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If you can afford it, buying an old one - assuming you don’t pay too much - is unlikely to be a mistake since values are only going to go up, in the foreseeable future... they’re far less expensive than Strats or even Jaguars and Jazzmasters. But be careful with 60s ones - there are two versions, with 24" and 22.5" scales. The 22.5"s are tiny, and best avoided - they're relatively rare because they were only made for the first couple of years, and sometimes sold without clear disclosure that's what they are... but easy to spot in photos because there is a fingerboard dot at the last fret - the 24" scale version has it at the second last (22 frets rather than 21). Many earlier ones, even 24" scale, also have the 'A' width neck which is very skinny - B is the normal width. If you see a 60s Mustang going cheaper than you would expect, check if it's one of these.
Does that help?
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
Ended up picking up a used Fender Modern Player Mustang from 2013 made in China. It's got all the vintage appointments but has P90s in it. It's a cracking little guitar, super fun to play and sounds great.
Which takes me to the Gibson Melody Maker - these to have been high on my want list for some time now, and I have been following the comments on @bloomer post regarding olympics etc..... Again great guitars at a low ‘ vintage’ price tag compared to its big brothers?
The small size of the Mustang appeals to me but (for myself) I would definitely be looking at a non-vintage hardtail version with simpler wiring.
I had a '64 24"/A Duo-Sonic and a '65 22.5"/A Musicmaster at one point - admittedly I have small hands, but I actually gigged them - the Musicmaster in particular, even with its tiny neck, was actually brilliant with 12s on... it sounded like a huge Strat neck pickup. I used it in a 50s-style rock'n'roll band.
The 50s/early 60s Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic are all 22.5"-scale, which is why they usually sell for what looks like a bargain price for a 50s Fender. The Bronco is 24"-scale but has an odd trem with a very 'wiry', slightly buzzy tone - and only a bridge pickup.
The Gibson Melody Maker is a better bet - they're full-scale and normal neck width even though they have a very skinny body, and the pickups are quite usable for conventional rock playing, even though quite different from a humbucker or a P90 - they sound a bit like a cross between a Strat and a Tele bridge pickup, so the result is something like a brighter Les Paul Junior.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein
https://www.groundguitar.com/jimi-hendrix-gear/jimi-hendrixs-fender-duo-sonic-sunburst/
The neck on my 65 was a B, and if I am comparing with the 64 Jag I had I would say the Mustang didn't feel all that much of a downgrade in sound or feel...just different.
Stick some heavy strings on it and swap the low output bridge pickup for a hotter variant if you wish, I'm sure it would serve you well. But if you want to dip your toe in the Japanese 65 reissues are renowned for nearly being as good.
Would anyone care to comment on the Fender Dynamic vibrato?
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=108813
With one of the switches re-wired to be a pickup selector and some beefier pickups they work nicely for me.
As for the vibrato. I hated it until I got myself a vintage unit, could only get it stable enough to lower the pitch but the old units for whatever reason work great.
They have a great range and by rocking the cigar tube with your palm while playing you can get a nice vibrato then grab the bar for some surfy action. If you’re into the shoegazy glide thing they can can do that with some practice too.
Im sure the MIJ units can be set up to be just as stable, I just haven’t had much luck with them.
I’m also one of the rare few that love the vibrato; but that scale alongside the vibrato didn’t work; would have had more of a unique thing going on a standard fender scale.
I know, I used a 22.5" Musicmaster with 12s on and it sounded exactly like a really huge Strat . But the sustain and tone is actually closer to a Strat than a Mustang is.
"Take these three items, some WD-40, a vise grip, and a roll of duct tape. Any man worth his salt can fix almost any problem with this stuff alone." - Walt Kowalski
"Only two things are infinite - the universe, and human stupidity. And I'm not sure about the universe." - Albert Einstein