Fender Competition Mustang Solid Body Electric Guitar (1969)
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Item # 11096
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Fender Competition Mustang Model Solid Body Electric Guitar (1969), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 237793, Competition Orange with Racing Stripe finish, alder body, maple neck, rosewood fingerboard, original grey hard shell case.
This is a superb early original example of the least common stock version of one of Fender's more whimsical late 1960s creations, the Competition Mustang. This guitar was built at the beginning of the run for the then-new "Competition" version of the model. These were introduced in the May 1969 issue of FENDER FACTS to freshen up the Mustang's appeal, incorporating "added features and all new styling". The Orange "car" finish and "racing" stripe on the body (and a snazzy matching headstock) were meant to evoke the car culture "The kids" were thought to be digging at the time. "Competition Mustangs hit the line" was the headline "three diagonal competition stripes race across the body -- big, bold, bright".
This one has a neck stamped MAR 69B, grey-bobbin pickups with a 1969 code and pots dated to the 42nd week of 1966, marking it as one of the first of the new style. Competition Mustangs were available for a few years from spring 1969 into the early '70s and sold well, but are not as plentiful as the 1965-66 versions. The body had an added arm cut like a Stratocaster, but otherwise the splashier finish was the main attraction. Most other features stayed the same, including the snazzy pearloid pickguard, "Dynamic" trem unit with a 6-barrel floating bridge. The 24" scale neck has a slightly heavier finish, but still not the armor-coat of Polyester of the 1970s.
Only the early first year or so Competition models were finished out with the matching headstock, making this one an even snazzier find! The orange finish was described in the Fender promo as "Yellow with Orange stripe" but to everyone else is has always appeared Orange with a reddish stripe. It was the only new color offered in the line that had not already been in Fender's spray palette. Most of the younger customers it was aimed at apparently preferred the metallic red or blue versions; the so-called "Yellow" is exponentially less common than those variants, which outsold it heavily.
Originally introduced in mid-1964, the Mustang was one of Leo Fender's last major original designs for the company that bore his name. Although intended as a student model, the easy handling short scale guitar with vibrato has been used by many professionals over the decades since and endured as a classic in its own right. The Mustang has proved a timeless favorite of countless garage and pro bands from the 1960s and '70s until today, easily exceeding Leo's original intentions as a simple but effective student instrument. This orange-with-matching-head Competition model is easily the rarest stock variant, just a neat guitar all around and a very cool find.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 in. (610 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This little orange hot rod appears played but not abused and remains completely original and unaltered after 53 years. The finish has not faded much at all, it still has that strong orange Grand Prix look and remains very attractive! It shows a nice lightly aged patina and has some dings, scratching and dents overall, but no heavy wear. The only really notable disturbance is some odd marking in the finish in the area just below the jack; we would assume somebody long ago used something to clean the electronics that ran out of the cavity and leeched into the finish there. The neck finish and headstock are relatively clean, not showing much wear at all. The tuner casings have more corrosion than the rest of the hardware, for some reason.
The pickups and electronics remain untouched original. The pearloid pickguard shows less shrinkage than most, and has only a tiny incipient crack on the front tip, no broken corners as many do. The original hardware is relatively clean with some light corrosion, mostly to the bridge base and neck screws. Someone turned the volume knob a lot, and wore into the plating behind it.
All is complete except the snap-on bridge cover is long gone; the trem arm remains original. There is some minor fingerboard and feelable fret wear in the lower positions, but the guitar remains quite playable. The original case is solid and very clean. Overall this is a very nice example of one of CBS/Fender's cooler late 1960's ideas, not the most popular version at the time but a sought-after gem now. Overall Excellent - Condition.
This is a superb early original example of the least common stock version of one of Fender's more whimsical late 1960s creations, the Competition Mustang. This guitar was built at the beginning of the run for the then-new "Competition" version of the model. These were introduced in the May 1969 issue of FENDER FACTS to freshen up the Mustang's appeal, incorporating "added features and all new styling". The Orange "car" finish and "racing" stripe on the body (and a snazzy matching headstock) were meant to evoke the car culture "The kids" were thought to be digging at the time. "Competition Mustangs hit the line" was the headline "three diagonal competition stripes race across the body -- big, bold, bright".
This one has a neck stamped MAR 69B, grey-bobbin pickups with a 1969 code and pots dated to the 42nd week of 1966, marking it as one of the first of the new style. Competition Mustangs were available for a few years from spring 1969 into the early '70s and sold well, but are not as plentiful as the 1965-66 versions. The body had an added arm cut like a Stratocaster, but otherwise the splashier finish was the main attraction. Most other features stayed the same, including the snazzy pearloid pickguard, "Dynamic" trem unit with a 6-barrel floating bridge. The 24" scale neck has a slightly heavier finish, but still not the armor-coat of Polyester of the 1970s.
Only the early first year or so Competition models were finished out with the matching headstock, making this one an even snazzier find! The orange finish was described in the Fender promo as "Yellow with Orange stripe" but to everyone else is has always appeared Orange with a reddish stripe. It was the only new color offered in the line that had not already been in Fender's spray palette. Most of the younger customers it was aimed at apparently preferred the metallic red or blue versions; the so-called "Yellow" is exponentially less common than those variants, which outsold it heavily.
Originally introduced in mid-1964, the Mustang was one of Leo Fender's last major original designs for the company that bore his name. Although intended as a student model, the easy handling short scale guitar with vibrato has been used by many professionals over the decades since and endured as a classic in its own right. The Mustang has proved a timeless favorite of countless garage and pro bands from the 1960s and '70s until today, easily exceeding Leo's original intentions as a simple but effective student instrument. This orange-with-matching-head Competition model is easily the rarest stock variant, just a neat guitar all around and a very cool find.
Overall length is 39 3/4 in. (101 cm.), 12 1/4 in. (31.1 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 5/8 in. (4.1 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 24 in. (610 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
This little orange hot rod appears played but not abused and remains completely original and unaltered after 53 years. The finish has not faded much at all, it still has that strong orange Grand Prix look and remains very attractive! It shows a nice lightly aged patina and has some dings, scratching and dents overall, but no heavy wear. The only really notable disturbance is some odd marking in the finish in the area just below the jack; we would assume somebody long ago used something to clean the electronics that ran out of the cavity and leeched into the finish there. The neck finish and headstock are relatively clean, not showing much wear at all. The tuner casings have more corrosion than the rest of the hardware, for some reason.
The pickups and electronics remain untouched original. The pearloid pickguard shows less shrinkage than most, and has only a tiny incipient crack on the front tip, no broken corners as many do. The original hardware is relatively clean with some light corrosion, mostly to the bridge base and neck screws. Someone turned the volume knob a lot, and wore into the plating behind it.
All is complete except the snap-on bridge cover is long gone; the trem arm remains original. There is some minor fingerboard and feelable fret wear in the lower positions, but the guitar remains quite playable. The original case is solid and very clean. Overall this is a very nice example of one of CBS/Fender's cooler late 1960's ideas, not the most popular version at the time but a sought-after gem now. Overall Excellent - Condition.