American Performer Mustang

[Silence Kid]

So Fender is releasing something resembling an actual Mustang, made in the US - and my response is **** yeah.

It's even in pink. So there are other re-hashed models in the upcoming American Performer series apparently, but none have me as excited as this. If you wanted a traditional Mustang vibrato, you had to put up with something Japanese or a Squier for the last thirty-plus years.

I know there probably won't be a lot of love here, but I'm probably as big of a fan as the Mustang has (and also one of the few that in general goes 'meh' at Fender Japan offerings.) I might have to buy one by principle.

 

[Blille]

American Performer Mustang

Thanks for sharing!

I've always wanted to have a mustang but I would go the Cobain route and put a JB in there. Pink with rosewood looks great.

The jazzmaster with a strat term while not authentic also looks great IMHO

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I suspect the Jazzmaster is for a bit of production-line parity with the G&L Doheny. There are about a dozen Jazzmaster variations Fender makes, so I can't really complain about one more in the stable- Seems Offset people are picky enough people to need to be catered to on an almost individual basis.

On that note and speaking of humbuckers, it looks like the American Special Mustang is no longer in the lineup; I think these pissed just about everyone off, but I sort of looked at them as a great 'bargain' US-made guitar and would still love to have one:

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I cant decide if I like that it just uses a 3-way toggle, or if I'd rather have the sliders. I wonder what they're going to cost though.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

This line seems to be replacing the American Special series; I hope they can be grabbed for $1k.

I'm not super-picky about the sliders being there or not; I hope the body at least has routing for them. I think the biggest thing for me is I would have preferred a contoured body.

 

[Chistopher]

Re: American Performer Mustang

RIP Jazzmaster rhythm circuit. I think they are starting to phase it out on the newer models, which makes sense. Most people just don't understand how it works and even less really know how to use it effectively with their playing style.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

^Agreed. I enjoy and use it, but enough otherwise intelligent people have been cock-blocked by it that Fender is wise to be selective about its application. Apparently sixty years of them being on guitars has not been long enough to prevent user error (yet some people have no problem wrapping their heads around it.)

Basically it's become a distraction and latching-on point for people who look for things to complain about (and don't realize that just because a control is there that doesn't mean you need to use it.)

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I like the toggle, because its easier to switch between neck and bridge, but I like the out of phase option of the sliders. I guess a push/pull pot could replace that, maybe a second for series/parallel.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: American Performer Mustang

The first electric I owned was a '69 Competition Mustang. I miss it for nostalgia's sake, but I have to wonder how many people who like anything about them have spent much time with one.

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

The first electric I owned was a '69 Competition Mustang. I miss it for nostalgia's sake, but I have to wonder how many people who like anything about them have spent much time with one.

Spent plenty of hours with my '66 , at various times my #1 . The vibrato is a pain to set up initially and sometimes the bar gets in the way of your wrist, but its issues are not insurmountable- perhaps a bit more effort than adjusting pivot screws on a six point trem but not incomparable in finicky-ness. And the feel/response isn't matched by anything else.

The chance Fender has is to reproduce a new, good quality version of that vibrato - one that isn't nerfed by Fender Japan or 40 year wear issues and similar in quality to the US Jaguar vibratos. The Mustang Vibrato is really that close to being my favorite. As for the rest of the guitar - I actually like 24" necks, and the most recent Mustang reissues have a great profile/feel that I hope gets retained. They're also very ergonomic, lots of access up at the top due to the slender body.

In practice I don't use OOP much- but having an effective 'kill switch' is kind of cool, when using the original switch arrangement. Both pickups on is the best Mustang tone anyway.

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I suspect the Jazzmaster is for a bit of production-line parity with the G&L Doheny. There are about a dozen Jazzmaster variations Fender makes, so I can't really complain about one more in the stable- Seems Offset people are picky enough people to need to be catered to on an almost individual basis.

On that note and speaking of humbuckers, it looks like the American Special Mustang is no longer in the lineup; I think these pissed just about everyone off, but I sort of looked at them as a great 'bargain' US-made guitar and would still love to have one:

This version of Mustang is awesome. For my purposes, changing out the low output singles, finicky slider switches and wonky trem would be a better application. (Just one guys .002)

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

Since I already have my '66 , this has been the Mustang I've been most tempted to grab; so beachy:

(If the American Performer vibrato is any good, I might stock up on those alone and retire my '66 unit to avoid wear on it.)

