovation legend 1117, love the Mustang. It is the one guitar I will never part with!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I play classic rock,blues and it's perfect for me!!!!!!!!

1965 dakota red - all original. Slab Body, short scale etc ...

41 years - now it sounds great.

41 years and still working well

41 years and still working well

german "customer service". only selling amount counts in Germany ...

THIS was my first guitar in 1972, present from Dad. Now it came home. Sold in the eighties, now found after 20 years ...

mine is a 1998 50th anniversary reissue with a teal-aqua body and a natural maple neck. its a beautiful guitar to look at it also has a nice looking pick guard i guess its red and black and silver. one volume and one tone knob dont seem to do much to satisfy my needs. the pickups pretty much suck. even with a heavy metal distortion pedal cant get anything

good for blues and no distortion

really hard to move around the frets quickly definetely not for metal

very solid guitar, never out of tune, never use on stage

been playing since 10, now 24, gotta admit i was obsessed with nirvana, probably the only reason i bought it, i do enjoy the light distortion when playing blues although metal and classical are my main music preferences, probably gonna trade it in for an acoustic

A 69 mustang in dakota red... just before the switch to the competition models. Has the standard 22 fret layout. Made of alder... I've heard that multiple woods were used in the construction of the bodies, but mine has to be alder because it's light and a ding in the paint shows the wood through.
Standard control layout... etc
The tuners are the crappiest ever. original klusons with white (chipped) plastic heads. inaccurate and unevenly stiff.
The neck carve is good... a very soft V shape.
overall a solid design... but i wish i could find the right type of trem bar

Do not expect to string this guitar with anything less than 11s. It feels terrible.

This guitar seriously weighs like 5 pounds. and good for tiny hands too.

The mustang is a guitar with its own unique sound. Its twangy and bright no matter what pickups you put in. The stock pickups sounded fine to me, but were extremely low output (5.8 ohms with thin wire) and made a lot of hum. I wound up switching out the pups to two Fender Hot Noiseless (jeff beck) pickups. Swapping the pickups is a move i would recommend to any mustang owner in an instant. The sound is as bright and crisp as ever, but so full and good. Without the swap, I would give it a 7.

Here's where this guitar falls short a bit. Fender had to cut corners somewhere to make this guitar cheap.
The rosewood fingerboard is more... textured than an average fingerboard. nothing too bad though
The original fretwire, which i have yet to replace, is much too small.
The pots are scratchy (tho that one's probably to be expected after 30 some years)
One of the switches broke... this was no big deal as replacements are available at stewmac.com
Tuning this guitar is very difficult with the combination of cheesy klusons and the floating bridge.
The bridge makes the strings buzz audibly when playing unplugged.
The pickup routs were too small to accomodate strat pickups.

The good: Very low action, generally easy to play. Neck is fast.

All the bads are mainly little details that are easy to get over...

Seems like the hardware/body/neck is all stuck together like a tank. I've heard that mustangs are very hard to break. make sure not to flick a pup switch off while you're playing. Finish is old, and a little weak but the wood itsself holds up well. Overall dependable, especially if you like to smash guitars. don't gig without a backup anyway.

Mustangs are not perfect... They're unique. Very fun to play. Very sexy. Sound good too. No, you aren't automatically a nirvana poser if you play one. Kurt said they sounded like shit and he was wrong.

Mid 65 USA Fender Mustang in white with red "tortoise" pick guard
B size maple neck, 22 thin frets on rosewood fingerboard with 6 inline 2 row Kluson deluxe tuners
No F on # plate 5 digit serial # starts with L
2 single coil pickups, 1 vol, 1 tone knobs, 2 three position slide switches for the pickups
White pu covers and switches
Fully adjustable bridge on Fender vibrato tailpiece
Chrome hardware
Original case

This was an entry to mid level guitar from Fender and was very popular with teens in the sixtys
The sound is weak in my opinon it can't compare with the more expensive Fender guitars. The switches work when they feel like it and the pots are scratchy

I got this guitar as a basket case in a trade for an old Honda dirt bike that I got for free and refinished - rebuilt it (both the Honda and the Fender)
The original white finish was striped and the body was stained a dark wood tone. The pickguard had been replaced with a crappy looking black thing with non original pu covers and switches. two of the bridge saddles were missing as well as the whammy bar and bridge cover.
The neck was perfect with original decal and virtualy no wear to frets, tuners, or fingerboard
I replaced all missing - non original parts with original parts found on E bay. About 50 bucks for every thing.
The guitar came with the original hard shell case that was in much better shape than the poor mistreated Mustang. It is a silver grey black specked material with black leather ends and orange felt inside

I have never gigged with this guitar altho I've used much worse equipment over the years
I've only played it plugged in once to make sure everything worked after the rebuild.
The sound is so much weaker than my Strat or Tele that it would require a total reset of my amp to get the sound I want so it stays home when I gig.

I own several Fender guitars that are solid, reliable workhorses.
This guitar is not one of them

I have been playing for 30 years or so.
I wanted a Mustang when I was a kid but couldn't get the frog skins at the time.
I also own a 2002 American Deluxe Hotrodded Nashville B-Bender Tele and a mid 80s Strat Elite as well as a mid 60s Fender Palomino acoustic
I would never have bought this guitar (in my old age) and only got it to save it from an undignified end.
Someday someone will come along to love it and give it a good home.
But since I love restoring old things I guess i got a lot of enjoyment from this project.
Now I'm looking for a basket case 62 Jag to replace the one I had when I was a teen

A Fender Competition Mustang made in Japan 2002. Features two tone and one volume, and two single coil pickups. Basswood body, maple neck and a rosewood fingerboard with 22frets.

The neck is thin and nice. I really love it.

It sound ok to me. It's a little bit noisy. I'm using a Fender Twin Reverb and it's sounds good togther. I don't think it's the best solo guitar on the market, but it's ok.

I've been playing it live a couple of times and it has never let me down. I can depend on it and i know i can use it live without a backup. The finish seems to be good and i think it will last for a couple of years.

I bought it a couple of months ago and it's my first Fender guitar. I've been playing on a Squier Strat for some years, but nothing beats my Mustang.

I owned at one time three USA made Fender Mustangs '64, '65, and '66. I sold the '64 because it had an "A" size neck which was too small for my hands. The '64 and '65 have "B" size necks which are wider at the nut and I love 'em! Although they have 22 frets they are SMALL scale guitars. Some reviewers think that scale length is measured by number of frets but the true measure of scale length is in the scale length...duh! In other words measure from nut to bridge. This distance on the Mustang is significantly shorter than the Strat by more than an inch. If you have a "regular" length neck on an original Mustang body you must sound like crap because your intonation (and neck joint) must be seriously compromised. My dream is to put a Mustang Vibrato on a "regular sized" Start body but until I get a wood shop I'm "stuck" with a small scale, not that I mind much. Although the small scale has no real effect on tone it does affect the "feel" of the guitar. It results in easier chording if you have difficulty stretching to reach frets on a Strat (or similarly scaled guitar), and easier string bending (the shorter the string the less distance you have to bend the note to alter pitch). If you play many guitars you may find you need a slight period to adjust to the different scales. Some people with large hands may even have difficulty fitting their fingers into a chord. The soft radius is extremely comfortable but not real good for bottleneck or slide playing. The two slide switches are effective but poorly placed and too small for quick changes. The single volume and tone knobs are hard plastic (The '64 even had metal knobs like on a Duosonic or Telecaster)and are fully functional. They're mounted on a metal plate similar to a Fender Bass. The "offset waist" bodies are made of basswood slabs glued together and are more attractive than the Strat. In fact they are the most classically beautiful electric bodies I've ever seen. The arm contour on the upper body was not available until the '69 Competition Mustang (the one with the stripes). The fretboards are slabs of nice brown rosewood that feel wonderful. The frets are low and comfortable with no sharp edges and the adjustable action is set fairly low. You may find a higher action will help if you get a string buzz with heavier strings. Some guitars BEG for heavy strings but the Mustangs really don't. Again, that's the beauty of the short scale. I've got two string trees on mine but they may have come with only one. The "dynamic vibrato" is also one of the high points of these guitars. The direct pull makes for a soft even response and the rounded "lipstick tube" anchor makes for a great palm rest. The tremolo arm does not screw in, it just sets in place in the anchor. If you move around a lot when you play you may just find yourself reaching for something that's no longer there. I (and almost everyone else I've talked to about it) feel there's absolutely no need for the arm itself. Vibratos are easily expressed by shaking your palm on the rounded anchor. The tuners are replacement Schallers that are effective. I did have the original tuners on the '64 and they were fine too.

The Mustang has two single coil pick-ups. They are noisy but fully sweet toned. A bit trebly but back off the tone and volume a tad and you'll find a NICE big sweet spot. People who associate the Mustang with Kurt Cobain aren't really appreciating the guitar's tonal characteristics. Kurt himself was dissatisfied with the bridge single coil for his grunge style, prompting him to replace it with a humbucker. I like the sound of the single coil but it does lack the punch for high gain playing. Instead it offers up a variety of smooth mellow single coil sounds with the distinctive "phase" options. John Frusciante of the Red Hot Chili Peppers is a more appropriate Mustang user. His playing highlights the complete separation of individual notes within a chord. Although he uses it in a rock setting, it is most utile in jazz, r&b, and country. In short, it is a soft subtle guitar meant to be heard, not overdriven. It is not for everyone but if you like lots of clean sounds with less brashness than a Strat, this may be the guitar for you.

The Mustang has a truly unique vibrato. I have heard many complaints about it but I LOVE it! Some people say it won't stay in tune but I gotta remind you it's not meant to be used as a dive-bomber. I have never had any problems with tuning and I use the vibrato often (but maybe more subtly). The replacement tuners might help, but even my '64 with original tuners had no such problem. It raises or lowers the pitch evenly and effectively. The frets are clean, well rounded, the neck, smooth and fast. Electronically the guitar needs help with the grounding. A short bit of wire from the pickup to the metal control plate will help reduce the noise. The pick-ups are non-adjustable but the bridge is. Originally the Mustang came with strings wrapped around the bottom of the "lipstick tube" anchor but many people modified it by turning that anchor around and running the strings directly through. Tonally there is no difference except for maybe more stretch in pulls with the original set-up due to a longer string length. The modified set-up does aid in string changes if you change strings "en masse". The vibrato needs some string pull to keep the anchor off the body to allow the ball end to slip under it in the original set-up. Since I change strings one at a time I have never had this problem. The slide switches are crappy. They don't set into their positions cleanly and no amount of "cleaner" will help that. Live with it.

Despite it flaws (I call them quirks!) this is a reasonably reliable guitar. The bummer is the switches, which may prevent you from making a lot of mid-song changes in pick-ups or phasing. Everything else is solid and durable...after all, these guitars are ALMOST as old as I am and still working well! In the appropriate setting there is no need for a back-up unless you need a humbucker's crunch. There is a wide range of clean single coil sounds...phased or not.

These guitars are rare (at least in Northern New England). I brought my '64 to Daddy's Junky Music Store in Portland, Maine and they thought I had a Japanese rip-off. Of course the salesman was half the age of the guitar so he didn't know any better. In fact, he had never seen one before. The epitome of lousy customer service, he didn't even refer me to a manager who might have done some research on his own. He just said "No, we're not interested" and went on to the next person. Feeling humiliated, I returned just as they were closing up and tried to slip him some information under the door but by then he must have been feeling threatened by my outrage. On the other side of the coin, I had the pickguard replaced on my '65 (the original had shrunk)at Buckdancer's Choice in Portland, Maine. They did a magnificent job. In short, don't bring this guitar to a "sales" shop if you need work done on it. They WON'T know what to do with it. Instead bring it to a "service" shop. Even they may not know what to do with it but your chances are much better. The phase switches and wiring are fairly complex and the common modifications to the vibrato make this guitar harder to work on than other guitars...leave it to the pros...if you can find one. I have found some parts available through catalogs, but I haven't been able to find any in stores.

This is an awesome guitar for beginners, people with small hands, and experts who like a variety of clean sounds. I think it's the best sounding guitar I've ever played but I also realize it's limitations. Depending on your style of playing this guitar can either be the greatest guitar ever made (which it is for me) or the lousiest dog in the closet (which it would be for a metal head). It plays fast, bends easily, has a great light body, and a FANTASTIC vibrato. It is tremendously comfortable standing or sitting and has accessible frets due to the double cutaway. If you're about flash and gain, effects and crunch this guitar is not for you. However if you like style AND substance and a pretty set sound, this guitar can't be beat! It is rare, well-made, great looking and great sounding. I LOVE the Mustang.

Mine's a 1970 USA Mustang, with 'competition' stripes. It's a lovely blue. The exact same guitar as seen in the 'teen spirit' video all those years ago... how I smiled on seeing it for the first time. :D

It's all original, barring one rewound pickup and a new scratchplate (the original expired after inadvertantly setting fire to the guitar).

The features are entirely adequate for a range of uses. I particularly like the choice of phasing between pickups; adds variety to the tone. Switchgear isn't the best quality, but is supremely functional.

Crap noisy pickups, if I'm being honest. Otherwise, it's lovely. I've used it with many amps over the years, but it sounds best with a nice phat valve amp. Plug it into a Fender Hotrod Blues Deville for more volume than is really decent, and a tone to die for.

The neck and action of this guitar has defined what I look for in terms of playability. I've never played anything as pleasing.

Having a very small radius neck makes this guitar *hopeless* for slide guitar, but that's ok... just get another for that kinda thing :)

Compared to my '76 Strat (despite it's superior pickups), this wins every time. Hint: it's not the Mustang I'll be selling when I next trade up. For context, I should add that the Strat is *lovely*.

The bridge is still showing rust, but no sign of real deterioration; it's always been like that.

Has been gigged numerous times, on many occasions finding its way into the drumkit at some speed... *nothing* can destroy it. It just keeps going. Never considered a backup, cos I knew it'd do the business.

As indicated above, I did have to get a pickup rewound after about 5 years of ownership, but (as also noted) they were cheap pickups in the first place.

The paintwork has taken a battering, and has flaked or worn away in the usual places, but overall the guitar was made to last. It's marginally older than I, yet in considerably better shape. :)

As noted above, I did once accidentally set fire to the instrument. The scratch plate was totally destroyed, but otherwise the guitar seemed not to notice...

No idea about Fender themselves. I did deal with Arbiter, the spares distribution company in the UK, when I needed to replace the scratch plate. I have no real recollection of whether they were any good or not, so I guess they were adequate.

