h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

... Fenders have a nice "feel" when played (and of course sound good). I never played a Telecaster, but I own a Fender Mustang, pictured here on the left, the red one:

http://www.jag-stang.com/MrMaxima/

My previous electric guitars were low quality imports (oddball brands, not Fender knockoffs) that actually hurt to play, the neck was so badly designed. I can play the Mustang all night and never get sore fingers ... but I do have to reuse my three licks over and over ...

Most Fenders I've played have sounded pretty ropey and were pretty uncomfortable. All a matter of taste, I guess... more of a Jackson man meself. \m/

Fender owns Jackson, now.

I played one down at Heart of Texas a couple of months ago that I really liked. The neck was wider than normal and it had Gibson-style frets. The pickups were better than I expected, as I normally don't like humbuckers. I think they were EMG's.

I owned a Hagstrom III many years ago and it was like playing a large spoon! While it was cool to look at, it was extremely hinky, particularly in the circuitry and that very narrow neck and nut!

I should clarify my comment as going back MANY years ... my 60's vintage Fender Mustang is compared to a similar vintage obscure brand, and the Mustang wins hands down. But due to a long and continuing detour into keyboards, MIDI, digital audio, etc., I haven't played a new guitar in eons. It sounds like the technology has continued to improve, no surprise I guess, but so many toys, so little time ...

Does or did your Mustang have the short neck or the long one?

If I understand correctly, since Leo never really sat still, the vibrato bridge on the Mustangs was better than the ones on the Strat, Jazzmaster and Jaguar.

"Does or did your Mustang have the short neck or the long one?"

I dunno. It looks exactly like the one in the picture at the link in message 1, as near as I can tell. A friend bought it new in about '67, then became a bass player and years later dug it out of his attic and sold it to me to play in our geezer band. If that helps ...

As the article you linked to says, there is almost a 2" difference.
The long one has a scale like a Strat, while the short one has a scale like a Les Paul Jr.

It must be the short neck, its only an inch or so longer than my Gibson acoustic (LG-1) which is a pretty small guitar. But you can still turn the amp up to 11 ...