 

[Adieu]

Re: American Performer Mustang

Spent plenty of hours with my '66 , at various times my #1 . The vibrato is a pain to set up initially and sometimes the bar gets in the way of your wrist, but its issues are not insurmountable- perhaps a bit more effort than adjusting pivot screws on a six point trem but not incomparable in finicky-ness. And the feel/response isn't matched by anything else.

The chance Fender has is to reproduce a new, good quality version of that vibrato - one that isn't nerfed by Fender Japan or 40 year wear issues and similar in quality to the US Jaguar vibratos. The Mustang Vibrato is really that close to being my favorite. As for the rest of the guitar - I actually like 24" necks, and the most recent Mustang reissues have a great profile/feel that I hope gets retained. They're also very ergonomic, lots of access up at the top due to the slender body.

In practice I don't use OOP much- but having an effective 'kill switch' is kind of cool, when using the original switch arrangement. Both pickups on is the best Mustang tone anyway.

Fender doesnt really make hardware.

They order it from Gotoh Japan or Ping (Korea? maybe china). So your chances of getting hardware improvements...

 

[allbutromeo]

Re: American Performer Mustang

The first electric I owned was a '69 Competition Mustang. I miss it for nostalgia's sake, but I have to wonder how many people who like anything about them have spent much time with one.

I've only had my '76 for a little under a year, but I've been using it a lot over the last few months. It took a fret level/crown, some neck shims and a setup on the bridge, but I finally got it all squared away.

 

[JB_From_Hell]

Re: American Performer Mustang

Well... I'm glad you guys dig them.

 

[Francois]

Re: American Performer Mustang

Thanks for sharing!

The jazzmaster with a strat term while not authentic also looks great IMHO

I like this : I actually liked the Jazzmaster neck, offset wait and tone... but not its original bridge which kills notes when you bend more than two half steps.
You may notice that famous guitarists that bends like 3 or 4 1/2 step did not used it as main instrument. Otherwise it is a great guitar.

To summarize a Jazzmaster wihich a strat trem is perfect.

But in that pic the electronics (switches...) look quite different also.

 

[Mark Cearlock]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I like this : I actually liked the Jazzmaster neck, offset wait and tone... but not its original bridge which kills notes when you bend more than two half steps.
You may notice that famous guitarists that bends like 3 or 4 1/2 step did not used it as main instrument. Otherwise it is a great guitar.

To summarize a Jazzmaster wihich a strat trem is perfect.

But in that pic the electronics (switches...) look quite different also.

I like the simple stripped down look myself. I will have mine with a hardtail bridge and p-90's please..

 

[FuseG4]

Re: American Performer Mustang

damn it I just bought a tele why you give me mustang gas!?
For a few years I spammed em on facebook everytime they released a more modified 'stang, asking for as much of the traditional vibe as possible. The mustang design was fun the way it was! But also RIP the switches. Dunno anyone who used the OOP position. What's the fretboard radius? 9.5" with medium frets probably?

And yes rip the JM rhythm circuit. I think it's useful for jazz and blues through bright fender amps. But one person's smooth is another guy's dull so... I'll admit it's more parts, more routing, more cost, and even with the spread of information and the internet age a lot of people still don't know what the rhythm circuit does or how any of the other offset extra circuits work.
Plus it's an excuse for them to charge more if you want the rhythm circuit, you'll have to go high end "reissue".

 

[Francois]

Re: American Performer Mustang

I like the simple stripped down look myself. I will have mine with a hardtail bridge and p-90's please..

Good choice ! I'm trying to imagine...

 

[Silence Kid]

Re: American Performer Mustang

Fender doesnt really make hardware.

They order it from Gotoh Japan or Ping (Korea? maybe china). So your chances of getting hardware improvements...

US and Japanese Jazzmaster/Jaguar vibratos and bridges are quite different. The hardware that come on Japanese models are terrible. I at least hope the Mustang vibrato gets re-worked in a way on par with the AVRI and American Professiobal Jaguars.

I never had issues bending using a standard Jazzmaster bridge either; I think more bending issues would occur from the small radius neck.