Anybody have a 60s/70s Fender Mustang?

S100

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I am curious if it's better to have the real thing or a Japanese Reissue? Mustangs have good value for vintage Fenders. Thoughts? I'd love to have a short scale
 

Quantum Strummer

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Yep, I have a '65. White…well, mellowed to cream now. It's a great player with a sweet sound. There's a cool clucky tone with both pickups going, in phase, that no other guitar (I'm aware of) can do. Check out some early Liz Phair ("Soap Star Joe," "Mesmerizing," "Girls! Girls! Girls!") to hear what I mean. Liz is actually the reason for my initial interest in Mustangs. Saw her play in a small hall in early 1994 and got a good look at her gear. :smile:

Here she is (the Mustang, of course):

4B24F043-A34A-4D50-9AAF-75EE63194A7C_zpsihcmvxbn.jpg


Never played a reissue beyond a few strums in a store, so I can't really compare 'em sonically. Fender Japan makes some good stuff. The oldies have a different feel & vibe, though…the texture (and often smell) of the aged lacquer, a neck that's had hands on it over time and the amount of vibrating the wood has done. If you can find one in your price range I'd opt for an oldie.

-Dave-
 
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S100

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That's a beauty. I love the aged Olympic. How's the sustain on the mid to upper frets?
 

S100

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Also, it's awesome that you saw Liz back in the mid-90s.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Sustain is good up & down the fretboard. Though keep in mind Mustangs are in the Jazzmaster/Jaguar family. I set the bridges on most guitars, including this one, a little higher than many folks to allow the lower strings to ring full & clean up around the 12th fret. I use 12-gauge Thomastik flatwounds on it too. :)

I saw Liz at St. Andrews Hall in Detroit. The live performance space has (or had) an open floor with a balcony above that extends all the way around. My favorite spot was in that balcony, opposite the stage. Good sound & great view. Liz was kinda shy at first but warmed up pretty quick due to an enthusiastic crowd. She and her band played a few songs off the Whipsmart album too, which hadn't yet been released.

-Dave-
 

mavuser

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I am curious if it's better to have the real thing or a Japanese Reissue? Mustangs have good value for vintage Fenders. Thoughts? I'd love to have a short scale

they are not just short scale, they are "even shorter" scale, im pretty sure. the frets are too close for me to play. Norah Jones plays a 1965 Mustang, it sounds incredible. but she has very small hands/fingers.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Mustangs are 24" scale. Not that different in feel to the Gretsch ~24.5" or Gibson ~24.625". The Duo-Sonic & Musicmaster are 22.5" (mostly…in the '60s Fender made 24" scale versions too), which for me is too short. I once owned a lovely ES-350T (23.5" scale, great sounding low-wind PAFs) that I had to let go 'cuz I could only play it without fumbling about if I stayed away from longer-scale instruments. Going back & forth was too much for my feeble brain & clumsy fingers. :chargrined: The Mustang's scale is just long enough (for me) to not cause such issues.

-Dave-
 
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mavuser

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Mustangs are 24" scale. Not that different in feel to the Gretsch ~24.5" or Gibson ~24.625". The Duo-Sonic & Musicmaster are 22.5" (mostly…in the '60s Fender made 24" scale versions too), which for me is too short. I once owned a lovely ES-350T (23.5" scale, great sounding low-wind PAFs) that I had to let go 'cuz I could only play it without fumbling about if I stayed away from longer-scale instruments. Going back & forth was too much for my feeble brain & clumsy fingers. :chargrined: The Mustang's scale is just long enough (for me) to not cause such issues.

-Dave-

Dave, thanks very much. im far from an expert on the Mustang. for sure i would never have guessed a musicmaster has a differnt scale. i played a reissue Mustang a couple years ago and it was way too small for me. I also saw a friend play Norahs Mustang for one song, when he broke a string on his guitar. he made it through one song but suffice it to say, he was happy to get his tele back. if a Mustang works for you (any of you) all the better! they have amazing tone and vibrato. if it is too small, maybe check out a 1966 Guild Jetstar w/vibrato- I own 2 of those for the price of 1 1966 mustang (and it has a full short scale, with 1 5/8 inch nut width). such a keeper for me, I wound up with 2.

i really like the Fender Mustang bass!
 

