@@redacted6022 Neither have I in English speaking media at least.. which is a shame cause he's so unbelievably cool, listening to the first album is such an amazing experience! it had me smiling so hard the entire time
Just bought a mustang here in nigeria, its the best thing that ever happened to me... Now i found my own guitar, a guitar made for me that fits my personality and sound... I'm in love man
1966 Mustang owner here 🙋♂️ I’ve loved them since I was a teenager. When I was 17 (in 2017) I ventured into Emerald City Guitars in Seattle, and when I asked Trevor Boone if I could play a Daphne Blue 60’s Mustang they had, he proceeded to bring me EVERY vintage Mustang/Duo Sonic/Musicmaster they had all on stands and told me to play every one and have fun. Unfortunately I didn’t have the money back then to buy any of them, but a couple years ago I finally did 🙌
Love those guys and always down to get Emerald City Guitars some love. Bought a 1988 MIJ Fender strat (Based on the 62 design) in a butterscotch yellow. Thing looked like it had not seen a day's worth of playing. ... can not claim that now. But they were beyond patient with me. Knew I was working with a somewhat limited budget for a birthday present for myself while working in Seattle. Went through a lot of hoops with me to find something both in my price range and something I would like. Nick (The sales guy who got me) was good enough matching me with an incredibly killer amp and guitar combo that I had to fight not to buy that amp right there as well although I can not for the life of me remember the name of the amp other than they are built either in Seattle or Tacoma by hand and kill with a lot of the local high end guys. Point is love these guys
My first guitat teacher had a Mustang and therefore my first electric had to be a Mustang. Saved my money during the summer of '84 and bought a '66 Fender Mustang from Grhuhn Guitars. Had the little flyer they used to send out and had to call them and then send a certified check. No, sadly, I don't still have it. Sold it to a childhood friend so I could buy a '71 Les Paul Custom off of Rick Silk from The Toll. And tragically, I don't have that one either. Many bad choices over the decades. lol
My dad played nice archtops, and I picked up the false impression that only the fanciest gear was any good. Decades later I’m still too big for a Mustang, but I have learned to appreciate cheaper stuff like small 60’s amps, P90’s, Telecasters, etc.
I am with you on that! I am6 foot 3, but my reach is a bit longer. And I love mustangs but if I bought one, I'd have to move the bridge and get a different neck so that it was a 25.5 or more. I just can't do short scales
@@rw5170 oddly, width at the nut is more of an issue than scale length for me. Big guy, big hands. Doesn’t matter whether we’re talking 5-string or 4-string electric or acoustic bass, bass VI, baritone or regular guitars, my happy place is 1 3/4” to 1 7/8”. Worst of all, are skinny-ass 1.65” Bass VI’s. Kills my natural vibrato…
I bought a 1964 Fender Mustang at age 17 in 2002 off a friend in high school for $200.00. Neither of us knew what year it was or what we had on our hands. It had been repainted by a local guitar shop with teal boat paint. He went immediately and bought a knock off SG to play in a screamo band. I kept it for 20 years and it will always be an amazing part of my musical journey.
Mustang Magic! When I was 15 a new friend showed me how to play Smoke On The Water and Takin Care of Business on one. Within two weeks I had bought a bass and my best buddy a drum set. I went on to produce music for 40 years and just retired. I mainly play bass but also have some guitars around the studio. That Mustang was the key. Twenty years ago I picked up an actual beat-up black Nov 65 Stang with one OG pickup, slab rosewood neck and a route/gouge for a bridge humbucker. I recently got it nitro'd to Dakota Red, white pearl pickguard and brought everything up to snuff. Slab body is xtra thin just 6lbs. Guitar of my dreams. Fits my hands. Looks like a million bucks! I have several pickguards - single coil and double. It is amazing. I have named it "Francois" after my friend. Such a visceral sounding basic guitar sound - add a good trem arm and pedal and it is gold! A great Pink Floyd machine! Tip - 10.5 -50 strings work magic on this scale length - if you can find em!
Got me a Squier Mustang in April for only 40 pounds. (UK) To those who have never played one, if you want to play with a kinda easy bounce and loose kinda feeling, really rock out with fun with behind it, couldn't recommend a mustang more. It's my go to now. I think anyone who has never played one before would be incredibly surprised how great these things feel to play. I mean I have no idea about other mustangs, really, but mine is by far one of the coolest guitars I've ever played.
They're like the anti Gibson for me- really comfortable to play and lightweight and you can get all sorts of unusual or unique sounds out of them rather than just vague 70s classic rock or jazz sounds.
In 71-74 I played a Mustang, it was a great guitar! I was the only one in High School who could play the ***Highway Star*** guitar solo, (self taught) lol...
Try putting some reverb and delay and use the bridge pickup, it’s like the epitome of the “surf guitar” sound; especially if you have the vibrato arm, just remember to set it up properly because they can be kinda a pain without proper care.
have a '68 mustang i received as an heirloom. dad got it in a trade and it's been in my life basically forever. the dude who had it before us redid the paint (was white, now red, but it was painted on with a brush...), he switched out the original pickups, and made a faraday cage with graphite. i think he was going for a grunge feel. currently in the shop to clean up the guts after 30+ years.
One tip for when you get the trem arm, buy some nylon tipped grub screws to hold it in place. Regular metal tipped ones tend to bite into the arm and scar it up when you twist the arm out of the way. Love me a mustang though! Always nice to see people discovering how cool they are.
I replaced my original 1966 p/ups with Fender “Noiseless” Strats. Great stuff! Sometimes I miss the old hum…. Don’t know what happened to the originals but I quit playing for about 20 years and when I pulled it out again, they were DOA.
