The Last Bass Outpost
Gear Discussion Forums => Fender Basses => Topic started by: Alanko on June 16, 2016, 12:14:03 PM
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I'm thinking of picking up a MIJ Mustang bass later in the year. They are being reissued, in limited numbers, to some UK retailers. Oddly they are cheaper than the last time they graced these shores!
Any fans? I played one a long time ago, but that was before I really knew what I wanted out of a bass. I had a grueling 3 hour rehearsal on Tuesday with my boat-anchor P bass. I stand just shy of 6ft and have a fairly broad frame, but I feel I might get on better with a Mustang. The band I'm in use 12 string electric guitars, so the darker thump of a Mustang should sit nicely under them, especially once decked out with Chromes.
Please feel free to talk me out of this idea. :mrgreen:
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I can't say that I'm personally a fan, but Mustang basses are what they are, a decent short scale bass for people with small hands. They are not the best sounding short scale basses IMO, that honor goes to the Danelectro Longhorn, Gibson Les Paul Triumph Bass second (the Danos are light as a feather, the LP basses are usually boat anchors, although I once had one that felt lighter than air!).
As far as weight's concerned, I've had Precisions and Jazzes that were lighter than some Mustang Basses. They aren't all that much smaller than a P or J to make a huge difference. The later '70s Mustangs with ash bodies can be quite heavy, in fact.
If what you're at home with is a Precision, a Mustang's a lot of compromise for a possible weight savings. You might try and find a lighter P-Bass.
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I have always liked Mustangs...just never found the right one for the right price. I have always thought they sounded very Precision-ish.
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Which colours and what price? I would love to have one...
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Nice to have two opposing views already. :) I've been keeping an eye on the latest reissue Danelectro Shorthorn/DC59 basses. I saw a photograph of one in black that got my mind racing.
Chris P. Vintage white/tort guard. They are £520 or so on Thomann, Guitarguitar etc.
I've never encountered a heavy Mustang, but given that they are uncontoured I can believe it could happen.
It isn't just the weight of my P bass that bothers me, it is the ergonomics. I had, and sold, a Jazz bass before it. The body shape is great but, in my mind, about 10% too large. I guess this is the reason several boutique manufacturers offer J basses on a smaller footprint. My P bass just feels a little unwieldy after an hour of hammering through songs. I love the tone of it, so it won't be going anywhere, but I did find myself coming up with reasons to put it down for a minute after a few tunes.
To be completely honest, I've been jonesing for a Mustang for years, but it has always been the 3rd or 4th bass on the bucketlist. Just before I went to college I picked up a copy of Can's Tago Mago album. The bassist Holger Czukay uses (an admittedly much modified) Mustang on the album, and it was one of the albums that I first really started to pick out the bass parts on in depth, possibly with assistance. It seems that now I have a slightly more practical use for one.
Holger Czukay:
(http://musicpages.webz.cz/data/classrock/story_img/can/c11.jpg)
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They sound better with racing stripes of course.
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MIJ Fenders of any type are highly regarded. I like my Bronco (same body and scale) a lot. Nice weight, good balance. I think it's a great idea! I recommend Labella flats.
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My first bass was a black Bronco. I don't really remember much about it!
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Re contours, some early Mustang Basses had slab bodies, but most vintage Mustang basses were contoured. The reissues are slabs, I think. The wood removed by contouring doesn't add up to a lot of weight anyway.
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Guitard in an old band had a Bronco geetar. Loved that thing - made me reconsider single coils. Not that that's helpful at all.
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I tried a reissue MIJ Mustang a few years back, it wasn't super light but it was definitely lighter than the few 70s originals I've tried.
Not a big fan of the tone. I'd rather have a vintage Musicmaster as long as it has the original 6-pole single coil pickup.
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Seemingly Nordstrand make a good Mustang replacement pickup?
The Bronco I had was fitted out with a Strat-style pickup in a closed cover. I replaced it with an off-brand guitar humbucker as I didn't like the single coil noise. I basically ruined that bass in stages:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/HPIM0871.jpg)
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/DSCF1066.jpg)
The neck ended up here:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/DSCF3638.jpg)
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I tried a reissue MIJ Mustang a few years back, it wasn't super light but it was definitely lighter than the few 70s originals I've tried.
Not a big fan of the tone. I'd rather have a vintage Musicmaster as long as it has the original 6-pole single coil pickup.
You're probably aware but that 6-pole pickup's just a Musicmaster guitar PU, which is ostensibly just a Strat PU with flush poles. Not a lot of bottom, but they're OK for bass.
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I can play an upright, 34 inch or shorter scale. I like short scale! My Bronco has a TV Jones design Gretsch 2202 pickup and it's a nice sounding bass. A Mustang with flats should have a solid, classic Fender sound. I doubt you will have a problem with the pickup.
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You're probably aware but that 6-pole pickup's just a Musicmaster guitar PU, which is ostensibly just a Strat PU with flush poles. Not a lot of bottom, but they're OK for bass.
Yes, I know, and I think it has more fundamental than a Mustang pickup.
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There are different companies offering 4-pole Musicmaster pickups nowadays. I have the 4-pole in my Squier replaces by an original 6-pole (bought it that way0 and my black '78 Fender has a SD Lipstick. Sounds great. Less woody, more P-ish.
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I have the 4-pole in my Squier replaces by an original 6-pole
A Squier Vista Musicmaster ? The 4 pole worked like a charm for my needs. I actually tried out the Vista in same time period as a MIJ Mustang. I found the Mustang a rather faceless instrument and sold it off fairly quickly.
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There are different companies offering 4-pole Musicmaster pickups nowadays. I have the 4-pole in my Squier replaces by an original 6-pole (bought it that way0 and my black '78 Fender has a SD Lipstick. Sounds great. Less woody, more P-ish.
I can't see the logic in changing a bass with its own sound to be more like another bass. If you want a P-ish sound, why not just buy a P? Or at least a short scale version of a P.
A Squier Vista Musicmaster ? The 4 pole worked like a charm for my needs. I actually tried out the Vista in same time period as a MIJ Mustang. I found the Mustang a rather faceless instrument and sold it off fairly quickly.
