new (to me) '76 musicmaster

[d-rock]

This past week I was excited to find this '76 Musicmaster.



I was skeptical about 2 things before I bought it, the short scale and the single pickup. I was pleasantly suprised on the single pup. It gets quite an incredible range of tones just by moving around your picking hand and playing with the tone knob (something I don't normally do, but will now). I'll really be put to the test when I play with my keyboard player to see how it'll fit in the mix with the piano, rhodes and organ sounds she uses. I'm still trying to get used to the short scale.

I have two questions: I normally play with 10's on my 25.5" scale guitars, will 11's feel similar on this 24" scale or should I go with 12's? And how would you guys recommend cleaning the body? There's 32 years of someone's sweat that's been caked on in the form of black residue and it's sticky to me.

[BenHagerty]

That's how, needs tort 

[i love sharin foo]

Looks great. I LOVE black guards on white bodies. 11s should feel pretty similar to the the 10s on the full scales. I like going heavier on the lower strengths mainly though. To me, they have the biggest difference in feel compared to skinnier strngs on the shorter scale length.

justin

[Stratelejazzuar]

looks lovely! 

i'd give 'er a cleaning up, unless you like some other guy's mojo juice on it...  lol

[jop]

Nice looking guitar.    I makes me wish even more that the guy who I offered €700,- for his black '76 Musicmaster sold it to me last week. 

[StevenO]

That's how, needs tort 

That's your answer to everything!

BANNED!

[dug]

That's how, needs tort 

-12

I love that guitar. There used to be alot around here. Now I couldn't find one to save my life.

[CaptainCrunch]

Oh yeah, I remember Elderly's used to have 'em all day long for $300-$375, depending on year.

Anybody else was lucky to get $200.

[painted wood]

I clean my guitars with Martin guitar polish and an old washcloth.  I spray the polish onto the cloth until it is moistened and then use it to wipe, the body, neck, everything...

If you leave the polish on the pickguard to dry on it, it may cloud it up, so I wipe it down (all plastic and metal) with the dry side of the washcloth pretty much immediately after I wipe and clean with the polish.  I let the neck air dry.

very cool musicmaster.

[d-rock]

Thanks everyone for the input.

I cleaned her up, got all the nasty gunk off and am about to put on some 11s. The more I player her, the more I'm getting used to (and liking) the short scale.

Also took a little better pic and updated the first post.

[Regan]

Very nice! Congratulations!  I love the black plastic that Fender was installing during those years. I have a white Strat that is faded to almost the same color as your Musicmaster. My Strat is a 1979 or 1980. Does anyone know the exact years that Fender offered the black pickguards/knobs/etc?

Regan

[jop]

I don't know an exact date, but I think it was in the early 70's.