Strings.
I put chrome flats on one of my P/J's and it made almost as much difference for the better as changing the pickups in my other one.
Also, I replaced the switch on one of them with a simple blend knob. No trouble with it since.
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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
Strings.
I put chrome flats on one of my P/J's and it made almost as much difference for the better as changing the pickups in my other one.
Also, I replaced the switch on one of them with a simple blend knob. No trouble with it since.
I agree completely with Felis. I really didn't do much to my PJ (yeah right!) But having thought more about the work IMHO a professional setup and Your preferred strings could solve alot of the issues you have written about. I understand about the stickiness you and others have described with the strings and having a professional who is familiar with the Kickass bridge would probably solve most of the issues you and I have discussed. I still consider the blend pot but I have to say that switch craft 3 way solved a number of problems I was experiencing. As for pickups unlike then today I follow the "If it Ain't Broke Don't Fix It" recommendation. I was shocked when you described to me the condition that instrument arrived in. I give you Kudos for what you have done with it. Short version= thumbs up for a setup and your preference in strings. I believe you will be much happier or at least more comfortable.
Happy Hunting!
Bob
Oh I switched out the strings immediately. I'm a half-round sorta person. I've tried the D'addarios and now the GHS versions of that.
Hah, that's right, I did tell you about how the bass was shipped to me.
The bridge is great and I like the difference it makes, am thinking maybe the saddle heights might need to be adjusted, not sure. I'm just not that skilled at setup. I'd kinda like to lose the switch and replace it with a knob (I guess that would be a "blend pot"?) and I find the Jazz pickup to be kind of underwhelming, and it has that annoying hum. And this is a minor thing but the way they put the fret markers on the side of the neck, they are these tiny white dots that blend into the blonde wood and up on a stage they are pretty much impossible to see, and I'm singing most of the time, so I use these stick-on ones. They aren't awful but...It is overall a great workhorse bass for me, nicely balanced and no neck dive since I added the bridge, and it's pairing well with my Rumble 200.
I confirmed that the top, or exposed portion, is roughly 1.5” per split pickup on the vintera mustang.
Thanks for this. I *think* that the Vintera pickups are closer to '60s specs than the wider pickups in the CIJ reissues, etc. This means that the standard Nordstrand Mustang pickups won't fit the Vintera without a replacement pickguard.
I won't be able to widen the stock pickup route in the pickguard as I can't relocate the screw holes for the pickup mounting, and a wider route will hit the stock screw holes.
I've bought a plain WBW pickguard which have the right routes for the pickups. This is from Axesrus here in the UK. Hopefully it is the missing link pickguard that will allow me to run the Nordstrands in my Vintera bass.
This is good info to have. Out of curiosity, what was your issue with the stock vintera pickups? We went with the vintera because we liked them. Of course we all have different objectives; I just don’t know how the nordstrands differ.
Question: Has anyone here tried to fix the neck-dive of the Mustang by swapping the tuners for lighter ones? Did it work? How does it look?
I regret selling my Mustang PJ because I loved the tone, but didn't like the neck-dive. I might get another one and try to get rid of the neck-dive.
I regret selling my Mustang PJ because I loved the tone, but didn't like the neck-dive. I might get another one and try to get rid of the neck-dive.
I did a recording session where I DI'd the bass, and each of the strings was at a totally different volume. I tried to balance this out by adjusting the pickup heights, but I could only get a compromise. Lots of compression was needed to iron it out. Acoustically the string response is very even, so I think this is an issue with the stock pickups. I'm using the La Bella Mustang Flats set, which are well balanced in terms of tension and tone.
The pickup in the Vintera is designed like the originals. Each pickup half has two long, thin poles. They are very 'beamy'. If the string intersects the top of the pole then the tone is quite strong and rich, but as soon as the string is off-axis the volume and quality of the tone drops away. The poles in the pickups are spaced out further than the string spacing. The G on my bass runs directly over the corresponding pole, whereas the D in particular is off-axis and weak sounding. Adjusting the pickup closer only half solves the issue.
I will take the covers off the pickup coils and stick it back in my bass to try and demonstrate what is going on.
The Nordstrand pickups put a lot more pole piece under each string, and the coils are slightly bigger so the tone should be a bit more thick and full.
No worries, I love Mustang basses! The Nordstrand pickups turn a Mustang into a small P Bass, by Carey Nordstrand's own admittance. I suppose you can choose to see a Mustang as a wee Precision or as a standalone bass that has its own merits.
For example I find it fascinating that Leo Fender designed a totally different bridge for the Mustang, with thru-body stringing and a neatly incorporated mute design with individual mutes. It is basically the blueprint for the Stingray bridge. The seperate, metal control plate is another odd touch for a budget instrument.
The Musicmaster bass is more of an austerity design, recycling a guitar pickup and incorporating a basic pickguard to host all the electronics. There are discrete design elements to the Mustang bass that show where Leo Fender's mind was at, even if it didn't make pure financial sense for a 'student' bass. Did Leo regret deleting thru-body stringing from the P bass in 1957, and never including it in the Jazz bass at all? The Mustang bass is sort of like the stepping stone from the Jazz to the Stingray in some regards.
With both my Vintera and my old CIJ Mustang I found that they had their own vibe going on. There is a chunk of P Bass in the tone. There is also a deeper, less orderly rumble in the low frequencies and a spikier, twangy treble as well. I also find that I can't trust the reassuring mids of a P bass to always be there in every note. The pickups seem more sensitive to dynamics, overall. There isn't a whole lot of magnet or wire going on with the stock pickups, so I guess this gives them a lesser output and heft. In turn this means that you have to be pretty darn consistent with your right hand!
The Hipshot Ultralights now come in clover, lollipop, and the original Y shape and in a variety of finishes. I have no idea about how easy they would be to retrofit (hole size and screw pattern) in a PJ Mustang, but looks should be no problem. I keep hearing that the PJs have horrible neck dive, but my CIJ balances perfectly for me with a basic leather strap.
Howdy Lunatique, I am with @kjp360 -- I don't find that my Mustang p/j has neck dive -- especially since I added the high mass bridge. I have had some very long gigs with the thing and have found it really comfortable for the duration.
Maybe I can swap out both the tuners and the bridge and see if I can get it balanced.
Maybe this time I should go for the higher-end American Performer Mustang, now that I've had many more basses and realized I love the Mustang's tone the most, but I wonder at more than double the price, what am I really getting that would make any profound difference compared to the cheaper Mustang PJ?
My PJ had a significant neck that I really didn't notice because until recently I always sat when I played. I brought this up to my bass teacher who is also a Luthier. I had a extra set of Grover Vintage tuners which are considerably lighter than the stock tuners and he said he would see what he could do. He routed the peg holes as the Grovers were Standard size and iij installed them and the neck dive was taken care. Even though it has been said there is not enough wood on that headstock to do this I am here to tell you there is plenty. Have not had one functional problem with this change. An unexpected pleasant surprise is I am able to grip the tuners much better than the stock ones. A major plus.
That is my experience. Cost effective as well. Those Grovers go for less than the Hipshot equivalent by more than half.
Bob
My PJ has some neck dive. I’m curious which end is better to work on first, lighter tuners or a heavier bridge? I’d like to not drill if possible, so I’m guessing a heavier bridge would be the best solution? Any specific recommendations?
firemist gold pre order now starting to show up, kinda like it, hate that its a p/j though...
Where is the firemist gold version pre-order showing up? I searched but didn't find anything.
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