1968 Fender Mustang Guitar For Sale (2024 Update)

My first factory-road worn instrument and I am a convert. It smells lovely and the relicing doesn’t look artificial. It definitely has that played-in feel without the issues of a knackered old bass. Sounds pretty good too! Tried out a few mustangs in the past but this is by far the nicest.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've been a short scale fan ever since buying a Fender Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar SS bass many years ago. I was impressed with quality of the Squire and after changing the pickups (P J set) found it was the bass I always picked up to play. I had recently been looking at the Mustang but found it hard to justify buying since I already had a short scale bass. Then I saw the JMJ signature… road worn, '66 style with original style custom Seymour Duncan spilt coil pickups and a wider neck then my Jaguar. I bought one and after playing it for a few weeks I have no regrets. What a difference in the quality which I already thought was good in the inexpensive Squire. The neck feels great and the extra time spent on the fret work is obvious. I really love what they've done to create the "road worn" look, which something you can't get unless you're buying a Custom Shop instrument. All that you've heard about the JMJ Mustang is true. Killer tone that really cuts through the mix. This is my first Fender bass and after 30 years of playing I don't know why I waited so long. I guess I just wanted to be different… if you are serious about getting a short scale bass this is a great option you won't be disappointed.Shane

I've had the idea to buy a bass to help improve stagnation in my recording and writing process. I went in and looked at the wall of instruments and was impressed. The thing Sam Ash does right that others do not these days (ahem…GC) is have a variety of price ranges and styles to explore. The store rep came over offered me a cord to try them out and left me to do my thing. The reason why a variety was essential was because I was able to play basses on the lower price point, one that I initially planned to buy, but then a bright light shined on the only bass on the wall with flat wound strings and a relic finish. I plugged it in, let it rip, and it felt/sounded amazing. I put it back on the wall, picked up the cheap bass I wanted and it sounded clanky, put it back and kept picking up this bass on the wall, again and again. This is when the store rep came over to check on me, didn't pressure me, but validated me saying the feel on that one is like no other, then offered to work with me on price if I was interested. After I finally decided, there was some chatter among the other store reps that someone was buying "the relic!" I felt special. In the end, I went in Sam Ash on a budget and left with an instrument I'll keep for life and give to my kids. No bad decisions were made.DYLAN

I have previously played and owned only long scale basses. Have always wanted to try a short scale. Went to my local GC and tried a few they had in house. The short scale Sterling was a nice looking bass but the fret work was terrible. Based on reading other reviews I took a risk and ordered a Squire CV 60 Mustang. It is a beautiful instrument. Arrived in great condition with absolutely no flaws. Finish is great, Fretwork is great, string action and intonation were nearly perfect. Hard to believe that Squire can make an instrument like this for such a reasonable price.Jim

I have always wanted a short-scale Fender and decided to pull the trigger on the Squire CV version. Being a Gibson player, the 25.5 scale length always threw me off but this Mustang is very easy to play/swap between my Les Paul and 335's. The single-coil tones are great and certainly a contrast to the humbuckers & P90's I usually play. To be 100% honest, you better have some skills in setting up guitars and polishing frets or be prepared to pay a tech to get these guitars to their full potential. I had to completely polish the frets and fiddle for weeks to get the action to my liking. A neck shim is almost essential to get any height on the bridge and provide enough downward pressure to keep things intonated. I have no idea why Fender doesn't do this on all Mustang's, Jazzmasters and Jaguars since this is a very well-known issue. Once dialed in and frets polished up, this Mustang is a little tone monster.Jason F

Sound: It's a classic Mustang sound. Ease of Use: The Mustang bass was originally made for younger players and students, but it has a serious professional following as well. Quality: The only problem initially was rough fret ends which were quickly taken care of. Look for pro advice online as to how to do this. Value: Because I owned one before, I feel this is worth the selling price. Manufacturer Support: No contact with Fender about any concerns. Unless it's something out of my ability I'll handle it myself. The Wow Factor: When I first saw the "Vintage Vibe" Mustang bass, it owned me. Overall: I've owned one before and had to sell it. Incredible instrument. I've always preferred short scale basses because they're so much fun to play. Had to buy this one. I like playing this bass more than my 2001 American Series Precision bass! You won't be disappointed. Perhaps some minor tweaking may be needed, but worth every cent.Ampman

