Pre-CBS

Fender Mustang Walnut Stain 24 Inch Scale, 1965

On January 30, 2023 /

Introduced in August 1964 and built until 1982, the Fender Mustang was positioned between the student model DuoSonic and the professional grade Telecaster. Most Mustangs have a 24 inch scale length, but a few were built with a short 21.5 inch scale, all with Rosewood fingerboards. Until 1969, the body was a simple Poplar slab body, and then it received standard – patented – Fender contours. Until 1968, the finish was nitrocellulose lacquer; at that point the finish shifted to the new, heavier polyester coatings.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Fender Stratocaster Candy Apple Red, 1962-1964 (No Longer Available)

On January 23, 2023 /

Here’s a guitar that needs little introduction – a Fender Stratocaster Candy Apple Red, with components from 1962 and 1964. Here, the Alder body is from 1964, while the Maple and ‘Slab’ style Brazilian Rosewood fingerboard, plus the electronics, are from 1962. Aside from the body swap, one of the only things not original is a tone knob. Fret wear is light to moderate, and the wider fret wire indicates a re-fret, likely decades ago.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Fender Mustang Red, 1965

On August 29, 2022 /

The Fender Mustang Red was one of three colours available when the model was introduced in 1964 – the other two being white and blue. This example has a Poplar body, paired with a Maple neck with Rosewood fingerboard and a date stamp of 8DEC64. The neck plate reads L51237, marking it as a pre-CBS model.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Fender Pre-CBS Stratocaster Sunburst, 1964

On May 18, 2022 /

Here’s something we see fewer of – a Fender Pre-CBS Stratocaster in Sunburst, with a body date of 9/63 and neck date of March 1964. This type of ‘date mismatch’ has been common in some periods of Fender production. The factory would build and finish a larger number of bodies and store them, with the necks built closer to the sale and delivery date. The potentiometers date to 1963.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Fender L-Series Stratocaster Refinish Metallic Grey, 1965

On January 6, 2022 /

We haven’t seen one of these for a while – a Fender L-Series Stratocaster, built during the transition to CBS ownership. While there is technically no ‘L Series’ as such, the term refers to Fender instruments built from 1963 into 1965, using a neck plate stamped with an ‘L’ as the first character of the serial number.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Fender Jaguar Offset Body Sunburst, 1964

On August 5, 2021 /

Here we’re looking at a very nice Fender Jaguar Offset body guitar in its original 3-tone sunburst. It’s in largely original condition and has been professionally re-fretted and set up – it’s ready to go! This example dates to 1964, with pot codes from that year, and was built at the Fender plant in Fullerton, California. It’s a Pre-CBS model, built before the sale of Fender to CBS which took effect on January 5, 1965.

Vintage

This instrument has sold

Pre-CBS

Fender Mustang Walnut Stain 24 Inch Scale, 1965

Fender Stratocaster Candy Apple Red, 1962-1964 (No Longer Available)

Fender Mustang Red, 1965

Fender Pre-CBS Stratocaster Sunburst, 1964

Fender L-Series Stratocaster Refinish Metallic Grey, 1965

Fender Jaguar Offset Body Sunburst, 1964

THE TWELFTH FRET

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