Fender Competition Mustang Model Solid Body Electric Bass Guitar (1972), made in Fullerton, California, serial # 375831, metallic blue with racing stripe finish, alder body, maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, black tolex hard shell case.
This later example of the "Competition" finish Mustang Bass has seen some finagle in the distant past but is now restored to original with some light general wear. At some point the pickup was replaced but the bass has now been restored to its original sound and appearance. The pickguard is a very nice repro of the original pearloid piece and the bass plays, sounds and looks as it should now just about 50 years along.
This Mustang was built near the end of the run for the rather whimsical "Competition" version of the model, introduced in spring 1969 with the blue metallic "car" finish and "racing" stripe on the more sculpted body. It has a neck stamp of OCT 72 and tone pot dated to the 46th week of that year, but most features remain as the 1960s models excepting for a non-matching headstock; the color-coordinated look was discontinued in 1970.
The Mustang Bass was introduced in 1966, Leo Fender's last original design for the company that bore his name. Although originally intended for students, the instrument is so well-designed and laid out that many professional players have used it extensively including Bill Wyman and Tina Weymouth. Ideal for guitar players or bassists with smaller hands, the Mustang remains one of the best short-scale basses ever designed, well-balanced and comfortable with a very punchy and surprisingly fat sonic signature. This superb-playing bass has survived well despite some "reptile dentistry" long ago and is back to its more-or-less original glory.
Overall length is 42 in. (106.7 cm.), 12 3/8 in. (31.4 cm.) wide at lower bout, and 1 1/2 in. (3.8 cm.) in depth, measured at side of rim. Scale length is 30 in. (762 mm.). Width of nut is 1 5/8 in. (41 mm.).
As noted this bass had some other style of pickup mounted in the past; the rout in the center of the body was crudely chiseled out in the distant past. The resulting hole is not big enough for the infamous Gibson "Mudbucker' but whatever was there was larger and more rectangular then the original. The pickup currently mounted is a real vintage Fender, with one grey-bottom coil dated May 1969 and one undated black coil both with cloth wire leads. The volume pot is later, the tone pot and cap are original as is most of the wiring. The pickguard is a very well done repro of the original pearloid style, the "tug bar" is a repro as well; the pickguard mounting screws remain original.
Apart from this the bass shows typical finish wear, mostly dings and chips to the body edges. The metallic blue body finish has "greened" noticeably with time to a lovely semi-turquoise hue. The back of the neck has some dings and dents as well but no heavy loss. Apart from the pickup restoration the bass is original, except for one bridge screw and the foam pads for the screw-down mutes are later. The frets and fingerboard show some light wear are generally in good shape and the bass is effortless and fun to play, as Mustangs were intended to be! It includes a modern HSC. Overall Excellent - Condition.