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Mustang as my previous experiences with short scale basses had not been good. But everything about this has been fine. The bridge pickup does sound a little buzzy with the tone fully up, but I really don't care! This is a surprisingly fun instrument.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I feel that this bass is excellent value for money. I was surprised by the high quality of the workmanship and materials. Of course it needs a setup to one's preference but that is really only a matter of a tweak of the truss rod, lowering the action and setting intonation. All of this is detailed carefully in the owners manual to assist the diy player or take it to a local luthier for a basice setup. Lots of variation in tones and really fun to play, I'm really happy with it.Tom

I know that I will start an argument with this comment but I'm gonna say it anyway. Why lug around a full size bass guitar when the short scale bass sounds just as good and weighs a lot less. I tried a full size bass and to tell the truth I would have never been able to play a set with it. It was just too heavy for me. Maybe twenty years ago I may have been able to take the weight but not now. I am a guitar player mostly and the full size bass was too much. This bass is the perfect weight, the perfect look and quality, and sounds like a full size bass. It just does. I see a time where the 34 inch scale will wither away and be replaced with the shorter scale bass. It's inevitable. The full size bass has nothing to offer over the shorter scales than maybe cosmetic options. And that will change as time goes on a people realize the advantages of the shorter scale. As a disclaimer I will say that is my opinion. I am sure that full time bass players may have their own reasons for the full size bass.Danny

Having a couple guitars I was curious about the short scale. Came across a Mustang P90 in surf green with maple fret in the open box section. Awesome deal , guitar is a joy to play. Sounds great clean or with overdrive. What an fantastic bang for the buck fun. Fun to play blues , metal , punk thrash…etc Cannot say enough good things about this guitar.Michael P

Overall: I can't believe there aren't any reviews of this guitar yet!I have the Burgundy Mist version of this with the pao ferro fretboard which, sadly, zZounds no longer carries. It's pretty, really pretty, and it exudes a seriously vintage vibe. (I saw an antique Burgundy Mist Chevrolet last week and I immediately thought of my feisty little Fender.)The hardware; bridge & tuners, is your standard MiM Fender quality. They're more than up to the task. The Strat-style bridge makes this an easy guitar to keep in tune. (I once had a 1978 Mustang and keeping it in tune was a nightmare that not even Edgar Allen Poe or H.P. Lovecraft could imagine.)The MP-90 pickups are capable of so much that it I could fill a whole page trying to accurately describe them. They are beefy enough to really drive a good tube amp. (My main amps are a Marshall DSL1 and Vox AC4-C112.) On a clean setting the neck pickup on its' own isn't particularly impressive, kinda dark, but the middle and bridge positions are really versatile if you tweak the volume and tone controls.With distortion, in my case a Boss MD-2 Mega Distortion (it's more of a gargantuan fuzz than a distortion pedal), all three positions sings with a tone that would make Leslie West smile broadly.I'm not a big guy (5'9", 150 lbs) so the small offset body and short scale neck are really comfortable.There is only one real drawback to this marvelous axe but it's something that shouldn't for even a second dissuade anyone from adding this guitar to their guitarsenal, and that's the pickup selector switch. It's junk. It cuts out and is rather staticky (is that a word?). It's a cheap piece of junk but it usually works so I can deal with it. (And you can as well.) I'll eventually replace it but there's no need to right now.My particular specimen had a truly beautifully grained pao ferro fretboard, with the frets being smooth and very well dressed. I love a big monstrous tone and this little wonder genuinely delivers.(Fender's prices have gone up since I bought mine but this particular axe is an absolute joy to play and for the price is still a true bargain. It loves, LOVES, full six-string power chords so if you're in a Mountain tribute band then you'll find a lot to like in this guitar.)I am first and foremost a "Telecaster guy" but I love pulling out this little dude and blasting away like Han Solo in a cantina full of Greedos.I've gone on for far too long here but it's only because I really, really like this guitar.[In my 'stars' rating I give this guy five stars in the 'manufacturer support' column because I own a bunch of Fenders and have never had a problem.]Mark

