1966 Fender Musicmaster - Offset Body 24" Scale - Refin Black - w/OHSC

1966 Fender Musicmaster – Player’s Grade

The student-level mid-’60s Fender offsets don’t always get the spotlight, but the Musicmaster has quietly built a reputation as one of the most fun guitars to actually play. They may not sit at the very top of the collectible Fender pyramid, but ask anyone who has spent time with one and you’ll hear the same thing: these guitars have a certain kind of magic.

The 1966 Musicmaster is essentially a Mustang Junior—24" short scale, a single pickup, and no tremolo system to get in the way. It’s a simple formula, but simple guitars often have a way of focusing the personality of the instrument. Much like a great Esquire or a Gibson Junior, the stripped-down layout seems to concentrate everything into one direct, lively voice. There’s nothing to hide behind, and when it works, it really works.

This particular example is a cool transitional piece from 1966 and sits comfortably in player’s grade territory. The body has been refinished, though the refinish has been aged a bit so it doesn’t look out of place on a nearly 60-year-old instrument. It presents with the kind of slightly worn look you’d expect from an older guitar—have a look at the photos and you’ll see what we mean.

The controls have been replaced, and the pickup has been upgraded to a newer Fender Custom Shop unit that sounds fantastic in this platform. The tuners have also been replaced, with the original mounting holes neatly filled.

One detail we really like on this guitar is the transitional headstock situation. It carries the earlier—and more desirable—style headstock logo, paired with a 1966 neck date and corresponding serial number. It’s a neat little snapshot of Fender’s mid-’60s evolution.

In hand, the guitar is light, balanced, and surprisingly potent. These short-scale Musicmasters have a snap and immediacy that catches a lot of players off guard the first time they plug one in. They’ve long been overlooked and underappreciated in the vintage Fender world, but that’s been steadily changing as more players discover just how cool they are.

The tonal voice of these guitars isn’t really like anything else out there, and that uniqueness is exactly why people end up keeping them once they try one.

The original hardshell case is included.

This guitar is available for a test drive in our Jamestown, Kentucky showroom. We ship worldwide, and if you have any questions just let us know.

Weight: 7lbs 6oz