I learnt to play 17 years ago, aged 15, and bought the Mustang at 18. At the time I wanted a Jazzmaster (and I still do!), but the Mustang has seen me through in splendid style.

I should really fit some decent pickups, get it re-fretted, and respray the body, but it's hard to justify the expense... i rarely play electric guitar these days. :(

I shall never sell it.. I'm sure there are finer instruments, but it's got a special place in my life.

mine is an original Leo Fender 1965 pre-CBS Mustang
22 frets (not that short-skale thing)
got a Tone and Volume control and two 3-way- switches fpr the PUs
Two Single Coils

I bought this guitar in used condition and first time I played it, I was very unsatisfied.
But then after I adjusted the Neck, the Stings, the Frets and all other stuff this guitar ist great!
Turn on both PUs and you get a full sound, with lots of Bass, Mids and Treble. Great for playing without Effekts, just directly into my ProReverb. The bridge PU gives a thin sound with less Bass and lots of treble, great for Tube-Distortion and my 70s BIG MUFF.
The Out of Phase is great for playing hard distortion. I get that chonk, but it doesn't sound muddy. Even Metallica Songs can be played with that setting! (Marshall Drive-Master + Tube Distortion)

The only guitar that could make me happy like this is the Fender Jag-Stang.

Well, it's an original Leo Fender guitar.. nothing to complain about!
I got an original old neck, an old non-contour-body and everythings really old and original ! Be shure that you don't got those lousy late '65 Models which were produced under CBS, they got a bad finish.

hmm.. 1965-2005 = 40 years.. I think this is pretty fine for a guitar :) and it is still alive and will hopefully be there for me in 20 years, too. :)

Every part of those old guitar can still be bought through the Fender All-Parts Service. I had to replace my 3-way-switches but couldn't find some at different electronic-stores. Then I found Fender All-Parts and: I could order those switches. But very exspensive..

I'm playing this guitar for one year now and fell in love after the first week. I wish I had bought it earlier.
If this one would be stolen or lost I could kill myself!
This ony is mine and no other can make me happy like this one.
The fantastic Dakota Red, nearly no dings or dongs. This one is in really perfect condition!!

Mine is a '65 with a slab body. Everything original except the scratchplate, I think. Two single coils, short scale neck, cool floating tremolo, Kluson tuners. Oh, yeah, the white finish is not original either. Good basic guitar that makes the most of two single coil pickups.

I like indie rock/alternative and this guitar fits the stuff like a glove. I traded a '74 Gibson SG to a friend to get $400 cash PLUS this guitar. The SG is a great guitar, no doubt, but I was looking for character and this guitar has it in spades. The sound is somewhere between a snarl and a twang if you play it just slightly overdriven with both pickups in phase. This is my fave sound, though the neck pickup alone is as smooth and bluesy as any other Fender neck pickup. The tremolo is great for authentic surf or 80's goth and is superior to the Strat trem. People going out of tune must be pulling a Steve Vai. This is not your everyday guitar. It strays from the more standard sounds of the Strat or Les Paul, but that's why I like it. It's unique enough, but I think, by now, it's becoming a classic in its own right.

My god, I got this in bad shape! It was so neglected before I got it, plus it is 40 years old! I fixed it up a bit, but my crackly switches need to be replaced and my neck needs adjustment. The action needs help. This is wear and tear, plus I'm foolhearty enough to put 12's on it! I used to go with 10's, but I'm pretty much used to 12's now (I got it in summer of 2004), plus 12's sound great. All things considered, this is a servicable guitar, but I hear the necks have a tendency to bow back, which I hope I can fix. Anyway, it's still my main axe, all the same.

I'm optimistic. Once this guitar is set up again and has new switches, it ought to last another 40 years without incident. It's playable after up to forty years of neglect! Everyone knows old Fenders are built like tanks.

I play this through an Ibanez Tube Screamer and old Boss delay into a 100 w Fender Performer (bad amp, I know!). I've played for twenty years. Aside from my early love of Iron Maiden (I still have a soft spot for 'em!), this guitar would have been a perfect guitar for me if I had gotten it as soon as I started playing! It would have been great for all the classic rock I liked while I also liked Maiden(!), the punk rock I got into after that, the 80's alternative I got into after that, the 90's grunge and alternative I had been waiting for up to that point, and it's great for a lot of new stuff like the Hives, Modest Mouse and Franz Ferdinand. From the beginning, I played in my own bands, doing our own music, and a lot of that time, when I wished my sound was a better balance between the typical finesse of the Fender sound and a more aggressive growl, this would have been the guitar that would've made me happy. Not for everybody, but worth giving a shot if one comes your way. It may have that extra "something" you're looking for. Plus, I have a pre-CBS Fender for $600 cdn (I paid $1000 for the SG)! My main guitar for life.

my mustang is from 1965 it has the original single coil pickups.
i absolutly love the simplicity of this guitar,and the fact that
you can bypass the pick ups by putting the selector switches in the middle cause lets just face it most vintage fenders with original wireing are a bit noisy. My mustang has a full size neck instead
of the smaller scale and its very similer to an old strat,the neck is very worn and smooth and makes for very fast playing abality,the action is very low and flat and makes playing very effortless. It has the original standard white plastic fender tuners and for some odd reason they keep my guitar in perfect tune at all times even with the floating tremelo. the butt of the neck is stamped dec.65.
the only real problem i have with this guitar is,i have difficulty
using the pickup switches and playing at the same time however its just something i am getting used to,i have played this guitar for 2 years and it will be my main guitar at every gig for the rest of my life.

this guitar is so versitile!..its so easy to shape the sound of the guitar into what i want,the single coil pick ups in this guitar are very powerfull,i own a gibson sg that i mess around and play from time to time and it cant touch the tone of my mustang. and im not really a gear head or anything like that i like to keep it very simple this is my rig setup(please dont laugh) =).
1. 1965 fender mustang
2. 1967 sunn solarus 100 watt head (all tube)
3. 1960A marshall 4x12 cab
4. prescption electronics yard box fuzz pedel.

i get massive amounts of tone bottom end and a nice bled of trebel as well with this setup. i wouldent suggest using any kind of pedel with a lot of trebel in like an mxr distortion plus or anything cause mustangs have massive amounts of twang and highend.
i have the bass on my amp all the way up and the bass on my yard box
almost half way up so really to get a classic,rich tone from these guitars your just gonna need a pedel with some balls. and some time to spend tweaking your amp =)

my mustang has the orginal finish and looks like it has been to hell and back. it used to be white and now over the years it has turned to a nice shitty yellow. this is prolly the most beat to crap insterment i have ever seen in my entire life! sometimes paint falls off of it when i am giging with it! the bridge is slightly rusty all the screws are rusty and the back of the tuners are rusty i think rust is holding the damn thing together! people laugh at this guitar and my amp at every show my band plays..untill they hear it,then they always ask me about it. i think fender did a crappy job with the finish on these guitars even though mine is a pre-cbs i just dont think they really gave a rats ass about it. but i wouldent have it any other way..

you could throw this thing off a building pick it up and play war pigs and go about your buissness,this thing is a freaking tank. it has been the most dependable guitar i have ever owned and i swear by this guitar. i will never gig with out it and it someone stole it i would kill myself.

i have had no experiance with these people. i have never had to call them for any reason.

i have been playing for 13 years
i absolutly love this mustang
i will say they are not for everyone
but i will be burried with mine.

1968 USA Competition Mustang (matching head)
22frets
original pick ups.
This is my main axe. Don't laugh! Because I make it sound better
than my Gibson SG & Gretsch Duo Jet. I've been using it for 6 years. This guitar is my signature. It creates cheap vintage sound and bandmates and most of musicians/sound engineers love this guitar
over SG & Duo Jet when I play.

Sounds little thin when it's plugged directly to my '65 Twin and 60's
Ampeg Jet. But with Pro Co Rat makes it dirty! Fuzz? oh yeah!!
Small Stone phaser gives warm and rich fat tone! Even the powerless single coil of this guitar can make sweet sound. You have to find a niche. Try not to sound too trebly. It is trebly to begin with. I use vintage pedals and amps to play with this. If you want to play safe,
I do not recommend Mustangs. If you are adventurous, you can spend some time with it and find distinctive sound of your own. With right
effects & an amp, you can appreciate the underrated guitar such as
Mustang. Style of music matters to this guitar. I play funky, dubby
Spacy with Envelope filtered freaky stuff. Also good for alternative
music.

With a small hand like I have, it's perfect to play chords.
Tuning is pain.... It's so hard to tune with floating bridge.
I luckily found this one in great condition. Many scratches but
neck was straight and everything was working great.

Because of light and very simple features, you can bang this guitar
on stage and throw it on the floor, it doesn't break. ha ha. Even if
it breaks, it's easy to fix. I wouldn't do that to Gibson or Gretsch.

Not for everyone, but for me, this Mustang is very special.

USA, 1966. I bought it in a wave of nostalgia. 30 years ago I dropped my gibson sg and the head broke off. ( Before strap locks that I always use now.) Gibsons still have the same flaw!
I paid too much and had to refinish it. I played it and recalled its lmitations, the vibrato is crap, the tuners are crap and the pickups are too quiet. It however light and " has a sound" as my studio guy says.I'm being gentle.

It has substandard pickups. However it is light ( poplar body folks!) and the neck is great. It has been refinished in nitrocellious oxide and looks good now. It hangs on the wall as a tribute to the refinisher. I would never use it live.

Leo has it figured out when it came to mass production. This was an entry level guitar and the components are cheap. It has rusted a bit but it still sounds like a mustang. It has a nice clean sound, no sustain and no distortion sound. Add a few million pedals and it might open up. It hangs on the wall and I use teles and les pauls for playing live.

It is already old. What you hear is what you get. I understand Cobain used these as they were cheap and he used to destroy his guitars at the end of the gig. i could never do that. Remember I used to play one live. However I would never do that again. It hangs on the wall. It has held up very well for what it is, an entry level guitar. At least is in not made in indonesia or korea. It is not up to snuff.

The guitar is so old no one may remember them. I love fender and what this has it great playability and good intonation. It looks good on the wall where it will stay until I sell in on ebay.Original tacky orange case too! Shite.

I've played professionally for 30 years. I keep this guitar because i used to use it as a main axe at 17. Nostalgia, not sound.
All I can say is thank God for teles and les pauls. The after market prices for these is insane. There is no " holy grail" of vintage guitars. There is a hum and poor action in most of them. Buy a faded les paul ( fantastic value) or a tele. Don't lust after old fenders, as that is about as logical as wishing to get it on with a grandmother. Skip this one unless you need a conversation piece.

Made: September 1966, USA
Bought: 1998, Istanbul
Originally Dakota Red (badly done), but stripped to natural wood w/ thin matte finish (looks great, but you can see that the body is 3 pieces of wood glued together, but what would you expect?)
(I am of the opinion that there are only two great colours for a guitar: natual wood & black, with candy apple red as a distant third.)
Original bridge, but saddles replaced.
Light as a feather.

The original pups suck - have little to offer, but then they were cheap in 1966. So now they are just 40 year old cheap pups. Kinda jangly but no power - makes it difficult / impossible to switch guitars onstage. The band complains about the tone when I bring it to practice.
This will be a before and after review, as I am about to change both pups, probably get all new wiring too. BUT, love the pup switches, they are so out of the way that I never hit them (well, once). With the original pups, the out of phase setting is the best sound, but the hiss this generates makes it impossible to record.

Second-hand: the poor thing had bee abused and left to die, especially the bridge. Had to cut a new nut - the original was so badly cut, can't imagine why it was still there after 30 years. Tuners were about as cheap as you chould get - and were replaced immediately. Set up is fine now but still a bit low for me. Pickguard is totally warped, bubbles up along the edges b/n screws - propably has since the 60s. Paint job was crap too.

This guitar (despite its faults) was built to last. Probably give it to my daughter one day...and she's only two years old.

After reading everything above, you might think I hate this guitar. Wrong. Bought as a backup for my Tele, I never had great expectations. HOWEVER, the neck is to die for, while the body fits like an old lover. This guitar is the most comfortable I've ever owned. Also own a 68 Mustang bass, which is just as comfy. If it were stolen, I would hunt down the SOB and beat him about the head with my Tele (more wood, greater skull damage). Plus, I will never be able to afford a real vintage guitar, so this is as close as I'll ever get. If you can find one, buy it. DO NOT SETTLE FOR A JAPANESE RE-ISSUE: GET AN ORIGINAL. Be prepared to modify it, but in the end you will fall in love.

Look below for lots of the details. One thing not mentioned is the neck radius of 7.5 and the extremely narrow head nut and the 24.75 inch scale. Very important aspects of this very poorly made guitar. Lots of cheep slip switching that produce one and off and reverse polarity that creates an awful sound. I like the tremlo, lots of fun.

Single coil at it's worst. Don't even think that the polarity switches are of any use. Noisy and painful

Set up from the factory with 10s. You can't use anything lower so if you like light gauge strings (I don't, but I understand your position). Good action and nice playability for lead work. This would be an excellent guitar for lead playing if the pickups were humbuckers. This guitar is a failure for it's target consumers, the beginner guitar player. It was designed to be a 1st guitar/learning guitar with short scale and narrow neck. It fails because the neck radius makes it impossible to play bar-chords easily and the narrow neck makes it very crowded. I have small hands and it's hard for me to play this guitar. There's a good reason why this guitar disappeared for almost 2 decades only to resurrected from the trash by some grunge players. One last important note, adjusting the neck is no simple task on this guitar, go to one of the many Mustang websites to find out how before you buy this guitar, all guitars need adjust sooner or later and this one is no simple turn of the screw.

It's a Fender so it won't give you any problems with the exception of going out of tune. The tremlo is really neat but has been abandoned for a reason. If you use it much, expect to be out of tune soon.

Fender sucks when it comes to support so buy a good product like a MIA Strat

I'm bored and I like play guitars. I've been playing for 20+ years. I've played everything. The best guitars I've own have been my 1969 MIA Strat and my 2002 MIA Strat. Fender does put out some very bad guitars, look at the late 70s and 80s and look at this Mustang series. There is no reason for a guitar costing over $400 to be garbage. I have already sent this guitar back. It's a poor design in guitars and frequently disappears from production for a good reason. In a year this guitar will go out of production again until some "rock-star" starts playing it again and the production line will start of again. I have no idea what the other guys on this review section are talking about when they give this guitar a good rating. I believe that they are from another plant or something. There is no reason to pay more than $150 for a guitar of this quality. Go buy an Ibanez, Epiphone, or even a crappy low end Squire Strat before you waste money on guitar.