First impression is that this is a quality instrument, it feels very solid and well-crafted. No sharp fret ends or any other flaws (except for a fair amount of debris under the pickguard). It's hard to beat the classic combination of Alder, Maple and Rosewood for a sound that rings out loudly unplugged. I debated between the Vintera, Squier CV and the Performer models because these are the current vibrato-equipped Mustangs – in the end, the new and improved vibrato sold me on the Performer. I bought the Vintage White (butter-colored) and it weighs 7.7 lbs – I've seen this model as low in weight as 7.1 lbs. If the Sonic blue had competition stripes, that would have been my favorite. Out of the box, the setup was perfect (though I did put in a Stew Mac .25 neck shim to raise the bridge some – action-wise, it didn't need the shim, but helps with the trem action), and the urethane off-gassing potent. The Mustang, being on back-order for so long (I waited 3 months from order date), was probably just assembled when I received it on 12/7/21 (August and October '21 production dates are seen in the photo of neck pocket and neck heel). Besides being the only US production-run Mustang, it has the aforementioned revised vibrato – which is super smooth and stays in tune very well. [I did put on a set of locking tuners I had on hand, but I'm sure the stock ones are fine, too.] The obvious welcome revision is the nylon arm sleeve that replaces the screw-in type; it holds the arm in place at any angle. As well, the Performer body has a new rectangular rout, and larger spring routing, under under the tremolo (so, not interchangeable with a vintage unit or guitar without modification) – accommodating a metal plate that reinforces the fulcrum point of the two spring-tethered vibrato posts. This plate is attached with 3 larger screws on the face of the vibrato, giving it a slightly different look from the vintage Mustang vibrato/tremolo.The Fender script is also gone, maybe giving the initial appearance of a plain, cheaper import trem unit? Once removed from the body, the new vibrato feels heavy and substantial. The electronics are interesting – the spirit of the Mustang tone-control quirkiness lives on in the new Performer series Mustang. As a pickup set, they're well-matched and mine register 8k ohms for the neck pickup and 8.5k ohms for the bridge. Unlike a typical tone control that makes the guitar sound increasingly bassy as you roll off the treble, the Greasebucket circuit makes the pickups sound fuller as you roll the tone back – you're not losing the top-end until the very end of the tone range, like on 2. On 10, with the treble all the way up, the sound is very thin (maybe a substitute for the out-of-phase position found on a traditional Mustang?), and can be harsh if the volume knob is also all the way up – rolling the volume back to 8 will clean up the pick-ups. String attack is pronounced with the Yosemite set. The guitar sounds best with the tone rolled back 3/4's of the way, especially the bridge, imo – that's unusual and it gives the pickups a unique character and full sound, or not, depending how you set the tone circuit – from thinner to fuller is really the tonal range of the control set. Therefore, you might not get the immediate sonic versatility of a Strat or Tele (or, vintage-wired Mustang), but you do get cool sound-shaping controls that function differently compared to a normally wired guitar. As well, the Mustang has a more compact and intimate playing area, and with the very responsive vibrato that stays in tune, it's a lot of fun to play. The modern neck with its c-shape, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets and satin finish – will be easy to play for lots of different styles of music. String tension is pretty elastic, but still I'm fine with the 9's it comes with (it's what I normally use) as they work well with the spring setting of the trem – mine is set for the least amount of spring tension from the factory. I would imagine as you go up in string gauge you would want to take off the vibrato unit and move the spring position up 1 or 2 spots on the post. **I appreciate the included – made in Vietnam, embroidered Fender logo – light-duty – deluxe gig bag. There aren't a lot of short-scale case options out there and it fits this guitar perfectly, though not a super lot of protection. In the end, Fender has reimagined many aspects of the Mustang: upgraded vibrato; new electronics; medium-jumbo frets; satin finish neck. And, as an American made instrument it retains the traditional Rosewood fretboard, another plus (mine was dry and needed conditioning – to be expected from the fret install process and clean-up). I'm very pleased with this US produced guitar and the way it sounds, plays, feels – and looks!Jon

