1964 Fender Mustang - (My Grandfather's Guitar) 

I forgot to mention that Dave Alvin played a Mustang on that early Blasters stuff. Also, Adrian Belew played some heavily modified Mustangs. Who else am I missing?

You’re a rich man, Otis. Grandpa stuff is the best!

Otis, you are a very lucky man to have things from your Family, Many people do not have this Pleasure, My Best , Cousin Figel

Grandpa’s grandpa’s Mustang. What a story! Mustang is truly the Cinderella in the guitar world.

I just got a new Squier Classic Vibe 60’s Mustang Limited Edition that looks exactly like this one in Olympic White with the same burgundy tortoise 🐢 shell pick guard. It’s the first Mustang i’ve ever owned and I discovered that because of its unique switching system, it has the best balanced clean tone on the planet. Not to thin like a Stratocaster and not to thick like a Telecaster. Just perfect in the middle. That’s why i now call it “The Clean Machine”. Best ever tone for jazz, country, blues and rockabilly! I believe it also has the best tremolo system on the planet too. Because it literally has zero play or wiggle in the bar.

My grandma called my little white lies "stories". Have I got a story for you. Back in the day my grandfather was in a bind and needed a little money.... before he died he gave me a "whammy" bar and told me to be on the lookout for the guitar it belonged to. Grandma would call that a "whooper" of a story! Thanks for the guitar, the hat, the story, and the cat.

The Mustang is amazing, the story behind it is even cooler. Greetings to you and Frankie from the UK

Beautiful story, I saw Johnny Winter playing one in 1969 and then many years later I met him and I said to him that I had seen him playing a Duo Sonic in 1969 and he corrected me and said it was a Mustang, although Johnny was known to be sometimes moody, he was vary nice to me.

Hey Otis, I REALLY like your videos and I REALLY REALLY like when you play at the end of the video.

What would life be without Cats and Guitars? I don't even want to go down that Road...

I love your stories and all you do. Lot of heart here. Thank you so much for sharing with us. My name is Kyle and I live in Arizona.

Working my way through your back catalog, Otis. Great story, wonderful guitar, and I can see you are a man of class having a tuxedo cat in your life. Frankie is adorable, and he has good taste in guitars. Thanks for this one 🙏 Be good to you

Sweet guitar! Cool Grandpa!

That's really cool, Otis. Great story and an awesome fiddle.

Great Story, heck all your stories are great and interesting.

She's a beauty, and a great story about your grandfather!

Great stuff man thank you for sharing yourself and him are appreciated!

I have a beat up 68 Fender Mustang. I got it in 89, posting someone's bail, as a repayment, even though I told then it wasn't needed. They were originally "student guitars", but thanks to the Grunge era, and your grandfather, they are now deemed cool guitars! I love these stories. My family from Kentucky and Patriot Indiana were all country music fans. My aunt in Patriot, Indiana had a honky tonk band 40 years ago, so these stories resonate with me. Thanks for sharing.

Don't know anything about guitars Otis but you got me thinking about my grandfathers and how special they both were and I thank you for that.

A white Fender Mustang was my first guitar, around 1964 or ‘65. I eventually traded up in ‘66 to a cherry Gibson semi hollow-body ES 335-TDC with a Bigsby tremelo bar. After our band broke up I wanted a nice steel-string acoustic to drive with cross-country but ended up trading it for a Gibson classical and 10 or 20 albums at the same music store in 1971. Wish I had the 335-TDC but I still have the Gibson classical.

Great, honest story, Otis. Loved it. I own a 1964 Mustang too. Bought it the year Fender started making them. Mine was Candy Apple Red, it was only my second guitar. Like you, I don’t think I would ever part with it!

This is a beautiful story, man. It's really awesome that you put the energy into restoring the guitar and intend to keep it in your family, that's really cool! I also have to say that Frankie definitely stole the show at @10:30 😄 Have a great day, and keep rocking!

Wow man you got something money cannot replace . I have a 1967 fender mustang my dad gave me at 13 I live that guitar still play it as well. Love those guitars we called them a poor mans strat but hey they are great

Beautiful looking guitar. I love the colors on the pick guard. Would never have guessed it had been in such rough shape if you had not shared the story. Also, the hat looks a lot better flat but its harder to fill the shoes of our ancestors than it is a hat. Thanks for sharing.

There's going to be guitars too? You just took things up a notch. I'll want to see all of them now. You're fully working the hat. That axe is pretty mint. I wouldn't sell it either. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻

That is a beaut, as well as the playin. Thanks Otis.

Nice playing, Otis! My cat runs out of the room when I play, haha!

I had a '64 model. Bought it for $500 at an Estate sale & pawned it a few months later for $200, LOL. OG: At least you have the good sense to hang on to yours. Congrats!

