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1968 Fender Musicmaster Value Guide: Identification, the Wrong-Bridge Tell and What It Sells For
A 1968 Fender Musicmaster is a late Musicmaster II: the offset-body, single-pickup student guitar Fender redesigned in 1964, offered in Dakota Red, Daphne Blue and Olympic White. Original finish, original electronics and the correct bridge drive value, and dealer asking prices run roughly $1,000 to $2,000. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or text us photos.
What a 1968 Musicmaster actually is
Fender redesigned its student guitars in 1964. The Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic both moved to the Mustang's neck and body blanks, which gave them an offset waist and a bigger headstock. The redesigned guitar is usually called the Musicmaster II. That is why a 1968 example looks different from the earlier symmetrical-body guitar in our 1963 Musicmaster guide.
Two neck lengths were offered after the redesign: a 24-inch scale with 22 frets, or the old 22.5-inch scale with 21 frets. The 24-inch version was the popular one, so most 1968 guitars you will see are 24-inch. Vintage Guitar notes that every redesigned Musicmaster belongs to the II series regardless of scale or what the headstock decal says, so do not read anything into the decal alone.
The rest of the layout is simple. There is one single-coil pickup, the volume and tone controls sit on a separate metal plate, and the pickguard is its own piece. On the red and blue guitars, Vintage Guitar describes crushed-pearl guards and black plastic pickup covers, and the dealer listings we pulled show three-ply pearloid guards. The bridge changed in 1964 too: it is larger than the 1950s one, has no metal cover, and carries three adjustable saddles.
Late 1960s finishes
Dakota Red, Daphne Blue and Olympic White are the finishes sourced for the II series. Color matters for value only if it is the original color. Plenty of student guitars were played hard and later resprayed, so ask the owner directly whether the body has been refinished, and look closely at the finish around the neck pocket and the edges of the bridge and pickguard area for signs of a respray. A refinished Daphne Blue is a different guitar from one wearing its factory lacquer.
How to date it
Dating a 1968 comes down to cross-checking three things, and none of them is reliable alone. We cover each in detail elsewhere, so here is the short version.
Neck date stamp: usually the most trustworthy, stamped on the neck itself. See our Fender neck date stamps guide.
Pot codes: the stamped codes on the potentiometers should be consistent with the neck year. The Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic dating guide walks through the pre-1970 codes.
Neck plate serial: run it through our Fender serial number lookup, but treat it as a hint. Plates get swapped or lost, and a guitar with a missing or non-matching plate has to be dated from the neck and pots instead.
The 1968 Musicmaster we bought: a Telecaster bridge on a student guitar
In September 2026 Edgewater bought a 1968 Musicmaster. The seller had owned it since the 1980s and told us up front that it had been modified. The original serial number was no longer on the neck plate, so the plate could not date it.
The big modification was the bridge. Someone had fitted a Telecaster-style bridge to the body. On a guitar built around a three-saddle Musicmaster bridge, that moved the saddles away from where the neck expects them. Scale length is the distance from the nut to the saddles, so changing the bridge position changes the scale length, and that threw off the intonation.
We converted it back. We had a correct-style Musicmaster bridge in our parts bin and fitted that. To be clear, it is a correct-type replacement from parts on hand, not the guitar's own original bridge, and we would describe it that way to any buyer.
Why a wrong bridge is an identification tell
A bridge is the part most likely to be changed on a cheap guitar, and it leaves evidence. When you look at a 1960s Musicmaster, check these in order.
Extra or filled screw holes: a different bridge has a different mounting pattern, so unused holes, plugs or fresh wood around the bridge area mean something else was there.
Footprint: a clean rectangle or ghost outline in the finish that does not match the bridge on the guitar means the bridge has been moved or swapped.
Intonation that will not set: if the saddles run out of travel before the octave is in tune, the bridge is in the wrong spot for the neck, which is exactly what we found.
Cuts and routs: if the body or pickguard looks cut to suit a different bridge, someone had to force the fit.
Bridge style: the II-series bridge is larger than the 1950s one and has no metal cover. A bridge that looks like a Telecaster's was not fitted at the Fender factory.
The bridge also matters for the offer. A correct-style bridge restores playability, which is the main thing a player cares about, so a restored guitar is worth more than the same guitar still wearing the wrong part. It is still not the original bridge, and holes left in the wood stay left. In our offers we treat a swapped-and-corrected bridge as better than a wrong bridge and below an untouched original. Send us photos of the bridge area and the screw holes and we can tell you which one you have.
