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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
It would be interesting and informative if someone with experience with (or, ideally, current access to) multiple versions of the Mustang Bass could describe the differences in the sound of the various pickups.
There have been "real" vintage Fenders (60s and 70s), various MIJ and CIJ Fenders, the Japanese "Duncan Designed" version, the past and current Squiers, the current Vintera Mustang, and the Duncan Custom Shop version in the JMJ.
My JMJ's Duncan pickup has absolutely NO problem with bottom end. It's a beast! Every bit as much bottom as a P-bass, with a bit more midrange.
I have had no experience with the CIJ and MIJ Mustangs, But my impression after reading numerous Forum posts over the years, is that the Japanese-made Mustangs' pickups are lighter in the bottom end than the actual vintage US versions or the recent US and MIM Fenders.
Anyone REALLY know?
There have been "real" vintage Fenders (60s and 70s), various MIJ and CIJ Fenders, the Japanese "Duncan Designed" version, the past and current Squiers, the current Vintera Mustang, and the Duncan Custom Shop version in the JMJ.
My JMJ's Duncan pickup has absolutely NO problem with bottom end. It's a beast! Every bit as much bottom as a P-bass, with a bit more midrange.
I have had no experience with the CIJ and MIJ Mustangs, But my impression after reading numerous Forum posts over the years, is that the Japanese-made Mustangs' pickups are lighter in the bottom end than the actual vintage US versions or the recent US and MIM Fenders.
Anyone REALLY know?
Thanks, @Axstar !
I do like my PJ but as I seem to have gone full time to the short scale world I am definitely interested in checking out some of the other Mustangs out there.
I do like my PJ but as I seem to have gone full time to the short scale world I am definitely interested in checking out some of the other Mustangs out there.
I'm considering my modded out PJ and getting a Vintera. I own a P and a J bass so I just need a Mustang to be a Mustang!
Many players, myself included, feel that the japan built mustangs with the split Duncan pickup are the best mustangs ever built?
I love the the 7.24 neck, but I have very small hands. I dont think this neck would be comfortable to play if you have monster hands?
I would agree that the neck on my CIJ Mustang is absolutely perfect (reasonably slim neck with vintage radius and relatively small frets). However, I am not so sure that I am in love with the CIJ pickup. A friend has a vintage unit (early 70's) and that pickup seems to have more low end and a touch less mids...not that it is all that noticeable in a live mix. If I did more studio work on bass I would feel strong GAS to try a vintage spec replacement. If I ever get around to having it refinished (not crazy about the Fiesta Red and there is a good sized ugly chip) I will definitely swap it out and see what happens. Does anyone one have a recommendation for custom refinishing in southern Ontario?
I last played a US Mustang onstage decades ago, so RAM (Rarely Adequate Memory) would likely fail me.
I do however have both the CIJ Fender & VM Squier, and the CIJ pickup was indeed a little light in the lows. (Also the highs a bit too - it was a decidedly mid-rangey pickup.) I replaced that was w/a Nordstrand NM-4, which retained everything I liked about the original while extending the low response / high response a bit.
In contrast, the VM had a "Duncan Designed" (it was stamped as such, the CIJ was not stamped) that had plenty of lows. I left it in. It was noticeably different in tone from the "Duncan Designed" (w/o logo) on the CIJ.
Hope it helps,
GT
It also came in Fiesta Red, but that one was discontinued before the Oly white one was.
GT
I just went through my MIJ 'Stang and did a copper conductive tape shielding make over....inside both the control box and pick-up cavity. My bass has always been very quiet at my home, but where we rehearse at our keyboardists home, the split single coils made for loads of hum and hiss, particularly unless I really dialed back the high frequency equalization....doing the shielding vastly improved this, and was really pretty simple to do....and totally reversible if I ever want to revert to stock.
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...tle_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=viglink12772-20)
(https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B...tle_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=viglink12772-20)
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Here is my stable. Got the PJ when they were first released and just added the JMJ last week. Had my first band practice with it this afternoon, and absolutely love it.
They made a good few colours for the Japan domestic market. I've seen a 'Competition Burgundy' CIJ reissue.