The three-position slide switches on the Mustang allow for easy modification to the half-out-of-phase mod, devised by Bill Lawrence, and implemented on the Fender Jerry Donahue Tele. By shaving off some of the bass on the neck pickup, when it is phase-reversed with the bridge pickup, the N+B position yields a tone that is shockingly similar to neck+middle "cluck" on a Strat with NO volume drop, and none of the annoying nasal honk of traditional phase-reversed pickup combinations. Mind you, if you *want* that honk, for whatever reason, you can still get it on a Mustang, by leaving the neck pickup as is, and reversing the phase of the bridge pickup. That's 5 different pickup sounds in total.
Unless you do a ton of bending (and even if you do, as long as you have strong hands), I've always loved the electric Jazz Light set, 12-52 with the wound G. If you're a person like myself and switches between acoustic and electric frequently, it's effectively the same gauge as acoustic Lights, and I've found it's easier to go back and forth due to the more consistent gauge on both guitars (and hence, consistent string tension assuming the scale lengths are similar).
@@max_mittler Mostly Strat but I have a lot of guitars :-). I really only record these days so the different sounds and playing experiences feed into what I do.
True that Rhett; thanks for respecting the Mustang. Death Cab's Ben Gibbard smiles ear to ear over his signature 'stang. Total respect for the design decisions, e.g. 24" scale length, behind the Mustang. Love your posts; thanks again! Cheers from PDX, OR. P.S. beautiful blue body on your Mustang!
I used to own a 1965 Fender Mustang (which was stolen) with the baby blue finish and the turtle shell pickguard. I used that guitar all the time during rehearsals and during gigs. It's a little smaller than the Strat and lighter which is perfect if standing for long periods. It's a good quality made guitar with 2 single coil pickups. Mine had a built in whammy bar which is rare.
@@max_mittler so with the ernie ball lime standard slinky, the lowest two gets three extra wraps, the mid two gets two extra wraps, and the highest two get one extra wrap. you'll actually find that the string lengths work out exactly this way so you don't have to clip anything.
As a high schooler, bought a red one that had factory wiring problems, a neck coded 08 Nov 65 and an L 158*** neck plate. Decided after a couple years, hot rod it with a PAF in the bridge, by chiseling out the cavity. Soon after, stolen when shipped across country. Whoever has/had it, hope you enjoyed.
I bought my Mustang as my first guitar in 1981. It was not new but it is still my favorite guitar to play. If I need some rock riff age, that’s my go to, and for subtle and not so subtle vibrato, I use the stop bar a lot.
My 74 Mustang never leaves my side. the tremolo is the best one of all the fender designs .. and it really comes alive with Lace Sensor pickups (which look stock) .. Todd Rundgren's Black Mustang was the guitar on Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell. Jason Falkner cut Jellyfish's Bellybutton with a Mustang as well.
My parents bought me a sunburst Mustang in 1970 when I was 16. Traded a 3-pickup Teisco Del Rey ES-335 style guitar at a shop for the Mustang. In 1973 I traded the Mustang with loan financing on a ‘67 Tele. That was a big mistake because I couldn’t use my fuzz with the Tele at all because the pickups were microphonic and squealed. Plus, I was using a 1970 Carvin transistor guitar head and 2x12 cab and the transistor amp did not get much of an overdrive. I would’ve been much better off keeping the Mustang until I had enough mine to buy a real Strat later in 1973 when I was working. It was worth the wait for the Strat in 1973. The tones you got with this Mustang are absolutely gorgeous. It’s remarkable how warm and sweet they sound.
My sunburst ‘74 Mustang was in pretty bad shape when I rescued it from a dank basement in Philly in 2016. Price: $250, ‘90s Fender case included. All metal was pretty rusted, some frets were green and the G and B strings were slacked and rusted to the upper frets. Original white pickguard had someone’s name carved into it. Just total neglect. After much work to get all metal looking worn but better, I decided to pull all electronics (pots would not clean up and were ceased up when I found it) and repopulate with CTS pots, orange drop cap, Puretone jack, new switches, all vintage pushback wiring, and a set of Fralin split blade for Mustang pickups, which are amazing. Since I’m not a fan of the out of phase sounds, I wired the front switch as a 3-way for pickup selection and the rear switch as a series/parallel switch for massive tones/high output. Fuzz pedal Heaven. It’s a favorite guitar of mine and I feel lucky to have scored it for such a low price, despite all of the work needed to bring it up to speed. If you’re ever in Philly, I play it live along with Strats that I built in a band called Heaven Man.
I love my Mustang, cool vibrato (Fender even called it a Vibrato!) I like using the heel of my hand to get subtle variety, (or modulation as the video called it.) it also bends up or down. I am shorter so my hand is on the bridge, not the tailpiece, but they are close enough I can adjust. The out of phase sound is great for some stuff, the in phase for other stuff, it does sit between the Strat and Tele, especially using both pickups (and playing with the phase) . The small neck and 25 inch scale make it a great guitar to learn new stuff on. And I agree it does make you play differently, in a good way. When I first got it I didn’t play it as much as I do now. But over time I have come to appreciate it more and more. It has shaped my playing. I took it to a friend’s house, and it inspired some new riffs. He’s a lefty and I’m not, but it just brought them out of him.
first guitar was a hand me down '64 mustang- have bought and sold many other guitars over the years, but doubt I'll ever part with the mustang! The vibrato system is a big reason why.
Great video Rhett...I have been a strat player for many years.... then I bought a Duo Sonic 24" scale (you know de Duo its like the old brother of the Mustang), I just fall in love of this model.... the playability is FANTASTIC...so easy to play...changed and IMPROVED a lot the way I play... you got a unique guitar...its a keeper!