I played one of those Vistas in a store back in the mid-late 90s. Sounded pretty good. I'd still rather have an original Musicmaster, multiple piece body and all.
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I don't see any reason a Strat pickup wouldn't sense a strong fundamental? Is there anything in a passive guitar/bass circuit that acts as a high-pass filter?
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i bought the Squier Vista (powder blue with matching headstock) with a '70s Musicmaster pickup in it and I never chaned it. It sounds great and fat.
When I bought the '78 Musicmaster I thought it was too black. Can something be to black? Spinal Tap... Well, I changed the Jazz controls to witch hats and I installed a lipstick for the looks. At the moment I had a Fender Rascal at home and its middle pickup has the same position as the MM pickup. The Rascal sounded a bit brighter and so does the MM with lipstick. I don't have a P, but now I do have a warm and a bright MM.
Strange: A while ago my black MM turned blue. And now it's black again. Will post the story and some pics soon.
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My Stratobaster works just fine for me. 32" scale, stock Squier Strat pups with .010 inch aluminum toppers to add pizzaz. Weight 7 lbs.
None of its five pup combos really make me think that something else is badly needed in the tone department. ;)
(http://i976.photobucket.com/albums/ae241/cata1d0/STRATOBASTER/StratoBasster32_zpsihts2qnk.jpg) (http://s976.photobucket.com/user/cata1d0/media/STRATOBASTER/StratoBasster32_zpsihts2qnk.jpg.html)
If I did it again I'd go with a 'threaded saddle' bridge.
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I had an MIJ - white with tortoise pickguard - bought it in Japan while I was living there, around 2004 or so. Only recorded one thing that I can remember - found it to be punchy and rather P-ish:
http://hieronymous.us/music/next_to_last_fragment.mp3 (http://hieronymous.us/music/next_to_last_fragment.mp3)
Here is the entire piece, most recorded with a Tune 8-string - the Mustang only appears in the middle section referenced above:
https://soundcloud.com/hieronymous-seven/next-to-last (https://soundcloud.com/hieronymous-seven/next-to-last)
Sold it when I moved back to the States, kind of regret it - I really liked it! Would love to have a vintage one but would settle for another MIJ, but not high on my list - in fact, there isn't a list right now!
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I can't see the logic in changing a bass with its own sound to be more like another bass. If you want a P-ish sound, why not just buy a P? Or at least a short scale version of a P.
I played one of those Vistas in a store back in the mid-late 90s. Sounded pretty good. I'd still rather have an original Musicmaster, multiple piece body and all.
I feel the same way. With only one or two exceptions, I have kept each bass the way it was built. I'd rather keep a bass for the sound it has, rather than trying to make it sound like some other bass. There's more fun in that for me. I can appreciate an old Kay KB-2 for what it is, just as I can appreciate a Casady.
The Bronco I mentioned earlier was a purposeful exception; I bought it as a test bed to experiment with pickups, and tried three or four before I installed the Gretsch 2202 pickup. However, does that mean I've merely re-invented the 2202, because the pickup placement and scales are essentially the same? Quite possibly.
2202 body:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Gretsch%202202/PB070025.jpg)
Modified Bronco body:
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Bronco%20Bass/PB070031.jpg)
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I don't see any reason a Strat pickup wouldn't sense a strong fundamental? Is there anything in a passive guitar/bass circuit that acts as a high-pass filter?
No reason at all. A guitar pickup circuit works the same way as a bass pickup circuit. Because of its size it won't have the output of most bass pickups, but that's not necessarily a bad thing.
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It guess it must match fairly closely to a '51 P pickup, but it terms of overall tone and output?
I tend to agree with the sentiment 'I can't see the logic in changing a bass with its own sound to be more like another bass'. Where I think the Mustang differs is that it is basically configured as a smaller P bass, albeit with slightly different pickups and body shape. A splitcoil pickup in the mid position is always going to deliver a P-type tone. I'm after a Mustang partly because it sounds like a P but is smaller, lighter and a bit easier on the hands. As I said before, I'm just shy of 6 foot, and I still wonder at times why basses have to be so big!
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and I still wonder at times why basses have to be so big!
Because you don't want to feel like your playing a g**t*r with four strings. All my bass guitars are shorties but the Musicmaster is too small, it just didn't feel right to me !
Anyway, if you're looking for the 51-P sound in a shortie, the Bach Tele sounds more like my beloved ( ex ) CS 51-P than the Squier Vista Musicmaster.
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Half the fun of playing bass is taming a big one! Not that I have anything against small bodied basses.
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It guess it must match fairly closely to a '51 P pickup, but it terms of overall tone and output?
I tend to agree with the sentiment 'I can't see the logic in changing a bass with its own sound to be more like another bass'. Where I think the Mustang differs is that it is basically configured as a smaller P bass, albeit with slightly different pickups and body shape. A splitcoil pickup in the mid position is always going to deliver a P-type tone. I'm after a Mustang partly because it sounds like a P but is smaller, lighter and a bit easier on the hands. As I said before, I'm just shy of 6 foot, and I still wonder at times why basses have to be so big!
This makes perfect sense to me. Moving to a bass that "...sounds like a P but is smaller, lighter and a bit easier on the hands" is a logical and attractive idea. I went down that road a while back.
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I once owned a Yamaha 'BB' bass. After it arrived I read that 'BB' stood for 'Big Body'. :rolleyes:
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Almost correct. Actually BB stands for Broad Bass.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxNjAw/z/-PQAAOSwe7BW0-Ej/$_1.JPG)
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Ha! The power of the Internet! Broad bass was a very apt description.
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Almost correct. Actually BB stands for Broad Bass.
(http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTYwMFgxNjAw/z/-PQAAOSwe7BW0-Ej/$_1.JPG)
:o So it's a bass for women ???
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:o So it's a bass for women ???
Or guys over 30....that's when the spread starts to attack... :sad:
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I bought a MIJ Mustang last year to use sometimes in our Stones tribute band. Since being in that band I've got to tolerate short scale basses, and from my point of view the Mustang with flats sounded very close to a P bass. I was not disappointed in it at all, the quality is excellent for a bass that cost me around $500 used.