It's a 1973 Fender Mustang, 22 frets, rosewood fingerboard, alder body. It's got two three way pickup selector switches, tone and volume knob and Fender tremolo. Standard single coil pickups, neck and bridge. I think the finish is cream, or maybe olympic white. I've read that the cream finish wasn't used until 1974 but at any rate it's a yellowish cream now. White pearloid pickguard. Fender chrome tuners with the script "F" on the back. All original with original hardshell case.

The sound on this guitar is great. It varies from a great clean crisp tone to total noise when run through effects. Very bright due to the singles. I use it mostly through a Hiwatt DC40, sometimes through a Fender Princeton 65 or a Roland Super Cube 40, depending on what i feel like lugging around. For effects i run mostly a MXR dyna comp, Boss RV-3 Digital Reverb/Delay and Electro Harmonix Big Muff. It's like they were made for the guitar.

I work at a guitar shop and am very crucial about setting up my guitars once i get them. I wasn't alive when this guitar left the factory but when i got it the setup was pretty good. I eventually did the intonation and a slight neck adjustment. I think it was set up for .009s and when i switched to D'Addario flatwound chromes it had some buzzing before the adjustments. It's well worn in. Lots of bumps, bruises, nicks, scrapes, etc. The frets are in good shape, especially considering it's age. the chrome is all bright, neck is in great shape, solid wiring, etc. The guitar has some buzz if i am playing through a PA or something along those lines, but that's to be expected. Solid guitar.

I could throw this guitar out the window and nothing would happen to it. If it wasn't so light i'd swear it was made out of stone. There are no signs of any parts of this guitar failing anytime in the near future. I replaced the strap buttons with strap locks a bit ago though, just because i did get a bit tired of dropping it. I tune it when i put new strings on, and tune it again when i replace them. I never even think about bringing along a backup when i have this guitar. Just an extra string or two.

I'm fairly sure that customer support for this guitar no longer exists. At any rate it's really not needed. If anything breaks you go on Ebay, get the part, and replace it. At the same time i'd like to keep it all original.

If someone stole this guitar it would kill them and find it's way back home.

the guitar was your basic mustang, except for the bridge pickup which was switch out for a seymour duncan jb mini-humbucker. volume and tune knobs, lead and rythym circuits, i dont have to tell you the rest.

I think it could have been better. I own a couple of guitars and I bought the mustang because i wanted to see if it suited my style and if it lived up to its playablity. There is a problem with the string saddles, they sit too low, so when your playing all you hear is the E strings. Also, the guitar was re-fretted poorly and it buzzed... A LOT... so i fixed that. the stock pickups are much better because it was that sixty five style hand wound where each pickup sounds different. the sixty six's used sixty five (pre-cbs buyout) pickups until they ran out somewhere in march or april '66.

the guitar was over paid for. the body had the original red striped off and it looks like it was spray painted blue. eventually i will get it repainted by a professional. the bridge pickup's wiring was faulty and it fell off and sparked. so i had it rewired. I only paid 350 and that was with shipping and a gigbag included. it shows.....

this is where the guitar happens to score highly. i actually dropped it down a flight of stairs going to a bamd practice once and nothing happened to it. it's built like a tank. it's also lighter than any of the other guitars i own/have owned. The offset body style also seems to give it more of a balance (not so much strain on your neck!)

cbs/fender??? i wouldn't touch this issue with a 10 foot pole. don't bother calling. just take your guitar to a local technician.

if i had more money availible, i probably would have spent the the 800 dollars on a pre-cbs mustang and eventually put some sort of humbucker in the bridge because it really does beaf it up. This guitar is an investment piece. i will probably fix it up and sell it in the paper. the mustang is not a bad guitar..... it's just that this is the second worst i've ever seen out of the hundreds i have come across.

According to serial number, made in Autumn 1996 (reissue), original color - Sonic Blue.
As you probably know, has two 3-way switches for 2 pickups, and mine has pickups from JagStang - that's how it was when I bought it on eBay for $400.
Modified from original - has a full-sized hambucker in the bridge position + repainted to Ice Blue. Has a Fender 'floating' tremolo/vibrato bridge.

Note: As I said, I have JagStang pickups and I couldn't get a chance to play Mustang's stock pickups.
Suits my style just perfect! I like grunge/alternative stuff (Mudhoney, Nirvana, Alice in Chains, Placebo etc.), and hambucker in the bridge gives me the desired "juiciness" with my Boss DS-2 pedal while the single coil gives clean, strat-like sound.

Set-up - great. Pickups are great, everything routed properly.
Needed to make a little adjustment to lower the action a bit since most Mustangs (at least, reissues) will produce a fret buzz. A simple mod to eliminate it would be to put a piece of cardboard under the neck where the neckpocket is - that will change the string's angle, giving you lower action.

Haven't tried it live, but I'm sure it won't differ much from playing at home.
The guitar itself is the haviest among those I've played, and I don't think you can actually break it's body - only saw it up, I guess.
Mine came with no strap buttons, so I bought a pack of Schaller strap buttons and haven't regretted that buy.
Would use it on a gig no problem.

Haven't had any issues so far, and since I bought mine on eBay, I'll just ask people on forums if I will have any.

I first wanted to buy a cheap Squier, but then got a part-time job and got money to buy a better one. I planned to buy either a Deluxe Fat Strat or a Cyclone. Fat Strat was expensive for me, and there were no Cyclones on eBay at the moment, so in frustration I looked through Fender's 'weirdos' (Jaguars, Jazzmasters, Duo-Sonics, Mustangs etc.) and found this - boy was I happy!
And I'm still now. Really love everything about this guitar, especially that it's not just a 'pop' such as Strat or Les Paul. I really don't want Fender to make any moer of those, so then I'll pass this thing to my grandsons =).

feb'64 ( stamped on body end of neck ) fender mustang made in usa
22 fret solid top it has a volume and tone knob with selector slide switches at the top body is basswood and has been painted john deere green and the pick guard part is john deere yellow ( it looks really cool ) even an ol' plow boy likes to twang on a fender bender every now and then,i replaced the bridge pickup with a seymour duncan and the neck is left standard, the bridge is the standard fender whamey bar type and the tuners are the standard ones that came with the guitar which i really dont like the guitar was a birthday present for my eighth birthday and would not part with it for nothing

i use this guitar for slide and it is teriffic i play it through a '65 fender twin reverb, it has a gutzy quality to it and can squeel like a mutha

the guitar was originaly white and red and came from the music dealer perfect especially for an eight year old boy no complants at all

this guitar has and will stand alot of punishment if you like to strum heavy this is the one everythings solid and yes i know with firm faith that she'll be their when all others fail

i havent dealt with fender directly but have had er in the shop from time to time for a tune up but everyone who sees it or freshens it up says it is a joy to work on

been playing all my life so to speak, have '62 gibson es335, guild songbird, guild d4, fender tele, 12 string ric
i ask for a jaguar but daddy couldn't afford it
if it were stolen or lost i would just die
for what i use it for their are no other guitars

Made in the Good Ole US of A in 1965 by the dedicated Fender production staff, before they were sold down the river to CBS.

Basswood (I think, I'm not a carpenter) body, rosewood neck. Has had the paint removed to allow its tobacco and beer soked body to breathe. You could save a fortune on drink and smokes by simply licking the body....

Like many Stang owners I have replaced the bridge pick up. My weapon of choice is a Di Marzio hot rails (I know thats a Sey*** Dunc*** copyright but what else would you call it?).

Wooahh there horsie!!! With the stripped body the tone is so pure it would make Eric Johnston get emotional in his pants... Old ain't always best, but this axe has so much depth of tone and clarity that my playing efforts do not do justice to its voice. I say voice and not voices, as, although it has a variety of switching configurations, it still underlines each one with an earnest, soulful tone. Despite these bucolic ramblings, when plugged in, the stang produces the finest industrial sound I have ever heard.

Amplified, the pick ups do a fine job of detecting a wide range of frequencies and transmitting them intact. I use .09' to 0.68' strings and the entire frequency range is well represented, if a little low output on the stock pick up (it is 38 years old after all). Not too bassy or trebly, but heaps of definition.

The Mustang can be a little noisy, most old (and new) Fenders are, and it's nothing to worry about.

Back to industrial... Oh how this baby crashes, grinds and screams for attention when played. Yes it can sing oh so sweetly, but it really wants to scream in your face and roar in your ear. I use it mainly for Pumpkins, Chilis, Mudhoney and Nirvana numbers, the potential nastiness of the sounds however, never get the better of its more gentlemanly toneful characteristics.

I use it through Marshall or sometimes Rickenbacker amps, Rickenbacker when I want only dogs to hear it, very shrill...

It left the factory 38 years ago....

The Mustang has survived 38 years of abuse under various owners, and I'm not about to change that. As beautiful as guitars are, they ARE tools and are meant to do a job. This axe takes all the abuse I give it, never goes out of tune, and never lets me down.

Finish ain't an issue as it hasn't got one.

I never gig with one guitar ever. Three minimum.

I have been playing 17 years, and own several axes including; teles, a strat, SG, Explorer and several semis and acoustics.

I bought this guitar on seeing it, barely played it before the Visa escaped. It looked well played and had the appearance of a trusty tool rather than a glass case display item.

The only gripe I have with this guitar is the skinny low frets, I like to have control over a bent note. The upshot is a wilder, more aggressive edge to the bent note. Oh and throw out the Vibrato arm, it sucks. The guitar has rock solid tuning until that damn thing gets used...

I own a 1976 Mustang with a maple fretboard and neck. It has a solid black body with a black pickguard. 2 single coils. (i actually kinda like the hum!) Has the original case too!

i absolutely love the sound of this guitar! i also own a tele, and when i make recordings (tascam home 4-track) the two guitars play with and against each other quite nicely. i love the "out-of-phase" sound for soloing, or just to make it sound like two different guitars. i use no effects currently, used to use a boss ds-1. but it has a good natural tone. for distotrtion, just turn that mother up!

this guitar defintely takes the abuse i (sometimes) give it when playing live. but all in all i prefer to baby it a bit. i have a couple of imitation strats for smashing. still, i'm no pete thownsend.

i also own a tele and some strat knock offs. this is by far my favorite one. if it were lost or stolen i would definitely buy another one. (after several weeks of grieving). i just love this guitar! BUT i detest the re-issues.

a 1965 fender mustang. its an '8' (which means its 'full scale' 24 inch) and a 'b' width at the nut. dated july 65', so thankfully it has a contoured rosewood fretboard, and its not a slab (jaguar) neck thrown on by the good people at CBS (damb them for ruining the company). body is either poplar or mahogany. neck and body are finished in nitrocellulose laquer. dots are pearl (and not clay, bahhhhhh!) machine heads are kluson deluxe with plastic buttons. all plates are chromed, other metal parts are nickel plated. scratchplate is that old style plastic that shrinks! guitar electics.......guitar is copper shielded with cloth wrapped wiring, POTS are 250K. some idiot has replaced the switches and pickups, and surprise surprise, i'm going to have to replace them. which makes me an idiot?? no, seriously.....they do need replacing as they are cheap jack parts.

a vintage noise. playing it with a boss gt-6 processor. perhaps not as bright as i would want (although i do usually use an american vintage jaguar), but i suspect all that will change when i replace the pickups

oh come on! its almost 40 years old. yes the hardware was rusted/oxidized/pitted (cleaned it up best i could), cause some guy decided it would be best off in his garage? or maybe he lived in a cold, damp, old house?

a solid guitar. after 40 years of neglect (i suspect) its now finally come to its loving daddy

ho ho ho

love this guitar. not least for the smell, kind of like an old libary book. looks just like one of those relic strats you see, except this is the real thing!

1966 Mustang finished in Dakota Red. It has the extra fret (22). It has two 3-way slide switches used to select between the two single coil pickups. A tremelo arm is also present as well as a volume and tone knob for controlling the pickups. The instrument is 100% stock including the original gray hardshell case.

The sound is at it's best when clean. It sound pretty good with overdrive but not the guitar's primary purpose which was probably surfing music. The guitar is well suited either for lead or chord playing. The pickups can be selected individually or both together. One setting you can have 70 30 in favor of the neck pickup or vice versa. The total tones you can get are 5 with the two switches. One setting on each switch is "off". This is a very original sounding guitar that can be heard on some early Motown hits such as "My Girl".

Don't know about the factory setup. What I really don't like about the guitar is that often time when I bend the B string, that G string comes out of the nut! I hate this and it is a serious flaw. It does not stay in tune very well after you play around with the tremelo, but what 60s guitar does? I find that if you gently use it for more or less a vibrato effect when you play chords or leads, it will stay in tune. The pickups buzz alot too but what Fender doesn't?

I have gigged with this guitar (a '64) and would not hesitate to take it to a gig. The strap buttons are solid and it really is a dependable axe. If I did not have a backup, I would not worry that much. However, I feel that I must include in this section that the switches on the guitar are unreliable at best. I had this same problem with my '64. If want to switch sounds, often times the sound will be dead because the switches will not 'switch' properly to the next sound and will be in no man's land until you fool with it and try to get it working - finally crackling into phase - not a desirable attribute at all.

I have had years of experience and I currenly own 8 guitars. I really don't have any regrets buying the instrument as the the flaws previously mentioned are inherently characteristic of the guitars of this vintage but I felt should be mentioned anyway. As far as comparing it to other fenders, the hierarchy goes something like this: Strat;Tele;Jag;Jazz;MUSTANG.

I have a Japanese Mustang that was bought for my sister about 6 years ago, I am currently babysitting it. My wife describes it as a duck egg blue colour with a kind of red marbley scratch plate (i'm no expert). I think it cost around #650 when new but I aint sure.
Originaly it had 2 single coil pick up's these have been replaced with "rails" ?? I do not posess the originals Aaaaaaaaaaargh!!
Volume
Tone.
The usual stuff, been treated pretty roughly as part of a touring band, many scratches, cracks, was covered with stickers...removal in progress.

Sounds great, really!
I'm no expert but it has a very good range, don't know how it was with standard pick ups.

Absolute abomination, could not play anything above about 19th fret, action so low, buzzing etc. Found out it had never been set up just played out of box. Have recently been fumbling with it, managed to raise action so that it is still low but does not catch other frets if ya know what I mean? intonation seems way out and I can't seem to get it right, may have to take it to the pro's, "g" being a real problem. Is this normal. Apart fromthis everything seems solid, tremolo arm is missing, and apparently the floating thingy (sorry) has been locked down, I think it can be unlocked with an allen key?
What the hell is that moving bridge all about, I really need some advice with this otherwise beautiful instrument before I unwittingly damage it, answers to my e-mail.

