Fender Bronco Dakota Red 1968
Fender Bronco, Dakota Red, made in USA 1968. This little pocket rocket is such good company, The Bronco debuted in 1967, following Fender's redesign of their student models in 1964. It borrows the body shape from the Mustang, but sports a single pickup in the bridge position and a vibrato bridge unique to the model. Fender used to sell these as a package with the cute matching Bronco 1x8" amp. This example has weathered the decades gracefully, with a few marks and scrapes to show but nothing nasty at all. It's been re-fretted and plays smoothly up and down the neck, which sits comfortably in the hands. The original pickup was replaced with a Lace Sensor gold and matching 500k volume pot; usually we'd put the original back in, but in this case, it sounds so good I reckon it stays. It's percussive and punchy with a snappy top end and snarly mids, and into a dirty amp, it's a glorious time. This is heaps of vintage guitar for the cashola, and will surely deliver the fun times for many decades yet.
Model: Fender Bronco
Made: USA, 1968, Fullerton factory
Serial: 218970
Finish: Dakota Red, gloss nitro
Body: poplar
Neck: maple, Indian rosewood fretboard, 24" scale, 7.25" radius, 40mm nut, 'B' shape slim C style shape
Weight: 3.120kg
Mods: re-fretted, pickup and volume pot replaced, original pickup included
Pickups: Fender Lace Sensor Gold single coil
Accessories: original case, trem arm, original pickup
Cosmetic condition notes: minor finish wear. The headstock has dimples on the end and bottom edge, and checking all over. The neck is clean and smooth in the hands, minor chips in the clearcoat on the back between the 7th and 12th frets approx as well as some checking and rub wear; there's also some minor marks on the board and edges from a previous re-fret. The back has scuffs on the horns, a bald patch on the bottom edge near the jack, scratches along the back edge and elbow area and some minor scuffs around the whole body. The sides have dents near the jack and minor scuffs and dimples all over. The front has scuffs along the back edge and top horn, minor dimples all over and some play wear on the guard and horns. We left the little Saturn sticker on the guard.
Overall: very good condition (8/10)
Playing condition notes: Action is low, neck is straight, intonation is good, truss rod works. All electronics tested and working properly. Wearing fresh 11/49 Moonshiners strings.
Fret life: 8/10, minor wear only