WOW! This is an amazing example of one of the rarest and best looking vintage Fender Mustangs ever to come out of the Fender factory. It is a 1969 model and was made at the original Fender factory in Fullerton, California U.S.A. It is 100% original and in near-mint condition. It has been professionally set up and is ready to play-it needs nothing. I have a solid knowledge of these guitars and I have probably owned more than anyone else in the world-(250+ competition models alone). I mean it when I say this is a very rare unit to find in this clean of condition.
The offset contour body is super nice and features extremely soft contours that only the early versions have. Lots of attention was utilized in the initial shaping of this body-see photos. The finish looks amazing with minimal handling evidence. There is a tiny chip in the neck slot on the treble side-see photos. Thas it. The neck slot has the classic late-1960's paint stick shadow along with a factory neck shim and factory inspection ink stamps. The neck also has factory inspection stamps and a 1969 ink stamp also. The bass edge of the neck slot has a black shade that is evidence of additional fitment adjustments performed in the final assembly stage. This was very common in the early days of the factory's switch to poly finishes-the paint department was still applying the same amount of coats that they were used to spraying with the old nitrocellulose. The new poly covered much quicker-and did not need additional coats, so many neck slots, pickup cavities and control cavities required a retro-adjustment for fitment. The sides are nice and clean. The back side is clean. There is a spot that has slight discoloring on the backside from sitting in the case-see photos.
The neck itself is super straight and very smooth. It feels great and has the classic vintage C-profile shape. The nut measures the standard 1.63" wide (1 5/8") and the scale length is also the standard size-24". The neck measures .846" deep at the 1st fret and .932" at the 12th fret. The tuners all function and the guitar stays in tune well. The headstock and logo display excellent. The finish has some faint line checking that is difficult to see. If you view up close and at a steep angle-you can see it, view photos. The rosewood fingerboard is super clean and has a beautiful coloring. It is smooth and has a soft, velvety feel. The frets have been lightly polished-they exhibit almost zero wear and have an excellent height and very crips shape. They appear like-new condition-see photos. The action is low for a fast and easy playing experience. You can raise the action easily if you prefer that. Currently, the string height is .010" at the 1st fret and .040" at the 12th fret. The guitar plays great up and down the fingerboard with no dead spots. It plays fantastic.
The pickups both have an excellent signal. The neck position measures 5.54 ohms and bridge position measures 5.50 ohms. They have a perfect balance. The pickups have the quintessential Fender "bell" tone with all of the brilliance and chime you would expect in a 1960's Fender Mustang. It sounds great. The wiring harness is very clean and displays excellent. The pickups are grey bottom with 1969 date code stamps. The potentiometers are both dated 44th week of 1966-very typical as CBS Fender was known to place a GIGANTIC potentiometer order at that time. The bridge and vibrato both function smoothly and appear very nice with slight patina. The original vibrato arm is included.
The guitar is super lightweight-it only weighs 6.90 lbs. You can forget about shoulder fatigue with this baby. It feels great in your lap and sits excellent on a strap. The original salt & pepper hardcase is included.
This guitar would be an excellent addition to anyone's collection. Just look at it.