Sister says no problem, and considering the stick it has taken from an uncaring owner, I'm amazed its not matchwood.

I love it, just wish I could get it set up and fixed up.

73 blue, comp stripe, all original. $850 AUD ($450 US approx)

Great sound, if a little bit on the hummy side. In the dual pickup position you get that distictly glassy sound that is perfect for funk, disco etc. The bridge pickup just screams distortion. Very versitile.

This guitar needed some love and attention when I found it. It had tele parts on the bridge, making the whole neck buzz like a swarm of bees. Amazingly the original parts were sitting in the case in a little plastic bag, along with the original tuners that had also been replaced.

Greatest body shape ever, and the colour and comp stripe all combine to create a fantastic look. Perfect neck - the guy in my band plays a 62 strat and can't put my mustang down. High praise indeed!

A first position D always sounds a bit out of tune so there must be internation problems somewhere. Stays in tune in all other respects. The pick guard is really in need of attention. Basically it is shrinking, pulling against the screws and revealing sticky, undried paint underneath. Best just to play and not look too close!

This is a fine, eclectic example of one of fender's great achievements. I'd love a more plank-like 60's version but in Australia beggars can't be chosers. I wish the scratch plate wasn't all warped and shrunk but in a way this adds to the guitar's charm and hints at it's budget roots. Through the old Diasan trannie amp I have (late 60's Australian) it sounds very warm and "tuby". If I want a more diverse sound I just reach for my strat copy. If I want the right sound, the mustang is there to provide it!

1973 Sunburst Mustang. USA made all the way! Dynamic-Floating Vibrato.

Sounds great for nearly all kinds of music. I like to play Rock-a-Billy (Stray Cats, Queens "Crazy Little Thing Called Love"), some Nirvana, and even a shit-kickin' country tune or two (Rodeo Song Yea-Ha!). It also has a great "Surf Sound" for your Dick Dale Fix. It handles all of them well. The phase in/out switch give you variety and it has nice bottom end.

This is where you hit perfection with this guitar. Has the great American made Fender neck, which in the 24" scale, is even sweeter! I have small hands so a big, chunky neck is not for me! I love the feel and quality of this. Had a great set up done so the action is lightning quick and very easy. No problem staying in tune either. I took off the whammy bar, and when I want vibrato, I just gently wiggle the funky "Floating Vibrato Bridge" and get a great effect and I stay in tune!!

This think is built like a tank, yet light and manueverable. Nice contour hugging body too! Fits like a glove. It is 29 years old, so I think it has proven itself!

Haven't needed any.

I love the Mustang. It is the one guitar I will never part with! The sunburst finish is rich and classy looking. I am glad Fender saw fit to re-issue it this year. A tribute to a truly great and under-appreciated guitar. I wish it was part of their "American" series. I would have maybe bought a new one vs. a vintage. I played a new Comp Stang, and it was nice, but it just didn't have the certain feel that my '73 has. Vibe I guess??

1972 Fender Mustang American
Solid top
Volume, Tone,
Single Single
72 Stock
Passive
Burnt Orange
Mustang
Stock Wang Bar
Stock Vintage Fender
Original Case
It was origionally dakota red, with cream racing stripes.
Someone repainted it doo-doo brown.
I have stripped it down and refinished it so it looks better at least.

It is great for rock like nirvana, and british rock like the hives.
I am using it with a fenderbassman, ampeg vt-40, and a 60s'gretch bass amp. I use a wide variety of pedals. Tubescreamer, crybaby wah, etc.
It is kinda twangy. Also good for Funky stuff
I love mine!! I wouldnt change anything
Very origional sound

FInish was terrible when i bought it, but it looks good now.
Plays great. It has a litle larger than normal neck, which i like.

Havent had it long enought to tell

Mustnags where cheap guitars when they where made. They are great to beat around on. Ilove mine. It is great in the rigth setting

1964 Olympic White Fender Mustang. All original and in amazing condition. Neck is dated August of 1964 -- pick-ups dated 9/9/64. A very early Mustang (they were introduced in August of 1964). Simple features, yet elegant. "A" size neck.

My style is classic rock and British pop. That said, Nevermind and Exile in Guyville are two of my favorite albums -- both albums dominated by this type of guitar. My '64 Mustang is chock full of that magic pre-CBS vibe. Yes, it hums -- but its tone is vintage bliss. I wish I could describe that tone. It has that beautiful round yet hollow sizzle that only the best vintage Fenders seem capable of producing. What is most impressive is that the plugged-in sound is so present -- right in front of your face -- as if somehow the signal is taking a short-cut to your amp. Modern Fenders sound like they are in the next room compared with the way the sound jumps off this pre-CBS Mustang pick-ups. I have owned two other Mustangs (both '65s), but neither was in the same league as this one. It certainly does not have the Gibson sustain or warmth -- but it ain't Strat-like either (I'm not much a Stratocaster fan). It is more Telecaster in its tone -- but yet it has a distinct tone of its own. I play through the neck pick-up only -- as all Mustangs should be played. Some Mustangs seem to have no sustain -- but this one actually sustains nicely -- about as long as the average Strat. It was quite a find.

It's beautiful -- sometime I just take it out of its case to look at it. This guitar wasn't played much over the past 38 years -- so everything is in great condition. I think the Brazilian rosewood fretboard is way cool.

Solid as they come. Leo built a guitar that guitarists have struggled to smash. That said, it is amazingly light and resonant.

Never even inquired.

I have been playing guitar for 30 years. I own some other cool guitars (a 1976 Black Fender Starcaster, for example). My '64 Mustang is a favorite. I don't know of a guitar that does a better job at trashy rock sound. It is distinctive tone to be sure, but a tone I love. It it were stolen, I would be very upset because I am not sure I could find another '64 White Mustang in this great of condition with the amount of sustain this one has.

1965 red mustang 100% original with hardshell case guitar has
many paint flakes missing and wear marks right down to the woood
but all there and all stock. case is the original and looks like
it went through a war but is still in one piece

sound is one of a kind no other guitar i own sounds close, hums a bit

when i bought this guitar it was unplayable i sent it to 2 repair
men and finally the 2cd one figured out that it needed a 2cd string
tree to play right now it plays like a new strat

this guitar was played had for many years the paint has not held up
as well as the electronics and hardware they are still perfect

i found this guitar at a fleamarket and thougt the guys asking price
of 550.00 was very high considering guitar had 10% of its paint
missing or worn through reluctenly gave him 500.00 for it and
paid 100.00 to get setup, neck shimmed up and string tree and new
nut cut from a piece of ivory i had turns out it was the best buy
ive made in a long time have turned down 750.00 cash for it
it plays like no other guitar if you have a chance to get an old
mustang buy it ive played the 70s models and there not the same

Mine is a 1978 Fender Red Apple Mustang, 2 pickups, USA, 22 Frets, Volumen, and tone

Great, it really sounds great trough any amp, i use a JCM900 Head and 2 Cabs whit a lot of Effects, if you want this Guitar to sound really really good plug a delay or some reverb to clean up a little bit the Picks.

The guitar is in great conditions, only some little scratches on the neck cause the use in all those years, but looks great

I have to say that when i play live this guitar Soundsssssssssss GREATTTTTTTTTT, all my friends come and say, hey what a great guitar, rock on

Fender Always trite you very well

i've benn playing since i was 13 years old, now im 22, 9 years, and trust me, i played a lot of guitars, i own 3 and this is my fav, perhaps my PRS

I am the proud owner of two Fender Mustang Guitars. One was made in 1965. It was refinished with a heavy dark brown stain that was so badly done I could see a circle on the back of the guitar where the perpetrator had placed the guitar on top of the finish can so it could dry. Pathetic! But the good news is, because it looked so ugly I stole it for only $350. It appears to be stock apart from the finish and the tuners. I have stripped the guitar and am preparing it for a nice natural amber finish and a new red tortoiseshell pickguard which will give it a distinguished aged look, kinda like an acoustic. That's one of the features I like about Mustangs the most, they're soft. Soft sounding, soft playing, soft tremelo, soft fretting, in short, sweet! That's not to say it can't raise your hackles with a growl or a moan, but even these sounds seem understated. I prefer to use the palm of my hand to manipulate the tremelo. The rounded shape is comfortable and familiar and I don't have to search for the whammy bar. Just a little contact and the guitar responds. When I'm through refinishing this Mustang it will be a nice partner for my other Mustang. It's a little younger than the '65. I'm not sure when it was made but the neck seems a little thicker. I get an early 70's kinda vibe from it so that's my guess. It has been refinished with a gorgeous natural finish. Whoever did it did a great job. The person also replaced the original pickguard with a handmade laminated figured maple pickguard, which I swear gives it a woody tone
that can't be matched. The tuners have been replaced and the phase switches have been done away with. There is one three-way switch the person installed from a rear rout on the upper bout that works like a Les Paul. Simple electronics even in the customization! I prefer the meatier feel and the woody tone of the later Mustang, but the original electronics(I will replace the phase switches)and the personal new finish of the earlier Mustang will probably make it my main guitar. Together they're a terrific and interesting pair and I wouldn't part with either of them. Someday I may put humbuckers in the later stang (the kind that fit in the single coil openings). Mustangs are cool classy simple and effective guitars. Just like my music. They're unusual inexpensive interesting and articulate. They can't do everything but what they do they do well. They're offset contoured bodies are comfortable and light, either sitting or standing. The later Mustang has an incredibly low action. The frets are so worn I will have to have a complete refretting done in the future but for now I'm going to use all that speed! Ironically the earlier Mustang has nicer frets and a more standard action and when it's completed I'm sure it'll be considered a cream-puff by anybody's standards. Mustangs are for me!!The only reason I don't give them a ten is cause I can't afford to play a ten!

I play mainly through two amps at home: a Danelectro Nifty Fifty, and an Epiphone Electar Tube 30. The Nifty Fifty is only a fifteen watter but it's got a lot of punch. The solid state components are very reliable and you can get a lot of different sounds from the retro looking amp. The electronics seem to be very sensitive which makes it difficult to find a setting you liked previously but gives a large variety in your sonic palette. I play mostly clean but this baby's got a mean "dirty" knob that acts like a dial-in overdrive. A pamphlet is included to show you which settings yield what sound, from 70's funk to country twang to Brit rock. I find it to be a very clean amp with incredible response. My other amp is an Electar Tube 30. It too is a clean sounding amp with incredible response. With the tubes warmed up this baby can scream! It's inexpensive ($180) so don't be afraid to abuse it! I find the tone a little brash in comparison to more expensive amps but with a little adjustment of the chicken head knobs, the sweet spot will shine through. I tend to back off the tone and volume when I play through this amp unless I'm making an arch-top squeal. It's as if the 30 watts of tube power are a little too much for the speaker so unless you love that over-the-top sound you'll find yourself turning down a tad too. What's missing from both of these amps is a spring reverb. Admittedly the Danelectro may be a bit small for it but I am so confident in Danelectro's electronic capability I think they could make one work. The Electar definitely deserves a reverb but then the price would just about double. For what they are: good clean strong cheap performers, I am more than satisfied with these two. I give them eights only cause there is a large difference between $200 amps and $1500 amps.

I have recently acquired this 1978 black Mustang with its original case. You know the specs already: 22 fret 24" scale maple neck, mine with rosewood fretboard, contoured offset waist body, metal button tuners with embossed "F", two angled covered single coil p/u's, two slide switches on-off and on-off phase, one tone and one volume pot with a 12 screw, 2 of them in the middle, black laminated pickguard. It is a heavy sucker.

I play a little bit of everyting but my real passion is punk and what is left of good alternative. I run this guitar through a Peavey Ultra 112 and a Marshall AVT100. I use EH small clone, Vox wah, Dan-echo, Expandora-II and various other effects, but rarely. I was very pleasently surprised from the output of the p/u's. I was expecting the thin Strat single coil sound but these babies are full of tone. Obviously you can not compare with a full humbucker, but it has a very good tone for a single coil. The pick-ups drive the amp's tubes to a nice overdrive and the distortion tones are also nice, again not like a humbucker, but nice crunch. The clean is bright and clear. Since they are single coils they are a bit noisy but nothing a noise gate can remediate, Boss NS-2. With the switches you have te options of using either p/u alone, both together in or out of phase. I also own a couple of Jag-Stangs and these go out of tune frequently, but the tailpiece in the Mustang just stays in tune. I hope the Jag-Stangs get better with age. I relly love the tone and sounds from this Mustang.

Well it is a 23 year old guitar!! It has been played but fortunately not abused. The last owner did not use it that much... that means it just stayed in the case but he did not clean it after the sporadic uses. It had layers of crud and the hardware appeared damaged. I cleaned the chrome and it was just extremely dirty, and the fazed finish was actually just dirty. Everything is shiny. About 3 dings down to the wood, some superficial belt buckle scratches, very little wear on the frets, excellent fretboard, and a slightly worn nut. Everything else is excellent. The finish, fretboard, hardware, electronics and frets have held up nicely for 23 years.

Well it has held up together for 23 years. I am currently using it as my main guitar. I just changed the strap buttons for Schaller strap locks: always have always will. No sense risking disaster with the cheap buttons. It has put up with my playing so I'm sure it will remain in one piece for the next ten years.

Have not contacted them for this guitar but I have for others and they have been very helpful to the extent that they have mailed me schematics and parts lists of guitars I have bought new and used.

Hey, I was pleasently surprised. I don't think the previous owner had any idea of the average price this guitar sells for out in the streets: and I got it with the original case!!!! I was also surprised with the output of the pickups and their tone. The day I bought it I had thought of replacing the bridge p/u for a DiMarzio Fast Track 2 but desisted after hearing it. I can compare the output to a friend's Strat with a red Lace Sensor and everyone is convinced my 'Tang has more output and better tone. I am the third, and hopefully last, owner of this guitar. I tracked down it's first owner and have bought this guitar for about the same price hde bought it for. If it were stolen, the a-hole who does, better stay the hell very far away from me or I'll beat the living crap out of him. I don't think I can replace this guitar. I have absolutely fallen in love with this guitar, and I have an extensive collection: from Delonge Strat to Jag-Stangs to reissue Jaguar, Venture Jazzmaster, to Gibson Les Paul Classic Plus, and they have all fallen to second billing.

