Squier VM Mustang Project...Pic Heavy

TK4261 · #1 09-17-2011, 11:11 PM

I just received this Squier Vintage Modified Mustang a few days ago for a project I've been wanting to do for a while. Always wanted an original Mustang but I never had the $$$ when the opportunity presented itself. But since they just came out with these Squier VM Mustangs for an affordable price, I decided to get one and customize it to my liking.

I took the pick guard off and sent it out to a Luthier to have a custom Maple pick guard made...

I was very pleased with the the Wood grain that is on the neck & headstock. I was a little worried since I ordered it online but ended up being happy with the outcome...

The pickups will be coming out and replaced. There was a lot of nasty glue in the pickup covers when I finally got them off. I had to use my heat gun to get them off...

After taking off the control plate I noticed they used the small Alpha 250K Volume/Tone pots. Those will also be replaced along with a new input jack. And it looked like a sloppy one coat layer of Conductive shielding paint..

These are the parts that I will be replacing everything with:
Nordstrand NM4 Mustang replacement pickups, Fender 250k CTS volume/tone pots, Maple bell knobs, Switchcraft SC-11 input jack and a couple more clean coats of the conductive shielding paint. Also my Maple pick guard when it shows up...

While I'm waiting for my Maple pick guard to arrive, I will be redoing the electronics and working on a template to drill holes through the pick up covers to expose the pole pieces on the Nordstrands. That will be in the next progress post.

Stay tuned

sloppy_phil · #2 09-17-2011, 11:56 PM

nice! can't wait to see how it looks when completed, or at the least, updated

PBnJBassist · #3 09-18-2011, 12:24 AM

You should refinish her in pink-burst.

Sifl · #4 09-18-2011, 01:24 AM

Oooo!

ghostdog93 · #5 09-18-2011, 02:23 AM

Looks pretty nice in black. The woodgrain on the neck is sweet.

Do the Nordys fit into the Squier covers?

TK4261 · #6 09-18-2011, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sloppy_phil

nice! can't wait to see how it looks when completed, or at the least, updated

Thanks! A couple of weeks to completion at the latest

Quote:

Originally Posted by PBnJBassist

You should refinish her in pink-burst.

Thinking...

...How about....NOT!

lol...

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostdog93

Looks pretty nice in black. The woodgrain on the neck is sweet.

Do the Nordys fit into the Squier covers?

The Nordy MN4's fit perfect in the stock covers.

More to come

TK4261 · #7 09-18-2011, 05:14 PM

I was able to make some more progress on the Mustang project today

I came across my first problem today. The holes in the control plate were to small for the Fender CTS pots. I had to enlarge all three holes from 11/32 to 3/8. That took up more time today cause I had to go buy a 3/8 drill bit.

I really wanted to drill individual holes in the covers for all the pole pieces on MN4's but it turned out to be a bit hard to get them exact. So I just used my Dremel to make holes for each pair of 2 pole pieces. I dremeled matched them up and then dremeled some more and so on.. I think they turned out pretty good though.

More to come..stay tuned

SBassman · #8 09-18-2011, 07:36 PM

Great thread.

Great looking neck on that bass.

::::BASSIST:::: · #9 09-18-2011, 07:39 PM

Nice looking bass. How much $ was it stock?

atomicdog · #10 09-18-2011, 08:06 PM

Interesting project to be sure. I'm curious about the final investment (time and money) and the resulting sonic differences. Was sonics the purpose or was it aesthetics?

TK4261 · #11 09-18-2011, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SBassman

Great thread.

Great looking neck on that bass.

Thank you!

Quote:

Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST::::

Nice looking bass. How much $ was it stock?

Got it from Sweetwater for $279 (no tax and free shipping) This was the first bass that I purchased online. I was a bit worried about not playing the Bass first before buying it, but my experience was great and they packed it really good

Quote:

Originally Posted by atomicdog

Interesting project to be sure. I'm curious about the final investment (time and money) and the resulting sonic differences. Was sonics the purpose or was it aesthetics?

Thanks, Total cost is somewhere around $430. Though the sonic difference might not be huge, There should be a decent difference with the Nordstrands in it. Plus I finally get to have a Bass with a set of Nordy's on it and cosmetically look how I would like it at an affordable price.

ghostdog93 · #12 09-19-2011, 02:18 AM

Nice job on those covers - they look really cool.

I had read that some people were having problems with fitting the Nordys into some Fender Mustang pickup covers, but it looks like you didn't have that issue.

bassist4dalord · #13 09-19-2011, 02:42 AM

That's awesome! We will want sound clips

Any ideas what you'll string it up with?

Very cool project- Subscribed!

CrankenStein · #14 09-19-2011, 03:03 AM

dude, those pickups are SWEET!

TK4261 · #15 09-19-2011, 10:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ghostdog93

Nice job on those covers - they look really cool.

I had read that some people were having problems with fitting the Nordys into some Fender Mustang pickup covers, but it looks like you didn't have that issue.

Thanks, I like how they turned out. Very glad the Nordy's fit just fine in the Squier covers...

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassist4dalord

That's awesome! We will want sound clips

Any ideas what you'll string it up with?

Very cool project- Subscribed!

I Should have it all done by the end of next week when My pick guard arrives. I'll make a quick video too...

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrankenStein

dude, those pickups are SWEET!

Hoping they sound sweet..I cant wait till I get to plug it in..

funkytoe · #16 09-19-2011, 11:11 AM

Awesome project with quality parts upgrade. I bet she is going to sound as good as she looks. Hope soundclips are in our future.

TK4261 · #17 09-19-2011, 09:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by funkytoe

Awesome project with quality parts upgrade. I bet she is going to sound as good as she looks. Hope soundclips are in our future.

Thank you FunkyToe!
I will definitely have a soundclip at the end of this project

TK4261 · #18 09-21-2011, 07:15 AM

Made some more progress yesterday

I sanded down whatever was in the pickup & control cavity today. It flaked off really easy. It looked like both the pickup/control cavity was quickly sprayed with what looked like conductive shielding paint. It was very sloppy, rough and wasn't covering all the way around.

Only took all of 10 minutes to sand it down smoother.

I added 4 coats of conductive shielding paint and used my heat gun in between coats, so it only took a little over an hour to do both cavities. Instead of waiting the 24 hours between coats like it says on the can. Turned out nice.

Next I'll be putting on the volume/tone pots and input jack onto the control plate and soldering them together.

More to come..Stay tuned.

TK4261 · #19 09-21-2011, 10:24 PM

Mustang progress for the day...Almost done

This evening I installed the electronics/pickups. Wiring on the Mustang is fairly easy. There is not much to it. I didn't think the control cavity was going to be big enough due to the size of the CTS pots compared to the small Alpha pots. Everything fit in though, with no extra room.

I'm pretty much all done...Now I am just waiting on my Maple pick guard to arrive from the Luthier. Hopefully by the end of next week. I also need to decide on which strings to use. Even though it is 30" scale neck, it is strung through the body. I was thinking I can put regular scale strings on it. I Have an extra set of R. Cocco 40-100 Nickels and I am hoping they will fit ok.

Stay tuned...more to come

tjh · #20 09-21-2011, 11:04 PM

... a few thoughts and inquiries while looking/reading ... no channel routing!!, nice ... also I cant tell from the pics, is the bridge top load capable, or is it STB only ? ... speaking of bridge, 7 screws to hold the bridge on a 30" scale bass ... huh, they just use 3 on the MIA STB 34" counterparts ... ??

... very nice job, thanks for sharing ... did you by chance record the sound with stock gear, to get a comparable with the aftermarket?? ... thanks again