Quantum Strummer

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Oh yeah, if you're playing a Tele or other 25.5" guitar and switch to a Mustang it'll feel at first like you've picked up a toy. Folks with thinner fingers, like me, probably have an easier time adjusting. I've seen video of Norah Jones playing hers but have never seen her in person.

I like the Mustang bass too! Got a '76 (or '77...I should nail it down) that's lots of fun to play and has a crisp, punchy sound.

My "longer scale Mustang" is a Gibson SG-250 I picked up recently. The dual pickup sound is quite different, though, as the 250's pickups are wired in series. For me with the Mustang that dual pickup phasey, clucky sound is where it's at.

-Dave-
 

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Good info. Thanks. I'm going to keep my eye out for one.
 

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I used to have a '64 Duo Sonic II which is essentially the same guitar as a Mustang but without the vibrato tailpiece. The original Duo Sonic was short scale, like a Music Master and the Duo Sonic II was long scale. It was my backup guitar for years, and I regret so much selling it. I loved that neck so much! Uggh!
 
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Quantum Strummer

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Not long ago I spied a Duo-Sonic II in my local guitar emporium, but was disappointed to find it was an imposter. Shorter scale despite the logo decal. Not that I would've bought it. Well, probably not. :indecisiveness:

On her recent touring stint as opener for the Smashing Pumpkins (who were playing acoustic primarily) Liz Phair used a Blue Duo-Sonic with a Mustang neck & what looked like a Strat bridge pickup. Matchless amp.

-Dave-
 

S100

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eBay really kills the market for these guitars. The prices are so inflated that I can't imagine any of them sell.
 

Quantum Strummer

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Most of the '60s 'Stangs on Reverb are pretty stiff price-wise too. There is a Dakota red '66 refin that looks good aside from the missing vibrato bar. Not crazy priced.

I could kick myself over all the cool Jazzmasters & Electric 12s I passed on back when they were unwanted and cheap. :hororr: "They'll still be there next week/month/year…"

-Dave-
 

S100

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It seems like the sellers are trying to get Mustangs into that Jag range. I hate to even make a honest offer because it'd be so far below asking.
 

mavuser

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yeah wow i just checked the prices on ebay people are really getting nuts over these. ive seen a couple nice vintage mustang guitars pop up on local CL over the years, never pulled the trigger on one. seen a couple nice mustang basses, one of which i bought, the other i probably should have as well. i just stopped by guitar center and they had a 63 musicmaster guitar and 63 duosonic guitar. i played the musicmaster and it was a load of fun. i like the small silvertone too, the mustang just didnt work for me for some reason.
 

mavuser

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Mustangs are 24" scale. Not that different in feel to the Gretsch ~24.5" or Gibson ~24.625". The Duo-Sonic & Musicmaster are 22.5" (mostly…in the '60s Fender made 24" scale versions too), which for me is too short.
-Dave-

according to this reverb posting, there is a "crazy rare" 22.5" scale mustang as well (they call it 3/4 scale)

https://reverb.com/item/2370130-196...id=pla&pla=1&gclid=CJT7qcijqs0CFZGIaQod4fECcQ

i am pretty sure the ones im familliar with are the 24" version, but they just seem small compared to my 24.75's. maybe it just takes some getting used to
 

Quantum Strummer

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Yeah, the Duo-Sonic with vibrato Mustang. I've never seen one "in the flesh."

I guess different people feel scale length differences differently. ;) I barely notice 24" vs. 24.75" yet I definitely notice 24.75" vs. 25" (Danelectro, Jerry Jones Dano copies, many National metal-bodied models). Strange…

-Dave-
 
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