Unusual '74 Mustang (mystery solved, thanks everyone)!

[MattK]

and if the blue is factory, maybe it would have ES (entered special) stamped into the wood under the pickguard? Or was that only in the 60s?

[HedonismBot]

It’s sounding more like you have a pretty good deal on the way, but do check all those dates carefully, see if in real life the metal parts look like they are almost 50 years old, and see if you can find any evidence of the original body colour.

Have you seen this site?

http://www.fendermustangstory.com/

It suggests to me your guitar could be a 1974 neck on the change over from white button tuners. The body should be poplar, or possibly ash (not Alder). The original body colour would have been blonde, black, white, walnut, natural, or sunburst (very 70s colours!)

Keep us posted!

The guy claims that the guitar’s been sitting in a collection unplayed for a long time. I’m somewhat skeptical about this, but that would explain the shiny metal parts. Some screws look mildly rusty, though. Oh, and did you notice the piles of guitars in the background in the video? That man is a guitar hoarder. Definitely not a professional seller, though (judging by his listings).

Yes! I’ve read everything on that website a few times. I’ve been obsessively reading all I could find on stangs for the last few months (annoying the heck out of my wife haha). Right, I thought the guy didn’t know what he was talking about when he mentioned alder. As I said above, I’m guessing it’s a refin in nitro. You, pretty much, listed all the colors that I’m aware of existing in the 70s but Antigua (which wasn’t even a thing in ‘74 yet). That one’s an oddball for sure. And what’s with that white pick guard? If I’m keeping the guitar - I’m replacing that pick guard with a pearloid one and putting the black knobs and pickup covers back on ASAP.

Can’t wait till it gets here so that I can inspect it in person. I’ll keep you posted. Thanks for your input!

[HedonismBot]

Update. I contacted the seller again and asked where they originally got it. They said it was bought from Ben Chasen’s collection last January: https://www.mecum.com/lots/FL0120-40166 ... -electric/

The crack in the pick guard and the “minor headstock damage” (I believe they are referring to the small crack in the headstock between the 3rd and 4th tuner holes) coincide with the blemishes described in the listing that I bid on. Alder body though... I should probably contact that auction house and ask them if they have any proof of authenticity of this guitar or can point me in the right direction.

[Bradley-Jazz]

Alder body though... I should probably contact that auction house and ask them if they have any proof of authenticity of this guitar or can point me in the right direction.

Can’t hurt.

Those pictures are more useful than the video - the chrome looks a bit less new (though still very clean). The serial number seems fine too. I suspect the alder body thing is just a guess - how would the auction house know? Even if they’ve taken it apart (and nothing to suggest they have) it could be hard to tell, especially on a refinish.

I can’t be sure, but zooming in suggests that is a right-handed trem sausage on backwards - the bigger holes that accept the ball ends do look to be at the back, rather than the strings being fed in from the front and wrapped under as they are supposed to be. If that is the case, it’s possible it’s the original trem. According to that site I linked before, the plain white scratchplate is also correct for a 74.

Let’s keep hoping!

[HedonismBot]

Alder body though... I should probably contact that auction house and ask them if they have any proof of authenticity of this guitar or can point me in the right direction.

Can’t hurt.

Those pictures are more useful than the video - the chrome looks a bit less new (though still very clean). The serial number seems fine too. I suspect the alder body thing is just a guess - how would the auction house know? Even if they’ve taken it apart (and nothing to suggest they have) it could be hard to tell, especially on a refinish.

I can’t be sure, but zooming in suggests that is a right-handed trem sausage on backwards - the bigger holes that accept the ball ends do look to be at the back, rather than the strings being fed in from the front and wrapped under as they are supposed to be. If that is the case, it’s possible it’s the original trem. According to that site I linked before, the plain white scratchplate is also correct for a 74.

Let’s keep hoping!

Yeah, I revisited the Fender Mustang story and figured out that those white pick guards and switches were a thing between 72 and 74 (I think). That’s good to know but I find the pearloid pickguards so much more appealing aesthetically. Never knew that those neck plate gasket cushions were a thing! I found a few pics of those on different Fender models from that same time period. Saw a couple listed on reverb too. I guess it was just a phase of weird innovations that didn’t really stick.

[HedonismBot]

The shipping status was updated and it looks like it is out for delivery from the local UPS store right now. Expecting it to arrive within a couple hours. Question: assuming that the paint is nitro and it already has a bunch of cracks in it, should I let it sit for a few hours before I open the case?

[Mondaysoutar]

The shipping status was updated and it looks like it is out for delivery from the local UPS store right now. Expecting it to arrive within a couple hours. Question: assuming that the paint is nitro and it already has a bunch of cracks in it, should I let it sit for a few hours before I open the case?

Nah, I’d think it’d be ok man if it’s an older guitar. I’ve never waited more than an hour to open the case on any even brand new guitars I’ve bought with nitro and I’ve always been good. Interesting thread this, hope you like the guitar when it arrives man.

[HedonismBot]

[countertext]

Seems legit. No sarcasm.

[HedonismBot]

Sorry, I'm struggling with Imgur. Just a moment...

[Scout]

Here you go

[HedonismBot]

I think I've figured it out. I'm technologically challenged

[HedonismBot]

[HedonismBot]

So, the nut is worn, the frets definitely have some wear (someone really liked playing one string solos on g), but what really concern me are those cracks in the headstock and the heel. I read some contradictory opinions on whether those are a problem or not. Not sure if they are in the lacquer or in the wood itself. What do you guys think?

[Bradley-Jazz]

So, the nut is worn, the frets definitely have some wear (someone really liked playing one string solos on g), but the only things that really concern me are those cracks in the headstock and the heel. I read some contradictory opinions on whether those are a problem or not. Not sure if they are in the lacquer or in the wood itself. What do you guys think?

Very hard to say from the pictures - the ones in the head, from what I can see, don’t follow the grain and are in what seems to me a weird place. They look more like they are in the lacquer, particularly as the look to run into the end of the rosewood board, but a photo can only show so much

The ones in the heel look to be running from the neck screw holes, which could be a bit of a worry, but I don’t see why they couldn’t be repaired if need be. Can you remove the neck and see more?

Do you have a trusted luthier who can give it a look over?

Oh, and is it a right hand trem sausage in backwards?