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57/mdeayton/Gig%20photos%202014/DSC_0662_zps184b505e.jpg)
(http://i9.photobucket.com/albums/a57/mdeayton/Gig%20photos%202014/10669214_10152728850865763_6845048102097196834_o_zps886c7edf.jpg)
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I like the Ampeg backline there! A nod to authenticity! Is that a GK amp behind you?
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I don't see any reason a Strat pickup wouldn't sense a strong fundamental? Is there anything in a passive guitar/bass circuit that acts as a high-pass filter?
Depends on the frequency response the pickup's designed for. Every pickup has a resonant frequency, the wind, materials used, and design all affect that.
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So didja go ahead and get a Mustang, didja, didja??? :thumbsup:
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I like the Ampeg backline there! A nod to authenticity! Is that a GK amp behind you?
Smoke and mirrors. The "Ampeg" cabs (we prefer the name "Shampeg") are empty frames only, and the Ampeg head on top is a gutted shell from a non-working Ampeg. "Keef" has a Fender combo behind one of the "cabs". My Fender 610 cab is real, but the "amp" on top is an empty SVT head shell with some knobs glued onto a silver-painted sheet of MDF. At this gig I was running a Genz Benz Streamliner into the Fender cab. The GB is sitting inside the SVT head shell, and I can reach around to tweak the controls if need be.
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So didja go ahead and get a Mustang, didja, didja??? :thumbsup:
I've registered an interest in one! I went into my local Fender dealer and they had no knowledge of these instruments, but their manager phoned me back the next day to let me know they would call when they get one in. Fender are telling dealers that they will be coming in around mid-September. The odd thing is that they are selling these new ones for less than the previous retail price. Another local shop had a MIJ Mustang in stock for a good long time, at around £700 if not slightly more. These new ones seem to hover around £520 or so. Weirder still considering the rumours that Fender Japan were packing it in. Maybe they found a bunch down the back of the sofa and are busy polishing them up...
Aussie Mark I applaud your resourcefulness! The wall of Ampeg is the Stones backline look I immediately think of, but is clearly impractical unless you are playing MSG. I see you haven't relocated the strap button to the lower horn like Bill did!
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Fender Japan was a marketing company rather than a factory. There's no reason Fender can't have a Mustang bass made in Japan by whichever factory made it under the old agreement -- assuming the new one you're talking about is actually made in Japan.
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the Ampeg head on top is a gutted shell from a non-working Ampeg.
Believe it or not, those switches on there are long out of production, hard to find and worth a bit of money. They are also some of the few parts of an SVT that actually go bad with age in all of them.
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Fender Japan was a marketing company rather than a factory. There's no reason Fender can't have a Mustang bass made in Japan by whichever factory made it under the old agreement -- assuming the new one you're talking about is actually made in Japan.
All the stores online are suggesting it is a Japan build, but they could be recycling old copy.
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All the stores online are suggesting it is a Japan build, but they could be recycling old copy.
New Fender Offset Guitars and Basses at Summer NAMM 2016 (https://reverb.com/news/new-fender-offset-guitars-and-basses-at-summer-namm-2016)
According to the paragraph beneath the video, they will be MIM.
And be sure to watch the video. It will have P/J pickups.
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Interesting! The thing I'm after is up for pre-sale here:
http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_mustang_bass_vwt.htm?ref=search_rslt_Mustang+bass_389482_7 (http://www.thomann.de/gb/fender_mustang_bass_vwt.htm?ref=search_rslt_Mustang+bass_389482_7)
Fender Mustang Bass VWT, electric bass, made in japan, alder body, maple neck, c neck shape, rosewood fretboard, 19 frets, 38,1mm nut width, 30" (762mm) short scale, 1x Special Design Split Singlecoil, 1x master volume, 1x master tone, standard strings: Fender 5250XL (#181693), finish: vintage white.
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I looked at the website for Ikebe, one of the big Japanese retailers. They have USA & MIM, but also "Fender Japan" - it looks like they are producing a limited number of instruments in Japan, marketed as "Japan Exclusive." (Confusing given that they supposedly put Fender Japan to rest.)
http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/ec/srDispCategoryTreeLink/doSearchCategory/11020J1F000/04-05/4/1 (http://www.ikebe-gakki.com/ec/srDispCategoryTreeLink/doSearchCategory/11020J1F000/04-05/4/1) (not sure the link will work)
Ishibashi even has an MB-SD (Mustang Bass, presumably with the Seymour Duncan pickups that the earlier Fender Japan Mustangs came with?) in black, though it's on hold for someone, but it looks like a brand new one.
http://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/pro/disp/1/80-321631300 (http://store.ishibashi.co.jp/ec/pro/disp/1/80-321631300) (again not sure the link will work)
Ikebe didn't list any Mustangs, only Precision & Jazz basses.
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@ Alanko: Hard to say about the one listed at Thomann. Considering the lower price, my guess is that they are just using the old description, and that when the product arrives, it will be the new MIM P/J Mustang.
@Harry: It doesn't surprise that there are still Japanese-made Fenders being produced, whether or not that includes any Mustangs. Will any of them be exported? I doubt it. You never know, though.
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The plot thickens. I would much rather take an accurate MIJ reissue over a MIM bitsa PJ-stang creation. I have no need for a bridge pickup, and I think the 3-way switch looks a wee bit clumsy. If these European retailers are just recycling ad copy, and they in fact are alluding to the new PJ bass, then I might try tracking down a MIJ Mustang bass 2nd hand. It does seem odd to reintroduce the MIJ basses for £200 less.
So far I've missed out two 2nd hand MIJ Mustang.; The cheaper of which had Quarter Pounders installed :bored:. I would have sunk a bit more money returning it to stock.
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Yes Thomann uses the old pic.
I'm quite disappointed. PJ's look too big and the PJ bridge is wrong too....
