Rickresource Rickenbacker Forum

Not the car, I'm afraid, but I picked up this really cool guitar yesterday. It's a refin in something called Bahama Blue with a really red-looking pickguard. Tuners are double line Kluson Deluxe, serial starts with L55. Through my Princeton Chorus it nails the James Bond theme sound. I think. Anybody else dig these guitars?

Is it something like this CIJ Mustang RI from Ishibashi?

Something odd about that Ishibashi, RC, but I can't put my finger on it...

I play a CIJ Mustang. Fender burst, MOP guard, black pickup covers. A blast from the past! The vibrato has about a one- octave range...

Paul, it doesn't look odd to me at all. Are you sure something's not quite RIGHT?

BTW, I also like black pickup cover on Fender's Sunbursts

Mustangs are way cool! Is it an original or a reissue, J?

As far as I can tell it is the real deal. The finish is a little greener, the pickguard is way redder, and the pickup covers are black.

Back in the day, I had a refinished blue '65 Mustang, bought for $100 in '67 or '68. Previous owner finished it in Lake Placid blue, but the rest was all original - black pickup covers, 3-ply white pearl pickguard, silver case, etc. It was my first "good" electric guitar.

The '64's and '65's had slab bodies, and the tummy and arm contours came later - so if it's a slab body, that'll be one indication towards what year it is. So is the "L" serial number. Also, back then, the only models that came with the tortoiseshell pickguards were the white ones, but you know that pickguards are easily swapped...

I don't recall the address right now, but do a Google search on Mustangs, Duosonics, and Musicmasters and you should easily find a great website dedicated to these guitars - it's very extensive and detailed.

As for those double line Klusons, they were from sometime in '64 or later. I've still got a set of single liners from a friend's Musicmaster I worked on 25+ years ago - it'd already been hacked beyond belief by a previous owner, and there was no way it could've been "restored to normal" at all. That MM could have been from the '50's for all we knew.

Anyway, in doing some research to figure it all out, I was told that the single line Klusons were "'64 or earlier" so I hope this helps a bit. Oh, btw, these have white plastic tuner buttons - same as on my old '65 (but I assume mine were double lines).

I just wish I still had that guitar... Mustangs are cool!

Just got back from a killer jam session. Played the Mustang 100%. The other guitarist played his Schecter, we had a drummer, a conga player, two saxes, and bass. Quite a good time. Shame I have to work in the morning or we'd still be there playing! And everyone was blown away (including me) by the sound of the Mustang through a Vox small amp. I think it's the Pathfinder...??? What an amazing guitar. Never thought I'd love a Fender like this.

Let's get a pic of this one, J! It sounds really cool. Never took you for a Fender man. Jazzmaster next?

I think I'm good for a while. And broke. Just got the 370/12SPC.

I have resigned myself to the fate of being unable to post pics. Despite my best efforts, Jpegwizard doesn't work for me.

You can always send me stuff you want posted dude, i'd be happy to. Email me about the SPC, I wanna hear all about it!

Jdog, check your email.

John, email sent. Check it dude.

I don't have a Mustang, but I enjoy picking away on my 1956 DuoSonic, the Mustang's daddy.A unique sound unlike any of my other guitars.