The Mustang was my 1st real guitar-played it in my 8th grade talent show circa 1978! Mine was a 73 in Daphne blue with white speckled pick guard. The trem was horrible as it would ever stay in tune but I loved it bc it was "Fender". Couldn't afford a real Strat plus there no such thing as a "Squire Strat" back then. Thanks for bringing back the Stang Rhett!
I love my 67 Mustang! I traded my 66 toward a Strat @ 72 but found a beauty 66 @ 15 years ago and will never sell it. I love that you are always willing to explore different options with an open mind. Rock on Rhett!
I've never really considered playing a Fender Mustang...until now. Thank you for the find. As well, I can't seem to stop listening to Tyler's music. Look forward to your EP, too.
I love your channel Rhett but I have to disagree on the mustang being the most underrated Fender guitar. Underrated yes, but the most underrated that isn’t a weird 80s model (we love you fender katana) is the predecessor to the Mustang, the Duo-Sonic. It’s like the mustang but it has its own vibe with the even shorter scale length and different tren
Mustangs are cool! My junior year of high school, I got into my first good band-I’d joined as a lead guitarist, but the only electric guitar I had was a Vox Phantom 12-string, which limited any ability to bend strings, so I played mainly rhythm and some 12-string lead on Byrds songs and the like; and the band brought in another lead guitarist to handle most of the solos, and he had a Fender Mustang. Eventually we started swapping guitars on songs I played lead on, so I got pretty familiar with that Mustang. It was the “longer” scale version-24”, like a Fender Jaguar; they were also available in a short scale version, which was 22-1/2”, really short! I really liked the tones of the pickups, and actually used the out-of-phase setting on R&B tunes like Mustang Sally, which was still pretty current in 1967. Eventually, the Vox got stolen-I had to use a Phillippine-made Jaguar forgery for a week (GI guitar!), and then managed to get a new Gibson SG Standard-but that little Mustang was pretty cool! I loved the vibrato on it-real springy-feeling. By comparison, the Lyre Vibrola on the SG felt like driving a truck! I didn’t use vibrato much by then-I was getting into left-hand finger vibrato anyway, which sounded terrible on the 12-string. When it got stolen, the guy actually did me a favor, as I got more money trading in the fake Jaguar on the SG than I would have gotten for the Vox!
I have a custom-built parts Mustang that I really love. It has a warmoth neck that's pretty chunky, has a standard nut width, but a 24 inch scale length. I removed the tremolo for a fixed bridge. I also put in a mini humbucker in the bridge and it screams. it makes for an awesome rock guitar.
Rhett, thanks for posting this. As you were picking out and playing your guitar, I spotted one I was looking for on the wall behind you. Road Worn 50’s purple tele. I called the next day and bought it!
I've owned one since 98 (a MIJ 96' model) and I put a Fender Red Lace Sensor pickup in the bridge that really gets some beautiful lead tone and crunch. A Mustang in that color scheme is one of my favorite guitars on the planet - it's jangly as hell. I was all about getting thanks to Kurt, which I'm sure many of us were. He made those retro Fenders cool all over again in the 90s, it's a great guitar.
So cool to see one of my favorite players bring a Mustang to life. The reproductions - whether the MIJ or the Vintera or even the Squier Classic Vibe are all amazing. To me a Mustang isn’t a Mustang without the trem - used Vintera 1s can be found at the same price point or lower than the Player 2 so I’d highly highly recommend that - or the Squier CV over the Player 2
I know it's not quite the same, but I bought a Squier Mustang a few years ago, and I just love it! The scale length does make you play differently, not necessarily more complex chords with a lot of stretching. One thing with playing power chords for example, it feels more a kin to playing one note on a full sized bass. Kind of gets you into the world where Kurt Cobain habitated, for example.
Great video. In 1967 I bought my first electric guitar and amp from a poor soul going into the army. It was a 64/65 Mustang and a sweet Fender Twin Reverb. I didn't know anything about electric guitars, but I had a blast playing it and wish I had never sold either of those rigs.
Agreed. Have some really nice vintage Fenders, but when I pick my MIJ Mustang, it's like a breath of fresh air. May be worth a US electronics upgrade, but that's about it. Thinking of trying lace sensors at some point.
My first guitar, bought back in '74 or '75 was a Mustang. Candy apple red, with a racing stripe. MOP pickguard and black pickups. It was all I could afford. I don't remember much about the guitar or if I liked the way it played; all I really remember was that I thought it screamed "beginner!" and I couldn't wait to trade up. Despite its revival as a respectable guitar now, I can't get over my prejudice, still thinking of the Mustang as a budget beginner model. Wrong, I know; missing out, probably.
I bought my 1976 Mustang Sunburst in 2011 - fomerly used by a left-hand guy. After nut correction by my tech, I use it ragularily -espexially because of the sensible trem system and the unique pickup Sound. ❤
Get the trem arm in...its the best vibrato system...here's a tip..mine had a grub screw in the side..take it out and drop a small piece of spring in (I used about 5mm from the spring in a clipper lighter)..lots of vids on TH-cam about how to make them better..mine is stable an smooth an never goes out of tune..congratulations on your purchase..she's a beauty! Al Northern Ireland
My very first real guitar was a then brand new 1974 Fender Mustang. I was able to trade it for a $200 credit towards a 1977 Les Paul Deluxe. Major regret, I wish I still had both of those guitars. Great content Rhett, thanks Man.
