Fender Mustang Electric Guitar Reviews
Make / Model: Fender Mustang
Gear Type: Guitars
Cost / Purchase Detail: I was 13 years old when I heard the song "so you want to be a rock and roll star" by the Byrds.The song rang out the words "get yourself an electric guitar,take some time and learn how to play".As it went on to talk about getting famous,I believed every word.I asked for an electric guitar for Christmas that year and when it came time to open the oddly shaped package,inside was a Sears nylon string classical. I was disappointed but not discouraged.I mowed lawns to earn enough money to buy that prize.My friend had said to buy a Fender,so with the $75 I had made, I marched to the local music shop.I didn't know a Fender from a bumper and on the wall was a sonic blue 1965 Fender Mustang for $75. The man said that it was a good beginers guitar and that later I could graduate to a Stratocaster. A Strato-what? It was 1968 and my journey had begun.
What you like: This guitar has a large headstock with a rosewood fretboard.There are 2 single coil pickups with 2 slide switches that will change the tone by putting the pickups out of phase or turning them on or off.It has a 3/4 neck and one tone and one volume control.The pickguard is pearloid and there is a tremelo bar that I warbled a few times to stay in vogue.The tone of these pickups are truely remarkable.As I was learning to play on this guitar,I didn't know what the tremelo was for untill I heard the Star Spangled Banner By Mr. Hendrix.I quickly retired my twanging skills.
What you don't like: The input jack is on the top of the guitar and the cord is perpindicular to it when plugged in. It's in the way most of the time and would have been better to have had a jack like a strat on it.A smaller neck is somewhat limiting in that the playing range is less.
Construction / Quality: This guitar was built to last.The consruction of the early Fenders was top notch.The quality control of those times can't be beat.They built them right,like an old Studebaker.Mustangs were reissued by Fender a few years ago and can still be picked up. They are a good begginers guitar
Bottom Line: The 60's was a time of change,and unfortunately 1965 was no exception.Fender was sold that year to CBS.The instruments of Fender from that era are nostalgic as well as still very playable. I finally did graduate to that Stratocaster,and the old Mustang got retired.I didn't make it to the big time but what the heck, some have to be players and some have to be listeners.
Rating: 5 out of 5!
Author: Ken Degnan
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