Early '90s CIJ Mustang body material?

mountain2012 · Post by **mountain2012** » Wed May 08, 2013 7:05 am

What material do you think the early '90s crafted in Japan Mustangs were made of? Basswood, Poplar, Alder?

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed May 08, 2013 2:11 pm

mountain2012 wrote:What material do you think the early '90s crafted in Japan Mustangs were made of? Basswood, Poplar, Alder?

Probably basswood, like the Jaguars and Jazzmasters of the time unless the finish was a sunburst, then it may be poplar?

mountain2012 · Post by **mountain2012** » Wed May 08, 2013 5:46 pm

Thanks smallbox. I should have specified, the early '90s CIJ Mustangs.

71Smallbox · Post by **71Smallbox** » Wed May 08, 2013 5:52 pm

Why does it matter? You won't be able to notice any discernable difference tonally between any of those 3 woods.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed May 08, 2013 6:02 pm

Maybe not but it's nice to know. Plus basswood usually means a thick plasticky finish to protect what is quite a soft wood. I don't believe there's any tone impact but I'd rather opt for something other usually.

Dillon · Post by **Dillon** » Wed May 08, 2013 6:32 pm

Wouldn't early 90s have been MIJ, not CIJ? Anyway, my '94 was definitely basswood.

Thomas · Post by **Thomas** » Wed May 08, 2013 11:52 pm

That timeframe is a pain in the ass. AFAIK the sunburst/trans blonde were all alder with the solid colours being basswood esp (post 95 and onward). Before that the Japanese market guitars were allegedly all alder with the foreign market guitars being basswood.

It seems like bullshit but I has 2 early 90s Jags from the same year (via serial number). The sunburst (alder) one had all the brass shielding like a vintage one but the solid colour (CAR) one had none of that.

EDIT mine were both MIJ, before the CIJ turnover but both were distinctly different.

smokes · Post by **smokes** » Thu May 09, 2013 2:25 am

Dave wrote:Maybe not but it's nice to know. Plus basswood usually means a thick plasticky finish to protect what is quite a soft wood. I don't believe there's any tone impact but I'd rather opt for something other usually.

I have a 93 or 94 Mustang which I understand to be basswood. The finish is paper thin - if you hold it at an angle you can just about make out the texture of the wood grain on the back, though I think this may have become more pronounced over time. This guitar seems more susceptible to damage than my others.

smokes · Post by **smokes** » Thu May 09, 2013 3:01 am

Oh sorry, mines not a 'crafted in Japan'

stain · Post by **stain** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 4:27 am

Japan Mustangs:
- MG 65 - poplar.
- MG 69, 73 - basswood.
- MG 77- ash.
- Kurt Cobain Mustang - alder.

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Fri Jul 26, 2013 6:37 pm

Bamboo

Early '90s CIJ Mustang body material?

Early '90s CIJ Mustang body material?

Re: Early '90s CIJ Mustang body material?