ShortScale.org

Hi guys

need some advice
dont have any pictures but I came across a mustang from 1964, completely original, never refretted, no refinish, with original case and only minor wear and tear and original case (greyish-black and orange lining) and neck profile A

I dont have any pictures but what are the going rates? what would be a good market price

also, is pre cbs really the magic or just a myth? or it does not apply to mustangs?

thanks

kapepepper wrote:also, is pre cbs really the magic or just a myth? or it does not apply to mustangs?

I'd say it's a myth. yes CBS did some cost cutting that also resulted in some awkward guitars but that was def not a sharp cut on Jan 1st 1965. guitars and amps stayed pretty much the same until 1968, when they brought out the contours, comp stripes and started with the (completely) poly finishes. Compstangs are the most sought after Mustangs, so they may sell even higher than pre CBS ones in some cases.

During the 70s the factory output became much bigger than in the 60s, which resulted in some quality issues that ruined the CBS image. But you'll find good guitars from taht period as well, just as you'll find 60s, 2000s and contemporary guitars that are sub standard.

Pre CBS is a value-sensitive thing , but it doesn't affect the "F also made" models as much as Strats and Teles. I don't know what a Mustang as described is worth where you are. Prices vary a lot by region. I could tell you what I feel from a european point of view. That'd be 1.600-2.000 €. US guys would come and say that is too much, and australians and nordish guys would say they'd pay much more.

i just bought mine for 899.


1964 A width neck.





no fucking joke. good luck getting one for that price

kypdurron wrote:

kapepepper wrote:also, is pre cbs really the magic or just a myth? or it does not apply to mustangs?

I'd say it's a myth. yes CBS did some cost cutting that also resulted in some awkward guitars but that was def not a sharp cut on Jan 1st 1965. guitars and amps stayed pretty much the same until 1968, when they brought out the contours, comp stripes and started with the (completely) poly finishes. Compstangs are the most sought after Mustangs, so they may sell even higher than pre CBS ones in some cases.

During the 70s the factory output became much bigger than in the 60s, which resulted in some quality issues that ruined the CBS image. But you'll find good guitars from taht period as well, just as you'll find 60s, 2000s and contemporary guitars that are sub standard.

Pre CBS is a value-sensitive thing , but it doesn't affect the "F also made" models as much as Strats and Teles. I don't know what a Mustang as described is worth where you are. Prices vary a lot by region. I could tell you what I feel from a european point of view. That'd be 1.600-2.000 €. US guys would come and say that is too much, and australians and nordish guys would say they'd pay much more.

Thanks, I forgot to say that I was looking for Non US prices.... I have been offered one here for 1000 euro
Ebay wasnt very helpfull, atleast the european one, since they are overpring the items so much (1200 euro for a butchered 71 mustang) and US auctions are just no reference for us


So, EU prices around 1,600.00 euro and higher?

1964 A width neck.


Also, how do i interprete this... these are the smaller, short scale necks?

I believe A width necks are 1 1/2" nut width (and might be 22.5" scale, might wanna check that) so you may find that very skinny and uncomfortable. B width necks are the most common, 1 5/8" nut width. I think there is C width too? Which is a pinch wider.

I've never seen a '64 mustang with anything other than an A width neck. It could either be 24" or 22.5" or whatever it is. You can tell by counting the frets if you aren't in a position to measure it. In terms of sensible UK prices you're looking at about £800-1000, but dealers will attempt to get anything up to £1800 in my experience.

Based on the mustangs and variants i've owned and played, i'd say that things don't really start going to shit until the late '70s. Mid '60s mustangs will most likely be light as a feather though, they get heavier as time goes on.

stewart wrote:I've never seen a '64 mustang with anything other than an A width neck. It could either be 24" or 22.5" or whatever it is. You can tell by counting the frets if you aren't in a position to measure it. In terms of sensible UK prices you're looking at about £800-1000, but dealers will attempt to get anything up to £1800 in my experience.

Based on the mustangs and variants i've owned and played, i'd say that things don't really start going to shit until the late '70s. Mid '60s mustangs will most likely be light as a feather though, they get heavier as time goes on.

Thanks for this info, very usefull and it is an assurance I wont burn my pants with buying it... so, lets see and wait for some pictures of the actual guitar when i have bought it

kapepepper wrote:1964 A width neck.


Also, how do i interprete this... these are the smaller, short scale necks?

A,B,C and D width necks are the different categories of the the neck width/shape with A being the smallest/thinnest. my old 65 had the regular 24" scale A neck. Bloody marvelous! Some people love the D necks, these are like baseball bats in some cases. B is the most common/standard width. In short the lettering has nothing to do with the length.

Thomas wrote:

kapepepper wrote:1964 A width neck.


