ShortScale.org

Hi.

My first guitar was a late 60's Mustang, and after selling it awhile back, I've come to miss it. While I liked the guitar overall, there are a lot of little things I'd change. I'm in a position where I can spend a bit of money on a guitar, so I've been thinking about a Mustang project. The intention here is not to recreate a Mustang, but rather to create something awesome that looks like a Mustang but works better for me. Any opinions?

Alder body in Competition Blue (or maybe Surf Green w/ stripes)
Solid rosewood neck with Dunlop 6100 frets, headstock painted to match body
Duncan Quarter Pound bridge pickup, SSL-1 neck pickup
Volume/Tone knobs, 3 way pickup toggle, classic Mustang switches wired to do series/parallel and phase
Classic Mustang tailpiece, either TOM or Mustang bridge

That's pretty solid, except for the TOM possibility. Since you are having a custom neck made, you'll have to decide up front if you want that or the classic bridge, as they have different radiuses and you have to make sure the bridge matches the neck.

TOM has a 12" radius. Classic Stang has 7.25"

I hadn't thought about that. I prefer flatter boards, but I'm OK with whatever.

Also, I've been checking out completed auctions on ebay. Once I price this whole mess, if I come across an old one in Competition or Daphne Blue for about the same price as the project, I'll just buy that and refret it with huge wire.

Hmm. That makes it tougher.

A flatter board preference definitely means you'd be happier with the TOM and 12" radius.

However, if you also might just buy an existing neck, then that will be a classic radius and require the classic bridge.

Wow... I just priced it at Warmoth. For the body, pickups, neck, bridge, and tailpiece it's at $991. That's not even including tuners, pots, switches, and strap buttons.

The stock Warmoth neck will have a compound radius. You can really choose any radius you want for $30 or something. 6100 might feel odd on a 7 1/2 neck anyway.

I priced it with 12" for the TOM.

If I'm already at a grand, still have to add some small parts AND price getting the headstock painted, I'm gonna have a really hard time not going with an old one instead. I'm OK with compromising on a vintage guitar, but not if I'm putting one together.

Warmoth are honestly way overpriced for what they are. I'd search around for some other luthiers, maybe even locally.

I think you'll probably wind up paying well over a grand if you buy a used Competition Mustang - unless it is a used reissue. The vintage ones usually sell in the $1.3 - $2K range.

You might be able to part one together. Get a body and the other parts on Ebay, and then have the neck built for you to your specs. Make sure you get the bridge to match the neck radius...