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Post subject: Help please?
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 6:34 pm
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I am wondering if anyone can tell me anything about this bass. Serial Number is 370341.

Thanks in advance for any help!

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Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject: Re: Help please?
Posted: Sun Feb 19, 2012 7:29 pm
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Judging by the photo that is a Fender USA Mustang Bass. The serial indicates it was made in the 1973/1974 model year, however serials are sometimes unreliable for several reasons and there are other hallmarks that can be checked to verify the manufacture date including pot code dates and neck stampings which are only visible when the instrument is partially disassembled.

This one appears to possibly be Competition Red with a factory competition stripe and painted headstock which would add up to a Competition Mustang Bass model which cost more than a non-Competition model at the time. The colors in the series were Competition Red, Competition Burgundy (a blue), and Competition Orange. The colors and stripe were borrowed from the popular Shelby Cobra Mustang automobiles of the day.

Vintage Mustang Basses are quite valuable and collectible if in all original condition. For instance, do not try and replace that cracked pickguard if it is an original part and I can't say whether or not it is without seeing it in person but the age wear looks appropriate for the vintage. It also appears to be in a period correct original factory type case for the instrument which adds a few hundred dollars to the value around here in the southeastern USA. The Fender Mustang Guitar was the last instrument on which Leo Fender personally supervised the r&d. The Mustang is a short scale bass released as a compliment to the Mustang guitar. The Mustang Guitar debuted in the 1964 model year with the bass following in 1966. The Mustang Bass was in continuous production at Fender Fullerton until 1982. The first reissue was in 1990 which was made in Japan for Fender Japan and distributed worldwide by FMIC. The Japanese reissue is still in production today, however so far as I know there have not been any reissues in Competition trim, at least making it to the USA. Often people have applied their own stripe decals, but they are usually easy to spot.

Competition Mustang Basses like the one I believe I see in your photo routinely command premium prices over a similar vintage non-stripe version. In the 1990's vintage Mustang basses and guitars enjoyed quite a resurgence and a Mustang Bass was also used in the film "Wayne's World" by Wayne's bassist/singer girlfriend.

If it really is what it appears to be, it is a quite nice one too.


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Post subject: Re: Help please?
Posted: Mon Feb 20, 2012 3:15 pm
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Thank you very much for the quick and very insightful reply!

Everything is stock (right down to the strings) and that is the original case as well. It was purchased brand new by my Father in the early/mid '70's (he cannot remember the exact year) and it hasn't been played in probably 30+ years nor did it see heavy use as he is original and only owner. I figured it was manufactured around the 71-73 time frame from the research I have done as well. I am only going by what I can see as I am no where near comfortable enough to do any disassembly (partial or otherwise lol. I currently do not have a trusted source in my area to do it either as my Father is now in his 80's and I am not exactly knowledgeable in these instruments.).

Any ballpark ideas on its worth would be extremely appreciated as I have been having a devil of a time finding a comparable and he is looking to sell it. If any additional pictures are required I will post them asap.

Edit: I do thank you very much for the Competition Red description as well - even this little additional piece of data has made a world of difference in the search for similar pieces!


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Post subject: Re: Help please?
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:20 pm
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Gary's Guitars in Loveland, OH has a '73 blue one on eBay for a buy it now of $2,595. Item number 330681619085 and they are also taking offers. Note that on this one the pickguard is in much better shape and the same type guard.

The same bass is also listed on gbase.com which is a good place to check for vintage instruments for sale by vintage dealers. There are several others listed on gbase in the $1900 ballpark. All of those also have a better condition pickguard. An original pearloid pickguard for this could run $200 to $400 if you ever manage to find one, say at a guitar show or in an eBay auction. Plain white ones that came on the non-Competition models (now look mint green due aging) go for around $100 or a bit more. I would not use one of those plain ones however as they are not correct for this particular instrument and it really needs the pearloid to be correct. I would probably leave it as it is if selling it and discount it some for the cracked pickguard.

If selling it outright to a vintage dealer around here you could expect something like $700 to $800, then they will expect to sell it for $1400 to $1600. I never recommend an outright sale to a vintage dealer unless you need cash really fast or just want it gone. You can also put it on consignment with some vintage dealers which means a slower cash return but usually more money. Say they sell it on consignment for $1500 and take a 30% commission, then you will clear $1050. That is substantially more than selling it to them outright. The best option is to try to do a private sale yourself first for a while and if unable to sell it in a reasonable time then go the consignment route. With the pickguard messed up I'd expect that around HERE in the southeastern US that $1200 to $1300 in a private sale would not be an unrealistic expectation at all. So the most money is in a private sale, next best is a consignment sale and the least money for you is in an outright sale to a vintage dealer.


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Post subject: Re: Help please?
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 12:24 pm
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Rock Star
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Location: Albemarle, NC
Also I don't think they started painting the headstocks until 74 so that would make this for sure a 73 model.


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Post subject: Re: Help please?
Posted: Fri Feb 24, 2012 7:14 pm
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Thank you so much yet again for all of this information/assistance!

I must say that you have surpassed my expectation and I have learned a great deal in a very short period of time. Your patience is also appreciated as I obviously have little to no knowledge in this area and it is nice to know there are folks such as yourself still out there willing to lend a hand so to speak.


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