1972 Fender Mustang. 22 USA-made frets. Volume and tone knobs. Two sliders to take the two single coil pick-ups in and out of phase (technology at its finest). A natural wood finish (ash? It sure looks like a basball bat!). The thinnest slice of rosewood on the maple neck. The chrome is worn away from the bridge and and tail piece of "Dynamic Fender Vibrato." Until I read about other Mustangs, I never even knew there was a bridge cover.

Excellent single coil sound! Great for blues/classic rock/punk/alternative. After 30 years, it has developed a great mellow edge. Some of the settings sound better than others. The combination of one pick-up in phase and one out of phase sounds weak and thin. Otherwise, the distinctive Fender sound.

The pieces fit just fine. Leo and the gang in Kalamazoo did a great job putting it together. There is one mystery - why have the cord jack stick straight out of the front of the guitar? All small complaint for a well-built inexpensive guitar.

There are plenty of knicks, scratches and rusted parts, but after 30 years, it sounds great. There is no question this could be your only guitar at a gig.

Who knows?

This was my first guitar. I always thought the Mustang was low end. I wanted to move up to a Strat and bought one a few years back. The funny thing is, I never play the Strat. The Mustang is easier to play (the neck feels better)and sounds just as good as the Strat. Like a lot of the other Mustang players, I use a Pro Co Rat (vintage stomp box for a vintage guitar). It's a great guitar and old friend.

1972 sunburst in imaculate and original condition. see alll the other posts in here for everything else in this section!

it's great. didn't expect it to be but it is. it sounds fatter than my p-90 les paul and any of the strats i've played. it even sounds good unplugged as someone else mentioned. for what was supposed to be a cheap student guitar from fender i am sold on it, there must have been some gobsmacked students back in those days! i been playing my les paul for years and after a day playing this my ole faithful les paul feels like a foreign guitar, just didn't feel as right as the mustang does now. awe what a shame! not noisy, rich and full, out of phase is as you would expect. playing thru a 66 princeton and a marshall superbass head with a 4x12 orange loaded with greenbacks. great thru either set-up. i only use analog effects and it works well with em all. fulltone deja-vibe, fulldrive2, boss sd-1's, od-1 and even sounded great with pro-co rat!. get one (mustang not a rat)

all great. super! it's immaculate! altho i would love a beat up one as well, rory gallagher style (i know his was a strat but i'm on about the finish!)

it's still going! switches great, everything great. super!

haven't had the need to contact them but i'm a sod to deal with so i don't expect any problems from them at all if i ever need to call on them. lucky fender!

been playing for over 25 yrs. had tones of gear and it's never enough! i want anohter one now let alone if it was stolen!

Well, its a 1965 Fender Mustang, and there isnt much to it. Its your average simplistic plank. I bought it for $500 used, and the main reason i bought this badboy.... It's neck. The mustang neck, aged 36 years, feels unlike any other neck I have ever played, and ive played alot of guitars. its been messed with a litte, gotoh tuners, originals are gone... i'd love to find some original fender tuners to match, but thats probably not likely.

i play everything, and this guitar does it all. this guitar sounds like a million bucks. only one minor problem, the little E string doesnt sound as loud as the otehrs, action is too low on it i think due to fretware, but theres probably something i can do to the correct the problem

the action is great... the neck is soft, feels organic or something. I just love putting my fingers on the fretboard.... feels absolutely amazing. finish is in really rough shape, but im having that done over. the metal is surprisingly in good shape for being so old

this guitar looks like its survived several wars. it could survive several more.

never ever talked to fender. not once

maybe theres something better out there. but i havent found it yet. i would definitely look for another if this was eer stolen

1964 Olympic white, two single-coil pickup beauty with a birch body (i think; i could be very wrong). rosewood fretboard, dual three-way on-off-on slide switches, master volume & tone, large "jazzmaster" headstock, fender "vibrato" vibrato. wonderful neck....but i love the pickups. the switcher on it allow eight different tonal combonations.

i have this really cool style of music that mixes jeff buckley, brit-pop, nirvana, and green day-style punk. this guitar is a perfect compliment for those clean fifth chords. it has this shnazzy chunky/plunky sound to it. it sounds evil when run through a chorus pedal clean. the rhythm pickup is bright and not overwhelmingly bassy like a les paul, even brighter than a strat. it has sweet tones all over the body. the bridge pickup resembles the growl of a telecaster, but is a bit more sinister. put them together and you have a high midrange sound character that just plain bites. but that's the top third of the iceberg. i have a zoom gfx-707 run through a '66 gibson ga-19rvt. put the wildfuzz effect with a little EQ tinkering and you have the most snarling, aggressive grungy distortion sound that makes kurt cobain look like elvis costello. i have to give this work of art a ten because for what it does, it does it well.

my dad got this guitar used, and it has been in and out of the case for decades, so i really don't know what it sounded like when i
was -20 years old.

if this thing can last since 1964 with every body inder the sun banging on it, then i think it can last another thirty. to put ot simply, it's a tank. a 2x4 with strings on it. indestructable.

no dealings with them.

i've been playing ofr nearly three years now and this guitar has brought me where i am today. it was my first set of wings, and it can only take me higher. i doubt it would be my main axe, though, because my other baby is a gibson les paul junior lite, which has a sound charcter of its own. but all in all, if somebody stole or broke my mustang, i would kill them. no questions asked. there is no guitar in the world like the mustang, so it would be extremely hard to replace.

the only thing i hate about it is that it is so freaking shrill with very little output. that's why i have t run it through a tube amp with a multi-effects processer to get it to sing. but when it does, it is as furious as the asian jungle.

1967 in Dakota Red; slab body; 24" scale rosewood board on maple neck; stock single-coil pick-ups; neck/headstock had been re-finished with clearcoat in past - "spider-web" cracks on headstock; new pickguard screws; no other mods as I could see; original gray hard case. Small dings on back of body, normal for a 34-year-old guitar that's been played (front is surprisingly clean); some checking. Complete with the bridge cover and tremolo bar.

Mustangs were "hot" in the mid-60s after Ford stormed on the scene with their trend-setting Mustang "pony car." I bought a '66 Fender Mustang, also in Dakota Red, back then and foolishly sold it in 1994. By that time, the paint cracked and I had it re-finished in "natural." I bought a mid-70s sunburst Mustang with the contoured body in 2000, but it didn't feel or play the same.

My music style is simple and basic: "oldies" ('50s through '70s), "surf" instrumentals, and ballads. No distortion, effects, etc.

The electronics are superb. The sound is clear and bright: no snaps, crackles, pops, hums, or screeches. Switches still in perfect working order (I'm crossing my fingers as this is one of the first areas to give trouble). Run it through Fender tube amps (Bandmaster, Bassman, Twin Reverb, Quad Reverb, Tremolux, Showman Reverb), Silvertone 1484 Twin Twelve, and a solid-state Peavey Bandit 112.

String height is low even high on the fretboard, unlike the mid-70s Mustang I have, which needed the bridge raised. No string "buzz." Electronics seem to all be in order. Tuners original, no bent keys. Strap buttons missing (disclosed by seller), cost $4 to replace.

It's already lasted 34 years and has a lot more to go. The slab body gives a "heft" lacking in the later contoured models (1969 onward). Besides, I don't abuse my instruments and always wipe down the bodies and strings after each use.

Local dealer has provided good service when needed. Replacement parts fairly easy to get. Have never dealt with the Fender company.

Playing off-and-on for 36 years, though I'm no virtuoso. Have 12 guitars: '63 Jaguar; '62 Jazzmaster; MIJ Jazzmaster; Strat (Mexican); '72 Tele Thinline (w/Bigsby); mid-70s Mustang; Silvertone Jag-style; '78 Ovation classical; plus a few other non-descript axes. 22 amps, as mentioned prior.

The Mustang was my first Fender and has always been a favorite, partly due to its simplicity. Getting this one on a "BUY IT NOW" bid was a way to satisfy my "nostalgia" craving. Especially after I sold my original one seven years ago and the mid-70s replacement I got a year ago was such a disappointment.

right. my mustang is a 1978, american made guitar, plain finish, with a black scratchplate. i know that it was made right in the middle of the CBS years, when everything started to go wrong for fender, but this guitar is truly great. at least in my opinion.
its got a one-piece, maple, bolt-on neck, which is almost too chunky, with an oversised headstock for good sustain. i think its a bit shorter than on most guitars, but i wouldnt bet money on it.body wood's unknown to me; could be ash or maple...? i dont really know a lot about guitar construction woods, to be honest. its got 2 single coils, one at the bridge, and one at the neck, with some weird selection switches, which i dont really understand the working of. i heard something about in-phase and out of phase, but its all dutch to me. as most people here will know, the bodys like a hybrid between a strat and a tele, with a 'dynamic fender vibrato'bridge & whammy. my only qualms with the thing are that the nut sometimes creaks if im doing large bends up high on the fretboard, and that if i do bends on any of the wound strings up high, then the other strings go slightly out of tune, due to the 'dynamic fender vibrato'
basically, nothing special really, just a standard block of wood, as far as features are concerned. simple is nearly always best in my books, but i cant really pretend its very tinker-able.

even unplugged, this guitar sounds great (but a bit quiet). it sounds suprisingly bassy and rich though, unless you use the bridge pickup alone, with the tone all the way to the treble side of things. it sounds great & sorta jazzy when clean through a tube amp (i use an old Silvertone 1472), though there is an annoying bass hum i cant get rid of. dont know if thats from the guitar or the amp though....
through my effects, it sounds good too. a subtle phase-shifting (electro-harmonix small stone) sounds good, as does a wah when slightly overdriven (vox). there is a slight loss of warmth when put through a fuzz pedal (z.vex fuzz factory), but its still good sounding.
i know this guitars got a rep for being a sorta so-crap-its-good guitar thanks to a mr. cobain, but mine at least is actually a really good, warm- sounding guitar. wouldnt really recomend it as a metal guitar though; more as a rock/blues/jazz guitar really. or wotever takes yer fancy really. sounds good, but theres only really a few sounds you can get out of it, so i cant give it top marks

ummmm anything that was wrong with this guitar has since been corrected, but not by me. its twenty odd years old, probably had a few owners who sorted problems out. then left it for me to buy, as a lovely, perfect guitar. v. low string tension, easy to bend etc. the only problems are the ones i mentioned in the first bit of the review. as this is a vintage guitar, i dont think i should really give this a mark as im not its only ever owner, and the previous ones might have souped it up a bit. but for what it is now, id give it a 9 1/2.

this is a fender. plank of wood with strings. nuff said.

never needed or tried it.

been playing... 4 years now, and i dont think im ever gonna buy another electric. i intend to play for the rest of my life, too. obviously the guitar could have some more features, but i love the simplicity of it. my fave bit has to be the super-fat neck though; if i do ever get another electric, im almost definately gonna stick this babys neck on it.
basically, i love this guitar, but i doubt id buy another should i lose it, for exactly that reason. id just hunt down the bastard who stole it, and kill him like the dog he'd have to be, to steal such a work of art.

This guitar was completely disassembled (in about 10 pieces), in a box, in the corner of a back room at Guitar Exchange (gone now) in Catonsville MD back in 1989. I paid $125 "as is." I could tell there was a really nice Fender Mustang in there screaming to be reborn. The neck, rosewood on maple, was removed--but the wood, fingerboard, all 22 frets, dots, and headstock & decals were in pristine shape. On the body end of the neck was the born-on date: 8 NOV 65B. The only damage was one of the original white button F-logo tuning machine shafts being slightly bent. All hardware was off the body, which had been refinished to resemble an ancient black bowling ball (it was pretty bad). There were no Frankenstein mods to the body or pickguard, which is a 3-laminate white/black/white "mother-of-plastic" quilted tortoise shell--VERY 60's and in perfect shape too! The original electronics were all there, along with the black plastic pickup covers and large black bakelite volume and tone control knobs. The rocking bridge and bridge plate were complete; there was a very small amount of surface rust where the chrome plating had been worn off the bridge saddles from palm wear. The only part missing was the vibrato arm. The salesman even had the case for the guitar, which was really beat, but servicable...he said this box of stuff had been sitting around collecting dust for years. A Mustang out of the box is no hot rod guitar, but it lives up to its namesake by being a real workhorse.

Before I attempted a full restoration, I tested the pickups and pots, slapped it together, strung it up, set up the action, and the little guitar SANG without even plugging it in. I think it's a combination of the neck and body woods, combined with the one-piece neck and larger-style Fender headstock they used on the guitar. It sounded live...I could feel it humming when I picked it up. This aspect is key when trying out an electric guitar to buy: Play all your prospective purchases unplugged, and compare them next to each other. The better they sound unplugged, the better they'll sound plugged in. Running through a 1973 Ampeg 50-watt tube amp--the sound was pure Fender (it was, after all, a Mustang, and the Ampeg circuitry was a Fender knock-off). The clean sounds were sparkly, but the old single-coils were quite noisy. Dirty up the sound a bit, and it was smooth and creamy. Plugged into a cranked Carvin X-100 tube amp--it really barked.

I tore down the guitar again and stripped the old black paint off the body. The original color (under several Krylon spray jobs) was seafoam green! There were a few nicks in the body that had been filled with a plastic auto-paint scratch filler putty. I scraped all this out and patched it with wood filler, sanded, primed, and refinished it in a gold laquer with several coats of clear on top. I polished out the pickguard, dropped two new Lace Sensors into it, replaced the worn switches, cleaned the pots and plug jack, and dropped it into the body. I installed the Sensors because I use the guitar to record with, and quiet is a good thing. Next, I hard-tailed the bridge by removing the springs and pivot bolts that hold the string anchor bar to the bridge plate--these I replaced with stainless bolts which fastened the anchor bar to the plate. I made two steel sleeves and dropped them into the two cups that hold the rocking bridge height adjustors; into this I dropped the newly-polished bridge. The steel sleeves prevented any rocking of the bridge itself, which guarantees the guitar will stay in tune. I leveled and polished the frets, cleaned the fingerboard, gave the neck a light sanding to give the finish some "tooth," masked off the rosewood, and sprayed it with a few light coats of clear laquer. I installed chrome Schaller tuners and dropped the neck into the body. I strung it up, set up the action again (I worked the nut a bit to get the string height where I like it), and played it for a few hours. It was LOUD even without an amp. Leo Fender, I'm not worthy.

If you've ever seen The Who play (live or on video) you already know the answer. If you've never seen The Who, I suggest you get a video to learn how much punishment and torture a Fender guitar can take before it dies and goes to Heaven.

I've had no dealings with the company.