I still use my Papaws hairbrush. His Stetson hangs in my machine shop. Thats a very cool guitar Otis and I dig your playing. His hat suits you well.

What a great story ,I own one not an original well its a 70s anyway ,I think the mustang is the most underrated fender ever man that's some tone

I also had a 1964 Fender Mustang back in the 90's , I bought from a hippie woman who owned a rundown horse farm outside of Woodstock N.Y. for $400. with the original case..I had it for a while and gave it to my son for his birthday right after he got out of the U.S. Army in 2002-...

You did your grandpa proud with the sounds you bring out of the Mustang. It's great that you took it to a good place to be restored. Regarding arthritis, Rheumatoid Arthritis is an autoimmune disease and there is an off-label drug that may help cure this. It is Low Dose Naltrexone (LDN) and a Naturopathic Doctor can help people with this cure.

Beautiful story Otis! Thanks for sharing this very personal story. You proved once again, that a guitar is a beautiful reincarnation of all species of woods. We know what transpires after they’re created and what they offer anyone who holds them. Beyond that, the fact that you have a personally touching history puts a bow on a wonderful gift!✌️❤️

Play me some of dem brickyard blues! Cool guitar and you play it very well!

My first electric was a Competition Orange Mustang with the stripes. I paid $100 for it in 1985. Sold it for $110 in 1991. I was 14 when I got it.

My favorite color combo on the Mustang, and I've always loved the white tuning keys. Wonderful story about your grandfather.

Now that is a gorgeous instrument. Always loved Mustangs, hope to own one myself sometime.

Wow. That brings tears to my eyes,My dad had that same Mustang,,I was too young to play it.He gave it to my Cousin for his first guitar,along with a Fender tube amp.As I got older,my Cousin let me play,learned some stuff my dad taught him and myself on. Since then my dad and cousin has passed away. Sure wish I knew where that Mustang went. Thanks for the story. Loved it. Cherish that guitar,brother. Love your músic and stories.

Thank you for this great song of the heart without music but works as well. Love the bridge of saluting labor done by those who refurbished the guitar. Good work!

Sweet!

Nice guitar, great story, just warmed up thinking about both my Grandfathers, I was lucky to have them both.

amazing... good job!

Thanks, great story

"My Grandfather's Mustang " sounds like a great song idea to me.. I consider myself to be a purveyor of antique musical instruments so this beautiful story really hit home. Recently my Grandmother gave me a 50's era Mitchell acoustic. The action is nearly like that of how your Mustang was. Grandma never learned to play the thing so it spent most of its life of setting in a closet collecting dust. I've tried to bring life back into it and use it for slide.. Even got a new song out of it..

Wonderful stuff

Great story sir

Otis show more of these guitars when you get them set up.

Man, this is one of my favorite videos of yours. Love that you restored it. Beautiful tone. Frankie seemed to be keeping time.

Great story!! I’ve two of my great, great grandfather’s instruments... a busted mandolin and also a violin that has an actual bone for the bridge. Neither are playable but, like your Fender, it’s really cool to have those pieces of musical family history.

wooww tengo una guitarra similar en color! hecha en japon 2012 saludos desde Lima Peru!!! un fuerte abrazo!

I have one of those new fangled Mustangs with unusual pickups, a 2012 Pawnshop series Mustang Special with splittable humbuckers. Folks these days seem to have money enough to collect a ton of gear. We're so spoiled for choice it's so easy to get drawn to this gear and that in pursuit of our heroes. However I feel lucky to to have just my Mustang Special. I'm reminded that the best guitar is whatever we have not 'the one' they have! For sure they'd sound just as good whatever's in their hands - I try to restrain myself from coveting amps and pedals too since as I'm realising It's okay to sound like myself when I play the tunes of my idols. Kurt Cobain didn't much care and I'm certain he'd regard all those Kurt Cobain issue guitars that have appeared since his passing the same as he did that "GRUNGE" distortion pedal.

Hey Otis, I found your channel this morning while I was searching for old Waylon stories.. I love your channel and immediately subscribed!! I really enjoy listening to you tell a story!! So I grew up in Indianapolis just north of Beech Grove (which I heard you mention in one of your songs) in old Historic Irvington, I now live in New Palestine just down the road from Wanamaker!! My barber is actually in Wanamaker so I'm there about every 2 weeks.. haha!! Beautiful old Fender too!! Beautiful old Martin you have too.. I don't play out anymore but still play a D-35 every day. Anyway 😆 I'm glad I found your channel this morning!!

That is a beauty! Sounds great! Thanks for the wonderful story!!! My buddy used a Mustang back around "77" when we were about 17 years old and covering Led Zeppelin, Kiss, Foghat etc....Playing in little crappy bars in PA. Occasionally we had strippers doing their thing at the break which made everything more enjoyable...

So cool

thanks Otis !

