Saturday, October 23, 2010

Competition Mustangs: Respraying existing bodies

Employees at Fender sometimes resprayed a new color over an existing finished body.  The reasons for Fender doing this aren't very clear but we do know that the occurrences are rare.

Here is an example of Competition Red over Competition Blue.  Look closely at the finish 2nd and 3rd pictures that reveal the blue undercoat in the areas of wear.








Note looking at the last picture it doesn't appear that the headstock had been painted blue first.











Here is an example of Competition Orange over Competition Blue.
Photos courtesy of Rodvonbon



Friday, October 8, 2010

Lefty 1969 Vintage Competition Blue Fender Mustang Bass


Thought I'd share this remarkable and feel good story from offsetguitars.com.  A couple spent around a year looking for a left-handed Mustang bass in Competition Blue.  Lefties are hard to come by as it is.  A lefty in Competition Blue is a very rare bird.  (I've seen maybe 3 in about 20 years).  But after scouring the net and newspapers for over year, searching literally worldwide, they finally found one that was located only 10 minutes from their house!  And to top it all off, the bass was practically mint and came with the original hard shell case and hang tags.  Here's how it all went down in Johnny's words.

"Well after looking daily for one for almost a year now I found her one that I shit you guys not was 10 minutes away from my house!!!!!!  A guy had it since 1974 in his home and didn't use it much anymore.  It's a 1969 in Competition Burgundy like she dreamed about too!!!! I nearly lost all self control when I saw the purple Misty-ness on the edges of the body and matching headstock!

Had the original hang tags and Flatwound strings too!  I have never been more excited about a musical instrument since 1992!!!!  I sold a 1987 2550 Marshall Silver Jubilee head to make it happen (yes the Slash/Frusciante head), and won't regret it ever after seeing the look on her face when she had finally given up hope that there just wasn't anymore LH 1969 competition basses out there. She nearly passed out and I had to hold her up for over an hour...I thought I was gunna have to take her to the hospital...she absolutely went gaga and then some. haha.


Honestly, to me it might have been just another guitar to add to the studio in a world full of beautiful guitars that are out there waiting to be found and played, but for her it meant so much more than any of that. It was the biggest gift anyone has ever given her and meant more to her than any ring, jewelry or vacation somewhere that would be over in a week ever possibly could and I can't describe how bad ass that felt to be able to do for someone that wants to make music and couldn't before, someone you love, but not only all that but this gift is a Fender Mustang bass that makes her this happy tooo...a REAL VINTAGE OFFSET...and in THAT f'n color!!!!...this bass is now her life!!


A priceless surprise to give to someone you love and you wanna see be able to grow and create music and now create music with as well. She knows and knew more about Mustang's now and then, than I could have ever known. I'm a lucky dude! And she is a wiz on this bass and coming up with crazy lines in ways that would have taken me 2-3 years to figure out what she gets in an hour! The magic of the FENDER Offset...it's a real thing!
"

On to the pics; Courtesy of Crystal Green