1964 Fender Musicmaster

Bringing your older offset back to life.
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Nord
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1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Sat Aug 21, 2021 2:38 pm

I couldn't pass up this beat up lil' '64 Fender Musicmaster with a lovely ¾ neck dated Sep 64. I've never owned or played one of these. It's a really fun guitar, perfect for working on songs when you're switching between chords and pen and paper, playing on the couch — but it can also hold its own. The gray bottom pickup is dated 10/26/64 and measures 4.67k — kinda sounds like a '60s Strat's neck pickup!

Seems like it's all original except stripped daphne blue finish and a '72 neck plate, likely added then it was refinished with some sort of semi-sticky clear coat that now smells of nicotine. Whoever did the deed got a little eager with the rasp around the curves and edges.

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Some real-life relic rust on the tuners and bridge saddles:
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That '72 neck plate:
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The original nut needs a little TLC (or replacement). The G string is resting in a minor crater and the A string is sitting a bit deeper than I like:
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Yeah that's a good rasp rash:
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I'm planning on stripping the finish, smoothing out the body before adding a new nitro finish. Also planning on getting some of that rust off the tuners and saddles and figuring out what to do with the nut.

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by ohm-men » Sun Aug 22, 2021 3:30 am

Man, that's nice!
I've never seen them with this kind of MOP guard. Looks really good :?
I kind of dig the natural vibe on this one. That body has a pleasing grain that matches it imho.
Looking forward to your work...

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Nord
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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Sun Aug 22, 2021 5:51 am

I don't disagree, it looks pretty nice in natural, but that sticky n smelly clear coat has to go!

I'm still thinking it all through and getting to know the guitar before breaking out the sanding block. Surf green could fun on this one ;)

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Embenny » Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:52 pm

That's a great find but I'm sorry to inform you that I require many more photos and a detailed explanation of that BMM-ish Mustang with the goldfoils and mismatched headstock. It may be in the background but it upstages everything else in the photo.
The artist formerly known as mbene085.

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Sun Aug 22, 2021 10:37 pm

mbene085 wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:52 pm
That's a great find but I'm sorry to inform you that I require many more photos and a detailed explanation of that BMM-ish Mustang with the goldfoils and mismatched headstock. It may be in the background but it upstages everything else in the photo.
Ha!!! Same here.

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing progress on the restoration job. I always preferred the black pickup covers look on Mustangs & Musicmasters and, looking over some pictures of matching, original finishes, I'd be inclined to go for an aged Daphne Blue finish, with a yellowed clearcoat.

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Mon Aug 23, 2021 3:04 am

Still, I'm looking forward to seeing progress on the restoration job. I always preferred the black pickup covers look on Mustangs & Musicmasters and, looking over some pictures of matching, original finishes, I'd be inclined to go for an aged Daphne Blue finish, with a yellowed clearcoat.

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[/quote]

AGREED! 8)

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Nord
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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:00 am

I do love a nice aged Daphne Blue finish! I :-* the sample you pulled Tumtrah! I've used the tinted nitro clear coat once before and ten years later it turned parts of an oly white finish very yellow. Maybe I was too heavy handed back then, perhaps there's a happy medium with that tinted clear coat?

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:06 am

mbene085 wrote:
Sun Aug 22, 2021 1:52 pm
That's a great find but I'm sorry to inform you that I require many more photos and a detailed explanation of that BMM-ish Mustang with the goldfoils and mismatched headstock. It may be in the background but it upstages everything else in the photo.
Hahaha

I might have to start a different thread about the making of The Joker so I don't hijack my own thread here lol
It's mostly a '69 Mustang except for the body, the '65 silverfoils, and a '65ish pat pend tremolo. The color is Roth's metal flake Freakin Fuschia.

Edit: the pickguard is also new

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Tumtrah » Mon Aug 23, 2021 10:14 am

Nord wrote:
Mon Aug 23, 2021 8:00 am
I do love a nice aged Daphne Blue finish! I :-* the sample you pulled Tumtrah! I've used the tinted nitro clear coat once before and ten years later it turned parts of an oly white finish very yellow. Maybe I was too heavy handed back then, perhaps there's a happy medium with that tinted clear coat?
Thanks!
My yellowing is a little bit overdone. It's better to do several very light tinted clear coats. Once you build up too much colour it's irreversible. Depending on lighting conditions the result varies in other ambiences. Normally I spray outside, as a result the colour appears much darker indoors. You have to bear that in mind.

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nayff » Wed Sep 01, 2021 1:39 am

Ohhhh care to show off that mustang?

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by s_mcsleazy » Thu Sep 02, 2021 6:20 pm

i'm more scared how the nut ended up like that
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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Fri Sep 03, 2021 4:45 am

I'm very curious about how that nut got so mangled as well. There's a good chance I have to replace it :fp:

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Wil_66 » Tue Sep 21, 2021 7:09 pm

Nord wrote:
Fri Sep 03, 2021 4:45 am
I'm very curious about how that nut got so mangled as well. There's a good chance I have to replace it :fp:
Super glue and filings from a sacrificial nut, mixed together will save the original nut if you are so inclined... Dan Erlewine has a video on YouTube that details the process.

Great guitar by the way!

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Nord
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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by Nord » Thu Sep 23, 2021 9:37 am

Thanks for the tip! I'll rewatch that video when I get around to working on the guitar later this fall!

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Re: 1964 Fender Musicmaster

Post by caples » Wed Sep 29, 2021 12:20 pm

Looks awesome! How much did you pay? Vintage prices have been insane as of late.
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