The original run of these guitars came in only one color that Fender called Desert Sand.
#Fender musicmaster bass serial number#
The serial number was stamped on the chrome neck plate.
The initial models of each instrument came with an anodized aluminum pickguard done in a gold colour. This bridge was fastened directly to the body and it came with a bridge cover, which generally was taken off the guitar. The middle position on the Duo-Sonic placed the single coil pickups in series, thus acting like a humbucking pickup.īoth guitars had adjustable bridges which had 3 sections, much like the older Telecaster bridges, with each section doing duty for two strings. The Duo-Sonic added an additional pickup, without a slant, in the bridge position and a 3-way selector switch on the lower horn. The Musicmaster featured just one single-coil slanted pickup in the neck position. Both instruments came with a single volume and tone control. The guitars double cutaway slab body was made of either an ash or alder and featured shorter horns than those on a Stratocaster. The tuning machines came with less costly plastic buttons instead of metal ones found on the strat and tele. Both guitars featured a 22 1/2” scale bolt on, soft V style maple neck with a maple fret board. The 3/4 sized Fender Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic guitar guitars were both offered in the spring of 1956. The introduction of this guitar coincided with the year Elvis Presley became popular, which caused an increased interest in the guitar.īy 1956 Leo Fender thought it might be a good idea to introduce a student model to the Fender line up, which would have a shorter scale for small hands and also had a reduced price point.ġ956 Fender Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic Guitars Moving forward to 1954, Fender introduced the Stratocaster. So the word "Broadcaster" was cut off of subsequent headstock decals.īy the summer of 1951 the guitar was renamed the Telecaster. In the fall of that year Fender added an additional pickup and called that guitar the Broadcaster, which didn’t last long as Gretsch had trademarked that name for their drum sets. This "Spanish-style" electric guitar was made in the style of Leo Fender’s lap steel guitars, with a single slanted pickup placed right next to the bridge and saddles. Currently, the coil tap (middle position) of the switch isn't working (it's still parallel in that mode) and I think it's likely due to the switch being a #2 variant of an on-on-on switch rather than the kind that I thought it was.Fender introduced their solid body electric guitar, the Esquire, as early as 1950. With the switch in "parallel" mode, I get a bit more of the original single coil flavor or something approximating a short scale J-bass vibe. While the original pickups have a cool tone (as they're Mustang pickups), I like the tone of Mustang basses more (with their mini-P-bass pickups) and so the pickup switch to "series" mode gives me that almost-P-bass thump. The original parts I don't care for on a bass - the pickup, wiring harness, and 2-saddle bridge design - got replaced, however, with a Strat-sized double-blade Alnico-magnet humbucker, volume control, and series/parallel/coil tap switch. It did come to me, however, with completely original bits.
#Fender musicmaster bass upgrade#
Suffice to say - my "lunch break" was spent readying this for service as I'd already ordered the parts I needed to upgrade it.Ĭlearly, this bass has seen a lot of abuse - there's moisture damage, tons of nicks and dings, heat damage, and the original Daphne Blue finish has turned into a splotchy, avocado green with a matchingly-faded "white" pickguard that's now a dusty vanilla-tan. A week later, and it was delivered this afternoon. I spied this one on fleaBay in Florida and its absolutely beat, tired, faded, and holy guacamole character grabbed my attention. After trading my "upgraded" Musicmaster bass to a friend of mine, I was on the hunt for another short scale bass and - after destroying my mind trying to figure out what to get - I decided to get another Musicmaster! I can't help it.