I was looking for an American-made Mustang and came across the American Performer series. I purchased the antique white version. It's more of a buttercream yellow than white. I was really surprised by the quality because I'd only previously played MIM models that weren't always great. The tremolo tail piece is different than the Strat and Jazzmaster systems. It's very sensitive and has incredible range. I see why some like to block it up because it bends at the slightest touch, but it works very well and stays in tune for the most part. Sound is great, both clean and crunch – it's very versatile. It's also very light and manageable. It's becoming one of my favorite guitars and I have an American Pro Jazzmaster, a MIM Tele, MIK Esquire, and a Gibson 335. My only quality gripe is the frets are a bit rough on the edges. I like the jumbos, but seems like they need a bit more smoothing over. Other than that the setup was great out of the box, tuners are great, and I like the greasebucket tone.Rojo

instrument looks and feels great. Neck, frets and body are gorgeous. However the finish elsewhere is not so good. Some tailpiece screws were only halfway in! The springs on the vibrato keep falling off the posts necessitating constant complete removal of the unit to re-attach them. This means loosening all the strings which are now knackered after about the fifth attempt to make it all work. The action is diabolical with frets buzzing on E A and D strings below the 12th fret. Adjusting the bridge means once again loosening strings and messing with the vibrato, which then drops it’s springs… The frustration level is very, very high. Looks lovely but couldn’t really recommend one unless you can afford a professional setup on top of the asking price.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I'm a collector and a builder. I've been playing for about 45 years, but don't seem to have the talent for playing beyond the point of entertaining myself. That's okay, I love the guitar as an art object and this one is a little masterpiece. I love the light weight, and that, coupled with the P90s(I guess)gives me a sound that I have been looking for. The 9.5" radius neck is the first I've ever played, and is absolutely perfect for me. Setup was spot on out of the box, and seems easy to maintain. Construction is to very high standards, and should last a lifetime in the hands of a caring player, after all, it was designed as a student guitar!Cal

My first favorite electric in the 60s, was a Jag. I wanted the 24 inch scale. I wanted p90s too. This mustang looks great and has both features I wanted. It was described as a return in condition 3. I can't find the offending conditions. It looks as if new. So for a significant reduction in price, this required no thought. There is a local luthier and freind who is wonderful. It is worth every cent to have him do the set up. I've been looking for years for an affordable vintage mustang or bronco. They go for stupid money on line. I was waiting for more reviews or chance to play one of these new Mexico mustangs. Solid wood, solid bridge, good Neck! At full retail a good price. Looking at my white mustang on the stand, the pictures don't do it justice. I don't leave guitars alone. It's an addiction. Up grade the p90s ? Can I retro in individual brass saddles in the bridge for each string. Hmm.Teleman

With multiple pick up options due to the switches, this guitar is perfect for any genre of music. It's great for jazz and rock, even distorted grunge. The rosewood neck is an ideal size for anyone it fit their hands around it. Also it's great for sliding. The vibrato arm is just astounding the way it can alter your tone. This guitar reminds me of a rad spaceship, and can sound like one too with the right guitar player. Vintage never felt nor sounded good like this!stayxretro81

My first factory-road worn instrument and I am a convert. It smells lovely and the relicing doesn’t look artificial. It definitely has that played-in feel without the issues of a knackered old bass. Sounds pretty good too! Tried out a few mustangs in the past but this is by far the nicest.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've been a short scale fan ever since buying a Fender Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar SS bass many years ago. I was impressed with quality of the Squire and after changing the pickups (P J set) found it was the bass I always picked up to play. I had recently been looking at the Mustang but found it hard to justify buying since I already had a short scale bass. Then I saw the JMJ signature… road worn, '66 style with original style custom Seymour Duncan spilt coil pickups and a wider neck then my Jaguar. I bought one and after playing it for a few weeks I have no regrets. What a difference in the quality which I already thought was good in the inexpensive Squire. The neck feels great and the extra time spent on the fret work is obvious. I really love what they've done to create the "road worn" look, which something you can't get unless you're buying a Custom Shop instrument. All that you've heard about the JMJ Mustang is true. Killer tone that really cuts through the mix. This is my first Fender bass and after 30 years of playing I don't know why I waited so long. I guess I just wanted to be different… if you are serious about getting a short scale bass this is a great option you won't be disappointed.Shane

