The Acoustic Guitar Forum

Go Back   The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Electric Guitars

Reply
 
Thread Tools
  #1  
Old 01-20-2017, 06:18 AM
Dr. Martin Dr. Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Default 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.
Reply With Quote
  #2  
Old 01-20-2017, 07:36 AM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,965
Default

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...
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
  #3  
Old 01-21-2017, 06:02 AM
Dr. Martin Dr. Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Smile

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.
Reply With Quote
  #4  
Old 01-21-2017, 06:03 AM
JPP.WAS.HERE JPP.WAS.HERE is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: Southern Indiana
Posts: 38
Default

Love to see some pics when you get the ol' gal spruced up!
Reply With Quote
  #5  
Old 01-21-2017, 06:55 AM
Bob Womack's Avatar
Bob Womack Bob Womack is offline
Guitar Gourmet
 
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Between Clever and Stupid
Posts: 26,963
Default

Pics or it never happened...

Play the snot out of it.

Bob
__________________
"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)
Reply With Quote
  #6  
Old 01-21-2017, 12:30 PM
Rodger Rodger is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Northeast Ohio
Posts: 2,078
Default

"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.
__________________
Rodger
Reply With Quote
  #7  
Old 01-21-2017, 04:48 PM
StevenL StevenL is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Monroe, Louisiana
Posts: 1,374
Default

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!
Reply With Quote
  #8  
Old 01-21-2017, 04:55 PM
StevenL StevenL is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Nov 2012
Location: Monroe, Louisiana
Posts: 1,374
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #9  
Old 01-23-2017, 07:04 AM
Dr. Martin Dr. Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Default

Ok then...











Reply With Quote
  #10  
Old 01-23-2017, 07:11 AM
James_214ce James_214ce is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 723
Default

"The power of the blaster, move me faster, Nineteen-sixty, five, yeah, wow!"


Nice guitar!
__________________
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
Reply With Quote
  #11  
Old 01-23-2017, 07:16 AM
Dr. Martin Dr. Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Smile





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...
Reply With Quote
  #12  
Old 01-23-2017, 10:17 AM
J Patrick J Patrick is offline
Charter Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Posts: 5,665
Default

...oly white and tortoise...my favorite Fender look....and yep...that baby has the MOJO.....sweet!!!
Reply With Quote
  #13  
Old 01-23-2017, 01:32 PM
Steve DeRosa Steve DeRosa is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Mar 2013
Location: Staten Island, NY - for now
Posts: 14,965
Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Dr. Martin View Post
...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...
Given the serial number it could be a prototype that actually was made in mid-'63, and then serialized and shipped in mid/late '64; in spite of your apprehensions regarding disassembly I'd get a real Fender expert to give it a good going-over, including body cavity/pot dates - you could be sitting on a real piece of history here...
__________________
"Mistaking silence for weakness and contempt for fear is the final, fatal error of a fool"
- Sicilian proverb (paraphrased)
Reply With Quote
  #14  
Old 01-24-2017, 07:28 PM
Dr. Martin Dr. Martin is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2009
Posts: 59
Default

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.
Reply With Quote
  #15  
Old 01-25-2017, 02:09 PM
tinearjones tinearjones is offline
Registered User
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: San Antonio, TX
Posts: 34
Default

No amount of relic-ing can produce what years create. The stories it would tell...
__________________

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.
Reply With Quote
Reply

  The Acoustic Guitar Forum > General Acoustic Guitar and Amplification Discussion > Electric Guitars

Thread Tools





All times are GMT -6. The time now is 11:33 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Copyright ©2000 - 2022, The Acoustic Guitar Forum
vB Ad Management by =RedTyger=