My first real guitar was a 67 mustang in a very strange sunburst. Purchased in 1979 for $300. The out of phase setting was great for dance chords. Refinish it in black and used it in various punk and new wave bands until I traded up for a strat. I wish I still had it. About the only time I could play Andy Summers chords lol
Spring '86 I traded by '81 Rickenbacker 340 Burgundy-Glo, which was my first Guitar, and had for only about 10 months, for a '65 Mustang in Dakota red. Pickups dated late October, mid-November '64. Neck was stamped September '64. When I got it, it had no trem bar. I picked one up in Denver. I was in College at the time. It made its way to Seattle with me, in 1990. I traded it for a '72 Jazz bass. Later I picked up a Duo-Sonic II, same Dakota red and pearloid pickguard. I miss both!
I liked the mustang, jaguar and jagstang so much in the 90s-00s, but I couldn't afford any of them, so I bought original used jag and duo sonic ii pickups and built a tele style partscaster with them. I need to rewire it and refinish the body, among my many other projects to get to.
My 1965 mustang is everything I had ever wanted a strat to be given I prefer the two pickup set up and never bonded with those in between strat sounds.
I actually own an American performer mustang and it’s my favorite guitar that I own. We need more musicians playing them, glad you made a video about this topic.
Atlanta Discount Music is probably my favorite shop in Atlanta. Always interesting guitars coming through there at reasonable prices. I feel comfortable taking my time and pulling the guitars off of the wall. They don't update their website much, so you have to go there to see what they have. The Mustang is a guitar that I always wanted to keep in my office and noodle with. I am Greg Koch size, so it would look odd.
My very first electric guitar was a 1965 Fender Mustang in Daphne Blue. I got it used in 1974 with an Oliver Bass amp. All for $125!!!! I don't have it any more. But I do have a MIJ reissue!
Just got the Squier Classic Vibe vision and am really enjoying the sound and how it plays. I understand the whammy mechanism is improved in the American Performer version. The mechanism isn't superb in other models, but you can learn how to work it. Really having a lot of fun with this guitar.
I have that exact same Mustang! Color and year and it’s my favorite guitar ever. I got it brand new back then. The neck is my absolute favorite neck I’ve ever played. It’s the smallest Mustang neck I’ve ever felt too.
Pawn Shop Series.....Mustang Special. MIJ and has humbuckers. Best guitar I own. The switches allow you select the individual coils on each pickup or have the full humbucker. 6 saddle hardtail bridge.
I wanted to buy one of those when they came out, but couldn't afford one. Now you can't find them, and if you do, they are WAAAAYYYY expensive. Long story short, I'll never own one. 😄
Recently bought a MIJ 62 P Bass reissue. Love it. The only part that I see as an issue is when I need to adjust the truss, will have to pull the neck, since it adjusts on the body end.
In Japan, Mustang is famous and popular, because a famous musician Char uses Mustang.
OH MY GOD YES ANOTHER CHAR FAN :D
Smoky is so unbelievably cool! and I've tried!! his tone is so cool
My Dad Is Car
Love Char in the PFC videos!!
@@starry6589HOLY SHIT I’ve never even seen another person on the internet mention him
@@redacted6022 Neither have I in English speaking media at least.. which is a shame cause he's so unbelievably cool, listening to the first album is such an amazing experience! it had me smiling so hard the entire time
Just bought a mustang here in nigeria, its the best thing that ever happened to me... Now i found my own guitar, a guitar made for me that fits my personality and sound... I'm in love man
Couldn’t agree more with this. I have a mustang and it quickly became my main guitar. It’s amazing and sounds so much bigger than it looks
The necks are brilliant. You have to get the action just right on them though
Mustangs have been my main guitar for over 10 years now, they are MASSIVELY underrated. The middle position is incredible
Love the middle position on a Mustang. Kind of like position 2 and 4 on a strat but definitely its own thing
Agree. I have both a Fender and a recent Squier Mustang. Both are great, and the mid positions are indistinguishable one from the other.
1966 Mustang owner here 🙋♂️ I’ve loved them since I was a teenager. When I was 17 (in 2017) I ventured into Emerald City Guitars in Seattle, and when I asked Trevor Boone if I could play a Daphne Blue 60’s Mustang they had, he proceeded to bring me EVERY vintage Mustang/Duo Sonic/Musicmaster they had all on stands and told me to play every one and have fun. Unfortunately I didn’t have the money back then to buy any of them, but a couple years ago I finally did 🙌
Who cares
Cool story congrats. It’s always a great feeling when a guitar shop treats a customer that way.
Love those guys and always down to get Emerald City Guitars some love. Bought a 1988 MIJ Fender strat (Based on the 62 design) in a butterscotch yellow. Thing looked like it had not seen a day's worth of playing. ... can not claim that now. But they were beyond patient with me. Knew I was working with a somewhat limited budget for a birthday present for myself while working in Seattle. Went through a lot of hoops with me to find something both in my price range and something I would like. Nick (The sales guy who got me) was good enough matching me with an incredibly killer amp and guitar combo that I had to fight not to buy that amp right there as well although I can not for the life of me remember the name of the amp other than they are built either in Seattle or Tacoma by hand and kill with a lot of the local high end guys. Point is love these guys
@@TheBlindAndTheBeautiful nice! They’re a great shop and run a great TH-cam channel as well
@@avmed8003 well aren’t you just a bundle of joy?! 🤗
My first guitat teacher had a Mustang and therefore my first electric had to be a Mustang. Saved my money during the summer of '84 and bought a '66 Fender Mustang from Grhuhn Guitars. Had the little flyer they used to send out and had to call them and then send a certified check. No, sadly, I don't still have it. Sold it to a childhood friend so I could buy a '71 Les Paul Custom off of Rick Silk from The Toll. And tragically, I don't have that one either. Many bad choices over the decades. lol
Interesting story !! Jajajaja yup , bad choices , but hope you have a guitar you love now
@@eduardogarciapujol9591 I have several that I love now, fortunately. 😄
My dad played nice archtops, and I picked up the false impression that only the fanciest gear was any good. Decades later I’m still too big for a Mustang, but I have learned to appreciate cheaper stuff like small 60’s amps, P90’s, Telecasters, etc.
