Vintage 1969 Fender Musiclander Swinger Arrow Black With OHSC

For fans of Fender and the rarest of the rare, we have something special:  a Fender Musiclander (also known as the Fender Swinger and Fender Arrow).  You definitely do not see these around very often.

 

The model was released by Fender in 1969 and very few were made, so it's a hard find.  Estimates of the total production number range from 250 to 600 made, which were mostly sold in California.  Some see it as an attempt to generate revenue from leftover inventory, by combining unused bodies and parts.  Developed under the supervision of Virgilio "Babe' Simoni" without the help or even involvement of Fender's R&D Department, it was marketed as another cheaper, short-scale 'student' guitar, but never promoted or shown in catalogs.

 

Since then, the model became a cult favorite and has been used by artists ranging from Tina Weymouth of Talking Heads (as seen in the concert movie Stop Making Sense) to Ben Kweller.  

 

Due to the low production number, very few are out there, especially in Black.

Here we have one that was authenticated by none other than Freddie Tavares, the legendary Fender figure that helped design the Stratocaster, not to mention the Bassman amp and many other iconic products.  For an added touch of history, the steel guitar swoop at the beginning of every Warner Bros. Looney Tunes theatrical short was played by Tavares.  Back in 1978, a store in Arkansas sought out information about this exact guitar, and received a letter from Tavares.  In it, he stated that it was a Musiclander with changes in the shape and headstock, provided a timeframe, backstory and approximate production numbers.  That letter was framed by the previous owner and kept with the guitar - and is included with it now.  You can view it in the photo gallery here.

 
This Musiclander is lightweight, at just 5.6 lbs.  The short-scale neck is super comfortable to play, especially if you like small frets - this isn't a shredder guitar.  Tone-wise, the single coil pickup is great for clean playing or with some fuzz.  This is a guitar rock special right here, suitable for different styles.  We fell in love with the guitar due to the rarity, looks and vibe, but then further in love once we plugged in.  It really does sound sweet.

 
When the guitar arrived here, our vintage experts inspected, vetted and setup the guitar.  Everything is original, including the finish, and the original case is included.  This is a true collectors item, especially the letter from Freddie Tavares included.  It's a rare bird, quite unique, and a great find.

 

Included: 1978 signed letter from Freddie Tavares authenticating the instrument.