Help date this Craig's List Mustang

Armchair Bronco · Post by **Armchair Bronco** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:09 am

I'm considering making an offer on a Craig's List Fender Mustang finished in Olympic White.

The seller claims that this guitar was Made in Japan in the mid-1990's according to the serial # on the neck and info he received from the previous owner.

But some folks on this site said (based on the CL photo) that it was likely just a 2 or 3 year old '65RI.

Today, I saw and played the guitar in person and I took these photos. What do you guys think? Is this a legit Made in Japan mid-1990's Fender Mustang?

The serial # is: T070563. According to this site (http://www.guitarattic.com/Fender%20Ser ... umbers.htm), T+6 digits for a Japanese-made Fender translates to 1994-1995. For an allegedly 17-year old guitar, this thing is in amazing condition.

Armchair Bronco · Post by **Armchair Bronco** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:22 am

Here's an interesting thread on this issue I just found on another site:

http://www.jag-stang.com/forum/topic/61 ... al-number/

But I'm still confused. Not sure if Fender is re-cycling serial numbers or if a bunch of warehoused Mustangs from the 1990's are showing up all of a sudden. The article above was for an Olympic White Mustang with a "T" plus 6-digit serial number (just like the one I saw).

WTF?

Phil O'Keefe · Post by **Phil O'Keefe** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:23 am

http://guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

That site says it's a Fugi-Gen neck from 94-95.

I have one of those necks- serial number T0347XX. It should be pretty darned thin from front to back, with fairly shallow "shoulders" to the neck. Supposedly, the current '65 RI has a slightly thicker neck.

Here's an easier way to tell. Did the guitar have belly and forearm cutouts / contours? The 94-95 did. The current '65 doesn't.

Armchair Bronco · Post by **Armchair Bronco** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:44 am

Phil O'Keefe wrote:http://guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

That site says it's a Fugi-Gen neck from 94-95.

I have one of those necks- serial number T0347XX. It should be pretty darned thin from front to back, with fairly shallow "shoulders" to the neck. Supposedly, the current '65 RI has a slightly thicker neck.

Here's an easier way to tell. Did the guitar have belly and forearm cutouts / contours? The 94-95 did. The current '65 doesn't.

Unfortunately, I didn't know what to look for when I tried out the guitar earlier today. I took a few pictures of the "gap" between the chrome control plate and the pickguard because I was told that the gap only appears w/ modern RI's. And the one I saw had the gap.

It's hard to believe that a 17+ year old guitar could be in such pristine condition. I played a legit mid-1990's Mustang at a vintage shop in Seattle, and that looked like a 17 year old guitar. The "MIJ" model I saw today looked like it just rolled off the assembly line.

Here's the only other photo I have (from the CL listing):

Armchair Bronco · Post by **Armchair Bronco** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 5:52 am

More info. Seems that Fender started re-labeling its basses back in 2007 as "Made in Japan" and with serial numbers that started with "T0...." Just like the Mustang I saw.

So, I'm more convinced than ever that the 'Stang I played was tree back in 1994 or 1995. Plus, the "Do Not Recycle" sticker on the neck plate CAN'T be from the mid-1990's.

Here's a shot of the MIJ bass serial number. Look familiar?

hotrodperlmutter · Post by **hotrodperlmutter** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 6:29 am

if the price is right and you can live with the pickups, it shouldn't matter.

if it has contours, unfortunately that doesn't tell you anything other than it's an MG69 (like a '69RI), not a 65RI or CLASSIC PLAYER MUSTNAG

or whatever

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:20 am

It's the newer '65 RI, the serial numbers are a bit of a pain now that they are re-using them for MIJ, but the slab body and tuners give it away.

weeping_moon · Post by **weeping_moon** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:25 am

It looks exactly like my 65RW OW Cleassic Series. The 90s mustangs did not have white tuner buttons.
I really like this guitar.

kypdurron · Post by **kypdurron** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:31 am

+, the typo of the "Made in Japan" on my 93 (bought in 94) Jazzmaster is slightly smaller and thinner. I'd go with the idea that it's newer, too - which isn't bad, 65 RI Mustangs are of amazing quality.

murdok · Post by **murdok** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 11:37 am

you have been told in a previous thread about this mustang, a 65 reissue, and only a few years old. F tuners on a reissue mustang didn't appear until 2005 at the earliest. and the 65 reissues have only been around since 2007 or 2008. and you said yourself it looks super new, which it is. in fact only a couple of years old. suggest you start looking at "Fender Mustang reissue" on ebay to start edumacating yourself.

weeping_moon · Post by **weeping_moon** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 12:01 pm

Why dont you just buy a Cobain mustang in sonic blue if you like Nirvana?

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:15 pm

that guitar is brand new.

