Factory Original Long Scale 1972 Fender Mustang

[BTL]

Is there a market for “factory error” vintage guitars like there is for coins? Otherwise, I’d guess the parts are worth more than the whole.

[Highnumbers]

I think the issue is that the OP wants to make this a special guitar when most likely is just a factory fuck up

Seriously tough crowd on the OSG lately.

Look, it clearly is a special build AND a factory fuck-up.

They were very intentional about having a longer case made and therefore a custom scale length Mustang neck put on the guitar, but the factory also fucked up and didn't account for the scale length of the bridge position.

Everybody here should put their pitchforks down and just marvel at how this thing made it out of the factory and into circulation. It's cool as hell, albeit totally unplayable as-is.

[Highnumbers]

Is there a market for “factory error” vintage guitars like there is for coins? Otherwise, I’d guess the parts are worth more than the whole.

Yes, absolutely.

The error is only in poor execution of an idea. I would personally value this guitar higher than a normal red Comp Mustang, despite its playability issues.

[Fiddy]

I think the issue is that the OP wants to make this a special guitar when most likely is just a factory fuck up

Seriously tough crowd on the OSG lately.

Look, it clearly is a special build AND a factory fuck-up.

They were very intentional about having a longer case made and therefore a custom scale length Mustang neck put on the guitar, but the factory also fucked up and didn't account for the scale length of the bridge position.

Everybody here should put their pitchforks down and just marvel at how this thing made it out of the factory and into circulation. It's cool as hell, albeit totally unplayable as-is.

Im sorry, but I don't see it that is "clearly" a special build. The case was also factory made and small differences in tolerances can be expected. Could also be a case for a different model, maybe?

Im not saying is not a cool guitar, just that is not what you or the op, are making it out to be.

[superficial]

Yeah I don't really buy that Fender, even with terrible 70s QC, would fail to realise that changing the scale length is not just a case of bolting a longer neck on.

[Highnumbers]

I think the issue is that the OP wants to make this a special guitar when most likely is just a factory fuck up

Seriously tough crowd on the OSG lately.

Look, it clearly is a special build AND a factory fuck-up.

They were very intentional about having a longer case made and therefore a custom scale length Mustang neck put on the guitar, but the factory also fucked up and didn't account for the scale length of the bridge position.

Everybody here should put their pitchforks down and just marvel at how this thing made it out of the factory and into circulation. It's cool as hell, albeit totally unplayable as-is.

Im sorry, but I don't see it that is "clearly" a special build. The case was also factory made and small differences in tolerances can be expected. Could also be a case for a different model, maybe?

Im not saying is not a cool guitar, just that is not what you or the op, are making it out to be.

The cases were made by a third party vendor (Victoria Luggage company), and something like this case would have to be special ordered, as the Mustang case was not offered for any other models (and a Mustang Bass would not fit in this case either).

There is abundant evidence that the factory went out of its way to produce this as a 25.5" scale Mustang - to the point of ordering a special case - but the angry mob at OSG just can't handle that.

I'm not "making it out to be" anything at all - it's right in front of us, nor do I have a horse in the race whatsoever.

You have a case that shouldn't exist, and a neck that shouldn't exist, and a "special" stamp on the neck heel that is NOT on every other Competition Mustang from this era -- what sort of evidence is possibly lacking here?

This could have been a great, productive thread about a factory anomaly but folks here had to shit all over it, for no apparent reason.

[graceless]

Gorgeous guitar...too bad about the neck. Wonder if there is a way to move the bridge to actually make it playable. Maybe I'm psycho...but a full length mustang would be pretty cool!

[sal paradise]

Is there a market for “factory error” vintage guitars like there is for coins? Otherwise, I’d guess the parts are worth more than the whole.

Yes, absolutely.

The error is only in poor execution of an idea. I would personally value this guitar higher than a normal red Comp Mustang, despite its playability issues.

Guitar manufacturer in forgetting how scale length works isn’t poor execution of an idea. Why would they plan to make a guitar unplayable? It’s far more likely human error of selecting the wrong neck and poor QC.

Applying Occam’s Razor is useful here, ie the simplest answer with the least amount of assumptions, is likely the best option.

[sal paradise]

As for the case, if we’re talking 3/4 of an inch, I’m sure all the men on this forum can agree, no one is gonna notice.

That’s 2cm, right? A custom ordered case that’s 2cm longer than usual… really?

[sal paradise]

Seriously tough crowd on the OSG lately.

Look, it clearly is a special build AND a factory fuck-up.

They were very intentional about having a longer case made and therefore a custom scale length Mustang neck put on the guitar, but the factory also fucked up and didn't account for the scale length of the bridge position.

