Premier Guitar features affiliate links to help support our content. We may earn a commission on any affiliated purchases.

1966 Fender Mustang, 1961 Fender Princeton, and Vintage Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1A

1966 Fender Mustang, 1961 Fender Princeton, and Vintage Gibson Maestro Fuzz-Tone FZ-1A

That first real rig often holds a special spot in a player’s heart, and in the case of guitarist Brook Hoover, it was because his seminal setup sounded so good.

All guitarists start somewhere. Some are initially better equipped than others (a plastic Tyco Hot Lixx toy versus a family-owned, hand-me-down Martin, for example), but all that matters is that the guitar-playing bug bites them. If they’re lucky, it’s a lifelong illness that spawns a recurring condition: GAS (Gear Acquisition Syndrome). During a guitarist’s life, guitars, amps, pedals, and accessories are bought, sold, traded, lost, stolen, and broken. However, that first real rig often holds a special spot in a player’s heart, and in the case of guitarist Brook Hoover, it was because his seminal setup sounded so good.


“As a teen, I worked on my grandparents’ farm walking beans and earned enough to buy my first electric guitar in ’75 or ’76,” remembers Hoover, who plays guitar in a surf rock/rockabilly band called the Surf Zombies, operates a home studio, and teaches guitar lessons. “The first one that showed up in the want ads was a red Fender Mustang much like this one—I was attracted to the white pearloid pickguard, whammy bar and shiny chrome.”

Unfortunately, Hoover sold his first Mustang in ’77 to a friend so he could upgrade to a Gibson SG, but he recently got his paws back on a similar red Mustang (shown here) to bring his first rig full circle. This ’66 Mustang features a double-cutaway asymmetrical ash body—similar to a ’60s Musicmaster—bolt-on maple neck, rosewood fretboard, and a 22-fret, 24" scale length (a smaller 21-fret, 22.5" option was also available). The ’stang also has a floating bridge/vibrato with bridge cover and two slanted single-coils.

Shortly after acquiring his first mid-’60s Mustang, Hoover got his first real tube amp: a ’61 Fender Princeton. Lucky for Hoover, the price tag for the Princeton included a Maestro Fuzz-Tone—a favorite of Keith Richards and Pete Townshend—that was found lying in the cab. The brownface Princeton has a single 7025 dual triode in the preamp, a 12AX7 dual triode—one half operates the tremolo and the other half serves as a split-load phase inverter—and two 6V6GT power tubes. The Princeton’s front panel only has four controls—volume, tone, speed, and intensity. The “Satisfaction”-in-a- box is built with germanium transistors, runs on a 1.5V battery, and has only two controls—volume and attack.

“When I was a youngster, plugging into that rig was a sonic adventure. I learned the sounds of blues, rock, disco, pop—anything that was on a record, 8-track, or radio, I tried playing through that setup,” recalls Hoover. “The shimmering twang, whammy bar acrobats, and gross, crackly fuzz set the stage decades before starting my current band the Surf Zombies. I just got this ’66 Mustang a few months ago, but I already know that matching it with my old Princeton and bristly fuzz will inspire many more hairy, surf instrumentals.”

A special thanks to Brook Hoover of the Surf Zombies for the opportunity to feature these fine pieces of gear and their story.

[Updated 2/24/22]

Over the decades with Hüsker Dü, Sugar, and solo, Bob Mould has earned a reputation for visceral performances.

Photo by Mike White

The 15th studio album from the legendary alt-rocker and former Hüsker Dü singer and 6-stringer is a rhythm-guitar record, and a play in three acts, inspired by sweaty, spilled-beer community connection.

Bob Mould wrote his last album, Blue Heart, as a protest record, ahead of the 2020 American election. As a basic rule, protest music works best when it's shared and experienced communally, where it can percolate and manifest in new, exciting disruptions. But 2020 wasn’t exactly a great year for gathering together.

Read MoreShow less

Seven previously-unheard Bruce Springsteen records will be released for the first time this summer with “Tracks II: The Lost Albums,” coming June 27.

Read MoreShow less
- YouTube

The guitarist-of-all-trades runs us through his formidable live rig.

Read MoreShow less

Sterling by Music Man introduces the Joe Dart Artist Series Collection, featuring the Dart I, II, and III basses.

Read MoreShow less