Signature Mustang for JMJ

[Chris P.]

http://www.musicradar.com/news/summer-namm-2017-fender-reveals-new-jimi-hendrix-george-harrison-and-justin-meldal-johnsen-signature-guitars-and-basses

[bassilisk]

It just seems odd to me. I see popular players getting Signature basses from what were always considered the most basic beginner models.
Growing up I didn't know anyone that had a Mustang, or a Melody Maker for that matter. Maybe I needed a larger circle to sample.

I guess there's not much fruit left on the tree. Maybe I am the victim of a certain degree of instrument snobbery, but I started with
a piece of firewood and made every effort to get away from it ASAP. I don't know - maybe I'm just too old for this kind of thing.

I'm sure it'll be fine with a custom pickup(?) and whatever they have to do to bring it up some notches.
But, I'll always see this as the proverbial silk purse from a sow's ear. To me, no matter what you do, it'll always be just a Mustang....

[Pilgrim]

I've always thought the Mustang basses were very cool in a minimalist way. The Competition Mustangs with the stripes were the top of the line to me, which is one reason my Squier Bronco now looks like this:

[Dave W]

Mustangs are cool enough. But as nice a guy as JMJ seems to be, I can't see how he has the name recognition to make this a success. The link shows a price of £969. I checked GAK to see the comparable UK price of the new Mustang PJ, it's £527. That's a huge difference for a supposedly custom p/u in the original style. And the road worn finish? 

[Chris P.]

It just seems odd to me. I see popular players getting Signature basses from what were always considered the most basic beginner models.

Examples?


I dunno what the price is, but I think this one's very nicely done.And it's really a bass JMJ uses a lot. Nice colour and nice job on the 'aging'. Even the pickguard with a lighter part where the finger rest used to be before it became a thumb rest.

[ilan]

Saw Darryl Jones with the Stones playing a Mustang.

[Chris P.]

I thought he played them as honour to Bill Wyman, but I read in an interview he actually started playing bass on a Mustang!

[Dave W]

He's getting a signature Mustang b/c he actually plays one. He's hardly the first to keep playing an inexpensive guitar or bass. Leslie West springs to mind.

[Alanko]

I have a big respect for people that make Mustang basses work for them. I have better luck with my Starcaster bass, which is a shorty. I do wonder what a 34 inch Mustang would be like in terms of feel.

[Pilgrim]

I have a big respect for people that make Mustang basses work for them. I have better luck with my Starcaster bass, which is a shorty. I do wonder what a 34 inch Mustang would be like in terms of feel.

If it was a Mustang body with a 34" neck, it would be World's Champion Neck Diver.

[ilan]

I have a big respect for people that make Mustang basses work for them. I have better luck with my Starcaster bass, which is a shorty. I do wonder what a 34 inch Mustang would be like in terms of feel.

My old '66 Mustang had some neck-dive with its 30" scale neck. I replaced the stock tuners with Hipshot Ultralights to corrected it.

In terms of sound, 80's Bullet basses are 34" scale basses with surplus Mustang pickups.

[ilan]

JMJ explains

[Dave W]

Great explanation. Too bad about the fake wear.

[doombass]

What puzzles me the most with any kind of recent "affordable" vintage reissue Fenders whether signature model or not, they most of the time miss the 7.25" radius on the fretboard like that does'nt matter. To me the difference between a 7.25" and a 9.5" radius neck is substantial to the feel of playing the neck. JMJ only mentions the bridge missing the mutes as a difference from his original which the signature model is based on.

[Dave W]

What puzzles me the most with any kind of recent "affordable" vintage reissue Fenders whether signature model or not, they most of the time miss the 7.25" radius on the fretboard like that does'nt matter. To me the difference between a 7.25" and a 9.5" radius neck is substantial to the feel of playing the neck. JMJ only mentions the bridge missing the mutes as a difference from his original which the signature model is based on.

It sure matters to me. Likewise with small frets. Two reasons I wouldn't be interested. Vintage reissues are usually true to the originals and so are signature models unless the artist wants it updated.

Custom shop models are more likely to have a modern radius and frets.