I've been playing of and on for 20 years. I'm no virtuoso, but I've been in several bands and this guitar has been there with me for some of it. I also have a 1975 Kramer 650 (when they made guitars with aluminum necks), a Steinberger headless, a Carvin DC-125 with two Gibson PAFs, and an old Charvel Model 4 I use for "stunt" work. None of these I consider my main guitar, because they all produce sounds that are valid in given situations. For the Mustang, though, the lack of a vibrato is really no problem, because it removes the opportunity for me to overuse a vibrato that isn't there! Besides, if the song calls for some whacky stuff, all I have to do is reach over with my right hand, grab the headstock, and pull it forward. Don't try this with any other guitar except a Fender, folks! The reason is because the Fender neck is one solid piece of maple. Most other guitar builders use a joint to attach the headstock, which will snap off if you show it any disrespect. Fender's one-piece neck is simple engineering that WORKS. Try breaking a Louisville Slugger over your knee. Your knee will die before the bat--I guarantee.

1966 Slab Mustang, USA, 22 frets. Standard on/off/phase switch configuration. At some point someone added a toggle switch then changed their mind and removed it. Original finish has been stained over in a red SG-stain color, red tortoise pickguard, decals and logo sanded off the headstock. The original color looks like it might be brown where the stain is chipping away. Standard Fender "F" tuners. White pickups with exposed pole-pieces. Single volume and tone knob, silver-metal telecaster style. Original mustang "rocking" bridge. Included the tremelo bar, bridge cover and badly worn case.

This guitar is played and manipulated through a Boss Turbo Overdrive, Boss Digital Delay 3, MXR Distortion + (Block letter), a Maestro 3-speed phaser and a Boss Digital Delay 5. Effects chain is run into the vibrato/Reverb input of a '73 Silverface Twin Reverb. Other pedals / effects used include a Boss Flanger, Boss Hyper-Fuzz, and Korg MS2000 Analog Modeling Keyboard (filters / oscillators).

Overall there is a pretty wide pallette of sounds available through the pickup/phase switches...from bright trebly bridge pickup sounds to warm/mellow jazz-esque voicings on the neck pickup. Combined together in-phase there is little single coil hum. Out of phase gets a nice subtle chorused sound. Recently have been playing a Japanese Jaguar reissue and a Japanese '69 Thinline Tele reissue and the tonal range of this guitar falls right in between the two. The Jaguar has more features where the tele is straight-ahead tone.

As others have said, the pickups are relatively low-output, but I have found that using a good sounding overdrive first in the pedal chain to "drive" the guitar signal really opens up the sound and increases sustain and punch without needing compression. I use both the Boss Turbo Overdrive and the MXR for this...with the Boss having the advantage of a tone control.

Only so-so with a slide...could be due to string height.

Style is mostly droney/spacy-rock, ranging from ambient meanderings to driving rock to apocalyptic white-noise bursts. Influences include Mogwai, My Bloody Valentine, CAN, Spiritualized, Polvo, Tortoise, Godspeed You Black Emperor!, Allman Brothers, Swervedriver, Bardo Pond, etc.. Guitar is usable for most sounds I am looking for. Thinline Tele is much better for slide and feedback (obviously) but the Mustang has much more low end.

Purchased used from a drummer no longer interested in playing guitar...in very bad shape when I got it. Needed setup, cleaned, restrung and de-rusted. Very solid body and neck, heavy wood.

Neck was broken-in well, very playable and comfortable once setup. No dead spots or fret buzz, sounds good with a variety of string gauges (For anyone complaining about a "thin" sound try Ernie Ball Skinny Top, Heavy Bottoms to fill the sound out). Short-scale neck is a comfortable fit for smaller hands like mine.

One position in the neck pickup switch stopped working recently, most probably due to a loose wire. Anything but the slightest movement on the virbrato seems to knock it out of tuning. Bridge cover is useless too, vibrates audibly when put on.

Easily withstands live playing, I see them from time to time being used onstage by players into non-standard sounds. They were an unbeatable bargain but since Cobain started using them prices have gone up. They are still a lot of value for the dollar though, and I would recommend them to anyone who wanted a fender sound that's a bit unique in its own right. With the Twin Reverb's EQ I can get close to the sounds of Jaguars and Strats, but with a little more uniqueness.

Overall this guitar is built like a tank, It would take a serious fall or a hit right on the neck to damage. Previous-owner negligence ignored I would give the guitar an 8.

Never dealt with Fender. I did have an authorized Fender service center set it up and they did a nice job. They also looked into getting a replacement neck, but Fender wanted close to $300.

I've been playing for almost 4 years now, this was my second guitar. This has been my primary guitar but I've also played a '66 Vox Hurricane, a '62 Jaguar Reissue (90's Japan), a '69 Tele Thinline reissue, a cheap (in a good way) Japanese Harmony Rocket copy and a '73 Fender Musicmaster Bass.

The Mustang by far has been the most comfortable to play, with the Jaguar coming in a close second. The Jaguar however, had all kinds of Bridge problems, dirty pots and switches and a malfunctioning tremelo bar. The tele is fantastic for what it does, yet has a very limited tone-range compared to the Mustang.

I would definitely get another if this one were lost. My favorite features are the phase/pickup switches, the tele-style knobs and the short-scale neck.

The only thing I wish it had would have to be room for a third pickup (humbucker). As it stands it sounds too good to risk removing either one.

Don't let anyone tell you that Mustangs are not "pro guitars". There is no such thing as a "pro guitar", that's marketing hype and technical wankery speaking. A guitar should be about producing tones and textures that feel and sound right to YOU.

Anyone that tells you that a Mustang isn't a real guitar is a gear-snob elitist and can take their mullet and go speed-solo for 5 hours. Trust your ears, not the hype.

They definitely aren't the best guitars in the world, but never claimed to be. They are simply an outstanding value with solid tone, good looks, and true playability.

My mustang is a '69 competition blue model, with the racing stripe and matching headstock. I bought it with the original hard shell case, which you tell by the smeel of it. I bought this guitar when I used to be totally devoted to Nirvana. I used to be a big pain in ass about staying in tune, but not it stays in tune pretty well. It has the smallest nice I've ever seen, and I love it. The only thing I replaced was the bridge pickup, it sounded pretty bad. I replaced it with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails, which sounds pretty nice. I left the original neck pickup in, and it sounds great.

I play a wide variety of music, and I can find all the sounds I want on this guitar. Right now I playing through a Mesa/Boogie Studio .22 amp. I just been using a Boss DS-1 for distortion lately, and it sounds pretty good.

The action could use a little work. It's kind of high because of the bridge setup they have on this guitar, but other than that it's fine.

I haven't had any problems with it yet, and it already over 30 years old. So I would say it's pretty reliable.

Never dealt with them.

If anything ever happened to this guitar I would probably try and look for another one.

'66 Mustang, 2 single-coil pickups, each with three way selector. F-tuners, F-neck plate, Pat. Pend. vibrato. Refinished in Magenta w/ matching headstock, replacement decal. The finish is chipping in a few places, and the original sonic blue shows through, so I figure that the black pickguard is a replacement. The cool guy before me cut part of the pickup covers off so that the polepieces are now exposed. Original bone nut, worn frets but it still has good intonation.

Both pickups in-phase sounds brilliant. All that Fender magic. The other positions are pretty useless, but with the exception of the pickups of a '53 Tele combined, I've never heard a finer example of Fender sparkle.

When I got it, it buzzed a little, but I tilted the bridge a bit, and now it's perfect. The frets are worn pretty badly, but it holds it intonation after 34 years, so it's all good. The nut is a very aged (original) piece of bone, perfectly cut for 10-46s. The neck feels oh-so-great. I love it.

This guitar is a beast. During one show it survived 2 Thurston Moore noise solos and 90 minutes of standard playing...I never had to retune. This thing has lasted 34 years and will probably stand another 50. I replaced the strap buttons with washers, but that's my standard trick. I would definetly gig it without a backup if I had to, but I have an old beat-up P-90 SG for that.

Never talked to Fender.

Been playing for nearly 3 years, own 8 guitars. This is easily my favorite. It sounds brilliant through my '68 Bassman and my new '64 Super Reverb. I want a million of them now.

I've got a 1976 US fender mustang, all black, non original P/U's, it's missing the whammy bar but i'm looking for one now, tuners replaced at least twice, came with original case

kinda tinny, but cool in its on way, i use a fender princeton chorus and this combo rocks, i play everything from beatles to experimental noise and the mustang does it all

Un-original p/u's that i'd like to replace soon, it's a little dinged up but i consider it "character"

used it live on various occasions, its been dropped and takes a beating, i'd use it live without a backup if nescessary (done it before)

have you ever tried to get anything from fender?

Been playing for 5 years and i prefer this to any other guitar i've had. If i could ever find another original i'd buy it on the spot. What can i say, i'm a fender addict

Japanese Reissue in Sonic Blue w/ tortuise pickguard. 2 single coils..short scale neck...got it over ebay but in mint condition. Came with original black hardshell case. Pickup switch for each pickup tons of combinations.

This guitar sounds amazing! the only thing it's bad is for playing hard distortion. The bridge pickup is a little weak for that type of music...it's not bad on it's own just for that style. So i'm putting in a dimarzio super distortion. GOt that great fender tone. NOt even that noisy as you would think for single coils. Bright sound but can get dark on neck pickup. Very versatile guitar. I love my mustang to death!

action was a little low but that's standard for these guitars. Had to raise it and its' great now. Pickups adjusted great. Everything was awesome.

this guitar is light and short scaled but i know it will take a beating....i changed the strap buttons to strap locks cuz i do that standard with every new guitar i get. This is my 5th guitar and my absolute favorite. It's my dream guitar. Would def. use it without backup but bring one anyways..cuz you never know what's gonna happen.

never dealt with them....from what i've heard.....never want to

i've been playing 5 years and have been waiting each one very long to achieve a Mustang. Finally i've found one thats' gorgeous and exactly what i wnted and could actually afford it. The other guitars i use are 2 Fernandes's. A strat copy and a jaguar copy. This guitar is the best ever made....hands down!

1969 Fender Mustang. Made in the U.S. 22 frets. Volume, tone, and two three way pickup selector switches (in phase / off / out of phase). 2 origional pickups. Standard Mustang hardware. I feel that the in phase / out of phase switches are totally useless. I leave them both on (in phase) all the time. One switch is going bad (after only 31 years...) Nothing special, but it works.

I like it a lot. It's the sports car model of guitars: small, fast and light. I use mostly a Rat Distortion box and a Boss Digital Delay / Reverb stompbox. My main amp is a Roland Blues Cube 30. I like the amp / guitar setup. The pickups tend to be a little noisy, and the amp is able to take out some of the noise while keeping a cleaner, brighter sound. Overall it has a very good sound for me.

The guitar buzzed real bad when I got it, but after a little tune up and some heaver strings it turned out real good. Flaws: The guitar had a hard life before I got it. It was refinished in a purple color, and that has a couple of dings in it (on the back). All the finish on the back of the neck has been worn off (sanded off?), and someone sanded off the "mustang" logo on the front of the neck and painted over it. It doesn't look that good, but it still plays great.

The hardware seems like it's wearing out. The frets need replacing, and it needs one of the pickup switches replaced. But, I can't really complain because all of that is origional hardware, and it's lasted 31 years... With few repairs, it should last a few more years.

n/a

I've been playing for about a year and a half. This is the only guitar I've ever owned, and I love it to death. If it was lost or stollen I would buy another one without a second thought. I've played some other cheap guitars that my friends own, and this is still my favorite. Things I like about it: it's light, it has a short neck, and it sounds great. Things I don't like about it: It's very old and switches / pots are starting to die on me, it needs new frets, and the tremolo is totally useless (one tap on that and everthing is out of tune!). Still a great guitar.

its a 97,reissue,made in japan. 22 frets,two single coil pickups, basswood body, maple neck with rosewood fretboard,has stock dynamic vibrato tail piece but i locked it down,love the switches,gives it so many cool possibilties

works very nicely with my music which is industrial/electronic i use a tech 8 multi effects processer,a Boss d-1,electro-harminex big muff distortion,morley wah,for amps my practice is a Crate GX-15r and a peavey rage 158,my main amp is a Fender deluxe Reverb. it can do every thing,this guitar is very versital

i got it used so i dont what kind of set it had when i got it,but it sucked,but i fixed that,finish was and is really nice,no probs

very reliable especaily the i play,this guitar was made to last,finish will do the same,straps buttons never fail,i have and could gig again without a backup

never delt with um

iv been playin for 3 1/2 years,i also own a fender Duosonic,peavey raptorII strat copy,lots of pedals ,already named my amps if it were stolen i would get another,i only say stolen cuz i'd never let it get lost,it my baby

1964 3/4 scale screamer!! Everyone knows there are 2 single coil pick-ups that can be on individually, together in phase or together out of phase. Vibrato is cool...especially for surf stuff. I don't have the arm...so I just push it a-la Jr. Brown!! Clay dots=pre CBS!!

I can get Fantastic twang and surf out of this baby! More so than my '62 Jaguar! (?). I running it through a '68 Super reverb. The out of phase position is cool as well :)

Very small neck means quick playing. Seems pencil thin compared to some of my other guitars...but fun to play! The white finish is showing age as it is yellowed a bit, but that's character baby!

Relabile?? It's a Fender...nuff said. Leo did it right on all (pre- CBS) models. It's lasted this long... it's here forever!

I pass buy Fender headquarters every day (AZ)..I'm not sure what they would do if I walked in with some old wood!

I've been playing about 5yrs. As mentioned I have a Fiesta red '62 Jaguar, a (re-issue) Danelectro '56 U2 and a '50 Supro Dual Tone (Viva Link Wray!!). Amps include a '68 Super reverb, a '61 Gibson Skylark and a '59 Magnatone Custom 280. I'm a one room player (home) ..never gigged. I would like to get another (full-scale) Mustang some day...so yes! I would replace it if needed. This is a GREAT guitar for the music I (try!) to play. Prices are going up on these vintage guitars..still a great buy if you can find one unaltered.

Made: 1977-79. They were not real good about keeping records. I am told from the guy at Greenville Guitars that this is the date range. 22 Frets. One solid dang piece of wood. I don't have it here in front of me, but it is heavier than any strat or paul I've picked up. Which is just wacky for a short scale... Two single Coils, with the black covers (No exposed pole pieces). Everything is Fender stock on this guitar. Chrome tunes, missing whammy bar. Original Dynamic Fender Vibrato. Slight crook in neck. I think it is all Alder wood. Tobacco sunburst finish, black pickguard. I like the Vibrato Bridge because I can't stand fishing the little brass thingies out of the back of Strats. I don't use the Vibrato (bar missing, but not missed). So it is always pretty much in tune. Original black Tolex covered case with plush orange interior.