Me too!
I am with you on that! I am6 foot 3, but my reach is a bit longer. And I love mustangs but if I bought one, I'd have to move the bridge and get a different neck so that it was a 25.5 or more. I just can't do short scales
@@rw5170 oddly, width at the nut is more of an issue than scale length for me. Big guy, big hands. Doesn’t matter whether we’re talking 5-string or 4-string electric or acoustic bass, bass VI, baritone or regular guitars, my happy place is 1 3/4” to 1 7/8”. Worst of all, are skinny-ass 1.65” Bass VI’s. Kills my natural vibrato…
If it's good enough for Cobain it's good enough for me!
That’s what Billy Corgan said about Cortney Love!
I bought a 1964 Fender Mustang at age 17 in 2002 off a friend in high school for $200.00. Neither of us knew what year it was or what we had on our hands. It had been repainted by a local guitar shop with teal boat paint. He went immediately and bought a knock off SG to play in a screamo band. I kept it for 20 years and it will always be an amazing part of my musical journey.
One of the coolest Mustang variants out there will be the heavily modded Mustang in Sonic Youth’s arsenal.
Mustang Magic! When I was 15 a new friend showed me how to play Smoke On The Water and Takin Care of Business on one. Within two weeks I had bought a bass and my best buddy a drum set. I went on to produce music for 40 years and just retired. I mainly play bass but also have some guitars around the studio. That Mustang was the key.
Twenty years ago I picked up an actual beat-up black Nov 65 Stang with one OG pickup, slab rosewood neck and a route/gouge for a bridge humbucker.
I recently got it nitro'd to Dakota Red, white pearl pickguard and brought everything up to snuff. Slab body is xtra thin just 6lbs. Guitar of my dreams. Fits my hands. Looks like a million bucks! I have several pickguards - single coil and double. It is amazing. I have named it "Francois" after my friend.
Such a visceral sounding basic guitar sound - add a good trem arm and pedal and it is gold! A great Pink Floyd machine!
Tip - 10.5 -50 strings work magic on this scale length - if you can find em!
Got me a Squier Mustang in April for only 40 pounds. (UK)
To those who have never played one, if you want to play with a kinda easy bounce and loose kinda feeling, really rock out with fun with behind it, couldn't recommend a mustang more.
It's my go to now.
I think anyone who has never played one before would be incredibly surprised how great these things feel to play. I mean I have no idea about other mustangs, really, but mine is by far one of the coolest guitars I've ever played.
They're like the anti Gibson for me- really comfortable to play and lightweight and you can get all sorts of unusual or unique sounds out of them rather than just vague 70s classic rock or jazz sounds.
Rhett so glad to hear that you have an EP coming out soon - looking forward to hearing this! Love your playing!😂🎸👍🙏
In 71-74 I played a Mustang, it was a great guitar!
I was the only one in High School who could play the
***Highway Star*** guitar solo, (self taught) lol...
That trem system is absolutely gorgeous, holy shit! I’m not really a lo-fi guy but that thing could do some killer lo-fi work
Try putting some reverb and delay and use the bridge pickup, it’s like the epitome of the “surf guitar” sound; especially if you have the vibrato arm, just remember to set it up properly because they can be kinda a pain without proper care.
have a '68 mustang i received as an heirloom. dad got it in a trade and it's been in my life basically forever. the dude who had it before us redid the paint (was white, now red, but it was painted on with a brush...), he switched out the original pickups, and made a faraday cage with graphite. i think he was going for a grunge feel. currently in the shop to clean up the guts after 30+ years.
One tip for when you get the trem arm, buy some nylon tipped grub screws to hold it in place. Regular metal tipped ones tend to bite into the arm and scar it up when you twist the arm out of the way. Love me a mustang though! Always nice to see people discovering how cool they are.
I was blown away a few years ago by the Squier Mustang with humbuckers. Killer little workhorse!
I replaced my original 1966 p/ups with Fender “Noiseless” Strats. Great stuff! Sometimes I miss the old hum…. Don’t know what happened to the originals but I quit playing for about 20 years and when I pulled it out again, they were DOA.
Thanks for the explanation of what makes this guitar unique....loved the modulation with your hand on the trem bar..
I had that exact guitar (except 2006) and loved it. Only sold because didn't have a lot of room in college and already had a strat and tele.
The three-position slide switches on the Mustang allow for easy modification to the half-out-of-phase mod, devised by Bill Lawrence, and implemented on the Fender Jerry Donahue Tele. By shaving off some of the bass on the neck pickup, when it is phase-reversed with the bridge pickup, the N+B position yields a tone that is shockingly similar to neck+middle "cluck" on a Strat with NO volume drop, and none of the annoying nasal honk of traditional phase-reversed pickup combinations. Mind you, if you *want* that honk, for whatever reason, you can still get it on a Mustang, by leaving the neck pickup as is, and reversing the phase of the bridge pickup. That's 5 different pickup sounds in total.
That term system, like the Jazzmaster, was originally designed for much heavier strings than are typically used now; .012s or .013s at the high E.
Unless you do a ton of bending (and even if you do, as long as you have strong hands), I've always loved the electric Jazz Light set, 12-52 with the wound G. If you're a person like myself and switches between acoustic and electric frequently, it's effectively the same gauge as acoustic Lights, and I've found it's easier to go back and forth due to the more consistent gauge on both guitars (and hence, consistent string tension assuming the scale lengths are similar).
