Vintage Mustang dating questions...

1965Jaguar

Hi!

I am a Jaguar guy and don't know much about Mustangs, so I'm turning over to you guys for some answers..

A local shop here has two vintage Mustangs in stock which they are selling very cheap because they have been tampered with a lot... But one of them is not in such bad a shape and I am considering buying it and doing some resto.

The catch is that I cannot be sure of anything as to dating the axe... The neck plate is gone, so no serial numbers... The pots and pickups have been changed, so no chance dating there.

The guy says it is a 1966 and the neck stamp reads: 15MAR66A. But the guitar has a candy apple red painted headstock with an original white Fender decal (as on the later competition Mustangs)... Did Fender paint headstocks on Mustangs in 1966? Plus, the tuning keys are Kluson Deluxe, consistent with 1966...

Also the body is slab, and not Contoured as later models, so again this looks like genuine 1966...

Finally, the pickguard is hand dated on the back as a '64......

Thanks for your help... The guitar is really cheap and the neck is gorgeous, so I think it is worth saving the gear even though its been messed up.

Rick

1965Jaguar said: Also the body is slab, and not Contoured as later models, so again this looks like genuine 1966...

no. definately not.

they stopped using klusons on mustangs in august '65. and started using f-keys

yeah, they started with forearm and tummy contour in '69

1965Jaguar

Could the headstock be the result of a factory refin then, because the decal looks very legit? If this is the case, should I be looking for some kind of refinish mark under the pickguard?

As for the keys, it might be F keys then, they were off the neck when I saw the guitar on Saturday and I relied on the shop owner for the info... I guess I shouldn't do that, right?

Do the 15MAR66A seem legit to you? Is 15 the code for Mustang?

Rick

to be honest, i don't think i've seen a "15". they used "8" and "9" pre '65 (8 for long scale, 9 for short scale). they seemed to start putting "16" (sometimes "17") on in '66.

i suppose anything is possible. i know there are some late '60s mustangs that have klusons original as well. it can all be a bit random sometimes. pictures could clear things up...

1965Jaguar

Thank you for these infos.

I'll try and get some pictures of the two Mustangs later this week.

The other one is even more messed up: no pickups at all, Jaguar bridge and neck, metallic purple refinish, etc.)...

lamp

How much are they going for?

1965Jaguar

The complete one (candy apple red - matching headstock) could go for 350$ CDN and the other one for 300$ or 275$ CDN.

So that's around 275$US and 200$US...

Judging from what goes on on Ebay right now, that is about the price for nice vintage necks, right?

And the neck on the candy apple red one is really fantastic (almost no fret wear, not a nick on the back or the headstock, rare "A" width)...

That said, what do you guys think? Are they too expensive?

BanditGuitarist1

I would say for 275-300 each buy them both its worth it in my opinion then again im a mustang freak.....But i say buy both paint one red with white PG and the other Surf Green!

a66jagdream

dude for that cheap! buy both of em.

1965Jaguar

Thanks for the encouragements! I might just do that!..

I did not buy them last Saturday, because I was too depressed when I found out they had just sold the guitar I wanted... It was another Mustang, all black with pearloid pickguard in amazing shape that they sold for 550$ CDN... That one was a 1967 or 1968.

I'll go to the store tomorrow and see for how much they are willing to let go the two of them...

I'll post pictures here if I succeed in bargaining a fair price!

Helloid

LUCKY!

VstaR

Hi there,

I'm a newbie to the forum.

We just bought an original 1965 Mustang from NY in the US.

It was on ebay, and we had it shipped here to Australia.

Here's a link: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vi ... 0103221057

It's in very good condition, but I am unsure about the neck plate.

Is it supposed to have an "F" on it?

This guitar doesn't have one.

BanditGuitarist1

yes its supposed to have the F

ps.

What ever happened to 1965Jaguar buying the two stangs!

VstaR

The Plate on the the guitar we bought has "L57495", which is a match for the era.

according to Fender's site: http://www.fender.com/support/dating/fe ... dating.php

I have found a couple of pics showing them with and without an F here on this site.

without: http://www.jag-stang.com/MustangImages/ ... edBack.jpg

with: http://www.jag-stang.com/MustangImages/ ... musRed.jpg

I just don't quite know enough to be sure.

I'd be a bit upset if it's been taken off and replaced.

ddowner

1965Jaguar said: the tuning keys are Kluson Deluxe, consistent with 1966...

well i have vintage klusons on my 65 mustang and the neck says september65,maybe it was a pre-CBS one,that didnt left factory before the CBS overtake.

VstaR

ddowner said: well i have vintage klusons on my 65 mustang and the neck says september65

Hey, that's just like mine. 8SEP65B - a date I'm still suspect on 😀

Do you have the F neck plate on the back?

I'm still not yet convinced this guitar is all genuine.

So I'm holding off feedback for the seller on ebay till I'm sure.

The paint work (Dakota Red) seems a little different to the '67 Mustang we owned previously. The '67 from memory was a little darker, and more of a matt finish. This might just be because it was more "worn in", and perhaps this one we just bought is in newer condition?

That, or the paint switched over that time.

...or it's a respray 😲

I'll know a bit more when I take it to my friend's place this weekend.

He's had a lot to do with guitars over the years.

Pacafeliz

let's settle this neck stamp thing once and for all. the first number (in front of the month) is NOT a date, but a model number, as follows:

1 = jaguar (1962 through mid- 1966)

4 = jazzmaster (1962 through mid- 1966)

6 = bass VI

8 = mustang

9 = duo sonic, musicmaster, swinger and SHORT SCALE mustang

15 = jaguar (after mid- 1966)

16 = bronco, mustang, musicmaster II (after 1967)

19 = jazzmaster (after mid- 1966), coronado II

hope that helps! 😎

good luck!

Pat.

Pacafeliz

oh i just found this info here: http://www.smallclone.com/mustang/vinta ... orange.htm

it's about a competition orange mustang

"Note the original finish and FEB 66 neck date. I have seen three Competition Mustangs with 1966 neck dates during 2002. Don't know why Fender would have held parts for three years during this period, but certainly they don't do that anymore."

might be the real deal after all - RUN and get it NOW!!! good luck!

robertoriginal

i actually just did a refret on a mustang neck (66) and it said 16aug66b