Otis, Yer a real relatable guy and I sure appreciate what you’re doing, dig yer Gramps Fender Mustang (I gotta 66) and I dig yer way with story’s and using words that I haven’t heard in so long a time...takes ya back & sure settles me down. We’ll be look’n for ya to come back over to Columbus when things work out, until then we’ll be listening. Wish you & yours the best, Clyde & Carrie Hannah

My first electric guitar was a 1964 DuoSonic, brand new!

Amazing video and playing. Cheers!

Bitchin’ A. Nice story. Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing. I've been looking for one of these with the wider B neck. Very cool to have anything out of the Fender plant in the pre-CBS days.

Cool guitar, cool memories and cool hat! You’re rockin it man!

Great Vid. I love the story. Guitar looks and sounds great !!! '72. i start playing and order a Fender catalog, which i still have. Sure, The Strats and Tele's were sweet but loved the SB Mustang (pearloid PG). Somehow thought it would be affordable plus it looked awesome ! Bought a '75 SB MN HT Strat in '76. I don't think i ever played a Mustang. Now, the scale and the 22 frets are appealing. Jagmaster here (Gift from my wife).

Johnny winter played one early in his career...one of my favorite guitarists... thanks for sharing its story with us

Beautiful Guitar & history as well !! My father had one identical to that one ,, back around 1966, in Houston Texas , The way he wound up with it , was he had a 53 Harley for sell and this guy come by to look at it . they worked up a trade Fender amp along with The Fender Mustang may have been a little cash with the trade i cant recall , but any how he swapped the Harley for the Fender, which my Dad was not a guitarist but my uncle was , in fact thats where Dad got the Hog from , well sometime or another Dad sold it to my uncle , which had it for years , He recently passed on , my aunt is sellin he instruments , I would recognize it if i saw it , and would like to have it , but i dont know how play one , either , just wanted to make comment , Thanks

Love Frankie !!

Honor to your family!

What a beautiful guitar and incredible history. Loving these videos Otis.

This is the fucking best guitar/ gear/ mod video I've ever seen because it's connected to something.. your grandfather's untold story lives here. Kudos!

,,,,yes,,,,,............ well put ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,.................slight of hand .....................that's the joy & the trick of it all.............................tnx,for putting this in words and story...I am a hobby player for life,and have acquired guitars over the years too!,at garage sales.,,,family,,friends............love it,,,,,cool guitar,,,,I had(had) a fender bullet,same pickups( before lace),,,first guitar= Montgomery wards catalog S.G. style,,,,still have it!😯...this is what cool cats are all about....... US!!!!!.......peace,land o' lakes,wi.

I found Otis through a song that I thought was a great story. However he's an even better storyteller with his videos and interviews(IMO). One of the best orators and interviewers I've ever had the privilege of listening to. This one was a gem and made me think of my own grandfather and his shotgun that I still have today.

Whoah that sounds good❤

Todd Rundgren also played a Mustang in the late 70's.

I made a comment in another video about my dad buying me a fender duo Sonic in 1964. It was white and red like your mustang. The reason I ended up with the fender was I had a danelectro hollow body that I used on my brother's head during one of our many fights. When I hit my brother with it the neck broke loose at the body. I remember dad paying the $189 for it. I now own a 2018 duo Sonic fender reissued but it has a humbucker on the rear pickup that you can split by pulling the tone knob up. It's a fine little guitar. I'm saving it for my grandson. I don't play it much because I play acoustic mostly. I have a martian hd-28 and d-35 and Gibson j-45. I do like fine guitars. Love your videos. By the way I'm 75 years young and went to Vietnam for my senior trip.

That’s a cool guitar, and the story makes it cooler. My dad didn’t really play, but he had an old silvertone in his closet and when he passed, that’s all I wanted. It’s hanging above my bed now and gets played regularly. Dude! I’ll never forget. In 1993 for my 14th birthday I asked for a ‘65 fender mustang that was for sale in the classifieds. My dad said it was too much money for a birthday present plus “you already have a guitar, and you can only play one at a time” I think about what that guitar would go for now, plus how cool of an axe I missed out on.

Such a special story told with such love, respect, and grace. What a beautiful instrument! Thanks for sharing it with the world.

Fellow Mustang lover here. This was such a heartwarming story. Thank you so much sharing! And you are an awesome guitar player too.