My first decent guitar was a 64 Mustang. I still have it, doesn't get played as much as it should but when I do I enjoy it.
what do you play now?
@@max_mittler Mostly Strat but I have a lot of guitars :-). I really only record these days so the different sounds and playing experiences feed into what I do.
True that Rhett; thanks for respecting the Mustang. Death Cab's Ben Gibbard smiles ear to ear over his signature 'stang. Total respect for the design decisions, e.g. 24" scale length, behind the Mustang. Love your posts; thanks again! Cheers from PDX, OR. P.S. beautiful blue body on your Mustang!
I used to own a 1965 Fender Mustang (which was stolen) with the baby blue finish and the turtle shell pickguard. I used that guitar all the time during rehearsals and during gigs. It's a little smaller than the Strat and lighter which is perfect if standing for long periods. It's a good quality made guitar with 2 single coil pickups. Mine had a built in whammy bar which is rare.
Mustang guy here.. one of the tips I can offer as to tuning stability is to coil the spare string length around the cigar tube and wrap it over
how many extra wraps do you do? curious!
@@max_mittler so with the ernie ball lime standard slinky, the lowest two gets three extra wraps, the mid two gets two extra wraps, and the highest two get one extra wrap. you'll actually find that the string lengths work out exactly this way so you don't have to clip anything.
Mustangs have been my main guitars since the 80's, so I'm completely on board with this one!
As a high schooler, bought a red one that had factory wiring problems, a neck coded 08 Nov 65 and an L 158*** neck plate. Decided after a couple years, hot rod it with a PAF in the bridge, by chiseling out the cavity. Soon after, stolen when shipped across country. Whoever has/had it, hope you enjoyed.
That neck is only a few weeks older than me 😮
I bought my Mustang as my first guitar in 1981. It was not new but it is still my favorite guitar to play. If I need some rock riff age, that’s my go to, and for subtle and not so subtle vibrato, I use the stop bar a lot.
My 74 Mustang never leaves my side. the tremolo is the best one of all the fender designs .. and it really comes alive with Lace Sensor pickups (which look stock) .. Todd Rundgren's Black Mustang was the guitar on Meatloaf's Bat Out of Hell. Jason Falkner cut Jellyfish's Bellybutton with a Mustang as well.
My parents bought me a sunburst Mustang in 1970 when I was 16. Traded a 3-pickup Teisco Del Rey ES-335 style guitar at a shop for the Mustang. In 1973 I traded the Mustang with loan financing on a ‘67 Tele. That was a big mistake because I couldn’t use my fuzz with the Tele at all because the pickups were microphonic and squealed. Plus, I was using a 1970 Carvin transistor guitar head and 2x12 cab and the transistor amp did not get much of an overdrive. I would’ve been much better off keeping the Mustang until I had enough mine to buy a real Strat later in 1973 when I was working. It was worth the wait for the Strat in 1973.
The tones you got with this Mustang are absolutely gorgeous. It’s remarkable how warm and sweet they sound.
My sunburst ‘74 Mustang was in pretty bad shape when I rescued it from a dank basement in Philly in 2016. Price: $250, ‘90s Fender case included. All metal was pretty rusted, some frets were green and the G and B strings were slacked and rusted to the upper frets. Original white pickguard had someone’s name carved into it. Just total neglect. After much work to get all metal looking worn but better, I decided to pull all electronics (pots would not clean up and were ceased up when I found it) and repopulate with CTS pots, orange drop cap, Puretone jack, new switches, all vintage pushback wiring, and a set of Fralin split blade for Mustang pickups, which are amazing. Since I’m not a fan of the out of phase sounds, I wired the front switch as a 3-way for pickup selection and the rear switch as a series/parallel switch for massive tones/high output. Fuzz pedal Heaven. It’s a favorite guitar of mine and I feel lucky to have scored it for such a low price, despite all of the work needed to bring it up to speed. If you’re ever in Philly, I play it live along with Strats that I built in a band called Heaven Man.
Hey Jeff!
@@JimmyGallowayGuitar yo Jimmy!
I love my Mustang, cool vibrato (Fender even called it a Vibrato!) I like using the heel of my hand to get subtle variety, (or modulation as the video called it.) it also bends up or down.
I am shorter so my hand is on the bridge, not the tailpiece, but they are close enough I can adjust.
The out of phase sound is great for some stuff, the in phase for other stuff, it does sit between the Strat and Tele, especially using both pickups (and playing with the phase)
.
The small neck and 25 inch scale make it a great guitar to learn new stuff on.
And I agree it does make you play differently, in a good way.
When I first got it I didn’t play it as much as I do now.
But over time I have come to appreciate it more and more.
It has shaped my playing.
I took it to a friend’s house, and it inspired some new riffs.
He’s a lefty and I’m not, but it just brought them out of him.
Adrian Belew did amazing things with Mustangs in the '80s.
first guitar was a hand me down '64 mustang- have bought and sold many other guitars over the years, but doubt I'll ever part with the mustang! The vibrato system is a big reason why.
Great video Rhett...I have been a strat player for many years.... then I bought a Duo Sonic 24" scale (you know de Duo its like the old brother of the Mustang), I just fall in love of this model.... the playability is FANTASTIC...so easy to play...changed and IMPROVED a lot the way I play... you got a unique guitar...its a keeper!
Congratulations on the EP! Looking forward to hearing it when it's released!!!
The Mustang was my 1st real guitar-played it in my 8th grade talent show circa 1978!
Mine was a 73 in Daphne blue with white speckled pick guard.
The trem was horrible as it would ever stay in tune but I loved it bc it was "Fender".
Couldn't afford a real Strat plus there no such thing as a "Squire Strat" back then.
