The 1964 Fender Mustang The Fender Mustang was introduced in August 1964. This guitar was essentially a Duo-Sonic with a Dynamic Fender Vibrato. It was available in three colors: Red, Blue, and White. Although similar to Fender's custom colors of the time: Dakota Red, Daphne Blue, and Olympic White, these namings were apparently never used on the Mustang. They were just plain Red, Blue, and White. The Red and Blue ones came with white pearl pickguards (white pearl-black-white), black pickup covers with no pole piece holes, and black slider switches. The White ones came with red tortoise-pearl pickguards (red pearl-black-white) and white (creamish) pickup covers and white slider switches. The white slider switches were made of different material than the pickup covers and tended to stay whiter and not age to a greenish gray color like the pickup covers. The specifications for Fender Mustangs change relatively little over the years. Here are the basic specs of the Mustang in 1964: Poplar or Mahogany slab body (Note: as of March 2000, I no longer believe Mustangs were ever made with Alder body wood.) "Patriotic Colors" Red, White, and Blue Maple neck with rosewood fingerboard Two single coil pickups with black base plate Small headstock with Transition Fender Logo One string guide Kluson tuners with plastic oval knobs White dot finger board markers (sometimes Faux pearl dot inlays) White pearl neck side markers on the seam of maple and rosewood Brass shielding plate in the pickup, slider switch, and control cavity Two slider switch ON-OFF-PHASE for each of the two pickups 12 screw pickguard 3 screw control plate Dynamic Fender Vibrato White Tremolo Bar Tip L-series neck plate One volume one tone with black plastic knobs with white marker line Headstock numbers (early '64): DES. 186,826 PAT. 2,960,900 2,741,146 & PAT. PEND. Headstock numbers (late '64): DES. 186,826 PAT. 2,960,900 2,741,146 3,143,028 & PAT. PEND. 24" scale with 22-frets standard (optional 22-1/2" scale with 21-frets). Most '64 Mustangs appear to be shipped with short scale length necks with "A" neck widths (1-1/2").