#1
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Mustang 1965
I'm taking another look at my early 1965 Fender Mustang serial no: L63001. All the specs are as per the first models, pre CBS, it's 24in scale, and everything is present except the whammy bar. It has a fair amount of mojo, but it plays well, though the pickups seem a little quieter than my much more recent Strat. Oh, the volume pot is pretty noisy, I suppose a dose of switch cleaner would be appropriate. Having been in hibernation for many years, now it's time has come to shine. Any hints, tips or recommendations? Thanks.
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#2
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Clean it up, find another whammy bar, make sure all the electronics are functional, restring it (with that 24" scale I wouldn't go with anything lighter than an 11-49 set, preferably with a wound G), and enjoy...
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#3
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11s with a wound G ,you think? Interesting, there are 10s with a plain G on it at present and it's quite nice really, but I'll keep it in mind for next time. I have a whammy bar off something else that I can make fit with a bit of bending and filing (of the bar!) which will do for the moment. Thanks for the reply, I'm still open to any more ideas.
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#4
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Love to see some pics when you get the ol' gal spruced up!
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#5
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Pics or it never happened...
Play the snot out of it. Bob
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"It is said, 'Go not to the elves for counsel for they will say both no and yes.' " Frodo Baggins to Gildor Inglorion, The Fellowship of the Ring THE MUSICIAN'S ROOM (my website) |
#6
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"I bought you a brand new Mustang... 1965" Wilson Pickett
That was my first thought. A guitar player in a rival band to mine in the early 70's played a Mustang. Light blue. Cool guitar. Much better than mine - a Kapa. I later got a 1973 Les Paul Custom (gotta keep up with the Jones'). Fenders are pretty much indestructible. I would get a whammy bar (as suggested above) even if you don't use it. If you could find one from that era, how cool would that be? I'd love to see pics also.
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Rodger |
#7
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I've got one here serial # 141323 I've had since I was a kid. Red. My grampa bought it for me when I's about 15-16 I guess ... about 1968-69 or so. Blooming Rock Star. Early 70s some famous local tech persuaded me to mod it to add a humbucker in the neck position. Left the two stock single coils under it. The old boy still looks pretty good. Finish checked all over, a few dings, and the plating is worn off the saddle but it just makes it look cool. It's RELIC'd! Ditched the whammy bar long ago. This thread made me pull it out and look at it. I have replacement switches for the pickup selection but haven't installed them. I may do it now since I'm inspired. : ) It still plays and sounds great.
Nails the tone of the intro to Sweet Home Alabama better than any other guitar I've tried it with. I guess I ruined the 'vintage' value by adding the humbucker, but I don't care. It's going with me to the End. And the humbucker roars like a lion. It's fun to own a little piece of guitar history and it feels great to pull it out and play it now and then. Shoot, I might gig with it some before the End. Never know. Have fun with yours! |
#8
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From vintageandrare.com:
Fender was sold to CBS in January 1965. Serial numbering didn’t change immediately because the production methods and tools remained the same. The chart below shows Fender serial numbers from 1965 to 1976. Again, notice the overlap in numbers and years. SERIAL NUMBERS PRODUCTION DATES L50.000’s up to L90.000’s 1964 100.000’s 1965 100.000’s to 200.000’s 1966 to 1967 200.000’s 1968 200.000’s to 300.000’s 1969 to 1970 300.000’s 1971 to 1972 300.000’s to 500.000’s 1973 400.000’s to 500.000’s 1974 to 1975 500.000’s to 700.000’s 1976 - See more at: http://www.vintageandrare.com/blog/t....j76Hcj7V.dpuf Looks like your may be a 1964. Mine is a CBS apparently. |
#9
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Ok then...
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#10
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"The power of the blaster, move me faster, Nineteen-sixty, five, yeah, wow!"
Nice guitar!
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Taylor GS Mini Mahogony Martin SC 13E Martin HD-28 Epiphone Hummingbird Pro Epiphone J-200-SCE Gibson J-35 Taylor 416 Taylor 214ce Ovation Balladeer I cut my teeth on the bread of pure temptation. I tried it all and I learned to fall Like I would never hit the ground. - Jeffrey Foucault |
#11
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Before I got it, many moons ago, the neck was off and the guy in the shop showed me the date stamp which looked very like "63". Doing a bit of research told me the Mustang come out in 1964, so I thought the date might have been "68" and mis-read as "63", but the hardware and serial number is earlier than that. I'm not in a hurry to take the neck off again... |
#12
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...oly white and tortoise...my favorite Fender look....and yep...that baby has the MOJO.....sweet!!!
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#13
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Quote:
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"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool" - Sicilian proverb (paraphrased) |
#14
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There's a typo in my first post, the serial number is actually L63011.
It would be fun if it was an early prototype, I may check the neck number next time I change the strings. Pot numbers seem to be less reliable, as large numbers may have been bought at one once and then gradually used over time. Anyway, thanks for the input, I'm off to actually play the thing now. |
#15
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No amount of relic-ing can produce what years create. The stories it would tell...
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1988 Alvarez-Yairi DY-38 2014 Taylor 150ce 2014 Taylor Custom 516E 2014 Taylor 716E 2015 Martin D-18 2015 Martin 00L-17 2015 Martin 00-17S 2019 Taylor 816CE B.E. |