Fender Mustang

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.