Details:
The guitar has its original Olympic White finish and a pearloid pickguard. White Mustangs were generally equipped with tortoise shell pickguards, so this is not a common color combination. It is possible that this pickguard is not original to the instrument since they were very easy to switch and Mustangs often seem to be victims of part swapping. However, one Fender reference book notes that while it was quite rare, some white guitars indeed DID leave the factory with pearl pickguards.

The pickups are originals from 1964 and the pickup covers feature a different plastic than the later versions. They are an off-white, almost translucent color that was used primarily in 1964. The pots are originals from 1964 as well. The switches have since been replaced, but the originals are still in the case.

This guitar has a tiny neck which I found annoying to play over time, so I sold it. However, it's not common to find these instruments with an "A" neck. It feels quite like the 1963 Musicmaster I used to own. I eventually sold my pre-CBS Musicmaster because it's 3/4 scale neck kept the guitar from resonating effectively. This guitar suffered from the same problem. 3/4 sized guitars just don't sound as good, plain and simple. However, collectors make a big deal about pre-CBS Fenders and I have to admit there is something to it. This Mustang's neck and pickups are certainly better crafted than those on my 1966 Coronado and the 1968 Jaguar I once owned.

The sound of the instrument in not unlike that '63 Musicmaster, however is has a bit more ring and sustain due to its slightly longer string length. The pickups are not especially loud, but they do have that early Fender sound. The neck pickup in phase is smooth and surprisingly thick. Mustang owners know that one switch allows you to put the pickups out of phase, which I don't find particularly useful. It creates a very thin sound that isn't appropriate for many applications.

I eventually sold this instrument on Ebay for a great price and purchased a new Gretsch Duo Jet which I use in my Beatles band Revolver and my original band Blank Pages.

The dealer's description from the Ebay auction:

NOV. 1964 Fender Mustang Guitar with original hardshell case. The potentiometers date 40th week of 1964. Neck date is
November 8 (see photos). Pickups date Nov. '64. VERY RARE early issue of this model. Made and shipped before the CBS takeover! Also a very clean and original example! Finished in a rare Olympic White with a VERY RARELY SEEN pearloid pickguard combination. Usually you see the tortoise guards on white finishes. We installed newer Switchcraft selector switches, but the originals are included and they do work but not as good as the newer replacements. Also, the original wire was used and the other wire on the other compnents was not touched The pearloid guard is a really cool way to go and I wonder why they didn't use THAT as the standard. The photos do well in describing the condition. There are some nicks and dings and an area on the back of the body that has some finish worn through to the wood. Not too bad though. Has an enormous amount of character to it for sure. Plays GREAT!!! The neck on this Mustang has a much more narrow feel especially towards the lower frets. Has alomost a Jazzmaster feeling neck profile. The neck is Stamped "A", which may be an indication that it has the slimmer profile. Nice tapered feel that is very unique from most Mustangs. The frets have some wear but still have life left in them for sure. The hardshell case is all intact and is a darker blue than that of later Mustang cases. The outer tolex is also more like the earlier blonde tolex in texture. A very rough textured tolex that has the color of the Mustang cases that were to come, but the tolex is different and darker and was possibly a "test pattern" used here and there until the most "cost effective" flat fabric covering was used all the time with the speckled teal color you usually see. All in all a very unique Mustang that is a VERY early issue and VERY playable and has a super cool "look".

Fender Mustang History:

The Fender Mustang was introduced in August 1964 before the sale of Fender Electric instruments to CBS. The idea was to create a mid-line model between the student grade DuoSonic, and the professional Telecaster. The Mustang was a very popular model, and was made until 1981. Originally designed with a  22.5" inch scale, the Mustang is almost always found with a 24 inch scale. Early models had a slab alder body, but it was given the patented Fender contour body in early 1969.

The earliest models include a large style headstock shape, 1 DES number, 3 patent numbers and Pat. Pending headstock decal, and Pat. Pending tailpiece. August 1965 was the last month for these features.