Thanks for bringing back the Stang Rhett!
hi rhett, love what youre doing man, keep rockin!! just wanted to show some appreciation for the great content
100% Agree. I love my Mustang. The out of phase positions are so much better than the 2 and 4 positions on a strat.
I love my 67 Mustang! I traded my 66 toward a Strat @ 72 but found a beauty 66 @ 15 years ago and will never sell it. I love that you are always willing to explore different options with an open mind. Rock on Rhett!
I've never really considered playing a Fender Mustang...until now. Thank you for the find. As well, I can't seem to stop listening to Tyler's music. Look forward to your EP, too.
I love your channel Rhett but I have to disagree on the mustang being the most underrated Fender guitar. Underrated yes, but the most underrated that isn’t a weird 80s model (we love you fender katana) is the predecessor to the Mustang, the Duo-Sonic. It’s like the mustang but it has its own vibe with the even shorter scale length and different tren
Mustangs are cool! My junior year of high school, I got into my first good band-I’d joined as a lead guitarist, but the only electric guitar I had was a Vox Phantom 12-string, which limited any ability to bend strings, so I played mainly rhythm and some 12-string lead on Byrds songs and the like; and the band brought in another lead guitarist to handle most of the solos, and he had a Fender Mustang. Eventually we started swapping guitars on songs I played lead on, so I got pretty familiar with that Mustang. It was the “longer” scale version-24”, like a Fender Jaguar; they were also available in a short scale version, which was 22-1/2”, really short! I really liked the tones of the pickups, and actually used the out-of-phase setting on R&B tunes like Mustang Sally, which was still pretty current in 1967. Eventually, the Vox got stolen-I had to use a Phillippine-made Jaguar forgery for a week (GI guitar!), and then managed to get a new Gibson SG Standard-but that little Mustang was pretty cool! I loved the vibrato on it-real springy-feeling. By comparison, the Lyre Vibrola on the SG felt like driving a truck! I didn’t use vibrato much by then-I was getting into left-hand finger vibrato anyway, which sounded terrible on the 12-string. When it got stolen, the guy actually did me a favor, as I got more money trading in the fake Jaguar on the SG than I would have gotten for the Vox!
I own a 1972 Mustang. It is one of the best guitars I own. I always have it on the stand because it is the first i grab to play with
I still remember giving my little brother my 1968 Natural Ash/Rosewood Mustang with original case and tags.
I had that same Mustang model (69Ri CIJ), same color, same year...also did not come with a gig bag LOL. This video does make me nostalgic.
I have a custom-built parts Mustang that I really love. It has a warmoth neck that's pretty chunky, has a standard nut width, but a 24 inch scale length. I removed the tremolo for a fixed bridge. I also put in a mini humbucker in the bridge and it screams. it makes for an awesome rock guitar.
Tone is killer and super clean ! The heavy strings sound great and the selection of sounds is awesome! Thanks for great review.
Rhett, thanks for posting this. As you were picking out and playing your guitar, I spotted one I was looking for on the wall behind you. Road Worn 50’s purple tele. I called the next day and bought it!
my dream guitar has always been a 1965-1972 fender mustang daphne blue
Welcome to the club. I got hooked when I bought a Vintera Mustang a couple of years ago. These little guitars are awesome!
I've owned one since 98 (a MIJ 96' model) and I put a Fender Red Lace Sensor pickup in the bridge that really gets some beautiful lead tone and crunch. A Mustang in that color scheme is one of my favorite guitars on the planet - it's jangly as hell. I was all about getting thanks to Kurt, which I'm sure many of us were. He made those retro Fenders cool all over again in the 90s, it's a great guitar.
I've found the Mustang to be one of those instruments that become like a body part, sort of disappears when you're into it. I never have to fight it.
I have a Mexican maple neck, absolute love this thing. I think about it as a blend between a Strat & Tele. Super nice.
So cool to see one of my favorite players bring a Mustang to life. The reproductions - whether the MIJ or the Vintera or even the Squier Classic Vibe are all amazing. To me a Mustang isn’t a Mustang without the trem - used Vintera 1s can be found at the same price point or lower than the Player 2 so I’d highly highly recommend that - or the Squier CV over the Player 2
I know it's not quite the same, but I bought a Squier Mustang a few years ago, and I just love it! The scale length does make you play differently, not necessarily more complex chords with a lot of stretching. One thing with playing power chords for example, it feels more a kin to playing one note on a full sized bass. Kind of gets you into the world where Kurt Cobain habitated, for example.
Great video. In 1967 I bought my first electric guitar and amp from a poor soul going into the army. It was a 64/65 Mustang and a sweet Fender Twin Reverb. I didn't know anything about electric guitars, but I had a blast playing it and wish I had never sold either of those rigs.
I’ve got a 2012 pawn shop special mustang, it’s an hh hard tail and it’s been my favorite guitar ever since I got it. Mustang’s rule.
I’ve been almost exclusively gigging mustangs for years now- absolutely love the sound and feel and scale length
Agreed. Have some really nice vintage Fenders, but when I pick my MIJ Mustang, it's like a breath of fresh air. May be worth a US electronics upgrade, but that's about it. Thinking of trying lace sensors at some point.
My first guitar, bought back in '74 or '75 was a Mustang. Candy apple red, with a racing stripe. MOP pickguard and black pickups. It was all I could afford. I don't remember much about the guitar or if I liked the way it played; all I really remember was that I thought it screamed "beginner!" and I couldn't wait to trade up. Despite its revival as a respectable guitar now, I can't get over my prejudice, still thinking of the Mustang as a budget beginner model. Wrong, I know; missing out, probably.
I've thought about buying one of these so many times. Something about the size and shape is just adorable.