What a 1968 Musicmaster is worth
Real, documented prices for 1966 to 1967 Musicmaster IIs give the best read, because the guitars are close in age and build. These are asking prices from dealer listings, not confirmed sale prices. A 1966 Dakota Red with its original finish, original electronics and original case was listed by Chicago Music Exchange at $1,995 and is now marked sold out. A 1966 Daphne Blue at the same dealer, with a refinished body and replaced pickups and pots, asked $1,495. Cream City Music listed a worn 1966 red example with a replacement case at $1,099, now marked sold. Empire Guitars listed a very good 1967 Daphne Blue at $975, also marked sold. We did not find a current priced 1968 or 1969 listing we could verify.
Example (1966 to 1967) | Listed at | What it had |
|---|---|---|
1966 Dakota Red, Chicago Music Exchange | $1,995 | Original finish, electronics and case |
1966 Daphne Blue, Chicago Music Exchange | $1,495 | Refinished, replaced pickups and pots, original case |
1966 red, Cream City Music | $1,099 | Heavy patina, replacement case |
1967 Daphne Blue, Empire Guitars | $975 | Very good, playwear, gig bag |
The spread between these tracks originality and condition. Edgewater's cash offer usually lands about 20% under that market figure, and less for refinished or modified examples. Condition and parts decide the real answer for your guitar, so the accurate next step is a free estimate, or a quick ballpark at what's my guitar worth.
What moves the value up or down
Factor | Effect on value |
|---|---|
Original finish and clean lacquer | Higher. A refinish costs real money off the top. |
Original electronics and pot codes matching the neck year | Higher. Replaced pickups or pots drop it. |
Correct bridge, no extra holes | Higher. A wrong or swapped bridge is a modification. |
Original hardshell case | Adds value and supports the guitar's story. |
Pickup cover and pearloid guard present | Higher than a guitar missing them. |
Factory color (Daphne Blue, Dakota Red, Olympic White) | Higher when it is the original finish, lower when it is a respray. |
Replaced tuners, refretted neck, new nut | Lower, even when the work was well done. |
Ellis S. wrote after a Musicmaster appraisal: "Gavin drove out to Elyria and appraised my vintage Fender Musicmaster. Great guy. Would do business with again soon!"
How to sell your Musicmaster to Edgewater
Send photos of the front, back, headstock, the neck pocket with the stamp, the control plate and the bridge area. Tell us what you know about refinishing, replaced parts and when you got it. Then start a free estimate or see our sell your Fender page for the full process. We buy nationwide and cover shipping. Call or text (440) 219-3607 or text us photos any time.
Frequently asked questions
Is a 1968 Fender Musicmaster the same as a Musicmaster II?
Yes, in practice. After the 1964 redesign every Musicmaster belongs to the II series, whichever scale length it has. A 1968 guitar is the offset-body style with one pickup and a three-saddle bridge.
How can I tell if my Musicmaster has the wrong bridge?
Look for extra or plugged screw holes, a ghost outline in the finish that does not match the bridge, saddles that run out of travel before the octave is in tune, and any cutting around the bridge. The 1960s Musicmaster II bridge is larger than the 1950s one and has no metal cover.
What scale length is a 1968 Musicmaster?
Either 24 inches with 22 frets or 22.5 inches with 21 frets. Both were offered after 1964, and the 24-inch neck was the more popular. Count the frets and measure from the nut to the 12th fret and double it.
Does a refinished Musicmaster still have value?
Yes, but less than an original-finish guitar. One dealer listed a refinished 1966 Daphne Blue at $1,495 against $1,995 for an original-finish 1966 Dakota Red, and our offers drop further for refinished or modified guitars.
How do I date a late 1960s Musicmaster?
Cross-check the neck date stamp, the pot codes and the neck plate serial number. Our Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic dating guide covers all three.
How much will Edgewater offer for my Musicmaster?
Our offer usually lands about 20% under comparable dealer asking prices, and less for refinished or modified guitars. Send photos through the free estimate form linked above for a real number.
By Stephen Pedone, co-owner of Edgewater Guitars. Last updated: October 2026.
Sources
Vintage Guitar magazine, "Fender's Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic"
The Unique Guitar Blog, "The Fender Musicmaster and Duo-Sonic"
Chicago Music Exchange, 1966 Musicmaster II Dakota Red listing
Chicago Music Exchange, 1966 Musicmaster II Daphne Blue listing
Empire Guitars RI via gbase, 1967 Musicmaster II Daphne Blue listing
