Even strung with 9s, the neck was horribly out of adjustment and the nut was a goner. The electronics were noisy, scratchy, and barely worked, while tapping my finger on its hardware revealed a missing bridge ground. The frets are deeply grooved and completely lack a crown in the higher registers some were even popping out of their slots. This particular guitar has been played hard, absent bits of finish and pitted chrome attesting to an owner who gave little thought to condition. Not content to leave mine unchallenged, I finally picked it up. It’s finished in that galvanizing shade of Mocha, way outside of my normal preferences –– I always told myself I’d own a Competition color someday –– but preferences often turn to proclivity, and then complacency. On three separate occasions I’ve stared long but chickened out at the thought of playing it, happily transfixed by its grisled appearance. I found it weeks ago while wasting time at the Hollywood Guitar Center and have been stalking it ever since. If pressed, I couldn’t tell you exactly what the missing element is that keeps me from them, only that I can think of only a handful that really stood out to me, just never in that “OMG-I-have-to-buy-this” sort of way. Plus, the ability to run both pickups out of phase is really fun, something I’d definitely use if I had the option at the ready. The Dynamic vibrato is smooth but more immediate than that found on the Jazzmaster. Not that I don’t like the model at all, I really do enjoy its smaller shape and the 24” scale that it shares with the Jaguar. Falling in love with a Fender Mustang is a shockingly rare occurrence for me.
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