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The plot thickens. I would much rather take an accurate MIJ reissue over a MIM bitsa PJ-stang creation. I have no need for a bridge pickup, and I think the 3-way switch looks a wee bit clumsy. If these European retailers are just recycling ad copy, and they in fact are alluding to the new PJ bass, then I might try tracking down a MIJ Mustang bass 2nd hand. It does seem odd to reintroduce the MIJ basses for £200 less.
So far I've missed out two 2nd hand MIJ Mustang.; The cheaper of which had Quarter Pounders installed :bored:. I would have sunk a bit more money returning it to stock.
Here's one in oly white .....
http://www.ebay.com/itm/Fender-Japan-Mustang-Bass-MB-SD-VWH-Crafted-in-Japan-Electric-Bass-Guitar-CIJ-/122027590108?hash=item1c696941dc:g:sKUAAOSw3R1XTwYc
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Somebody told me the 'normal' Mustang comes back too, but I don't know if that's a fact or just based on the Thomann pic, which could be just the wrong pic.
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I'm quite disappointed. PJ's look too big and the PJ bridge is wrong too....
I'm in the same boat. In one sense it does mean you could drop a wider range of aftermarket pickups into it, and bridges to boot. For example I would potentially stick a Gotoh 201 and Dimarzio Model P/J set in the bass. My overall feeling is that these generic parts just rob the bass of intrinsic value somehow. It seems like they made a couple of boring decisions. Perhaps they were inspired by that new Ibanez shortscale Talman release? It is a 30'' PJ bass, and comes in vintage white as well...
Thomann and co are recycling the image they used before. I remember it, because the image is so weird; overcooked and with some sort of sharpness filter going on. Not a true representative of the colour of those basses at all.
Aussie Mark, I'm watching Ebay for one if it crops up in the EU. I'm worried about getting stung by shipping if I buy from Japan or the US.
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Aussie Mark, I'm watching Ebay for one if it crops up in the EU. I'm worried about getting stung by shipping if I buy from Japan or the US.
My experience after buying about 15 basses from eBay Japan is that Japanese sellers will stick by the shipping price they specify in their listing.
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I had a mid '90s MIJ Mustang Bass, I thought it was really great sounding with the TI Jazz Flats I put on it (JF344). In the end though, I am just not a fan of 1 1/2" nut width basses, if it wasn't for that I'd still have the bass.
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Is that roughly equivalent to a Jazz bass nut?
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Is that roughly equivalent to a Jazz bass nut?
Yes. Some vintage Js were as narrow as 1 7/16" but modern ones are 1 1/2".
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I'm actually on the hunt for a Jazz neck to stick on my Precision. :mrgreen: I do find I get on a little bit better with a Jazz neck. Bad form I know, but I tend to hook my left thumb over the top of the neck for certain passages and intervals, and with a P neck it starts to dig into the tendons at the base of my thumb slightly. I had a Jazz bass for a while and I seem to remember having some sort of other issue with it, but I don't now remember what that was. :o
I have a spare Jazz bass neck, but it is left handed. I modified it to be a right handed neck, but I've found it hard to find long enough E strings.
If the Mustangs that ship later this year turn out to be the P/J variants in that video then there is always the Rascal bass!
(http://www.fender.com.au/products/resources/IMG_3705.jpg)
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I had a Rascal from when they first came out until this past winter. It was easy and fun to play. In the end, though, I always go back to long scale basses.
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How did you get on with the Rascal, other than the scale length? It seems as though it would be capable of a much wider range of tones than the Mustang, which would be useful. The Hagstrom/Guild bridge is an odd choice. I had one on a Dearmond Starfire and found that the E could tip over if I played too aggressively.
I've watched a few videos online (there are only about four), and it seems that the Rascal sounded a bit 'quacky' on the high frets. Is this a setup issue or quirk of the design?
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How did you get on with the Rascal, other than the scale length? It seems as though it would be capable of a much wider range of tones than the Mustang, which would be useful. The Hagstrom/Guild bridge is an odd choice. I had one on a Dearmond Starfire and found that the E could tip over if I played too aggressively.
I've watched a few videos online (there are only about four), and it seems that the Rascal sounded a bit 'quacky' on the high frets. Is this a setup issue or quirk of the design?
It does have a wider tonal range than a Mustang. In addition to the five way switch, with the volume knob pulled up you get two more options in the two forward switch positions: all three pickups and bridge/neck only. I usually played it with the neck alone or middle alone. I never noticed any quacky tone. The SD lipstick pickups are Strat pickguard mount, so you could always replace with any other Strat pickup.
My guess is that Fender used the Guild bridge on the Rascal only because they had leftover inventory. I had no issues with it.
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The Rascal has quite a big body, and a wider neck so it feels completely different than a Mustang or Music Master. You would hardly believe it's a short scale.
The Rascal started as a one off Custom Shop model, which appeared one or two years before the production model. Or maybe they made a couple. One was for sale at Thomann's for around 7000 euros. There's an interview with the builder somewhere and I don't think he would have thought they would make a cheaper version, so I don't think they used this bridge because they had to many left.
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The Rascal has quite a big body, and a wider neck so it feels completely different than a Mustang or Music Master. You would hardly believe it's a short scale.
That is because the total length of the bass is similar to a long-scale P or J. Just like the 30" scale Bass VI, the bridge is further up the body. So it's a short scale, but the nut is right where your left hand remembers is to be. That's why I like hollow-body short scales - they have the same length as a P/J/Ric etc.
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The Rascal has quite a big body, and a wider neck so it feels completely different than a Mustang or Music Master. You would hardly believe it's a short scale.
That is because the total length of the bass is similar to a long-scale P or J. Just like the 30" scale Bass VI, the bridge is further up the body. So it's a short scale, but the nut is right where your left hand remembers is to be. That's why I like hollow-body short scales - they have the same length as a P/J/Ric etc.
Yes, it has a full size body so it hangs on you like a long scale, and despite the bridge being further up the body, your right hand still lands in a comfortable place.
It's 1 5/8" at the nut, but still only Strat width ( 2 3/16") at the neck pocket, like a Mustang or Musicmaster.
