Vintage PartsMaster Project

[Dice]

One last spamming... The prodigal '75 Bronco has returned - and the student models needed a group photo taken:

[Richard]

Those are beautiful. You need an Duo-Sonic.

[Dice]

Don't think that I'm crazy... BUT, the neck on the Red Musicmaster is from a '66 DuoSonic, as is most of the hardware on the blue MusicMaster. Initially, that blue MM was going to be a DuoSonic (I have the '66 guard, switches, and the other pickup sitting right next to me....) - but I HATE those switches! They get all up in my way. I did a last minute change and ordered a nice looking MusicMaster guard instead.

I thought it would be cool to have 'one of each' of the student models, but chickened out in the name of playability. I rest my palm right where those switches are, and the Mustang drives me bonkers! I had even recessed the switches on that Mustang for some time to get them out of my way. It was putting too much stress on the old brittle guard, so I reverted it back.

And, thanks much! They're my babies. My non-student model guitars are all collecting dust lately.

[cooter]

That is one sweet looking collection. Very nice.

I started lightly sanding an area under the pickguard on my Musicmaster and the original Daphne blue paint is still there and looks really nice. I've got my fingers crossed that I can save the original paint.

[Aeon]

Someday maybe you'll get a 'pro' Fender.

(Just thought this ad was funny and somewhat on-topic)

[hotrodperlmutter]

very cool ad.

[Haze]

Would read again

[stewart]

for some reason the term student model gets on my tits a little bit, dunno why. like they're somehow perceived as not being as good as jaguars, which aren't as good as jazzmasters, which aren't as good as strats etc etc etc... and that's all it is in the end, perception. a lot of people hang on to myths like they're immutable fact. i get the impression that for all a lot of the big cheeses at offset like their um, offsets, it's pretty much there between the lines that the only reason for that is because vintage strats and teles are outwith their reach now.

sorry, just thinking out loud really. carry on.

[Dice]

Cooter - Thanks, and I hope you can uncover that original finish! Take it nice and slow!!

Stewart - I'm with you. It has been pretty commonly "understood" that even though Jaguars and Jazzmasters were "the" top of the line model of their day, the Strats of the same years wipe the floor with them in terms of being collectible and valuable. Yet, for some reason, the "trim level" of "student model" maintains its stigma!

What is the big quality difference between a Jaguar and a Mustang other than body shape and a couple of extra switches? The neck is exactly the same... The other differences fall under the category of personal preference to me.

And, I'll take a student model from the 60s over a budget model of the 2000's. The old student models are American made - by the same guys who made the "holy grail" instruments, using the same or similar materials and finishes... and they cost peanuts in comparison to Strats or Teles. Fine by me! "Squiers" are decent guitars, but they're a far cry from the quality of the student models of long ago.

And... I DO have some "real" Fenders floating around here as well!





Regardless, I think that the Red '64/66 Parts-MusicMaster is my favorite of them all. Even the '65 Jaguar doesn't do it for me like the red MM - "pro" model or not!


Quick! Someone scold me about the Buzz Stop! Perhaps if I set it up "right" with 13 gauge Flatwinds I wouldn't need it!





(I love that Buzz Stop.....)

[Dice]

Side note - although I have somewhat gutted the Duo-Sonic in reality, I do have one of each of what I consider to be the Classic Shortscales represented in this headstock shot!

[finboy]

here are some shots from my buddy's iphone, sorry about the quality