Fender American Mustang Special (New Colors)

[dren68]

I was just browsing Black Friday deals on Sweetwater and saw this. I had one of the black ones for a while when they first came out, and it was alright, but I would definitely prefer vintage specs and vibrato.

https://www.sweetwater.com/store/detail/MustangASMSF

[HNB]

I want contours on those bodies.....

[dren68]

I want contours on those bodies.....

Same here.

[Embenny]

I do like slab mustang bodies, but for a modern American/made version I agree that contours would make more sense.

I truly didn't realize these still existed. The AmSpec JM went the way of the dodo when the AmPro line came out, so I assumed the Mustang did as well.

What really bugs me about this, other than the pointless TOM (why not a Toronado or even hardtail Strat bridge?!?), is that they didn't even bother adapting the pickguard to the TOM. It still has the big cutout for a Mustang/Duosonic style bridge (which is why a Toronado bridge would look so good on there!).

Even the Squier Bullet Mustang got a pickguard designed for its bridge, but an American Special can't get the same treatment?

[BoringPostcards]

The last thing I would complain about on this thing is the lack of contours. That's just me. I'd get an SG if I wanted 2 HBs and a TOM/Stoptail. At least I'd have the set neck and mahogany to complete the package.

I don't get it.

[callum]

I have a huge soft spot for that natural ash one.

[Futuron]

Well, they got the colour right

[Mad-Mike]

What ticks me off about all these new Mustangs - this one included - is they are all Hardtails and none of them have the Fender Dynamic Vibrato on them, which is one of my favorite things about the Mustang.

[Embenny]

What ticks me off about all these new Mustangs - this one included - is they are all Hardtails and none of them have the Fender Dynamic Vibrato on them, which is one of my favorite things about the Mustang.

Agreed. I LOVE the feel of the big "lipstick tube" and how you can get subtle effects from it without a vibrato bar. It feels like Fender have put it on the "hit list" along with Jag/JM bridges and rhythm circuits as original design elements that should be eliminated on new models.

[Mad-Mike]

What ticks me off about all these new Mustangs - this one included - is they are all Hardtails and none of them have the Fender Dynamic Vibrato on them, which is one of my favorite things about the Mustang.

Agreed. I LOVE the feel of the big "lipstick tube" and how you can get subtle effects from it without a vibrato bar. It feels like Fender have put it on the "hit list" along with Jag/JM bridges and rhythm circuits as original design elements that should be eliminated on new models.

And something I forgot to add to my original post is that originally the vibrato was the Mustang's defining feature. The Duo-Sonic of 1965-1970 was EXACTLY like the Mustang, just with a 3 saddle hardtail - almost all of these new "Mustangs" are ally just mis-named Duo-Sonic II to me. Nothing wrong with the Duo-Sonic, but typically I seek out anything ending in "Stang" because of that vibrato.

And don't even get me started on the old Jag/Jazz bridge/vibratos and rhythm/lead circuits. Those were the two elements that got me into those guitars. It has me wondering if the body shape is the only draw, which is understandable, but still does not change it's getting a little scary with the elimination of all these classic features from so many product lines.

[Embenny]

What ticks me off about all these new Mustangs - this one included - is they are all Hardtails and none of them have the Fender Dynamic Vibrato on them, which is one of my favorite things about the Mustang.

Agreed. I LOVE the feel of the big "lipstick tube" and how you can get subtle effects from it without a vibrato bar. It feels like Fender have put it on the "hit list" along with Jag/JM bridges and rhythm circuits as original design elements that should be eliminated on new models.

And something I forgot to add to my original post is that originally the vibrato was the Mustang's defining feature. The Duo-Sonic of 1965-1970 was EXACTLY like the Mustang, just with a 3 saddle hardtail - almost all of these new "Mustangs" are ally just mis-named Duo-Sonic II to me. Nothing wrong with the Duo-Sonic, but typically I seek out anything ending in "Stang" because of that vibrato.

And don't even get me started on the old Jag/Jazz bridge/vibratos and rhythm/lead circuits. Those were the two elements that got me into those guitars. It has me wondering if the body shape is the only draw, which is understandable, but still does not change it's getting a little scary with the elimination of all these classic features from so many product lines.

I agree. The feature deletion is especially silly in the case of the Mustang, which, as you pointed out, is only a Mustang *because* of the vibrato. I have to assume it's just because of the Cobain/Mustang association that they feel the need to label all these Duo-Sonics as Mustangs.

I'm not even opposed to the Squier and Fender hardtail "Mustangs" with the Strat bridges (I have a modded Squier Bullet one, myself), but the worst part is when they shoehorn Gibson parts onto these. There's literally no reason for a Fender to feature a TOM. It's a hideously terrible bridge design, and it isn't even theirs! They keep skipping the JM bridges on new models because they have too many "design flaws" but then put TOMs with their knife-edge saddles and often mistmatched radii on there?!? Fender has the Duo-Sonic II, Toronado, hardtail Strat, and sawed-off Tele bridges available in terms of proprietary designs, and they put TOMs on hardtail Offsets?

[dren68]

There were similar discussions about many of the same things when these first came out in 2013. I don't mind all of the variations of the Mustangs and Duo-Sonics that are out now. It's definitely better than nothing, but it would be nice if Fender offered an American-made vintage-correct Mustang in addition to the other variations, like they've done with the Jazzmaster and Jaguar. I thought for sure they would have had a 50th anniversary version in 2014, but for whatever reason, they didn't do that. Maybe they're waiting until 2019 for the 50th anniversary competition Mustang.

I don't mind that much, though. Between Fender aftermarket parts, Warmoth bodies, Allparts, and Musikraft, etc. you can build your own Mustang that's probably comparable to what Fender has to offer anyway. I'm just a little confused by Fender. Of course, that's nothing new around here.

[Horsefeather]

A thousand bucks and you don't even get a pick guard cut to match the bridge...

Fender should take notes from some of the builders here at OSG regarding attention to detail.