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I played a Rascal today! Not sure what to make of it, to be honest. It honestly doesn't meet my original requirements as 1) it felt about as big as my P bass, 2) it felt about as heavy as my P bass 3) The neck felt only a smidge thinner at the nut and 4) It didn't balance that well on a strap so my left hand would be doing more work, if anything.
Now that I've taken a dump on the thing, maybe I should be a little bit more even-handed. The bass looks really nice, and I spotted it in among a rack of otherwise conventional Fenders. It was actually pretty comfortable to play sitting down, albeit with the balance bias towards the neck. The setup was okay, but the generic roundwounds were a bit mushy. Still, the lower tension is something I would explore, though probably with flats. The range of tones was very impressive, with some surprisingly modern sounds in there. I thought the neck pickup alone sounded, if anything, a little Rickenbacker-ish due to its location probably. The bridge and middle pickups together had a slight Danelectro twang as well.
The 5-way switch lacked a strident click and felt a little worn out. The push-pull is a nice discrete way of hiding additional functionality and maintaining a clean look.
The bridge was identical to my Dearmond Jet Star II's bridge (RIP to that bass). I could wiggle the E string saddle, which made me wonder if, combined with low tension strings, it could be pulled over with aggressive finger-style technique.
The neck had a nice glossy finish, though the raw rosewood on the fretboard top looked a bit pale and dry. The nut would probably also benefit from a bit of attention.
It felt nice, but it didn't feel like a £750 instrument. Back to the Mustang?
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It's a Bass VI body, definitely full size, and it's exactly the same at the nut as a current MIA or MIM Standard P. You still have the short scale and the narrower string spacing of a Mustang, but if you need a smaller body and narrower nut width, then pass.
Mine never had a balance problem. The one you tried must have had an unusually light body.
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The balance was tricky sitting down. On a strap it wasn't a diver, but it was gradually heading for the 3 o'clock position if I took my left hand off the neck.
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Back when I had a VI (it was never a "Bass VI" officially, just a "VI") I used to think, what a great design, so comfortable, I wish they made a 4-string version. And then they did. Actually there was a Japanese maker in the 90's that made "IV" basses, can't remember the brand, it was a good copy of the Fender VI but with 4 strings.
My VI ('91 MIJ) had an A-width neck. 6 fat strings across a 1 1/2" nut.
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I think you are thinking of the ESP 'Grassroots' (sub brand) Bass IV!
(http://www.espguitars.co.jp/artist/tetsuya/images/g_b4.jpg)
I've read that you can cobble something together similarly using Warmoth VI parts and asking for various holes to remain undrilled.
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Yep. That's the one!
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So I survived another 3 hour rehearsal last night with the P bass. I've been in bands where rehearsals are like a party where the songs sometimes rise above the chat and clink of beer bottles... this new band runs a tighter ship. Most of those 3 hours were spent playing music. The upshot is that I don't think the Rascal bass would solve my problems, just give me another big blue Fender bass with different tones. Emphatically back to the Mustang I go.
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In the meantime, why not pick up a Bronco and see how it fits you? Fun bass, inexpensive, easy to re-sell and you can play pickup swap games if you wish.
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I had a Bronco before. It was my first bass, and I really enjoyed it. I did some stupid kitchen table mods to it before I really knew what I was doing.
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The balance was tricky sitting down. On a strap it wasn't a diver, but it was gradually heading for the 3 o'clock position if I took my left hand off the neck.
Try a Neo
Tech strap. They are great, even Thunderbirds balance with those.
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I've been thinking of getting a more sympathetic strap for a while, so that might be the way to go!
Some heavy hints were dropped at the last band practice, so it looks like I'm now hunting for a 2nd hand Epi Rivoli. 8)
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I've been thinking of getting a more sympathetic strap for a while, so that might be the way to go!
Some heavy hints were dropped at the last band practice, so it looks like I'm now hunting for a 2nd hand Epi Rivoli. 8)
Get the longer "guitar" strap. The one they call the bass strap (the same otherwise) is too short, at least for me. They are adjustable, but the "bass" strap just didn't have enough length. That was a few years ago though, they may have changed since then.
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Will post 'm later, but I got pics of the new Mustang PJ. It will be available in vintage white, torino red and sonic blue.
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Still not seen one of the new PJ Mustangs in the flesh, but I have a used MIJ '60s reissue Mustang coming my way. Tomorrow or Wednesday a box of parts should arrive which, once assembled, will make a Mustang. The frets have signs of roundwound wear, so I will be sorting them out first.
I've purchased a set of La Bella Deep Talkin' Mustang flatwound strings. Any fans?
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Still not seen one of the new PJ Mustangs in the flesh, but I have a used MIJ '60s reissue Mustang coming my way. Tomorrow or Wednesday a box of parts should arrive which, once assembled, will make a Mustang. The frets have signs of roundwound wear, so I will be sorting them out first.
I've purchased a set of La Bella Deep Talkin' Mustang flatwound strings. Any fans?
Oh, YEAH. Those are THE strings for a traditional sound. I like the light gauge .043-.104 set. The short scale set fits perfectly. Give them about 60 days to settle in and sound like Labellas...then those strings are good for the lifetime of the bass. I have used those strings on Fender, Gretsch, Dean and Gibson (EB-0) basses.
This should be a real winner. Enjoy!!
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Glad to hear it! I was going to go for Chromes, but figured that if somebody made Mustang strings then they are probably already optimal for length, tension, balance etc. Thanks for reassuring me!
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Chromes are good strings, but by reputation brighter than the Deep Talkin' Flats. The Labellas are the go-to strings for classic flatwound sound, and they're extremely durable. To say they last for decades is no exaggeration.
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The MIJ Mustangs are strung through body. Did you order the right set for them?
You need medium scale strings, and at least some Mustangs have smaller tuners. LaBella makes a special set (http://www.bassstringsonline.com/La-Bella-Deep-Talkin-Flat-Wound-for-Fender-Mustang-Bass--4-String-Set_p_1036.html) just for strung-through-body Mustangs. They don't recommend using their regular flats on through-body basses.
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Absolutely correct! I forgot about the string-through bridge. Definitely get the correct set, as Dave is right on target both with the length and the warning about using their standard strings for through-body installation.
