Hey there I'm looking to get a true surf guitar, and saw a good deal on a used Fender Mustang '69 reissue. I have a tele, a Dano dc '59, and a '64 Kay Vanguard, but they don't have a vibrato and don't have "that sound". Well I would love a jaguar or jazzmaster but the deal on the Mustang is too good, and from the pictures it looks like a pretty close cousin to a jag, although I've never played one. I don't know if I should bother checking it out or just save up for a jag or jazz. If someone knows about the 'stang, will it do the surf sound or not even close? Thanks

I'd save up for a jag or a jazz. I owned and gigged with a 1969 mustang and although it was a beautiful guitar they sound a bit lame compared to a jag or a jazzmaster. The challengers use the mustang during the first wave, so they certainly have the sound of surf, but so do many guitars through a reverb unit and a tube amp. The mustang is a student model, so that's what to expect. Very light... Good for long gigs...

tubesNtweed wrote:

Hey there I'm looking to get a true surf guitar, and
saw a good deal on a used Fender Mustang '69 reissue. I
have a tele, a Dano dc '59, and a '64 Kay Vanguard, but
they don't have a vibrato and don't have "that sound".
Well I would love a jaguar or jazzmaster but the deal
on the Mustang is too good, and from the pictures it
looks like a pretty close cousin to a jag, although
I've never played one. I don't know if I should bother
checking it out or just save up for a jag or jazz. If
someone knows about the 'stang, will it do the surf
sound or not even close? Thanks

I kind of want to say "not even close" but it is somewhat close. I find Mustangs very very thin which I do not like. Personally I'd prefer the tele to a Mustang as a surf guitar any day, and the Kay, and the Dano. I looked up the Kay, and those look really cool. The pickups seem like something I'd be a big fan of.

Jake- the Kay is as awesome as it looks; its a single pickup with 2 controls, so its very simple but oh so sweet lol.

Dave- I looked up that trem bar problem and it is turning me off because all I need is to be playing a gig and it falls out and then I'm the idiot trying to pick it up every song, so that is flaw to me. I'm probably going to at least try it out but what I really should do is wait a little longer and get a jag/jazz maybe. Eh we'll see

tubesNtweed wrote:

Hey there I'm looking to get a true surf guitar, and
saw a good deal on a used Fender Mustang '69 reissue. I
have a tele, a Dano dc '59, and a '64 Kay Vanguard, but
they don't have a vibrato and don't have "that sound".
Well I would love a jaguar or jazzmaster but the deal
on the Mustang is too good, and from the pictures it
looks like a pretty close cousin to a jag, although
I've never played one. I don't know if I should bother
checking it out or just save up for a jag or jazz. If
someone knows about the 'stang, will it do the surf
sound or not even close? Thanks

I also like the look of the Mustangs a lot!!!
Remembering some old surf bands and/or covers (Avenger VI, Challengers).

I once owned two old Mustangs:
-A 65 with an unbelievable good tone! But it wasnt a "surf" tone. It was a blues tone! I sold it in need of money.
- A nice green one with rallye stripe from `72. Very nice look, BUT lame sound, thin and boring unfortunately...
I sold it gladly.

Meanwhile I have two Mustangs again!
A daphne blue 69 reissue: A classic for me! I changed to CTS potis and pickups from the "Pickupwizard". Now it sounds good! But a good Jazzmaster or Jaguar is still another dimension for surf music. My second one is one of those "Beck" models in orange with matching head. Its a perfect `69 reissue! Very nce built. I love the neck!!
I will install Jaguar pickups from "Pickupwizard" soon. I think then it will be good.

For me the Mustangs are great for playing/practising/composing at home at first because of the little body. Inspiring sound and easy to play! (At home!)

When you play the Mustang in the complete band they always a sound a bit to thin in my opinion.

My suggestion: Get a nice Mustang. Then a Jazzmaster. Then a Jaguar.

Twang cheers!

Ralf Kilauea

www.kilaueas.de

https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien

Last edited: Sep 10, 2011 06:21:11

Yes, good advice with the trem arm adjusting!
Another thing is to check to position of the two springs inside the vibrato system. There are two (soemtimes three) different positions to set them. One is stronger one is les stronger. It`s a question of the whole guitar setup, which string gauges, string height, adjustment of the truss rod and so on...
Try which position is the best for you.
Even a good guitar sounds baaaaad and has a bad feeling with a bad (wrong) setup!

cheers!

Twang cheers!

Ralf Kilauea

www.kilaueas.de

https://kilaueas.bandcamp.com/album/touch-my-alien

In 2 60's bands I was a member of, the "other guy" had a Mustang. Both were 65's & sounded GREAT for "Surf Music". We played em' thru a 65' Deluxe Reverb and the single coils worked really well...(Good Fender "Klunk"). The unique vibrato arm never posed a problem at all......but, they were still relatively "new" guitars at the time.

Last edited: Sep 10, 2011 13:35:39

Amen ! To Revhank's above post. The Amp means SO Much !! I remember.....it was an early 60's "Silvertone Les Paulish", 24 3/4 scale w/single coil (or "Sears mini humbuckers") looking "guitar". When played thru a Fender Super Reverb, that "surf tone" was definitely there...this was in the mid-70's & this was "gigged" at the club for 2 or so months. Looking back...I hafta' laugh, but it Worked !

Yea I totally agree with the amp. I have a Blues Jr. which is a GREAT blues amp, and although its not a bad surf amp, I'm definitely gonna get a twin reverb soon. You can't beat the headroom on those and you never have to worry about a bad sound or enough power. Yea they are a pain in the a** to carry but once you plug in its all worth it. I don't always get to mic my amp, so it's barely enough surf headroom with the Blues Jr, but it'll do until I get the twin.

that's one thing I love about the trem is the fact that even if the bar is out, you can still use it by pushing it. even with the bar in I still do that sometimes.
out of phase has a big volume drop too so switching live is well for one hard cause of the switches and two because of the volume change.
love my mustang but nothing beats a mosrite!