Fender/Squier Mustang Pricing??!!!

[martthebass]

After a lot of searching I finally managed to track down a Squier Mikey Way Sig to a small outfit in the West Midlands. Now I know this was a special edition and supply might be tight but even with that in mind I paid 'significantly' more than the last few sales on here over the last few years. When I looked deeper I noticed that the price of all Mustangs seems to have inflated above the average. What's going on?

[Pinball]

They are trendy at the moment, especially the lead guitars. That has a bit of a knock on for the basses.
Note: I have a nice single pup MIJ Fender mustang bass and have to say I'm impressed with it. I have had a MIJ lead guitar in the past and didn't like it at all. The build quality was good but it was heavy, felt clumsy and the trem design is pretty bad.

Edited July 12, 2017 by Pinball

[Jono Bolton]

Which Mustangs are you looking at? The Fender Japan FSR Mustang Bass retailed around £500 recently, which I think is a fair price. It can still be found online too: [url="http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ"]http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ[/url]==

[Jono Bolton]

The prices of all Fender models have shot up in the last few years, with Squier Classic Vibes going from to the low £300s to over £400 in the space of about a year, as an example.

[martthebass]

[quote name='Jono Bolton' timestamp='1499873009' post='3334233']
Which Mustangs are you looking at? The Fender Japan FSR Mustang Bass retailed around £500 recently, which I think is a fair price. It can still be found online too: [url="http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ"]http://www.scayles.co.uk/ProductDetails?ID=Mzg4MQ[/url]==
[/quote]

Well initially I was looking at the MW but cast my net wider after drawing no success. The straight squier vm Mustangs also seemed to be around the £325 - £350 mark if you could find one. Just a bit surprised really when Squier vm Jags were £190 to £211ish new. Though I have to note that the fit and finish on the MW model though Indonesian does feel a notch up quality wise over the current MII Squiers.

[JapanAxe]

When I bought a MIM Pawn Shop Mustang bass (mudbucker) in December 2013 it was £629. Last October I replaced it with the Japanese FSR (regular split pickup) that was £507, and plays a bit nicer and has a better range of sounds. Don't know that I have a point here, just sayin'!

[Jono Bolton]

[quote name='martthebass' timestamp='1499877266' post='3334277']


Well initially I was looking at the MW but cast my net wider after drawing no success. The straight squier vm Mustangs also seemed to be around the £325 - £350 mark if you could find one. Just a bit surprised really when Squier vm Jags were £190 to £211ish new. Though I have to note that the fit and finish on the MW model though Indonesian does feel a notch up quality wise over the current MII Squiers.
[/quote]

Is the MW not also made in Indonesia? I thought it was essentially the same as the VM Mustang, with a different pickup and fingerboard. The VM Ps and Js are around the £340-mark, with the Bass VI over £400 new, and are all Indonesian. If it's out of the same factory as the VMs, which is likely, then £325 or thereabouts wouldn't surprise me.

About £100 was added to the street price of most Fenders (including Squiers), about 2 years ago. At the time I'd been looking at a J Mascis Jazzmaster at around £350, and seemingly overnight the price had gone up to around £425. The guy in the shop said they'd had something through from Fender UK telling them that the retail price was to be increased. A JMJM now is about £480. Conversely, I bought a Jazzmaster Deluxe at the start of the year for £336, which is made up of the same parts as the J Mascis, in a different finish. I can't quite fathom why two guitars with the same components have such vastly different prices.

[martthebass]

That's what I meant Jono, the MII MW does have a better fit and finish than the MII VM Jag long scale that I've just sold. Finish, frets, fretboard edges noticeably better. But the Jag is only £211 new. I think the MW was about £250 when it was sold in 2012.

[Wotcher]

Hi yes I think MW Mustang was 250 new. I got one at 150 second hand, put flats on it and really like it but it's heavier than MiJ mustang and my old Musicmaster. I play it most of the three

[martthebass]

I think you did well with the price there Wotcher; you'd be lucky to get it for £250 in the current market.

Edited July 14, 2017 by martthebass