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I got the strings marketed as specifically for Mustang basses. :mrgreen:
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I got the strings marketed as specifically for Mustang basses. :mrgreen:
Whew! ;D Seriously, glad you ordered the Mustang set. Returning and reshipping can really drive up the cost.
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Both the Mustang and the La Bellas arrived today. The Mustang confused me. The seller sent it to me with the neck removed, but I was still confused by the large brown box under my desk this morning. Had a quick poke around inside, and was blown away by how small the body is! I'd honestly forgotten how small Mustangs are, especially as I've only seen pictures of them recently with shorter bassists playing them.
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Both the Mustang and the La Bellas arrived today. The Mustang confused me. The seller sent it to me with the neck removed, but I was still confused by the large brown box under my desk this morning. Had a quick poke around inside, and was blown away by how small the body is! I'd honestly forgotten how small Mustangs are, especially as I've only seen pictures of them recently with shorter bassists playing them.
That's part of their appeal. It's refreshing to play a light instrument like a Mustang or EB-0 after hefting many other basses.
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Heh! Bass reassembled. I levelled the frets and re-crowned them. I used a machined aluminium beam and a 'little bone' fret file. I've heard it said that these are actually Japanese knife sharpening tools, re-branded as fret files. I was surprised to see guitar frets on the Mustang neck, so I figured the little bone was a better option than triangular files.
The bass is good fun to play. The La Bellas are wonderfully balanced both in feel and tonal balance. They even came with a wee numbered plastic cube on each string reminding you of the order. The bass is a wee bit of a neck diver, but I've fitted a suede strap, and all is good. I'm looking forward to the strings bedding in a bit, but out the gate they sound nicer than the slightly stiff, powdery feel I've felt on new Chromes.
A few tangential thoughts about the design. The Japanese reissue doesn't come with foam mutes (no great loss) or a tug bar. I might fit a tug bar, and I presume it is the same size as a standard Precision or Jazz tug bar?
Second thought, the Mustang is a weird mix of corner-cutting design and innovation. Compared to the similar Musicmaster bass, which is a more overtly budget design, the Mustang's electronics sit on their own chrome plate (more metal, more machining, higher cost to produce), the pickups are proprietary to the design and the bridge is also unique to the instrument. In fact the bridge reminds me of a Stingray bridge to a limited degree. Was this one of Leo Fender's last design for Fender? He might have been playing around with the idea of high mass bridges from the Mustang onwards, as both Music Man and G&L bass designs feature higher mass bridges than the P or J.
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Two questions...
How does it sound?
Pictures?
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Although the Mustang guitar came out before Leo sold to CBS, the Mustang bass didn't come out until afterward. That doesn't necessarily mean he didn't design the bridge, it may have already been on the drawing board.
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Pictures are in the works! I need to clean up the paintwork and drop-fill a couple of dents, then fit the tug bar (and work out where to locate it).
Sound wise it basically has a P bass sonic footprint. Maybe a little less girth to the tone, but that is probably psychoacoustics at work! I will see how well I get on with the stock pickups, as a lot of folk seem to swap them out and generally not get on with them. The tone control is pretty powerful. If you roll it down it gets pretty dark and thumpy. At 10 however the bass is surprisingly bright. In a weird way it reminds me of my Ibanez Axstar bass: the tone seems to be more about the pickups and control settings, and it sounds like a more direct reproduction of the strings, and every tap and knock you put into them. Maybe not the most organic tone ever. I find that my P bass, and other I've tried, tend to 'level' the tone more into typical P bass territory. The P bass tone is in there, but it seems a bit more responsive to playing variables.
I will need to adjust my technique slightly, as I think I'm being a bit rough on it, having transitioned off my P bass which takes a bit of wrestling. The neck has maybe a wee bit too much relief, so I get that 'squack' sound off the higher frets, even plucking a bit lighter than on my 34'' basses.
Only thing I've noticed is that after adjusting the action and intonation the G string has quickly gone a bit duller and more typically 'flatwound' in tone than the other three. Not a big concern, trusting that there is nothing up with the string itself. At the moment the saddles are quite low, so I might build a shim for the bass out of plastic card. The set-screws for the saddles project quite far out of the saddle themselves, and I do palm-mute on occasion.
Speaking of bridges, I'm sure I saw reference to an early Stingray prototype with a Mustang bridge, P bass neck and pickup, albeit with a Stingray-shaped body?
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I would bet that the other strings will come along soon and be more consistent in sound.
I'd shim under the bottom of the neck, not the bridge...typical Fender adjustment. My '63 P has had a shim under there since 1967 when I got it, probably since new.
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my hands got a bit ahead of my brain... or maybe its the other way round. I shimmed the neck. I would never shim the bridge. If anything the saddle issue could be cured by routing the bridge into the top of the instrument, but I'm not going to be doing that.
Pics:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image1_zpsaqaa8kjr.jpg)
I put the tugbar on as a nod to authenticity.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image4_zpszc11q6cg.jpg)
The previous owner(s) had put a dent on the lower horn. I drop-filled it with superglue. You can see the edges of the damaged white paint, but I know that colour-matching white would be impossible so used a clear fill.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image5_zpstb4r1rn8.jpg)
In the light it looks ok!
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image6_zpszii3k1e6.jpg)
I also added a 'Hootenanny' button. I noticed one on the back of Wally Waller's bass in some Pretty Things footage. I will never use it, and the black gromit might be wrong, but I quite like the look.
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image3_zpsk3y3su7x.jpg)
I've noticed this issue on my bass, and on a bunch of pictures of Mustang basses online. The saddles all want to lean subtly over to the treble side. I think that the saddles are drilled for the mounting screws in the wrong location. The strings and the screws diverge subtly, and the strings seem to want to pull the saddles off-centre slightly. Not sure how this influences tone, but it makes everything look a little cockeyed.
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Great color, nice tort, and a deft touch on the chip fill. Looks great to me!!
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Very nice
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Thanks guys! :mrgreen: First rehearsal with it last night. VTDI into some random Trace combo. Sounded alright, and way easier to get around the neck.