Everybody here should put their pitchforks down and just marvel at how this thing made it out of the factory and into circulation. It's cool as hell, albeit totally unplayable as-is.

Im sorry, but I don't see it that is "clearly" a special build. The case was also factory made and small differences in tolerances can be expected. Could also be a case for a different model, maybe?

Im not saying is not a cool guitar, just that is not what you or the op, are making it out to be.

The cases were made by a third party vendor (Victoria Luggage company), and something like this case would have to be special ordered, as the Mustang case was not offered for any other models (and a Mustang Bass would not fit in this case either).

There is abundant evidence that the factory went out of its way to produce this as a 25.5" scale Mustang - to the point of ordering a special case - but the angry mob at OSG just can't handle that.

I'm not "making it out to be" anything at all - it's right in front of us, nor do I have a horse in the race whatsoever.

You have a case that shouldn't exist, and a neck that shouldn't exist, and a "special" stamp on the neck heel that is NOT on every other Competition Mustang from this era -- what sort of evidence is possibly lacking here?

This could have been a great, productive thread about a factory anomaly but folks here had to shit all over it, for no apparent reason.

I don’t want to add to any vitriol here, but “abundant evidence” isn’t really true at all. There are some facts. And different people are interpreting them differently.

[JSett]

The cases were made by a third party vendor (Victoria Luggage company), and something like this case would have to be special ordered, as the Mustang case was not offered for any other models (and a Mustang Bass would not fit in this case either).

...You have a case that shouldn't exist

I measured my normal '64 Mustang case and it was basically the same length by only a couple of millimetres. Doesn't seem particularly special or custom ordered...more like manufacturing tolerances.

If 'SPECIAL' on the neck is so special, care to explain why it's on this bog-stock '67 Jaguar I owned last year? Candy Apple Red was just a stock colour by that point.

[caples]

The cases were made by a third party vendor (Victoria Luggage company), and something like this case would have to be special ordered, as the Mustang case was not offered for any other models (and a Mustang Bass would not fit in this case either).

...You have a case that shouldn't exist

I measured my normal '64 Mustang case and it was basically the same length by only a couple of millimetres. Doesn't seem particularly special or custom ordered...more like manufacturing tolerances.

If 'SPECIAL' on the neck is so special, care to explain why it's on this bog-stock '67 Jaguar I owned last year? Candy Apple Red was just a stock colour by that point.

I miss seeing pictures of that jaguar.

[Fiddy]

Abundant evidence bahahaaa...

[marqueemoon]

Seriously tough crowd on the OSG lately.

Look, it clearly is a special build AND a factory fuck-up.

They were very intentional about having a longer case made and therefore a custom scale length Mustang neck put on the guitar, but the factory also fucked up and didn't account for the scale length of the bridge position.

Everybody here should put their pitchforks down and just marvel at how this thing made it out of the factory and into circulation. It's cool as hell, albeit totally unplayable as-is.

Im sorry, but I don't see it that is "clearly" a special build. The case was also factory made and small differences in tolerances can be expected. Could also be a case for a different model, maybe?

Im not saying is not a cool guitar, just that is not what you or the op, are making it out to be.

The cases were made by a third party vendor (Victoria Luggage company), and something like this case would have to be special ordered, as the Mustang case was not offered for any other models (and a Mustang Bass would not fit in this case either).

There is abundant evidence that the factory went out of its way to produce this as a 25.5" scale Mustang - to the point of ordering a special case - but the angry mob at OSG just can't handle that.

I'm not "making it out to be" anything at all - it's right in front of us, nor do I have a horse in the race whatsoever.

You have a case that shouldn't exist, and a neck that shouldn't exist, and a "special" stamp on the neck heel that is NOT on every other Competition Mustang from this era -- what sort of evidence is possibly lacking here?

This could have been a great, productive thread about a factory anomaly but folks here had to shit all over it, for no apparent reason.

I’m still a bit skeptical of the customer made case claim, but 2cm is a lot to be off. The picture I posted earlier of an otherwise identical 73 Compstang shows there is a little wiggle room in the standard case. Maybe the measurements people are taking are not comparable or accurate.

The only scenario I can think of for a purpose built instrument that is non-functional with a *custom ordered case* is if it was for use as a prop. Maybe Fender wanted to promote the Compstang in a show or movie but the short scale neck looked out of proportion with a taller actor or something. That said, if this was used in a well known movie or show I’d think that story would have followed the guitar.

[Fiddy]

^Why would it be a neck that shouldn't exist? When it's most likely a Strat neck grabbed by accident. There would have been plenty of those around at the factory.