Also, how do i interprete this... these are the smaller, short scale necks?

A,B,C and D width necks are the different categories of the the neck width/shape with A being the smallest/thinnest. my old 65 had the regular 24" scale A neck. Bloody marvelous! Some people love the D necks, these are like baseball bats in some cases. B is the most common/standard width. In short the lettering has nothing to do with the length.

A = 1 1/2" nut
B = 1 5/8" nut
C = 1 11/16" nut
D = 1 3/4" nut
(pretty sure)
edit: got the sizes wrong

Neck thickness and shape are independent of nut width, in theory

Grant wrote:A = WIN

FXT

Thomas wrote:A,B,C and D width necks are the different categories of the the neck width/shape with A being the smallest/thinnest... Some people love the D necks, these are like baseball bats in some cases.

Not entirely true this, Tommo. The A, B, C or D nut width bears no relation to the thickness of the neck - you could have an inch thich A width neck or a super thin D width neck.

Where this does get confusing is that some neck profiles are described as being C shaped (ie. rounded shoulders, like a capital C) or D shaped (no rounding on the fretboard edges). Which, in theory, also has very little relation to actual neck thickness.

To sum up (ooh, get her...) a neck can be described by it's nut width (on Fenders these are called A, B, C or D), thickness (how deep it is), profile (shape) and radius (whether the fretboard is rounded like a vintage Fender 7.25" radius or flatter like Gibson's 12" radius). And these figures can change as you go up the neck - that 335 I was looking at had a really narrow nut (one of the reasons I didn't get it) that went up to wide spacing by the twelfth fret.

I have a couple (Oct. '64 and Jan '65) with 24 scale A necks and love them. I put a Aug '65 Musicmaster II neck on my '64 for a bit and its pretty dang sweet too.
The '65..........

and the '64............

Shes a work in progress, I currently have her back apart to fix the paint job.

robroe wrote:i just bought mine for 899.


1964 A width neck.





no fucking joke. good luck getting one for that price

Holy shit, that's nice.

letsgocoyote wrote:I believe A width necks are 1 1/2" nut width (and might be 22.5" scale, might wanna check that) so you may find that very skinny and uncomfortable. B width necks are the most common, 1 5/8" nut width. I think there is C width too? Which is a pinch wider.

Correct - C width is 1 3/4". There's also a D width (1 7/8" at the nut) too, but it's very rare. I've never seen a 24" scale D width neck - ever.

The neck can be a 24" scale and an A width, with a U (or C or V) profile. The Mustang necks came in two scale lengths - 24" and 22.5". The easiest way to tell them apart is the number of frets -- a 24" neck has an extra fret - 22 instead of the 22.5" neck's 21 frets. If there's an "extra" fret after the highest dot on the fingerboard, it's a 24" scale... if the highest fret on the neck has a dot inlay, it's a 22.5" scale neck. 22.5" necks were by far the more common ones in 1964, but less common over the entire production run, by far.

I have fairly short fingers, and in general, I prefer a B width, with a C profile to the back of the neck... and a 24" scale. 22.5" and the A width is just too small IMHO.

ismith wrote:I have a couple (Oct. '64 and Jan '65) with 24 scale A necks and love them. I put a Aug '65 Musicmaster II neck on my '64 for a bit and its pretty dang sweet too.
The '65..........

Big Bear Lake? Which one?

Nice guitars BTW.

To the OP: I have a '71 conpstang that is all original except the body, which has been refinished in fiesta red nitro lacquer. It was under a grand, although it would have cost probably twice that had it still had the original finish... but I'm in the USA, where Mustangs are relatively easily available on the used market. Euro prices tend to be worse.

robroe wrote:i just bought mine for 899.


1964 A width neck.


no fucking joke. good luck getting one for that price

Friggin' awesome Rob. You must be quite pleased. Nice score and a great price!

Phil O'Keefe wrote:

robroe wrote:i just bought mine for 899.


1964 A width neck.


no fucking joke. good luck getting one for that price

Friggin' awesome Rob. You must be quite pleased. Nice score and a great price!

Looks great your mustang...has yours been refinished?

And I think I wil pull the trigger... although little worried now by the the whole A debate, and also if it matches my playing. I play mainly blues, main axes are a gibson 56, coronado 66, viking 68... I was think this 64 mustang would add some raw power and good ol sharpness to my sound (i dont use any pedals, beside reverb on my deluxe reverb amp)

If you've ever played a Jag-stang, apparently those also had the A width neck, and those are known for being really comfortable to play on. I recently had a custom shortscale neck made in that width, most places won't offer it unless you specifically as for it.

i wouldn't say the jagstang neck is the same as an A width mustang, it's more like a B from my memory. these feel weird when you first play them, but you get used to it quickly. i've got two of them now.