I've had the idea to buy a bass to help improve stagnation in my recording and writing process. I went in and looked at the wall of instruments and was impressed. The thing Sam Ash does right that others do not these days (ahem…GC) is have a variety of price ranges and styles to explore. The store rep came over offered me a cord to try them out and left me to do my thing. The reason why a variety was essential was because I was able to play basses on the lower price point, one that I initially planned to buy, but then a bright light shined on the only bass on the wall with flat wound strings and a relic finish. I plugged it in, let it rip, and it felt/sounded amazing. I put it back on the wall, picked up the cheap bass I wanted and it sounded clanky, put it back and kept picking up this bass on the wall, again and again. This is when the store rep came over to check on me, didn't pressure me, but validated me saying the feel on that one is like no other, then offered to work with me on price if I was interested. After I finally decided, there was some chatter among the other store reps that someone was buying "the relic!" I felt special. In the end, I went in Sam Ash on a budget and left with an instrument I'll keep for life and give to my kids. No bad decisions were made.DYLAN

First impression is that this is a quality instrument, it feels very solid and well-crafted. No sharp fret ends or any other flaws (except for a fair amount of debris under the pickguard). It's hard to beat the classic combination of Alder, Maple and Rosewood for a sound that rings out loudly unplugged. I debated between the Vintera, Squier CV and the Performer models because these are the current vibrato-equipped Mustangs – in the end, the new and improved vibrato sold me on the Performer. I bought the Vintage White (butter-colored) and it weighs 7.7 lbs – I've seen this model as low in weight as 7.1 lbs. If the Sonic blue had competition stripes, that would have been my favorite. Out of the box, the setup was perfect (though I did put in a Stew Mac .25 neck shim to raise the bridge some – action-wise, it didn't need the shim, but helps with the trem action), and the urethane off-gassing potent. The Mustang, being on back-order for so long (I waited 3 months from order date), was probably just assembled when I received it on 12/7/21 (August and October '21 production dates are seen in the photo of neck pocket and neck heel). Besides being the only US production-run Mustang, it has the aforementioned revised vibrato – which is super smooth and stays in tune very well. [I did put on a set of locking tuners I had on hand, but I'm sure the stock ones are fine, too.] The obvious welcome revision is the nylon arm sleeve that replaces the screw-in type; it holds the arm in place at any angle. As well, the Performer body has a new rectangular rout, and larger spring routing, under under the tremolo (so, not interchangeable with a vintage unit or guitar without modification) – accommodating a metal plate that reinforces the fulcrum point of the two spring-tethered vibrato posts. This plate is attached with 3 larger screws on the face of the vibrato, giving it a slightly different look from the vintage Mustang vibrato/tremolo.The Fender script is also gone, maybe giving the initial appearance of a plain, cheaper import trem unit? Once removed from the body, the new vibrato feels heavy and substantial. The electronics are interesting – the spirit of the Mustang tone-control quirkiness lives on in the new Performer series Mustang. As a pickup set, they're well-matched and mine register 8k ohms for the neck pickup and 8.5k ohms for the bridge. Unlike a typical tone control that makes the guitar sound increasingly bassy as you roll off the treble, the Greasebucket circuit makes the pickups sound fuller as you roll the tone back – you're not losing the top-end until the very end of the tone range, like on 2. On 10, with the treble all the way up, the sound is very thin (maybe a substitute for the out-of-phase position found on a traditional Mustang?), and can be harsh if the volume knob is also all the way up – rolling the volume back to 8 will clean up the pick-ups. String attack is pronounced with the Yosemite set. The guitar sounds best with the tone rolled back 3/4's of the way, especially the bridge, imo – that's unusual and it gives the pickups a unique character and full sound, or not, depending how you set the tone circuit – from thinner to fuller is really the tonal range of the control set. Therefore, you might not get the immediate sonic versatility of a Strat or Tele (or, vintage-wired Mustang), but you do get cool sound-shaping controls that function differently compared to a normally wired guitar. As well, the Mustang has a more compact and intimate playing area, and with the very responsive vibrato that stays in tune, it's a lot of fun to play. The modern neck with its c-shape, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets and satin finish – will be easy to play for lots of different styles of music. String tension is pretty elastic, but still I'm fine with the 9's it comes with (it's what I normally use) as they work well with the spring setting of the trem – mine is set for the least amount of spring tension from the factory. I would imagine as you go up in string gauge you would want to take off the vibrato unit and move the spring position up 1 or 2 spots on the post. **I appreciate the included – made in Vietnam, embroidered Fender logo – light-duty – deluxe gig bag. There aren't a lot of short-scale case options out there and it fits this guitar perfectly, though not a super lot of protection. In the end, Fender has reimagined many aspects of the Mustang: upgraded vibrato; new electronics; medium-jumbo frets; satin finish neck. And, as an American made instrument it retains the traditional Rosewood fretboard, another plus (mine was dry and needed conditioning – to be expected from the fret install process and clean-up). I'm very pleased with this US produced guitar and the way it sounds, plays, feels – and looks!Jon