Gorgeous guitar with such a fantastic history. Love Frankie being involved you need to rename the channel to The Otis and Frankie Show.

quick story to explain why I asked.... before I was old enough to drink my live rig was a 76 strat with a bassman head and a bullfrog 4/12 cab... at 23 it was the same strat with a full marshall stack ( i know i know...had to be done) ... at 32 i was playing a 335 with a vibro king.... 35 it was the 335 and a (black face)super reverb,had a few on the road with me....by the time I got smart and educated it was nothing but the 335 and the deluxe....( black face ).everything else never left the bus...to this day the 335 and the black-face deluxe would cover any gig....The deluxe is the perfect amp for the working man. I never used pedals ever except a wah, later on the road i used a very early Klon to make it easy for me to cut over any damn drummer. The way my klon was dialed, I could always cut when I wanted to- over anyone....lol.. 22 watts is plenty of fender sheen.. I still have the very old, hand made Klon centuar and i think it is very valuable...hand made- no dragon on it... I had to call the dude to have the klon built...he didnt care about money....he answered the phone and said, "I am way backlogged, mite be 6 months before i can get you one" ....then he said "what rig you use?" I said "335 and a vibro king" .....he said "send me a check today you will have one in a week...".lol he only wanted the real deal messing with his stuff back then......funny huh btw- i pulled my 335 out 2 days ago and the pickups and chrome are covered with rust....uuuuuuugh get that deluxe and never let it go haas

look at that beautiful non-over size CBS BS era headstock.... this is a GEM!!!! beautiful original design!!!

Great story

What company did your grandfather work for? I'm at the Ford Kansas City Assembly Plant building F150s also a guitar player in my spare time.

I've got one from the same year, '64! Mine's in blue and is all original too. Not my Granpa's, but I'm the second owner, got it around '80.

In other words, $189.00 in 1964 is equivalent in purchasing power to about $1,590.00 in 2020, a difference of $1,400 over 56 years.

When I was a early teen in 1972 My dad bought a used FM 1964 for me. He also purchased a used Silvertone twin 12 100 watt to go with it. Man I wish I still had that combo. Thank you dad. But life goings on.

Hey Ottis I am a sixty five year old. Been a semi professional all my life and I have one daughter who play's music as well. Now I don't look forward to dying but when I do as I look over my guitar collection I am looking forward to her having them, and they are all good ones and every time I have bought a new one ,for what ever reason, I always have said well its your inheritance.lol

Dang! I have a 65 Mustang, bought it and a 68-69 princeton reverb AT A YARDSALE for $125!!! This was in maybe, 84-85. I sold the amp several years back but still have the mustang. Wish I had the original case, but ......Mine is a little more beat up than yours, but it's all original. Very cool story.

My first electric guitar. Got a 1965 Mustang blue in 1966 when a freshmen in H.S. Sold it in 1971 when in college. Since then I’ve had Teles and Strats but have always missed that guitar. Would like to buy one but hard to justify paying $2K+ for this old 73 y.o. guy. First guitar is in your dreams just like your first girl friend.

My first REAL guitar was a 1964 (birth year) Fender Mustang I bought from a buddy's older brother for $100. That was a lot of hay hauling money about 1975. Traded it off for something a few years later but I remember playing in my bedroom and thinking, Wow a real Fender. Thanks for the memory.

a great way to start a dreary Monday morning...much better than the current news...here's to hoping Frankie is still enjoying that couch....

The heartaches of Performing Live outweigh the rewards, it's true. Grandad said: 'Learning to hug-up to rejection is the 1st step toward Heaven', (which is why I beat him to death with a ball-peen hammer'). He also said, 'the echoes of regret will slowly drive a natural man insane'. No wonder I 'killed' him.

Oh man I love this…my father-in-law had that exact same guitar! It’s in a display case at my mother-in-law’s house in Lubbock TX. I don’t get out there very often, but when I do I sure do look forward to playing it. Thanks Otis

About 10 years ago i used to have a left handed 1994 MIJ Mustang that was Olympic white but it was turning a creamy yellow colour. Whoever owned it before me must've been a smoker or something cause that one is super clean B)

I had the light blue 64 version , I got when I was 14 for 100 bucks ! It was my first good guitar , my Dad bought it for me .

This guitar, to me, is the best Fender ever made.

Cats are so cool. We have a pack of dogs; our kids really, but I’ve always loved cats. I always grab the chance to hold them when I’m at friend’s houses. Nothing will lower your blood pressure like scratching a cats head and hearing the motor running.

Wow, that guitar sounds great. The playing is really good too! That guitar is what is called a "sweet ride". Cheers!

Probably something you've already done, but I'd get that print digitized and preserve it like you did his guitar. Viewed for the guitar, commented on the photo. haha Very cool guitar, no doubt.

I bought my Goldtop deluxe 2nd hand when I was 17. I’m now 63 and I’ve played countless gigs on it and it sounds better today than it ever did. Not sure of the year but a luthier once told me he thought it was late 60’s. serial No is six digit starting with 11….

A great story! I have two of my grandfather's guitars. Even if I never play them, it's a great memory to have.

Very cool guitar and sounds really nice. Great story about grand dad too. You are so lucky to have such a great reminder of him. Thanks for sharing your story.