1978 Fender Musicmaster Bass – Dakota Red – Schaller Bridge – Used Very Good
The Musicmaster Bass occupies a genuinely charming corner of Fender history. Introduced in 1971 as Fender's most affordable bass offering, it was built largely from leftover Mustang and guitar parts — an alder body in the familiar offset Mustang shape, a short 30-inch scale maple neck with rosewood fingerboard, and most famously, a six-pole Stratocaster guitar pickup hiding under a solid plastic cover in the middle position. What sounds like a compromise in design terms turns out to be part of the instrument's character — the guitar pickup gives the Musicmaster a punchy, bright, slightly midrange-forward voice that sits somewhere between a traditional bass tone and something more percussive and cutting. It is not a deep, tubby short-scale bass. It is fast, articulate, and fun, and it has attracted a devoted cult following among players who have discovered what it can do. The 30-inch scale and slim neck make it genuinely comfortable for players with smaller hands, for long sessions, or for guitarists doubling on bass, and the simple one volume, one tone control layout keeps things elegantly uncomplicated. This 1978 example comes from a well-regarded period of Musicmaster Bass production — USA-made in Fullerton, California, with the construction quality and finish work that vintage Fender collectors look for.
The bridge has been upgraded to a Schaller unit — a practical and sonically beneficial swap that addresses one of the few weak points of the original design. The footprint of the original bridge is visible on the body where the finish protected the surrounding area, shown clearly in the photos. Otherwise this bass appears to be all original, including the pickup, electronics, and tuners. The rosewood fingerboard is beautiful, no fret wear, just set up through our shop and playing great. The Dakota Red finish is in really nice shape with some gentle checking consistent with the instrument's age — a wonderful patina on a wonderful color. And yes, there is a dragon sticker on the front that, we have to say, suits this bass remarkably well. This one has quickly become a shop favorite — the kind of bass that is genuinely hard to put down once you pick it up.
- Make: Fender
- Model: Musicmaster Bass
- Year: 1978 (serial number S837481)
- Country of origin: USA (Fullerton, CA)
- Body: Alder, offset Mustang shape
- Finish: Dakota Red, gloss
- Neck: Maple, bolt-on
- Fingerboard: Rosewood, dot inlays
- Scale length: 30"
- Nut width: 1-1/2"
- Frets: 19, no fret wear
- Pickup: Original Fender 6-pole Stratocaster-style single coil under solid plastic cover
- Controls: Master volume, master tone
- Bridge: Schaller (upgraded, original bridge marks visible on body)
- Tuners: Original Fender
- Hardware: Chrome
- Modifications: Schaller bridge installed
- Condition: Used Very Good – gentle finish checking consistent with age, original bridge marks visible on body, beautiful rosewood board, plays great
- Includes: None
Ships carefully packed and insured for full value. International buyers are welcome — please contact us for a shipping quote before purchasing.
About Mill River Music
Mill River Music is an independent, human-powered music shop located in downtown Northampton, MA, run by a team of players, enthusiasts, and certified repair technicians. Every piece of used gear we sell is personally inspected, tested, and set up before it ships — we don't list it until we'd be happy to play it ourselves.
As Martin and Taylor certified techs, we hold our guitar work to a high standard, and we're committed to full transparency about the condition of everything we sell. No surprises.
When you buy from Mill River, you're supporting an independent local business that genuinely cares — about gear, about players, and about doing things right. We're here every step of the way. Reach out anytime.
Anything feel off about that listing, or any questions you wish I had asked? I'll note it for our next instructions review.