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Dr. Bill and I both have espoused the virtues of the 30" neck. It's pretty nice.
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Looks good!
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I do feel that some commonly repeated criticisms of 30'' basses are a little unjust? Maybe it is because people associate the length with beginner basses of a certain era (combined with beginner amps of a certain era)?
Anyway, for reference I discovered a photo of last night's rehearsal online. I used to be 6 foot on the nose, but four years of crunching desk-bound office work have probably taken a few inches off:
(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/imagerehearsal_zpsjt1nlyss.jpeg)
I don't think I'm especially small, but I enjoy the feel of the Mustang! I started off on a Squier Bronco, so to me it is a bit of a return to my origins, or something. My hands, shoulders and back felt a lot better after three hours than they do with my P bass.
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It doesn't look that small on you. It's not as if you're Leslie West slinging a Junior.
The beginner bass stigma is part of it, sure. The other part is that a 30" scale doesn't give you the same complex overtones of a 34" scale, and the E string isn't as dominant. Still, short scale basses have their own thing going, and that's fine.
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Nice wardrobe dude!
(https://scontent.ford1-1.fna.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/13501891_10154260297672645_7565257188518364779_n.jpg?oh=22a5d6b1a16c86ec8bf4c1f7157c9a4c&oe=5871F942)
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(http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y220/Meddled/image3_zpsk3y3su7x.jpg)
I've noticed this issue on my bass, and on a bunch of pictures of Mustang basses online. The saddles all want to lean subtly over to the treble side. I think that the saddles are drilled for the mounting screws in the wrong location. The strings and the screws diverge subtly, and the strings seem to want to pull the saddles off-centre slightly. Not sure how this influences tone, but it makes everything look a little cockeyed.
Which era CIJ is your Mustang Bass? Is it the mid '00s era?Mine was from the short run in the mid 1990s, and its bridge saddles look like they line up fine.
I guess your are leaning a little bit to the right when viewed vertically.
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I guess your are leaning a little bit to the right when viewed vertically.
Spatially or politically? :mrgreen: The picture is cropped from a wider panorama shot, so the geometry is a bit suspect. I think it is a newer bass, but I've not actually looked up the serial number at all.
gearHed289, is that you? My older pair of red Chucks even have black laces!
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I perform in red chucks also. after years, it's sort of a trademark
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gearHed289, is that you? My older pair of red Chucks even have black laces!
Yes, that's me. I saw your pic and I was like "I wore that same getup at a 4th of July gig this year!" ;D The shoes are ancient, and actually burgundy, but close enough...
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One thing I've noticed is that this bass is noisy... especially with my home recording and rehearsal setup. I've ordered some copper slug tape! The bass has zero shielding fitted stock.
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I have a Squier Musicmaster and a Fender Musicmaster but I wanted a Mustang for years. A cream one with tort would do, I almost bought a Squier Mustang in sunburst at a local shop, but the real dream was to have one with Competition Stripes, like Trevor Bolder of the Spiders From Mars and, of course, Bill Wyman. The Stones Gear Book made me fell in love again.
I still regret not buying the pawn shop in red and the last couple of years I searched for an affordable Mustang. Even the cream ones are hard to get, the new one is ugly and too expensive. A couple of weeks ago I almost bought a cream one, but the seller decided to keep it. His guitar played (a colleage haha) told him not to sell it.
Original comp stripes are far to expensive for me and even reissues are sold for a lot of money on ebay. If you can find one.... They almost never pop up, and if so very expensive....
The a friend said a company in England just had some Mustangs in. It's called Gas Station Guitars and this company just moved from Australia to the UK. The guy only buys and sells Japanese Fenders, like those bound Jazz Basses, a lot of Mustang guitars, Jazzmasters, Jaguars, et cetera. He had two Mustangs in, for a real fair price. Almost cheap... he had a Lake Placid Blue one from 2002 with lighter blue stripes, but a wrong tort guard. He immediately sold it. No worry, cos I fell in love with the other one. An Ocean Turquoise from '97. White stripes, only missing the finger rest (already got one in). I bought it and it will be shipped today! I hope to have it wednesday and it's one of the last basses of my 'wish list'.
When I reviewed the Fender Rascal Bass, I fell in love with the Ocean Turquoise Metallic. I think it's kinda rare and it's gorgeous. Keith from this shop is great to deal with.
two random images from the net:
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/2f/fe/a4/2ffea46b1f6690228dd0cbcb557c130b.jpg)
(https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/564x/9b/1e/3f/9b1e3f27a34afff209d05ed570620a59.jpg)
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PS: Like the current Squier reissue, this CIJ I bought has a slab body. In fact a Musicmaster body.. No contours like a vintage Mustang.
Carey Nordstrand is a friend. I visited his factory in LA and I will meet him at the NAMM again. I will first try her out, hoping it sounds good, and otherwise I might purchase some Nordstrands.
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That is a nice bass to behold. I've kept an eye out for competition-striped 'stangs, but they tend to be in Japan and expensive! I've not opted for Nordstrands on my bass. I glued button neodymium magnets onto a set of the stock Duncan-designed pickups and it added a clarity and richness to the tone that I felt was missing.
I got my Mustang for £400, which I'm starting to think was a good deal.
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Gorgeous incoming bass, Chris!! Love to see more photos when it arrives.
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Alanko. Mine was 650 English Pounds and this time I liked brexit:) Low rates...
I'll sure post more pics.
Facebook people: Click on this one and go on for about 11 pics. It looks quite dark:
https://www.facebook.com/GasStationGuitars/photos/pcb.1262175213834839/1262173380501689/?type=3&theater
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Where's the drooling emoji when I need it??? :toast:
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Alanko. Mine was 650 English Pounds and this time I liked brexit:) Low rates...
I'll sure post more pics.
Facebook people: Click on this one and go on for about 11 pics. It looks quite dark:
https://www.facebook.com/GasStationGuitars/photos/pcb.1262175213834839/1262173380501689/?type=3&theater
That is a damn fine bass! Congratulations!