Love the sound. Two pickups have a lot of variety due to the phase switching. Sounds best with both together in phase. But I use the two opposed to stand out on stage from the other guitarist. Very quiet in the studio. No humm. No buzz. No pops between switching. It's kind of overly soft through my solid state amp on the clean settings. It has superior single coil jangle. I used it on a REM tribute album to do Radio Free Europe and it was wonderful to multitrack the variety of sounds.

I bought the guitar when it was 16 years old. So it had been through some hands. But it is my first guitar and I was able to feel my way around the set up without instruction. You need to replace the little cardboard matchbook shims around the two posts that hold the bridge thingee in. Thats a design flaw easily accomodated. It had numerous scratches etc... but the finish has survived remarkable well.

It will outlast me. The screws are a little rust. The nut is probably the original and could stand replacement, but since I don't have any wierd noises or tuning problems I plan to leave it alone. The strap does pop off from time to time. I am pretty sure you could break down a door with it and then play for 3 hrs hard and heavy. I have played w/o backup on numerous occaisions. I've only broken a string once, that I can remember.

never needed it

Playing about 8 years. I got extremely lucky picking this guitar out. If it were lost or stolen I would be at a serious loss. I've never felt one with this kind of weight or tone. But I would have another. I am tempted to hot rail one of the pickups... I love this guitar because it seems indestructable, yet lithe and beautiful. Some frets need replacing. My favorite feature is probable the pallete of tones available through two single coil p/ups.

1964 Fender Mustang. was refinished a metallic blue/green color and professionally routed for a humbucker in the bridge slot before i got it. it came with a black duncan JB. the tuners have been changed to grover deluxe kluson copies. the neck;s finish is worn and the headstock and decal are in perfect shape.

i play lead guitar. a lot of metal. i mostly use an old V with EMG's. 81 and 60 to be exact.this mustang works good too.i play through a marshall jcm 800 2203 100 watt head and a lead 100 mosfet. sounds nice

the finish was done great. the action sucked,but thats fixed now

seems reliable enough. the hardware has some minor rust spots on the tailpiece.but this is from 1964.what do u expect.

N/A

been playing for 3 years. i have a marshall jcm 800 2203 head. a jcm 800 1982B 4x12 with 85 watt celestions. a marshall lead 100 mosfet with a blue sparkle Kustom reissue 4x12 w/jensons. a sovtek mig 50 and matching 2x12. i have a sonic blue fender jagstang,a fiesta red jagstang (both stock). a 1996 mexican strat. an aria pro 2 knight warrior,yamaha pacifica 912,1970s les paul copy,parts strat,flying V with EMGs,the mustang and two no name 1960s sears guitars. for pedals i use a metal zone,a morley pro series 2 wah/vol and a dod supersonic stereo flange if my mustang was stolen,i would get another one for sure. im gonna get more anyway. 310 bucks was a nice deal.

This is a '72 model, red with competition stripes, some nicks and dents, not the cleanest hardware, a real pawnshop beauty. The tremelo arm wasn't with the guitar when I got it. Everything was stock. Took it to a good setup man who cleaned the pots and redid the soldering, replaced the nut, set the neck and action perfectly. (Absolute Music, Fairborn, Ohio) Has the slide pickup selectors, pearl pickguard, original stock pickups. Functionally as good as or better than new, feature-wise, except for the missing whammy arm. The neck is Strat-like, wider than a Telecaster but fat.

Fenders are traditionally iffy from the fifties to ?. This was a low end model new, and the chances of it sounding really good were a gamble. I had played one as a practice guitar years earlier, and it was tolerable. I got this one from a friend whose judgement I respect, but I still wasn't prepared for the quality of the sound it continues to give. I played a small gig with it plugged into a 50 watt Marshall using a compressor, equalizer with mids cut down a bit, and a small dose of chorus, and that was the first time I really took the guitar seriously. The sound was warm, full, great clear sustain, bright yet not shrill, deep lows, and the audience loved it (lots of comments, tips, and beers.) I particularly like the neck pickup, very SRV, and the out of phase is as good sounding yet a little more powerful than Strats I've known. One out of 100, and my guitar-playing friends agree. Too good a sound to gig with except for special occasions. I gave it to one of my sons who still has it and treats it well.

I don't know original settings. Once setup properly, it is fine. I think this must have cost about $125 new, and they were the darlings of the pawnshop for years, and you always did get what you paid for with this model. This one saw hard use before I got it. I don't care. Anybody looking for a "cherry" original Mustang was born after they quit making them because they don't remember the reality of the Mustang, and they were beautiful when banged around a bit, far more beautiful than when new. The trem arm was usually the first to go anyway, and it does a nice surf by manipulating the bridge. "Apache" and Duane Eddy stuff is fine. No divebombing or metal. Great punk! The neck is as good and strong as a Strat.

This is a twenty seven yeard old guitar. It is the worse for wear. It takes maintenance and skilled attention for it to play in tune and have the electrics work without noise or grounding problems. And it was the very bottom of the Fender line from the getgo. Take it for what it was designed to be, and it is reliable. Expect more and be foolish. If you modify it with new stuff, you missed the point and should be playing something else, and another classic gets butchered.

You've got to be kidding. Most places you find Mustangs would break your thumbs if you complained.

I've played since 1964. This isn't my idea of a main axe, but it comes from an era where beginner's guitars from the few makers out there were outstanding, the Mustang and the Gibson Melody Maker among them. I'd replace it, after careful selection, just to have it around. The sound of this one is everything. 11 on a 10 scale. My main axe is a Rickenbacker 330 (with a Vox top-boost on order,) and I've tended to favor single coils. I play classic rock, love jazz chords and Hendrix/SRV equally, and I both teach and learn from my kids music new to me, such as contemporary metal, which my son's humbuckers and stack (through a Metal Zone) do very well. I tend to stay no heavier in overdrive than Black Sabbath. I guess the most important thing I want to say is that this isn't a guitar suitable for a lot of beginners anymore. Don't replace the pickups and over-cook the signal with effects. It will let you down. If you want the original Fender sound, pure and simple, this is it. Punk it like a fool, and you'll have a lot of fun. Kurt Cobain knew what he was doing with it for grunge, even when he replaced the pickup. But just keep in mind that it's appreciating in value for a damn good reason. Classic Fender.

Mine is an original 1975 Mustang. A lovely 3 colour sunburst with a lovely finish. It has two new pickups, Seymour Duncan lil '59 and JB. The neck has 22 frets and the fretboard is in awesome condition. Only problem is the buzz on the e and d dtrings because i havent changed my action. It has those tuners with the cool F on them and they stay in tune pefectly, unlike my stinky squier practice guitar (they are the crappest guitars). The neck is a thinner than a strat but thicker than a tele but lovely and smooth. It has a really strange bridge. Its liek this tube thing witha space for the trem.

My guitar is really suited for every type of music apart from the new metal scene which has defaced decent music. It has a wonderfully fat sound when run through my mxr distortion and my other distortion boxes. You can make it into a thin trebly sound but i dont really like it that much anyway. WONDERFULLY DIVERSE. It has that really nice bbking clean sound.

Really well kept for a guitar this old. It has one or two minor nicks and there is that buzz but apart from that the guitar is beautiful.

I havent played with this live. Im more of a bedroom player. Not a lame ass one though! I wouldnt dare misuse this guitar seeing as they cost so much in england (i got it in the states for $475) and this was my dream guitar.

Its too old isnt it? I dont bother with customer support. I just go to my local guitar shop.

I had a squier before this and i have played on a 57 ri strat and an ibanez steve vai series but this guitar not only sounds better but plays so much better. If anyone is planning on buying this guitar get it from the US. They cost about 700 pounds in this condition. With the original hardcase as well!

This is a 1965 Fender Mustang. It has 22 frets, red finish, one volume, one tone, white pearloid pickguard, original Mustang bridge, Kluson Tuners, and a Slab neck. It's all original and is awesome. It has the typical Mustang setup with black pickup covers and toggle switches.

I play a good balance of punk and alternative. I like to play Metallica too. THis guitar is awesome for either or, but I'm sure it's no competition for guitars especially suited for Metal music. It has such a wide variety of sounds. I can play anything from Berry to Presley to Hendrix to Hammett to Cobain (Can you figure out all the first names? Cause you're an idiot if you can't and should leave music forever.) IMPORTANT NOTE: ON MANY AMPS, THE MUSTANG WILL APPEAR TO HAVE A VERY LOW VOLUME WHILE ON CLEAN CHANNELS AND VERY LOUD ON DIRTY. TO REMEDY THIS, TURN YOUR GAIN KNOB UP ON THE CLEAN CHANNEL INSTEAD OF YOUR MASTER VOLUME KNOB. THIS IS TRUE, AT LEAST, FOR THE MARSHALL 8240 VALVESTATE COMBO. The sound has all tones: bright, dark, noisy, etc. It's VERY flexible. I love this guitar so much. When you hit a chord, it is so full and crunchy and dark, but you can make it bright if you want. This guitar is definately low-end, though. HIGHLY RECOMMEND TO ALL!! Get them on EBAY easy. They are there all the time. www.ebay.com

Well, I just got this guitar in 1999. It's been quite a few years since 1965. Get a calculator. I JUST got it set up by my music teacher, Les (who, by the way, is rather cool). The action is perfect for me. It has a buzzing when hit VERY hard, most notable if you hit all the strings open very hard. This finish is awesome on Mustangs. This one has a few knicks and dings. It IS old. Also some scratches and stuff, but who cares? It's a Mustang.

I haven't played live yet, but the hardware and electronics have lasted THIS long, haven't they? The strap buttons are perfect and I can depend on it entirely. Why would it break in the couple of hours I use it after 34 years?!! I'd have to be very unlucky.

I never dealt with Fender on a support basis, but I hear they are a little too "busy" and conceited to even care about ONE customer. Gorny's music shop in Somerville, New Jersey is awesome. Inexpensive setup and great service!! THIS RATING IS FOR GORNY'S AND LES

THIS IS AMAZING. MY FAVORITE!!! I'VE BEEN PLAYING FOR 8 YEARS AND I LOVE IT. IT'S SO RAW! So far, I've been using a Marshall 8240 2x12 combo with it's own distortion and some other effects. I'm getting an ELECTRO-HARMONIX PolyChorus soon and prepare for awesome sound.

This is a November 1965 original Fender Mustang. Date on neck 08NOV65B (that's NOT NOv the 8th by the way, that's just a code to indicate a slab mustang neck. Other Mustangs appear to have a 5 or 16 before the month.) - a B neck, SLAB neck . Solid alder SLAB body (like all pre-69 Mustangs). Two slanted single coils, with poles showing, cream pickup coveres faded to grey. This is a SHORT Scale 22-fret guitar, a student model at the time. 'F' Tuners do a gret job and look cool. Plastic buttons on tuners. No accessories. Missing tremolo bar.

NO style - I'm a suckee guitar player. a bedroom guitarist is what you might call me. I love it for its looks and feel and vibe and sound. it's very versatile, sund-wise. My preferred combination is using both pickups and I get a sound similar to my Jaguar. This is a classic surf sound from teh 60s. the real thing, still there after 35 years. you can use it for anything, blues and and funk. Very bright sound, tinny.

Bad refin job, other than that a wonderful little guitar. Cute is the word. Great orig pickups, well adjusted and perfect action (read LOW). Unblemished hardware, even the tuners (palstic 'F' tuners which the Mustang shared with other short scales such as DuoSonic II, Musc Master II, Bronco) are beeter than my reissue 62 Jaguar's. Electronics are original and scratch-free even after 35 years. Knobs have gone long missing. I LOVE those silider switches. that's a classy touch from Leo Fender.

This guitar withstood live playing for 35 years by the look of it. What's more it came out of the 1980s almost unscathed except for a bad, bad refin job. They painted purple and drew little pics of monsters under the finish. It's such a bad refin it's almost groovy.
Would I use it a sole guitar at a gig? Jesus, it's a lightweight guitar with two single coils. But the pickups are wonderful and the electronics (all orig) dont even scrtach. Fender knew what they were doing. In a nutshell, yes, it's a reliable guitar for gigging.

Couldnt say, really. If you a 35-year-old Fender they wont help you much, probably. but youc an get original parts on the Net for much cheaper.

Mine is a 1969 Competition Blue Mustang. I bought mine from some guy over the internet. I got it with its original case, and it came with all its originally hardware( even the metal plate that goes over the bridge to cover it up)

It is great for the music I play, and you can get so many different tones from playing around with the pickup switches. The bridge pickup was a little thin and really sucked with distortion on, but I have replaced it with a Seymour Duncan Hot Rails, and it sounds great. And it sounds great with my E-H Small Clone Chorus and my Boss DS-1 Distortion.

When I first got it I went to play it and it sucked, but the stings on it were so old and the bridge was so low that the strings were hitting the pickups. I changed the strings and figured out how to raise the bridge and then it sound great.

It hasn't failed me yet, and its 30 years old, so I don't think this guitar will ever die.

Never dealt with them.

I have been playing for three years now and I have owned a few guitar during that time and this is favorite one I ever played. If it were stole I would love to buy it again, but I don't think I would ever find one in the color I have again( it took me long enough to find this one)

I've got a 1965 Mustang (November 6, to be exact) that I found in a pawn shop while I was with a friend who wanted to buy a gun. It had been spray-painted yellow so I stripped it down and rubbed in some tung oil and just left it that way...and it looks damn cool. I replaced all the electronics and installed a pair of DiMarzio "Blue Velvet" pickups. I didn't like the independent pickup switches so I pulled them and put in a small two-way toggle switch between the tone knob and the jack. I can't use both pickups simultaneously but I never did to begin with. I took off the strap buttons and put on these really cool leather strap-locks that I can't seem to find anywhere anymore. It's still got the original tuners (pearly-headed ones), original pickguard (some kinda weird pearly-red color), original "Fender Dynamic Vibrato" bridge, original neck-plate and even the original freakin' screws. This thing is exactly what I need and want in a guitar...especially after my customizations. I LOVE THIS DAMN GUITAR.

Well, since I mostly play punk, this thing is perfect. It's got a really nasty sharp buzzsaw tone that kicks ass. I play it through a Rat distortion pedal and into a Laney tube combo. I did also do a stint in a psychedelic band where it also worked perfectly. At that time I ran it through: Ernie Ball volume pedal. Rat pedal, DOD Bass chorus pedal, Washburn Flanger pedal, Crybaby wah, Peavey Triumph 130 tube head, ART SGE processor, Marshall 4x10 cabinet and a Talk Box. But I suppose when you run any guitar through that much shit you can pretty much get whatever you want out of it, eh?