I was looking for an American-made Mustang and came across the American Performer series. I purchased the antique white version. It's more of a buttercream yellow than white. I was really surprised by the quality because I'd only previously played MIM models that weren't always great. The tremolo tail piece is different than the Strat and Jazzmaster systems. It's very sensitive and has incredible range. I see why some like to block it up because it bends at the slightest touch, but it works very well and stays in tune for the most part. Sound is great, both clean and crunch – it's very versatile. It's also very light and manageable. It's becoming one of my favorite guitars and I have an American Pro Jazzmaster, a MIM Tele, MIK Esquire, and a Gibson 335. My only quality gripe is the frets are a bit rough on the edges. I like the jumbos, but seems like they need a bit more smoothing over. Other than that the setup was great out of the box, tuners are great, and I like the greasebucket tone.Rojo

instrument looks and feels great. Neck, frets and body are gorgeous. However the finish elsewhere is not so good. Some tailpiece screws were only halfway in! The springs on the vibrato keep falling off the posts necessitating constant complete removal of the unit to re-attach them. This means loosening all the strings which are now knackered after about the fifth attempt to make it all work. The action is diabolical with frets buzzing on E A and D strings below the 12th fret. Adjusting the bridge means once again loosening strings and messing with the vibrato, which then drops it’s springs… The frustration level is very, very high. Looks lovely but couldn’t really recommend one unless you can afford a professional setup on top of the asking price.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