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Congrats! The first pic of the back (on his FB page), the one without the heavy glare, looks like the ocean turquoise of the Rascal on my monitor. Even if it leans more toward sherwood green, it's still a great color.
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Those metallic colours can be deceiving. The Rascal is quite dark, while the colour looks very light on the first stock pictures I posted. Light can change it a lot. Of course, as a proud daddy I will post some more when it's in.
Thanks!
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BTW: I love the CIJ I got. Will post some pics asap. Carey Nordstrand is a good friend and I visited his workshop just outside LA. He will bring a set of Nordstrand Mustang pickups to the NAMM for a special price. I like it as it is, and it only can get better with Nordy's.
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Some screenshots from my instagram account:
(https://myalbum.com/photo/1Uueo3jHDRcv/360.jpg)
(https://myalbum.com/photo/e26HKqrARshj/360.jpg)
(https://myalbum.com/photo/GIez0VoulaTx/360.jpg)
(https://myalbum.com/photo/qTrPpP4dhJPd/360.jpg)
(https://myalbum.com/photo/jyk3Nt8ELGQu/360.jpg)
(https://myalbum.com/photo/NOqmsr1aluhA/360.jpg)
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Of course Ocean Turquoise Metallic is an official Fender custom colour from the late sixties, early seventies, but it looks like yellowed Lake Placid Blue.
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Looks great, but it sure looks small on you.
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I always thought they looked, and felt, like toys... first and only time I tried one was circa '75...
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I wouldn't go that far. The Mustang doesn't feel like a toy to me or play like one, just looks too small if you're above average size.
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Looks great, but it sure looks small on you.
You write that as if it were a bad thing ;D. Light and easy to play = good things! Small isn't so bad; better that than hiding behind an enormous bass.
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Chris P, thanks for the likes on Instagram!
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... just looks too small if you're above average size.
6' 1" and I'm still over 200lbs... ;)
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I always think it's strange that it's normal to see a guy of my height/weight with a guitar, but changing from a long scale bass to a short scale seems strange.
I saw a Stones concert on TV yesterday. I'd forgotten that Darryl plays some comp stripe Mustangs too.
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It's like playing a headless... my Hohner Jack is a 34" scale but looks like I'm playing a guitar...
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Just curious. Any experiences with the Mustang PJ anyone?
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I've only been to one store since it came out, they had the new Mustang and Duo Sonic guitars in stock but not the bass.
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I saw them at the NAMM. They feel good, but too much noise to hear 'm. I like the colours and the mint green pickguard, I still dislike the smaller bridge and PJs but it's growing on me a bit....
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The local store I mentioned now shows two in inventory, in white and sonic blue. If they're still there next time I'm in the area, I'll plug one in.
EDIT: they're already out of stock.
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The P/J Mustang had absolutely no appeal to me at all. So when at the local GC picking up a TC tuner, I saw one hanging on the wall (sonic blue w/mint green pickguard) amongst some of the new G&L, Rickenbacker and Music Man offerings, none of which had any level of enticement at this point of the game. So for some reason I picked the Mustang off the wall and plugged it into a GK210 combo. It was slightly heavy for its size (most Mustangs and Music Masters usually were and are, so no big surprise there) but not obnoxiously so. So twiddling between the P and J combinations was actually quite interesting as there were definitely the usual characteristics of the 2 but somehow this being a short scale something was a little more pronounced. Not sure if it was the pickups themselves but the tones were thick & big. This is a short scale solid body that surprisingly grew on me. I decided to get going. The thing stayed on my mind and well you know, had to snag it and it was still there a week later. I'm working on a project where my chosen instruments are a '74 Gibson Les Paul Signature, Hofner 500/1 and a Fantastic Carlo Robelli (Rickenbacker 4001 shape). However waiting impatiently in the corner is that little Mustang bastard.
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Those little Mustang-bodied basses grow on you, real fast. I have a Bronco with a Gretsch 2202 pickup in it, and it's a sweetheart. More than once it has gone out to play, and the more expensive basses have stayed home.
(http://i83.photobucket.com/albums/j306/apowell1/Electric%20Basses/Bronco%20Bass/PB070030.jpg)
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I know what you mean. Somehow I always felt they were almost toy like and we're lesser versions of their two predecessors. They are fully loaded contenders and this version speaks for itself and made me think twice and it's alright.
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The Mustang body size is fine for a short scale bass but the new P/J Mustangs look odd to me with of the size of the pickups on that body. Maybe it's just because I'm used to the smaller original Mustang pickup. OTOH the sound samples I've heard online do sound really nice. I'll have to try one out.
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Purely from an aesthetic angle, eventually I'll get around to changing the black pickup casings to cream/ivory colored ones. Otherwise, with those famous last words "it's a keeper".
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I like Pil's Mods.
Chrome pup, chrome V8 just looks perfect.
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I finally was able to play a P/J Mustang yesterday. Fit and finish were very good, there was a small filled void in the neck near the headstock which shouldn't ever affect anything since the neck grain was straight. The P pickup was thick and deep, don't know which series it comes from. The J didn't impress me, but I've never liked J pickups in the bridge position anyway. The three way switch lets you turn it off, which is good. If I ever bought one, I'd pull it and leave the cavity empty just on general principle. :P
The saddles were too high but there was planty of room to lower the action. It does have the same Strat-width neck pocket as the originals and it's 1 1/2" wide at the nut. But instead of narrower spacing at the bridge like the originals, it has a standard Fender bridge with 2 1/4" spacing. 1/1/2" to 2 1/4" is borderline for me with a long scale bass -- I prefer 1 5/8" -- but it felt even odder with a short scale neck. Too much of a flare in too short a distance. No doubt it won't be a problem for most players.
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Didn't knew about the string spacing at the bridge. Thanks!
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I've probably heard more recordings with a Mustang bass than all of you, nuff said:
(http://stream1.gifsoup.com/view7/3753958/status-quo-o.gif)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQBgtZv3rlo
The unevenness of Lancaster's Mustang string-to-string volume was an appealing element of their recordings up to the mid-70ies or so, you could always tell when he was changing from one string to another and which one he was playing! :mrgreen: