The Squier VM Mustang bass has a maple neck, but they're discontinued, and don't show up real often:
Squier Vintage Modified Mustang Bass Black 4-string Short Scale Electric Bass | 8th Street Music | Reverb
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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
The Squier VM Mustang bass has a maple neck, but they're discontinued, and don't show up real often:
Squier Vintage Modified Mustang Bass Black 4-string Short Scale Electric Bass | 8th Street Music | Reverb
Yes those black and maple Mustangs were nice and a clever cost saving move by Fender, necks were the same one-piece maple used for the Bronco.
Thinking about costs I guess Real Soon is correct in saying all necks could be swapped, I suppose Fender are using the same neck plates and screws for all the Mustang versions currently produced.
I actually just emailed Hipshot to see if I can get hold of shorter screws! Reasons being:
-That shim let to me lower the bridge saddles / install the normal inserts will be here this weekend as will a new, correctly-spaced string nut
-I'm expecting that the subsequent adjustments will have unpredictable effects
-The neck is settling in to its relief and I might need to add a little, meaning more intonation adjustments
-The E string is actually bottomed out on intonation now, can't lower the pitch any more
So a set of baby screws will likely be required for me to get this puppy walking on the leash.
Also, I just ordered the EMG GZR PJ set and added a longer connect cable + longer output cable to the order for a small price bump. But they'd emailed me a promo code when I contacted them, so my net total was less than just the pickup set would be anyway. Sweet
There's a lot of work ahead of me on this thing so I'll try to knock it all out before spamming the thread with updates haha
Has anyone tried to mate the MIM (PJ) neck with the JMJ or Vintera bodies here?
I really, really love the feel of the PJ neck, but don't completely vibe with the actual pickups in the bass. They are fine, but I'll probably end up replacing them down the line with something else. That being said, I LOVE the way the pickup in the JMJ sounds, but don't think I'd love the thicker neck (one of my other SS basses has a similar profile, and I vastly prefer the Mustang's).
I was thinking of matching a JMJ body + PJ neck (from Stratosphere or something) together, but I don't have a lot of experience building and would prefer a more "drop-in" replacement.
I really, really love the feel of the PJ neck, but don't completely vibe with the actual pickups in the bass. They are fine, but I'll probably end up replacing them down the line with something else. That being said, I LOVE the way the pickup in the JMJ sounds, but don't think I'd love the thicker neck (one of my other SS basses has a similar profile, and I vastly prefer the Mustang's).
I was thinking of matching a JMJ body + PJ neck (from Stratosphere or something) together, but I don't have a lot of experience building and would prefer a more "drop-in" replacement.
If this doesn’t work, it should be fairly easy to have someone fit the JMJ pickup (or a similar mustang pickup) into a P housing to fit in the PJ.
Yeah, I was also thinking of that! My main problem with the PJ is actually the J pickup, which I find...completely unnecessary. I like a lot of the more vintage Mustang specs (string-through bridge, Mustang single coil pickup), but vibe more with the PJ neck. I know the MIJ Mustangs have necks that are a little more in line with the PJ, but they are really skyrocketing in value on the used market. I'd rather assemble essentially new parts for the same price.
Agreed on the PJ neck, I also appreciate the truss rod adjustment without having to remove the neck.
I just hope Fender will release a Mustang in the American Professional line with an easy adjustable truss rod and a single Mustang pickup with a large choice of body colors and the option of maple and rosewood fretboards. Maybe a bridge with the double option of string thru and top load stringing.
Worst scenario is if they release some custom shop version where one will have to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod, no maple fretboard option, and a high price. Not bashing the Fender Custom Shop, I just don't get the mojo in spending more than 3.000 Euros for a 50's P bass with a neck like a baseball bat, reverse tuners and no easy access to the truss rod, but then ok, it's a Fender, why bother about user friendly instruments, they are making history
To those of u using Gator ProGo gig bags:
I had to take the "shock asorber" out which leaves a Velcro strip to rub up against the finish. What do u guys do about this? The shock absorber is just some foam in a zippered pouch so I took the foam out and use the pouch to cover the Velcro. Im not 100% happy with this solution and looking for a better way.
I had to take the "shock asorber" out which leaves a Velcro strip to rub up against the finish. What do u guys do about this? The shock absorber is just some foam in a zippered pouch so I took the foam out and use the pouch to cover the Velcro. Im not 100% happy with this solution and looking for a better way.
Agreed on the PJ neck, I also appreciate the truss rod adjustment without having to remove the neck.
I just hope Fender will release a Mustang in the American Professional line with an easy adjustable truss rod and a single Mustang pickup with a large choice of body colors and the option of maple and rosewood fretboards. Maybe a bridge with the double option of string thru and top load stringing.
Worst scenario is if they release some custom shop version where one will have to remove the neck to adjust the truss rod, no maple fretboard option, and a high price. Not bashing the Fender Custom Shop, I just don't get the mojo in spending more than 3.000 Euros for a 50's P bass with a neck like a baseball bat, reverse tuners and no easy access to the truss rod, but then ok, it's a Fender, why bother about user friendly instruments, they are making history
If Fender spec'd the Player Mustang to have the same neck + the single pickup it would be a winner. I don't really get PJ setups, especially when it just has a V/T setup. The Mustang is well-liked because it's different than a P or J...so why take out the pickups? You can "modernize it" (by having the slimmer neck + better truss access + etc.) without removing its character. I feel the same way about them taking all the switching options out of the Jaguar bass. At this point, everything is just a PJ with a different body shape, but I digress.
I'll bite. The PJ versions are essentially a "Mustang Lite", as in they get the immediate fun factor of the shortscale feel and cool body slung onto the player while also providing enough versatility to explore a variety of musical styles and maybe use that one bass at more gigs.
My guess is that there must be players out there who shy away from anything other than a P or J pickup and who would only buy one with familiar electronics. Evidently a lot of them. And maybe Fender is using stuff like the 3-way switch to appeal to guitarists curious about bass but are super used to their Les Paul controls. Make a utilitarian version with easily recognizable electronics and a familiar control system, and I'll wager they've found they net the most sales with that.
The truss rod access thing is weird, though. That's like a 2019 Hyundai Veloster using a first-generation torque converter so the driver can enjoy the "vintage" experience of crappy performance and inferior gas economy. Gotta be a weirdo to actually prefer that.
I resemble that remark - one significant reason I avoided the Mustang for years was the funny looking little "mouse ears" pickup - just looked like a toy to me. No way that little pickup could be bassy, I thought. I wanted a real bass...
Also, many years ago, long before I got my first bass, I was playing guitar and I kept asking this bass player acquaintance of mine about his bass. Finally he was like, "Do you want to get a bass?" And I was like, yeah, I’m thinking about it. It would be cool for making bass lines for recording, and just getting to understand how bass works in a song, etc. So he brings over his bass, a Jazz bass, and I was like, "What the hell is this with the two volume knobs. I don’t want to twiddle two separate volumes - I want a pickup selector switch. ***"
So yeah, basically agree. The pickups on the PJ are familiar looking and reassuring to the uninitiated, and the pickup selector switch is definitely guitarist-friendly - as is the short scale itself.
Of course, when I finally got a Mustang many years down the road, I got a traditional style one, an MIJ with the little Mustang pickup
(Just wish it had modern truss rid access...)
Yeah, I would’ve been fine with just the mustang pickup, but if there was one available at the same price as the PJ, I probably still would’ve gone with the PJ. For me it was one thing that I knew would be familiar and that I could swap out if needed. The short scale was the unknown. I was hesitant to spend almost twice as much for the JMJ, even though it gets rave reviews, because I didn’t know if the single mustang pickup would’ve been versatile enough to use for everything.
Chef
In Memoriam
Hey guys;
does anyone make a repro mute for the 60's Mustang?
Or, like, if you have one, holler...
does anyone make a repro mute for the 60's Mustang?
Or, like, if you have one, holler...
Righteous.
Did either of you guys ever use it in action (get it, "action"? A-hahahahaha
)But seriously, folks...
