Fender Musicmaster!

[mimmo]

Hi guys,
I ve just bought a 78 Musicmaster, for less than 400 euros, and looking at the prices on ebay i think it s a pretty good deal! Any opinion on this guitar? I saw on youtube that even with just the neck pickup this baby can make some good noise, a la punk or something like. Any direct opinion? Post pics too, please!!!

All the best.

[telejoseph]

Didn't happen without pictures my friend!

[kp8]

I grew up on one.

My mom bought it for me in 8th grade as a graduation present along with a Fender Champ. They are wonderful if flawed beasts (24 inch scale and 7.25 radius means a TON of choke out on bends). I love them. Shocking how "Fender-y" they sound even with the short scale and all. My original is long gone (a 78 in black), I have also had a '66 which I had to sell when hard times hit (I put so much in to that guitar. My deepest gear sale regret ever). They are great little guitars and (imo) Duo-sonics and Musicmasters are FAR superior to the Mustangs and Broncos that replaced them. Enjoy...

Here are the 2 i had. *sigh*

[mimmo]

Originally Posted by telejoseph

Didn't happen without pictures my friend!

I know i know, but i m waiting to get it, it s on its way to me! Really can t wait to try this little baby!!!

[Sollophonic]

I had one years ago too, whish I still had it now too.

Mine was a black 1977 one, but it didnt stay that way long.

Swapped out the pickup for a Lawrence, then turned it into a two pickup one.

Added a Watkins vibrato, which didnt really work that well, took it out, filled the hole it left, resprayed it orange.

Gigged it and sold it on to someone else who gigged it to death apparently.

When I see the prices that pristine ones go for now, I sigh.

They were Fenders budget guitar, before Squier came along, mine had a plywood body like the early Bullets had.

Lovely neck I seem to remember.

[elsewhere]

I've been GASing for a vintage Musicmaster for a while now. I mostly play on a neck pickup anyway and the obscurity is a huge turn-on for me for some reason. Enjoy yours! :)

[Strat62]

This is a friend's I did a setup on..

[mimmo]

Originally Posted by Strat62

This is a friend's I did a setup on..

this is like mine, ALL BLACK, YES!!!!

[tom2caster]

Here's my '62 Musicmaster. These have a 22-1/2 inch scale length and only one pickup.
Yours should be 24 inch and dual pickup, much more playable than mine. They are a lot of fun, you will have a good time.

[E5RSY]

My first axe. '78 here, as well.

Mine is all black, too. I've never liked that look, so I'm in the process of getting a white pickguard for it from WD Music. I think that will look sharp with the black p'up cover and knobs.

Originally Posted by tom2caster

Yours should be 24 inch and dual pickup, much more playable than mine.

Musicmasters always had just one p'up. If you see one with two, it's been added. The Duo-Sonic was the 2-p'up platform.

[Dan R]

Those are such cool guitars. I really miss my '66 Mustang sometimes. Since I like the short scale neck, I should try to pick up a refurb one some day. The original ones can get pretty pricey. They are underrated guitars because they were sold as student models.

BTW, there were some Musicmaster II models in the 60's. Some had a 24" neck.

Dan R

[kp8]

Originally Posted by E5RSY

Musicmasters always had just one p'up. If you see one with two, it's been added. The Duo-Sonic was the 2-p'up platform.

Early ones were routed for both. That is why my '66 above looks like a duo sonic. It is actually a MM II. I put a duo p/g on it and added added a duo p/up in the bridge w/o routing anything on the body.

Originally Posted by Dan R

BTW, there were some Musicmaster II models in the 60's. Some had a 24" neck.

Most are 24" and for a long time that was all you could get. The 22" was only early on and co-exesited for a time with 24"

The MMII above has the same 24" as the 78 does.

[mimmo]

Thanks guys! And what about the SOUND these babies produce? What style can they cover?

[tom2caster]

Thanks E5RSY for the one pickup correction and kp8 for the additional information. I assumed the Musicmaster II ('78 version) had two pups.

mimmo my experience with my '62 is you can get some good tones out of it but you are limited to the neck pickup sound. You won't get the bridge pickup sound, at least I can't. To me it's a one trick pony but still a lot of fun.

[kp8]

well if you add a p/up it gets more versatile obviously. ... I guess you could play anything on it. I wouldn't want to show up with one to do a chicken pickin' gig but ... You know, sounds a bit like a strat or mustang on the front p/up. Anything you do on a guitar using the neck p/up you could do on this. I have heard lots of folks bad mouth the p/up. In the old days it was called the "gutless wonder". I quite like it tho.

a great site to check out is:

http://www.marcelroy.com/index.html

[Sidney Vicious]

I love my '76.