The Mustang had two pickups and (usually) a 24" short scale length. Though the scale length is longer than the original Duosonics/Musicmasters (which had 22.5" scales), the Mustang is still considered a "student model". Hence their value is low compared to other models. Most Mustangs have thin, oval necks, but on early models, it is not uncommon to find Mustangs, Duo-Sonic II's, and Musicmaster II's with larger than "normal" necks. The larger neck with the 24" scale increases the playability/comfort factors of the guitar.

Originally the Mustang was introduced to replace the entire DuoSonic/MusicMaster line, becoming the new Fender student model. However, the introduction of the Mustang moved the DuoSonic/MusicMaster lines to a second generation, 24" scale length. Due to extreme backorders, all student-line Fenders stayed intact until 1969 when demand dropped and the DuoSonic was discontinued.

Stamped dates on the bottom of the neck indicate the month and year that neck was produced. This date does not always indicate when the guitar was actually assembled, as the company used up parts until they were gone. Therefore, a 1964 neck could have been added to a body sometime in 1965. The first number of early Mustang stamps gives the scale length, 8 indicating a full scale neck and 9 indicating 3/4 scale. The last letter gives the neck profile. "A" necks usually have a thin profile and "B"s are generally larger and fatter necks.

Originally Mustangs were available in red, white and blue finishes. The red finish was called Dakota, the blue was called Sonic and the white was Olympic. Red and blue guitars received white pearloid pickguards and white guitars were generally equipped with toroise shell pickguards. There were some custom color Mustangs produced and some sunburst instuments were also produced in the 1960s.

In 1969 the Competition Mustangs were introduced, available in blue, red, green and orange with racing stripes painted across the front on the instrument. These guitars often had painted headstocks that matched the body color. In the 1970s as more natural finishes gained popularity, Mustangs were available in blonde, walnut, black and sunburst finishes.

The instrument has always featured two slanted, single coil pickups with solid pickup covers. Very early models feature an off-white almost translucent pickup cover. The more common later versions are solid black, featured on red and blue models and solid white, which was common with white finishes. Due to low output from their pickups, many Mustangs have been modified with humbucking pickups or higher output single coils.

Fender introduced a new tremolo system with the Mustang that was based on a typical Bigsby. The Mustang featured a floating tune-o-matic bridge and a rocker bar to which the strings were attached and then wrapped underneath of. The functionality of this system is marginal and like any Bigsby, it doesn't help to keep the instrument in tune if it is used excessively.

Early models featured the standard Kluson tuners, which were changed to "F" tuners after the CBS takeover.

August 1964 Mustang specs:
Slab body, red or white or blue finish.
Gold "transitional" peghead logo.
2 slant mounted pickups with plastic covers and
no visible poles.
2 on/off switches.
Master volume and tone.
Tremolo.
Body: Solid, 2-piece alder
Neck: 1-piece maple, bolt-on
Fingerboard: Brazilian rosewood; pearloid dot markers
Number of Frets: 22
Pickguard: White pearloid/black/white plastic laminate
Bridge: Fender steel; Dynamic Vibrato® tailpiece, chrome
Nut: Plastic
Tuners: Kluson Deluxe, enclosed, Nickel
Pickups: Two, Fender single coil
Controls: Master tone, master volume, two 3-way pick-up selectors
Scale Length: 24 inches
Neck Width at Nut: 1 5/8 inches
Body Width at Lower Bout: 12 inches
Body Depth: 1 1/2 inches

1968 Mustang specs:
Black Fender decal.
"F" style tuning gears replaces Kluson gears.
Polyester thick finish replaces nitrocellulose lacquer.

1969 "Competition" Mustang specs:
Red, blue, burgundy or orange finish with a white racing stripe.
Contour body.

The Mustang was discontinued 1982. The model has since been re-issued both with original specs and in the 1969 Competition specs.

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