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Anybody have an opinion on 70's mustangs? I've only played ones from the 60's (or 60 reissues) and I've wondered about the quality of 'stangs from that era because of the whole cbs-stigma.

Thanks

They are a bit more chunky than the older ones, which is subject to taste. I play a 73 MM which is the step-sister, and it is my favorite. CBS was a step down in terms of some quality aspects, but it's not like most people would ever know the difference. If there were bad models, they have likely been fixed or parted out by now. I have had a few shortscale bodies that were blindingly heavy, beautiful wood.

I think the whole CBS=garbage thing is blown way out of proportion. Sure, they had some quality control issues at the time, but most of the gear that they made had no issues. I've owned several 70's Fenders, and they were all excellent instruments.

Try before you buy is always the best option, not just for CBS Fenders, but for any instrument. If you're buying online, look at the instrument's cosmetic condition. A well worn guitar is one that got played and is most likely not suffering from quality control issues, whereas the duds are more likely to be in mint condition, because people didn't want to play them. It's not a scientific rule or anything, just a general observation I've made with the guitars that I've handled in real life, so take that with a grain of salt.

The best thing about CBS Fenders is that they're generally quite cheap, especially compared to those from the 50s and 60s, because the collectors associate CBS with the Devil himself. And they had some interesting colour options, not to mention that in those days everything they made was available with a maple fingerboard as an option. I've seen Jaguars and Jazzmasters with maple boards, and I currently own a maple boarded Mustang.

Ya, I dig those maple fretboards. Interesting observation on the mint guitar sometimes equating to a dud, I never thought about that.

i've got a '76 mustang and a '64 duo sonic. to my ears they sound 98% alike. the '70s one is ash so is pretty heavy, but the build quality etc is really good, it's extremely sturdy. the neck is VERY chunky.

i've heard of some '70s fenders being lemons but my one's fine.

in fact, i've got a '78 musicmaster too, and apart from some butchery by a previous owner it's a great guitar. or will be when it's back together. don't be afraid of them.

MaMo wrote:Ya, I dig those maple fretboards. Interesting observation on the mint guitar sometimes equating to a dud, I never thought about that.

The very best vintage instruments that I've ever played have all had pretty major wear on their finishes. My '77 les paul has maybe 40% of its finish left, and its the best guitar in terms of playability I've ever encountered (too bad it's so fucking heavy!) My '76 Precision bass is a close second, and its also missing about half the paint. It also has dozens of large gouges in the wood, I think the original owner used to toss the thing down the stairs on a regular basis!