Step By Step Restoration-1965 Fender Mustang
I found this beauty at my favorite pawn shop in
Anderson, South Carolina. Because it had been
stripped by a previous owner, it had not been very
attractive to the average guitar player...but to me...it
was gold!
This Pre-CBS Fender
Mustang was stripped
by a previous
owner...the good
news...it is almost all
original and even has
the hard-to-find bridge
cover!
The neck date shows the date of manufacture to be the
8th of June, 1965; most collectors consider Fenders
with neck dates prior to mid-July 1965 to be Pre-CBS.
The Columbia Broadcasting System purchased Fender
and took over about mid-year 1965. It took a while
before changes (mostly bad changes) happened to
most products.
Plastic is not forever!
Vintage guitars have
taught us that plastics
sometimes tend to leak
their plasticizers and
crumble after about 30
years...a problem that is
worse if the guitar is left
in the case. These tuner
buttons are immaculate!
When the Mustang was introduced in 1964, Kluson
tuners were used. About mid year 1965, Fender
switched to "F' logo tuners. Luckily, this guitar has the
original Klusons.
At the Fender factory, the Mustang logo was originally
applied after the nitro-cellulose laquer. Consequently,
many logos are partially missing. This logo left with the
entire finish! Luckily, the previous owner left an original
decal in the case when he pawned it. The logo was a
post-1966 version, but since Mustang decals are rare...I
was thrilled to find it.
The neck is fine sanded and stained with Old Masters-
Golden Oak Gel Stain. This particular stain matches
perfectly with the yellowed laquer of vintage Fender necks.