Through the years Fender has come up with some guitars that were interesting concepts. Though the designers were thinking mostly about the professional market, they also had their eye on the beginners and students. They designed instruments to meet a beginning player's needs, including their budgets.
As far back as 1956 Fender offered a student model called the Musicmaster. This was a short scale, 22 ½” neck length instrument with just a single pickup on it anodized pickguard.
It was updated in 1964 with a plastic tortoise shell guard and a chromed metal control plate.
In 1956 Fender offered a two pickup version with the same attributes called The Duo-Sonic. At that time it came in one color, “Desert Sand”, and had a gold-colored anodized pickguard. Later models had a plastic pickguard and came in different colors. The neck pickup had a slight slant.
 |
| 1964 Duo Sonic |
The Duo Sonic sported a three-way pickup selector switch on its lower horn. Both the Musicmaster and the Duo Sonic came with a three-section bridge/saddle unit that originally had a chrome cover.
 |
| 1966 Duo Sonic II |
The two single coil pickups were now both slanted and had individual slider switches for each one. These switches could change polarity for some cool sounds. The volume and tone pots were housed under a chromed plate.
The three section bridge/saddle was update with chrome unit that had a lip where the strings attached. This guitar was the precursor to The Fender Mustang.
The Fender Mustang was essentially a Duo Sonic II with a vibrato added. The unique vibrato unit was a spring-loaded contraption with the springs beneath its rocking bridge.
 |
| 1964 Fender Mustang |
This guitar had six individual brass adjustable saddles. A chromed bridge cover was original equipment. This guitar was designed to be a more affordable option for players.
 |
| 1966 Fender Mustang Bass |
In 1966 the Fender Mustang Bass was the last guitar that Leo Fender designed before leaving the company following the sale to CBS. This short scale bass guitar used the same body as the Mustang guitar.
This bass, designed as a student instrument, had a short 30" neck scale length. The maple neck was topped with a 19 fret rosewood fingerboard. The headstock had four Fender open back bass tuners.
 |
| 1966 Mustang Bass |
The bass originally came with a foam rubber mute strip that was adjustable with two screws. On most surviving examples the mute has been removed.
The split pickups were similar to Precision Bass pickups of this era. The plastic pickguard came in white, pearl-white, or tortoise shell. The electronic controls and jack were housed under a chrome plate. A pull-bar finger rest was on the treble side of the pickguard.
The standard finishes were red, white, and blue, although many blue examples have faded to more of a green color. Originally this bass had a nitrocellulose lacquer, but in 1968 it was changed to polyester. (Back finish has faded to green on this example).
In 1969 the Mustang Guitar and Bass were made with "Competition" finishes; Orange, Red, and Burgundy, and the "Racing Stripes" were added to the bodies.
 |
| Late '70's Mustang Bass |
Color options changed in 1977 when the "Completion" finishes concluded and replaced by Black, White, Sunburst, and Natural.
It was not until 1981 that a left-handed model was an available option. The Mustang Bass was no longer offered in 1982.
 |
| 1967 Fender Bronco |
 |
| 1967 Bronco Package |
©UniqueGuitar Publications (text only)2025
Click on the links beneath the pictures for sources.
Please visit the advertisers. Thank you!
No comments:
Post a Comment