Mastercaster Series

Hondo introduced the Fame **Mastercaster Series** in mid-late 1984 to expand their Fender-style lineup to a higher range and bolster the brand's image. The main upgrades over a regular Fame model are a solid wood body, unique headstock designs and standard Kahler tremolos on the 001 and 003. They were discontinued by the end of 1985 or early 1986.

Contrary to some rumors, the Mastercaster models were not made in Japan.

**All Mastercaster models were made in Incheon, Korea by Samick.**

**Related:**

* H-760
* H-757
* H-830

## MC-001

The MC-001 is the only unique design in the Mastercaster lineup; a mix between Strat and Tele styles. It could be found with either Tele or Strat headstock style.

Two decades later, Fender built an almost identical Custom Shop model. In 1995, Samick built a similar model; the Ranger.

* $333.95 Street (1984)
* $499.95 MSRP (1984)

**Body:**

* Kiln-dried, solid Ash body

**Neck:**

* Bolt-on Rock Maple neck
* Rosewood fretboard with dot inlays
* Color-matching Mastercaster headstock
* Color-matching Mastercaster Tele headstock
* Silk-screened Fame Spaghetti logo
* 21 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Electronics:**

* Three X-13 single coil pickups
* 5-way switch
* 1 Vol, 1 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Chrome hardware
* Bullet style truss rod
* 14:1 ratio Grover Rotomatic machine heads
* Kahler Flyer tremolo w/ locking nut

**Finishes:**

* Black (B)
* Transparent Black (TB)
* Charcoal Fire (CF)
* Metallic Red/Silver Burst (MRS)
* Metallic Lime Green (MLG)

## MC-002

* $249.95 Street (1984)
* $374.95 MSRP (1984)

**Body:**

* Kiln-dried, solid Ash body

**Neck:**

* Bolt-on Rock Maple neck
* Maple fretboard with dot inlays
* Color-matching Mastercaster Tele headstock
* Silk-screened Fame Spaghetti logo
* Silk-screened Fame Broadway logo
* 21 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Binding:**

* Single-ply body (front)

**Electronics:**

* X-13 single coil (bridge), X-14 humbucker (neck)
* 3-way switch
* 1 Vol, 1 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Chrome hardware
* Bullet style truss rod
* 14:1 ratio Grover Rotomatic machine heads
* Roller string tree
* Hardtail bridge

**Finishes:**

* Transparent Black w/ Black hardware (TB/B)
* Red w/ Black hardware, Rosewood fretboard (R/BR)
* Carrera Midnight Blue w/ Rosewood fretboard (CMB/R)
* Metallic Mink (MMK)
* Honey Glow (HG)
* Melt Down Red (MDR)
* Paisley 2 (PA-II)

## MC-003

* $333.95 Street (1984)
* $499.95 MSRP (1984)

**Body:**

* Kiln-dried, solid Ash body
* Arm contour
* Belly carve

**Neck:**

* Bolt-on Rock Maple neck
* Rosewood "skunk stripe"
* Maple fretboard with dot inlays
* Color-matching Mastercaster headstock
* Silk-screened Fame Spaghetti logo
* 21 frets
* 25.5" scale

**Electronics:**

* X-13 single coil pickups
* 5-way switch
* 1 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Chrome hardware
* Black hardware (B/B, TB/B)
* Gold hardware (YN)
* 14:1 ratio Grover Rotomatic machine heads
* Bullet style truss rod
* Three-ply, 8-screw pickguard
* Kahler Flyer tremolo w/ locking nut

**Finishes:**

* Black (B)
* Black w/ Black hardware (B/B)
* Transparent Black w/ Black hardware (TB/B)
* Carrera Midnight Blue (CMB)
* Yellowed Natural w/ Gold Hardware (YN)
* Candy Apple Red (CAR)
* Melt Down Red (MDR)
* Purple Haze (PHZ)

## BMT-001 (Bassmaster)

* $449.95 Street (1984)
* $674.95 MSRP (1984)

**Body:**

* Kiln-dried, solid Ash body
* 1/16" "Tiger Tail" flame Maple veneer (TB, TT)
* Arm contour
* Belly carve

**Neck:**

* Bolt-on Rock Maple neck
* Rosewood skunk stripe
* Maple fretboard with dot inlays
* Color-matched Mastercaster headstock
* Silk-screened Fame Spaghetti logo
* Bullet style truss rod
* Fender style nut
* 20 frets
* 34" scale

**Electronics:**

* One X-15 split pickup
* Foil shielded control cavity
* 1 Vol, 2 Tone

**Hardware:**

* Chrome hardware
* Gold hardware (TT)
* Grover TitanTM machine heads
* Metal knobs
* Kahler Bass Tremolo System

**Finishes:**

* Translucent Black (TB)
* Candy Apple Red w/ chrome hardware (CAR)
* Tobacco Tint Sunburst (TT)