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:18 pm

Phil O'Keefe wrote:http://guitardaterproject.org/fender.aspx

That site says it's a Fugi-Gen neck from 94-95.

I have one of those necks- serial number T0347XX. It should be pretty darned thin from front to back, with fairly shallow "shoulders" to the neck. Supposedly, the current '65 RI has a slightly thicker neck.

Here's an easier way to tell. Did the guitar have belly and forearm cutouts / contours? The 94-95 did. The current '65 doesn't.

my new 65RI neck is chunkier than my compstangRI neck, jag stang neck, jaguar neck, bronco neck. its thicker than all that shit

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:19 pm

if some guy had a 90's mustang, and put brand new F tuners on it, you would see holes, or traces of where a screw hole was at the end of both the high E, and low E tuners

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:20 pm

how many more posts can i make telling you this thing is a new one ?

Johnny Noir · Post by **Johnny Noir** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:36 pm

no doubt, it's a new one

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 2:44 pm

As I posted on Jag-Stang.com on a similar thread:

From the Fender Japan website (http://www.fender.com/support/articles/ ... uct-dating) (used Google to translate the Japanese):

Serial Number Approximate year of manufacture
Made in Japan JV + 5 truss の figures 1982-1984
Made in Japan SQ + 5 truss の figures 1983-1984
Made in Japan E + 6 truss の figures 1984-1987
Made in Japan A + 6 truss の figures 1985-1986
Made in Japan B + 6 truss の figures 1985-1986
Made in Japan C + 6 truss の figures 1985-1986
Made in Japan F + 6 truss の figures 1986-1987
Made in Japan G + 6 truss の figures 1987-1988
Made in Japan H + 6 truss の figures 1988-1989
Made in Japan I + 6 truss の figures 1989-1990
Made in Japan J + 6 truss の figures 1989-1990
Made in Japan K + 6 truss の figures 1990-1991
Made in Japan L + 6 truss の figures 1991-1992
Made in Japan M + 6 truss の figures 1992-1993
Made in Japan N + 6 truss の figures 1993-1994
Made in Japan O + 6 truss の figures 1993-1994
Made in Japan P + 6 truss の figures 1993-1994
Made in Japan Q + 6 truss の figures 1993-1994
Made in Japan S + 6 truss の figures 1994-1995
Made in Japan T + 6 truss の figures 1994-1995
Made in Japan U + 6 truss の figures 1995-1996
Made in Japan V + 6 truss の figures 1996-1997
Crafted in Japan A + 6 truss の figures 1997-1998
Crafted in Japan N + 5 truss の figures 1995-1996
Crafted in Japan O0 + 5 truss の figures 1997-2000
Crafted in Japan P0 + 5 truss の figures 1999-2002
Crafted in Japan Q0 + 5 truss の figures 2002-2004
Crafted in Japan R0 + 5 truss の figures 2004-2006
Crafted in Japan S0 + 5 truss の figures 2006-2008
Crafted in Japan T0 + 5 truss の figures 2007-2008
Made in Japan T0 + 5 truss の figures 2007-2010
Made in Japan U0 + 5 truss の figures 2010-

I would say new also.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 3:12 pm

Lots of good Mustang info in this thread.

The main thing is that you like the guitar and the price is reasonable. I don't think mid 90's mustang go for much more than current reissues. I understand wanting to know exactly what you are looking at, but I don't think anything here will be affecting the price that much.

Armchair Bronco · Post by **Armchair Bronco** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 7:36 pm

robroe wrote:how many more posts can i make telling you this thing is a new one ?

Dude, I trusted you from the beginning, but I wanted to understand more about the Mystery of the T+6 digit serial numbers and the "Made in Japan" moniker on the back of the neck.

Fender has really confused the issue by recycling serial numbers. Almost all of the sites on the web state that T+6 digits = 1994/1995.

Look, the guitar I really wanted to buy was a legit mid-1990's Fender Mustang in the same color scheme. I played it at a Vintage Shop in Seattle, really liked it, and then stupidly failed to put down some earnest money. Someone else bought it and I was pissed. Then I saw this listing for what appeared to be *another* mid-1990's Mustang.

The 65RI I played was really nice and it sounded great. But all of my other guitars are new, and I want to own at least 1 guitar that's closer to 20 years old than 2. That's all.

The new Dodge (Reissue) Challengers are a cool modern take on a classic muscle car, but a 2008 Challenger does not equal a 1970 Dodge Challenger.

westtexasred · Post by **westtexasred** » Sat Apr 28, 2012 8:47 pm

Walter White knows what to do with a 2008 Dodge Challenger

Help date this Craig's List Mustang

Help date this Craig's List Mustang

Re: Help date this Craig's List Mustang