I've done my best to set it up myself but that ain't exactly my specialty. There's also some fuck-ups in the finish (also my fault). But I just think of those as character marks.

This thing has survived several years of punk shows...need I say more?

I've done all the work myself.

I've been playing about 10 years. Other gear I own: Laney GC-30V 2x10 tube combo, Rat dist. pedal, Crybaby, DOD Bass Chorus pedal, Washburn flanger, some kinda cheapo volume pedal, Aria Pro II bass, homemade "Frankenstein" guitar, dbx 266 compressor, Yamaha FX500 processor, Akai reel-to-reel 4-track, Marantz PMD 720 cassette 4-track, Shure SM-57 (2), AKG C451, Sennheiser MD504, Nady 101 Wireless mic, stands, cables, blah, blah, blah... If someone stole my guitar they would already be dead. If you aren't exactly

This is my baby a 1966 mustang. Its dakota red or fiesta red with a white pickguard.The neck is maple with a rosewood fretboard.The controls are simple two three-way switches a volume and a tone knob. The bridge is different the guy I got it from said he put the bridge on it because the old tremolo was always going out of tune. Its just a simple duo-sonic bridge with three saddles the tuners are klusion deluxe.The pickups are black lace sensors.

Sounds good today was the first day I used it with a band and there wasnt feed back or very much noise.Pickups are gritty and sound good but the clean is just average.

The guy I got it from played with very thin strings so over years of playing the nut got worn down,so the thing buzzed but I put thick strings on it and it is perfect.He gave the guitar to me pretty beat up but just the finish,everything else was fine.

This guitar is built great and will last a long time and even after thirty years of being played its doing great.I would use this guitar live with no backup.Today I played with my band for hours and didnt even have to tune it.The only problem is the wood where one of the screws go to hold on the metal plate where the volume and tone knobs go was stripped so when you take out the cord the plate will start to come off.

Never had to deal with fender

Ive been playing for about three years and own a 62 reissue jaguar. I traded it for a cookie cutter mexi strat that was my first guitar and i didnt care for it very much. I wish I could of gotten the original bridge with it but thats okay he also gave me a fender case from 1964.

Mine is an original Mustang from 1968 and was made in the U.S.A. It has either 21 or 22 frets. It has volume and tone controls, with a three-way selector switch for both pick-ups. The pick-ups are the original. It has a Strat style body in a light blue. I still have the original case and it has a bright orange cloth covering the inside.

Soundwise, it is a very mellow sounding guitar but when I hook it up to a great Fender amp with distortion and reverb, it can get to sounding pretty mean. I use a Fender 112 Deluxe amp. This guitar can make any sound you want if you have the right effects pedals.

The action has been adjusted over the years, along with the pick-ups and the bridge. This guitar has no flaws at all.

The Mustang is a very reliable guitar. Still 30 years after it was bought, it still sounds and looks great. It is very dependable and I would use it at a gig without a backup.

I have been playing for three years. My dad gave me the Mustang when I started because that is what he bought in 1968 when he started to play. I also use a classical acoustic Martin guitar from about 1970.

Well, mine is an original Fender Mustang from 1975, its got a maple neck and fingerboard, 22 frets (medium jumbo, i believe), the body is made of basswood. Its got a nice 3 color sunburst finish to it and looks great even 23 years later. Its got 2 single coil pickups, I changed mine to a Seymour Duncan JB junior (bridge) and a Little '59 (neck). Its pretty much got your standard tuners with the "F" fender logo on them as well as the bridge which came without a tremolo bar. The neck itself is very skinny, much more so than my strat. I kind of like the feel of it though.

Initially with the stock pickups, the sound was very thin, only good for a 60's kind of clean tone, but not great for distortion. I recently change them to Seymour Duncan pickups as mentioned above and the guitar came alive! It still sounds great clean but much much better when used for distorted tones, however it still can be some what thin or certain setttings. The tone is pretty full and bright, lots of high end and lows and decent mids. My musical style is very diverse from blues to jazzy stuff, to classic rock to metal. This guitar can pretty much cover anything except metal but it can come close if you boost the mids (i use a boss ge-7 eq pedal to do so) Some people say its a "beginner guitar" well i'm definitely not a beginner, i've played for over 5 years, i simply like the feel of the skinny neck. Overall its a great and inexpensive guitar that i guess never really was that popular.

Its seems to have held up well thru the years, the guitar itself is in great condition, just a few minor scratches. The pickups, as i mentioned, have been replaced very recently and everything seems fine now. The bridge is kind of a different design, i don't like it as much as a strat style bridge but it still works. As i said already the finish is very nice and not amateurish at all.

I've never had a problem with it, i've owned it for 2 years, its over 23 years old itself. Nothing really bothered me about this guitar except the pickups but now it sounds great and can work for any style of music pretty much.

Nah, i've never dealt with fender, if i've got a probelm i'll bring it to my local music shop if i can't fix it myself.

As I said, i've played for over 5 years and i think this a great guitar for the price. I own several other guitars including a strat plus w/ lace sensor pickups and several acoustics. I'd be cool if it had like a floyd rose bridge or something but this works, pickups sound great, i really don't have any major complaints. Its a great value and worth checking out.

Solid body neo-strat shaped (earliest ones don't have contoured back) guitar w/ two single coil low-end Fender pickups (solid cover w/ no exposed pole pieces-same pickup as the Bronco and Duo-Sonic), individual 3-position pickup switches over each pickup, master volume and tone controls (on a nifty chrome plate), and a largely above board vibrato. Mine is a '73 Competition Orange w/ stripes finish. They evidently still used some cellulose in the "mother of pearl" pickguards, ' cuz mine was pretty warped around the edges when I got it @ "79. The vibrato is great for surfin', but you can't dump the strings as one can w/ a strat vibrato-but you can still use it for Sonic Youth style assaults. The pickup switches are three-position with the middle being off. When the switches are both on either closest together or furthest apart it puts the pickups out of phase-perhaps one of the first designs purposefully made to do this-at least by an American company (remember-this is a '64 designed guitar). Lotta stuff for a "student guitar"

The vibrato sucks sustain as it runs the strings thru a steel bar attached to a steel plate mounted on the guitar face-the strings never go thru the body at any time. This is coupled w/ them travelling over a rocking bridge suspended on two pins (or screw bottoms if you can't find real pins) creates plenty of vibration and non-solid anchoring. The original pickups sound authentically Fendery-but are a bit on the thin side. Over the years I've replaced mine (finally) with Duncan Hot Rails-these sound like the humbuckers they are-not surfy in the least.

Fender didn't 'dumb down" the quality when they made these, they just have cheesy pickups. This guitar actually seems to be of better quality than many of the higher end Fenders made around the same time-maybe they didn't have to skimp to make Mustangs. I've abused my tiny pickup switches making the usual rapid-fire on/off noises and they are still rock solid (more than I can say of the feel of the reissue switches). Mine came w/out a whammy bar-but you can push on the bar and get most of the movement you need, and it keeps people guessing how you did all that "cool shit".

I got this guitar when I was fifteen and it was my only guitar until I was twenty-five. In that span I went from avid bedroom guitarist to full-time 'alterna-rocker" (ain't jargon great???)-my once immaculate guitar now looks like doo-doo. Its' on its' third nut, third set of tuners, third pickup configuration, and second set of knobs (tele knobs-better for violining than the horrible plastic ones-which now look way cool on my Jerry Jones). Otherwise everything else is original and in solid (if not pristine) shape-so non-electronic hardware and the body and neck are fairly rugged-after being dropped, thrown, rolled over and just plain abused.

I remember trying to get a vibrato bar thru Fender whilst in high school-they'd string me along for months at a time-never admitting that they didn't even make the guitar anymore-the fuckers (they were still owned by CBS at the time-to be fair about it).

Good beginner guitar and great for flogging barchords at high speed. maybe it's just because I learned on this instrument, but I seem to be able to play it more intuitively than any of my other guitars. My hands are not huge, but bigger than average-so the slightly smaller scale made me feel like Hendrix (w/out the drugs even)-it was neat to be able to reach some super-human expanses on the neck, but it's now perhaps a bit small for clean fretting finesse stuff. I still take it out when i wanna really annoy the neighbors though-it only plays the loud stuff for some reason.

Reissue 97' Mustang. Sonic Blue with red pearloid/tortoise shell pickguard. - short scale - 2 single coil pickups ( I replaced the bridge with a hotrails) - tone and volume controls - floating tremolo (I have installed gotoh tune-o-matic) - skinny neck for short people.
I hate the tremolo on this guitar. The bridge sucks. You have to press in with an allen head on the wammy and can't move it to the side. Great vibrato, but like to replace with a floyd.( Is this possible? Someone let me know, please). Not too much on the guitar, but it's simple and easy to use.

When I had the single in the bridge it sounded like crap with distortion. With the hotrails, I get a fat sound that suits me fine. And oh! the sustain. The best guitar I've ever played.

I don't like the action on this guitar. I'm more like Jerry Cantrell. I like very low action, and this guitar came with very high action. I am not pleased with the finish. I had to order it because I'm a lefty. The mustang came with a 2 inch scratch. What do the people in Japan do? Have sword fights wile making guitars. It can't be because of mass production. It's a lefty for god's sake! They make about 10 a year probably. The wood and accessories are perfect with no flaw.

This thing rocks. I don't polish my guitar and it still looks as like a million. Everything's fine in this category. I will gig relentlessly without a backup. Kurt Cobain used one guitar for a month straight with his usual aggressive style. Now, that's touring!

They suck. They made stupid mistakes because they don't care about the quality of their left-handed products. I will never buy another fender. They even sent me a righty! And they recalled it.

I love this guitar, but after a lot of modifying. If you have the cash to modify, it's the most comfortable guitar out there. Oh! for those who say mustangs suck, do your homework and try out the reissues. They have the quirks fixed from the originals. I want to put a floyd on this thing. Someone, let me know if it's possible.

This is a 1965 Mustang, made shortly after CBS bought Fender. The body is alder, with a maple neck capped by a thin ("veneer") rosewood fretboard. My particular Mustang is lightweight, just over six pounds. The body color used to be white but has now aged to a lovely cream. The shape is quite Strat-like but without contours. The scale length is 24" like the Fender Jaguar, qualifying this as a short-scale instrument. There are 22 frets, again like the Jaguar. Pickups consist of two single-coil units, the same type used by Fender in the '50s and '60s on its other "student" guitars, the Duo-Sonic and Musicmaster. These pickups are low in output but have a sweet, liquid-y sound and are, in my opinion, quite underrated today. Controls are one volume pot, one tone pot, and a three-way selector switch for each pickup. The switches allow you to use either or both pickups, in or out of phase. The pickups are hum-canceling when used together in phase. The bridge is part of Leo Fender's Dynamic Vibrato system. (Leo had finally got the terminology right at this point and was no longer calling his vibrato systems "tremolos.") The bridge is radiused to match the fretboard, which is shaped to the usual Fender 7.25" radius or thereabouts. It's adjustable for overall height, and each saddle is individually adjustable for intonation. The vibrato bar attaches to the tailpiece...the system works not unlike a Bigsby. Using the vibrato with light strings puts the guitar out of tune easily. With heavier strings (I use Pyramid flatwounds, .011?.048) tuning stability, not to mention overall tone, is better.

The Mustang's sound works well for clean rhythm parts or playing at the edge of distortion. This suits the folk-based rock and pop I base many of my own songs on. (I also love to play punk/thrash music with loads of distortion, screeching atonal feedback and such, but that's another story and another guitar.) The pickups, as I mentioned above, are low in output and sweet sounding. No muddiness at any setting. Hum is sometimes present, as you'd expect with single-coil units. The neck unit has a nice warmth for a single-coil pickup, and the bridge unit is bright without being harsh or shrill. Using both pickups together in phase yields a hollowed, clucky, Strat-like tone. Out-of-phase the tone gets snarly, which can be useful for dissonant lead playing. I think the Mustang loses its character under heavy distortion, as do many guitars actually. Better to use an instrument with higher output pickups in such a situation. Overall I love these pickups...if the Mustang wasn't such a resonant, clear-sounding instrument in its own right I'd keep 'em and put 'em on a different guitar.

I bought the guitar used so I can't say how well the factory setup was, but Fender had a good reputation in this area until the negative effects of the CBS takeover set in. This Mustang was well-made, though. The fret slots were all cut to the proper depth, the nut was cut and fitted well, the tuners (Klusons) work smoothly, the bridge saddles adjust properly, and the neck/body joint is snug. It's as well-built as any Fender I've ever owned.

I've used this guitar live and (mostly) in my little home studio for years without any trouble. The color has faded as I mentioned above (I think it looks better now) and there's a lot of checking in the nitrocellulose outer finish layers. This isn't unusual with guitars from the '50s and '60s, though. This is a Fender from the tail end of the "golden era," built to last. I wouldn't hesitate to use it live without backup.

I've never dealt with the current Fender company. If I ever have problems with my Mustang that I can't fix myself, I'll take it to a local shop where I know the folks who'll be working on it.

I've been playing guitar for close to 25 years. I currently own around 20 guitars and a dozen amps of various sorts. Also a bunch of effects pedals, of course. The things I like best about the Mustang are the shorter scale length, which is a nice change of pace from the usual 24.75" or 25.5"; its sweet, clean tone; and its reliability. There's nothing about it I dislike...I bought it for what it is, a great clean-sounding guitar, and I have other guitars that cover other kinds of sounds or are more suited to other styles of playing. I'm sure if it were stolen or lost I'd find another Mustang to replace it.

According to the Fender ax-dater at the Fender web site my mustang was made in 1972. But they use the serial nuberon the neck brace to figure this out and they just dump those into a bucket before all of them have been used so it could be off by about ten years. I assume it was made in the U.S. because it doesnt say otherwise. There are 22 frets, i dont know how that qualifies as a short scale. There are master tone and volume nobs. Both PUs are single coils, but right now it is awaiting new pickups. The neck is a half round shape almost like a tele.

I cant say what this guitar sounds like because the pickups are dead. My other mustang sounds great, I assume this one will too when I get some new pickups in it.

The action is really nice, very easy to play. There are no flaws that I can see. The finish is a dark wood grain, I dont think too many were made this way.

Based on my other mustang this guitar could last forever.

I love this guitar. A lot of people are afraid to get one because they are short scale, all I have to say about that is play one you will love it.