1964 pre-CBS Fender Swinger/Musiclander Build

[SammyT]

This is going to be my second vintage build/restoration (first one is a Vintage JMI Vox Consort, but I haven't posted about that guitar yet).
I've always liked the look and the story of the Fender Swinger/Musiclander/Arrow.
In short: In 1969 Fender had some left over parts from the Musicmasters and Bass V and decided to use them for a new guitar design.

So they basically used all the parts form the Musicmaster, modified the headstock shape, and used a modified Bass V Body.

As I just got out of highschool, I don't have the money to buy an original one, as they are quiet rare (only 250 to 300 were produced).
So I started looking for Musicmasters and Duo Sonics, because they are very similar.
And as I was looking over Ebay and Reverb, I found this fair priced 1964 Fender Musicmaster pickup, so I decided to go for it.
My intention was to hear by myself how a pre-CBS pickup would sound. So I put it in one of my Strats, and it sounded great.


So a couple of months later I found a good deal on a 1964 Fender Musicmaster neck. So that is when I decided to complete the whole guitar.

After searching on ebay for the rest of the guitar parts, I maneged to find all the Musicmaster parts at reasonable prices, except for the body.
So that's when I decided to make a Fender Swinger, the raddest Fender guitar to be ever produced.

So the parts I am making this guitar form are:
Original 1964 Musicmaster Pickup
Original 1964 Musicmaster neck
Original 1964 Musicmaster bridge

Original 1965 double-line Kluson Tuners
Modified 1964 Musicmaster Pickguard (someone routed a bridge pickup and a selector switch hole in it)

New Alpha pots, new mustang switch, wiring and control plate
Custom made Swinger body

Right now all the parts are on their way. I just need a Bridge pickup for this build. As I like the neck pickup so much (and I normally don't use the bridge pickup that much), I'm not looking for an expensive vintage bridge pickup.
So i think this Q pickup is perfect for me: https://reverb.com/nl/item/5712775-must ... -q-pickups
But if any of you have other suggestions, I'd love to hear them.

[FenderBob]

Welcome to the board. I look forward to seeing your build. Who is building the body and are you going with a single pup?

[Danley]

I know it’s ‘just’ a 22” but FYI remember - you don’t HAVE to arrow the headstock for anyone here to love you

[mgeek]

This looks like a great project, nice one! My suggestions would be:

1/ If you don't even like bridge pickups, and original swingers didn't even have them, find a regular mm scratchplate, don't have a bridge pickup and make it exactly like an original.

2/ That neck looks really clean, so it would bother me to reshape the headstock, but at the same time it wouldn't really be a swinger without the pointy headstock... I reckon there's a deal waiting to be done with someone where you end up with cash or trades AND a neck that it'd be less of a crime to operate on.

excited to see how this turns out! What colour are you going with?

Also: As a UK guitar guy, possibly even more excited by the Vox Consort project, pics please!

[Lamar Fandango]

The body is my favorite Fender shape. The arrow headstock is just plain bad. Sad to see a nice headstock get hacked for that.

[Wil_66]

I know it’s ‘just’ a 22” but FYI remember - you don’t HAVE to arrow the headstock for anyone here to love you

Cool build for sure, but PLEASE don't cut up that neck.

[SammyT]

For everyone worried about the headstock, I'm not going to reshape it. This neck is in excellent condition and even has the original decal and frets on it. I designed the guitar on my computer and it looks a bit weird with a 'normal' shaped musicmaster headstock, but this guitar is weird in general, so I think it fits.
The body will be made by musooguitars from Aliexpress (I know sounds kind of bad, but i have ordered many guitar parts from them, and they do a very good job), and they take the time to make a good custom order for you.
It is going to be an ash body with black polyurethane finish.
Will post more pictures soon.

[SammyT]

Just finished the (probably) final concept of the Fender Swinger

As you can see I'm probably going to stick to the two pickup configuration.
I previously mentioned, I don't use the bridge pickup that often.
But I think the middle position is quite useful. And as I live in Europe,
Finding a original MM pickguard at a reasonable price is not that easy.
I'm curious how the pickups will sound together, both in and out of phase (like in the Mustangs and new design Duo Sonics)
So I designed this pickup wiring:

The selector switch will select which pickup is on, and the push-pull pot will switch the phase of the bridge pickup.

Some of the parts have already arrived:

Double line Kluson tuners:

[SammyT]

Also: As a UK guitar guy, possibly even more excited by the Vox Consort project, pics please!

Just posted :
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... 1&t=114729