First impression is that this is a quality instrument, it feels very solid and well-crafted. No sharp fret ends or any other flaws (except for a fair amount of debris under the pickguard). It's hard to beat the classic combination of Alder, Maple and Rosewood for a sound that rings out loudly unplugged. I debated between the Vintera, Squier CV and the Performer models because these are the current vibrato-equipped Mustangs – in the end, the new and improved vibrato sold me on the Performer. I bought the Vintage White (butter-colored) and it weighs 7.7 lbs – I've seen this model as low in weight as 7.1 lbs. If the Sonic blue had competition stripes, that would have been my favorite. Out of the box, the setup was perfect (though I did put in a Stew Mac .25 neck shim to raise the bridge some – action-wise, it didn't need the shim, but helps with the trem action), and the urethane off-gassing potent. The Mustang, being on back-order for so long (I waited 3 months from order date), was probably just assembled when I received it on 12/7/21 (August and October '21 production dates are seen in the photo of neck pocket and neck heel). Besides being the only US production-run Mustang, it has the aforementioned revised vibrato – which is super smooth and stays in tune very well. [I did put on a set of locking tuners I had on hand, but I'm sure the stock ones are fine, too.] The obvious welcome revision is the nylon arm sleeve that replaces the screw-in type; it holds the arm in place at any angle. As well, the Performer body has a new rectangular rout, and larger spring routing, under under the tremolo (so, not interchangeable with a vintage unit or guitar without modification) – accommodating a metal plate that reinforces the fulcrum point of the two spring-tethered vibrato posts. This plate is attached with 3 larger screws on the face of the vibrato, giving it a slightly different look from the vintage Mustang vibrato/tremolo.The Fender script is also gone, maybe giving the initial appearance of a plain, cheaper import trem unit? Once removed from the body, the new vibrato feels heavy and substantial. The electronics are interesting – the spirit of the Mustang tone-control quirkiness lives on in the new Performer series Mustang. As a pickup set, they're well-matched and mine register 8k ohms for the neck pickup and 8.5k ohms for the bridge. Unlike a typical tone control that makes the guitar sound increasingly bassy as you roll off the treble, the Greasebucket circuit makes the pickups sound fuller as you roll the tone back – you're not losing the top-end until the very end of the tone range, like on 2. On 10, with the treble all the way up, the sound is very thin (maybe a substitute for the out-of-phase position found on a traditional Mustang?), and can be harsh if the volume knob is also all the way up – rolling the volume back to 8 will clean up the pick-ups. String attack is pronounced with the Yosemite set. The guitar sounds best with the tone rolled back 3/4's of the way, especially the bridge, imo – that's unusual and it gives the pickups a unique character and full sound, or not, depending how you set the tone circuit – from thinner to fuller is really the tonal range of the control set. Therefore, you might not get the immediate sonic versatility of a Strat or Tele (or, vintage-wired Mustang), but you do get cool sound-shaping controls that function differently compared to a normally wired guitar. As well, the Mustang has a more compact and intimate playing area, and with the very responsive vibrato that stays in tune, it's a lot of fun to play. The modern neck with its c-shape, 9.5" radius, medium jumbo frets and satin finish – will be easy to play for lots of different styles of music. String tension is pretty elastic, but still I'm fine with the 9's it comes with (it's what I normally use) as they work well with the spring setting of the trem – mine is set for the least amount of spring tension from the factory. I would imagine as you go up in string gauge you would want to take off the vibrato unit and move the spring position up 1 or 2 spots on the post. **I appreciate the included – made in Vietnam, embroidered Fender logo – light-duty – deluxe gig bag. There aren't a lot of short-scale case options out there and it fits this guitar perfectly, though not a super lot of protection. In the end, Fender has reimagined many aspects of the Mustang: upgraded vibrato; new electronics; medium-jumbo frets; satin finish neck. And, as an American made instrument it retains the traditional Rosewood fretboard, another plus (mine was dry and needed conditioning – to be expected from the fret install process and clean-up). I'm very pleased with this US produced guitar and the way it sounds, plays, feels – and looks!Jon

I was looking for an American-made Mustang and came across the American Performer series. I purchased the antique white version. It's more of a buttercream yellow than white. I was really surprised by the quality because I'd only previously played MIM models that weren't always great. The tremolo tail piece is different than the Strat and Jazzmaster systems. It's very sensitive and has incredible range. I see why some like to block it up because it bends at the slightest touch, but it works very well and stays in tune for the most part. Sound is great, both clean and crunch – it's very versatile. It's also very light and manageable. It's becoming one of my favorite guitars and I have an American Pro Jazzmaster, a MIM Tele, MIK Esquire, and a Gibson 335. My only quality gripe is the frets are a bit rough on the edges. I like the jumbos, but seems like they need a bit more smoothing over. Other than that the setup was great out of the box, tuners are great, and I like the greasebucket tone.Rojo

instrument looks and feels great. Neck, frets and body are gorgeous. However the finish elsewhere is not so good. Some tailpiece screws were only halfway in! The springs on the vibrato keep falling off the posts necessitating constant complete removal of the unit to re-attach them. This means loosening all the strings which are now knackered after about the fifth attempt to make it all work. The action is diabolical with frets buzzing on E A and D strings below the 12th fret. Adjusting the bridge means once again loosening strings and messing with the vibrato, which then drops it’s springs… The frustration level is very, very high. Looks lovely but couldn’t really recommend one unless you can afford a professional setup on top of the asking price.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

