Vintage Fender Bass Guitar – The Mustang Bass
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When you think of a Fender bass guitar the Mustang is probably not the first one that comes to mind. As a Fender issue, however, it was unique in several respects. One was the fact that it was the very last bass that Leo Fender designed before leaving the company that bears his name.
Size Matters
We’re all familiar with the first Fender bass guitar produced, the revolutionary Precision Bass in 1951. That, of course, was followed by its legendary sibling the Jazz Bass nine years later. One of the things that both of these basses had in common was their 34” scale length.
With these other two icons in its stable (stable…get it?), Fender issued the Mustang Bass in 1966. It was the companion to its Mustang electric guitar which made the scene two years earlier.
What made this Fender bass guitar different was that its scale length was only 30”, a big departure from their other two famous bass guitars. With the rock & roll boom of the sixties, Fender wanted to create a bass that would appeal to the new wave of teenage guitar players.
Due to its shorter scale length and smaller body the Mustang is easier for guitarists to handle, especially if they have small hands. This is also a reason why it was a popular model with women and younger players.
Looking Good
The Mustang was originally available in standard colors of red, white and blue with a white pearloid pickguard for the red and blue colors and a reddish-like tortoise shell pickguard for white. Starting in 1969 Fender introduced competition colors which consisted of three contrasting color stripes on the body, also known as racing stripes.
The design consisted on one thick stripe in the middle with a smaller stripe on each side of it. In addition to its low cost, this was another tactic used to attract its young clientele and it worked.
The only problem with the finish on these and other Fender guitars is that the earlier models would tend to yellow due to the type of lacquer used. White, for example, would turn an awful looking p**s yellow color and the Lake Placid Blue became Surf Green (which is now considered a desirable rare color…see below).
1967 White Mustang Bass
1969 "Surf Green" Mustang
1966 Mustang Bass Specs
- Maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, 19 frets
- 30” scale length, truss-rod adjuster
- Double cutaway small solid alder body
- Split single-coil pickup, two control knobs
- Through body stringing, string mutes
Collectibility
The Mustang bass was produced in the U.S. from 1966 – 1981. It has been reissued as a Japanese import since 2002.
The Mustang was a bass built for the budget conscious, largely teenagers, who wanted to play an instrument that didn’t cost much. You don’t really need to be on much of a budget to afford an original version.
A 1966 – 1969 original Mustang Bass in excellent condition may run anywhere from $1,400 – $1,800 and with competition finish $1,500 – $2,000.
A new Mustang can be had for around $750.
These were fun instruments to play, and still are, but their value is not on par with any previous Fender bass guitar.
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