A Fine Early Sixties "Slab" Board Musicmaster

This 12-inch three-quarter-size "student" guitar weighs just 6.80 lbs. and has a nut width of just under 1 9/16 inches and a scale length of 22 1/2 inches. Solid ash body, maple neck, "slab" rosewood fretboard with 21 frets and clay dot position markers. Individual Kluson Deluxe tuners with white plastic oval buttons. Two plain-top Bakelite pickups with black bottoms and balanced outputs of 5.40k and 5.54k. Twelve-screw white plastic pickguard. Two controls (one volume, one tone) plus three-way selector switch and jack socket, all on the pickguard. Chrome knobs with knurled sides and flat tops. Combined bridge/tailpiece with three adjustable saddles. Serial number "80768" stamped on neckplate. The pots are dated "304 6218" (May 1962) and the neck is stamped "3/4 MAY 62A." This guitar is in near mint condition with only a few very small surface marks and some very minimal finish checking. Complete with the original bridge cover. Housed in its original Fender tan hardshell case with brown leather ends and orange plush lining (8.50).

This Sunburst finish was introduced in 1959 and only lasted until 1963. It is often called "Maroonburst" since it is an opaque finish with a yellow or peach center, and maroonish edges.

"Fender's new 'student' guitars, the Duo-Sonic and Musicmaster, first appeared in 1956. They had smaller, lighter bodies, shorter necks and basic appointments...Despite their budget status, the student models were still playable instruments: Fender seemed to have cut the right corners" (Tony Bacon and Paul Day, The Fender Book, p. 29). Although Fender used the term "three-quarter size" in publicizing the new student models, only the neck and the resulting scale-length were smaller, designed for younger hands that were just starting to play guitar.

"These two new instruments -- the Duo-Sonic and the Musicmaster -- had a shorter 22 1/2" (571mm) scale-length as opposed to Fender's customary 25" (635mm) scale. The 'three-quarter size' one-pickup Musicmaster and two-pickup Duo-Sonic were described in the company's ads and catalogs as being 'ideal for students and adults with small hands.' They were clearly designed for players on a tight budget, for those starting out on electric guitars who flocked to the retailers' schools..." (Tony Bacon, 50 Years of Fender, p. 22).