My first factory-road worn instrument and I am a convert. It smells lovely and the relicing doesn’t look artificial. It definitely has that played-in feel without the issues of a knackered old bass. Sounds pretty good too! Tried out a few mustangs in the past but this is by far the nicest.Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

I've been a short scale fan ever since buying a Fender Squire Vintage Modified Jaguar SS bass many years ago. I was impressed with quality of the Squire and after changing the pickups (P J set) found it was the bass I always picked up to play. I had recently been looking at the Mustang but found it hard to justify buying since I already had a short scale bass. Then I saw the JMJ signature… road worn, '66 style with original style custom Seymour Duncan spilt coil pickups and a wider neck then my Jaguar. I bought one and after playing it for a few weeks I have no regrets. What a difference in the quality which I already thought was good in the inexpensive Squire. The neck feels great and the extra time spent on the fret work is obvious. I really love what they've done to create the "road worn" look, which something you can't get unless you're buying a Custom Shop instrument. All that you've heard about the JMJ Mustang is true. Killer tone that really cuts through the mix. This is my first Fender bass and after 30 years of playing I don't know why I waited so long. I guess I just wanted to be different… if you are serious about getting a short scale bass this is a great option you won't be disappointed.Shane

I've had the idea to buy a bass to help improve stagnation in my recording and writing process. I went in and looked at the wall of instruments and was impressed. The thing Sam Ash does right that others do not these days (ahem…GC) is have a variety of price ranges and styles to explore. The store rep came over offered me a cord to try them out and left me to do my thing. The reason why a variety was essential was because I was able to play basses on the lower price point, one that I initially planned to buy, but then a bright light shined on the only bass on the wall with flat wound strings and a relic finish. I plugged it in, let it rip, and it felt/sounded amazing. I put it back on the wall, picked up the cheap bass I wanted and it sounded clanky, put it back and kept picking up this bass on the wall, again and again. This is when the store rep came over to check on me, didn't pressure me, but validated me saying the feel on that one is like no other, then offered to work with me on price if I was interested. After I finally decided, there was some chatter among the other store reps that someone was buying "the relic!" I felt special. In the end, I went in Sam Ash on a budget and left with an instrument I'll keep for life and give to my kids. No bad decisions were made.DYLAN

what a great bass! It's beautiful, light, and sonically versatile. the different pickup modes have 3 radically different tones which makes this bass right for lots of situations. I've seen some reviews that mentioned so issues with some fret roughness but mine showed up in perfect condition. I couldn't be happier with the bass. I also want to mention the customer service. I used the chat feature to confirm whether this bass came with a bag or case. the agent let me know that it does not but pointed me to the bundle that includes the bag and they set me up with a price I could not pass up. once I completed the purchase the item was shipped within 90 minutes. Other music stores I've done business with are not nearly as responsive. CME killed itShaun M.

This is a great short scale bass. It is a quality instrument. The finish is excellent. Playability straight out of the box was very good. Nicely set up.I love the pick-ups and the ability to blend the two with their individual volume controls. Great range of tones available. It looks good too ! Highly recommended. The only gripe is that at this price it should come in a hard case and not a bag !Reviewed by Andertons Music Co.

Really good guitar for nirvana type music. Only issue is that you need to set it up for it to be playable but once it's set up it's a great instrument. Pickups are pretty articulate but not to bright either just perfectly balanced. If you get one I recommend to lock the bridge down to improve its tuning stability and sustain. Note it DOES NOT sound like a kc style mustang, it has its own sort of sound to it. Fretboard is pretty nice same with the low radius which I prefer. Overall it's one of my favorite guitars I've ever bought and I cannot recommend it enough if you play grunge and nirvana music.Preston