My Jazzmaster is a 2003 CIJ. The build quality of Fender Japan is top notch. The only ding is they commonly have lesser pickups.
I bought my 1976 Mustang Sunburst in 2011 - fomerly used by a left-hand guy. After nut correction by my tech, I use it ragularily -espexially because of the sensible trem system and the unique pickup Sound. ❤
I own a 1963 duo sonic which is a similar vibe. Mine has also been refinished in the same colour scheme as this mustang !!!
Nice sounds Rhett!
Each guitar you play sounds great! Thanks!
Dang, that's a cool find. Looks good & sounds good. Happy for you!
My dream guitar is a candy apple red Mustang, no stripe and matching color headstock. Basically the MG69.
Got mine 5 days ago. End 60s Mustang for a great price! Great guitar!
Get the trem arm in...its the best vibrato system...here's a tip..mine had a grub screw in the side..take it out and drop a small piece of spring in (I used about 5mm from the spring in a clipper lighter)..lots of vids on TH-cam about how to make them better..mine is stable an smooth an never goes out of tune..congratulations on your purchase..she's a beauty! Al Northern Ireland
I bought my Coronado from that shop! Awesome dudes.
My most prized guitar is a 1970 Comp 'Stang in Burgundy Blue with a matching headstock. Love it.
My very first real guitar was a then brand new 1974 Fender Mustang.
I was able to trade it for a $200 credit towards a 1977 Les Paul Deluxe.
Major regret, I wish I still had both of those guitars.
Great content Rhett, thanks Man.
Another underrated Fender IMO is the Mustang's older cousin, the Duo-Sonic HS. I have one and it is so flexible and plays so good.
My first real guitar was a 67 mustang in a very strange sunburst. Purchased in 1979 for $300. The out of phase setting was great for dance chords. Refinish it in black and used it in various punk and new wave bands until I traded up for a strat. I wish I still had it. About the only time I could play Andy Summers chords lol
My first guitar was a 63 Duo Sonic short scale just before the mustangs. Not Strat or Tele just like you said. So easy for my younger hands to play.
Yep! Bought a red ‘64 Mustang in 1971 when I was 15. My first ‘playable’ guitar.
Spring '86 I traded by '81 Rickenbacker 340 Burgundy-Glo, which was my first Guitar, and had for only about 10 months, for a '65 Mustang in Dakota red. Pickups dated late October, mid-November '64. Neck was stamped September '64. When I got it, it had no trem bar. I picked one up in Denver. I was in College at the time. It made its way to Seattle with me, in 1990. I traded it for a '72 Jazz bass. Later I picked up a Duo-Sonic II, same Dakota red and pearloid pickguard. I miss both!
I liked the mustang, jaguar and jagstang so much in the 90s-00s, but I couldn't afford any of them, so I bought original used jag and duo sonic ii pickups and built a tele style partscaster with them. I need to rewire it and refinish the body, among my many other projects to get to.
This one is kind of refreshing to hear for a change. 😊
My 1965 mustang is everything I had ever wanted a strat to be given I prefer the two pickup set up and never bonded with those in between strat sounds.
If you get a MIJ '57 Reissue you will know what heaven a 3 pickup Stratocaster can bring
I actually own an American performer mustang and it’s my favorite guitar that I own. We need more musicians playing them, glad you made a video about this topic.
The Mustang might be my next purchase as well.
LOVE that out of phase tone.
Atlanta Discount Music is probably my favorite shop in Atlanta. Always interesting guitars coming through there at reasonable prices. I feel comfortable taking my time and pulling the guitars off of the wall. They don't update their website much, so you have to go there to see what they have.
The Mustang is a guitar that I always wanted to keep in my office and noodle with. I am Greg Koch size, so it would look odd.
Had a mij pawn shop mustang. One of the most versatile guitars I’ve ever owned
Can't wait for the EP !
Squier CV Mustang was my first electric guitar. Same colour as one in the video
This reminds me .. I really need to finish fixing the wiring on my Japanese Mustang RI .. They really are a fun little super-cool guitar
Aloha Rhett! Like you I had an Early Eighties Japanese Squire JV Strat. I really liked it. I have known player who sworn by their Mustangs.
My very first electric guitar was a 1965 Fender Mustang in Daphne Blue. I got it used in 1974 with an Oliver Bass amp. All for $125!!!! I don't have it any more. But I do have a MIJ reissue!
Just got the Squier Classic Vibe vision and am really enjoying the sound and how it plays. I understand the whammy mechanism is improved in the American Performer version. The mechanism isn't superb in other models, but you can learn how to work it. Really having a lot of fun with this guitar.
Those clean tones are inspiring, super cool.
That thing sounds sweet!! Also sweet playing! Love your chord and note choices
dang now prices are up for mustangs. really looking forward to listen to your EP
I have that exact same Mustang! Color and year and it’s my favorite guitar ever. I got it brand new back then. The neck is my absolute favorite neck I’ve ever played. It’s the smallest Mustang neck I’ve ever felt too.
Pawn Shop Series.....Mustang Special. MIJ and has humbuckers. Best guitar I own. The switches allow you select the individual coils on each pickup or have the full humbucker. 6 saddle hardtail bridge.
I wanted to buy one of those when they came out, but couldn't afford one. Now you can't find them, and if you do, they are WAAAAYYYY expensive. Long story short, I'll never own one. 😄
Recently bought a MIJ 62 P Bass reissue. Love it. The only part that I see as an issue is when I need to adjust the truss, will have to pull the neck, since it adjusts on the body end.
I have a 92 MIK Fender “Squier Series” Strat and it’s been my go to since I got it in 01. MIJ Fenders are awesome. Very well made.