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Fender Mustang Club

#421
I ordered the Hip Shot HP6 tuners with 1/2" shaft to try and correct the neck dive on my Mustang PJ. It looks like I would have to drill out the existing holes on the PJ to accept the threaded bushing on the HP6's.

Don't want to do that...should I have ordered the HP6 with 3/8" shaft?
 
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#422
I've modified my sonic blue PJ Mustang to a state where I'm happy with it. Over the last week I've totally rewired it. The volume and tone pots are now wired like a Telecaster, which has sorted out the harsh volume drops from both controls. I also noticed that the capacitor fitted as a .1 uF capacitor, which is quite a high value for the job required! This is why these basses go into dub territory when you roll off the tone control. I swapped this out with a .02 uF capacitor instead, which makes the tone control a bit more nuanced and precise through its travel. I also shortened wires where possible as the inside of these basses is a rats nest. I did a full copper shielding job, including the back of the pickguard where the wiring channel runs.

The pickups in mine are a Seymour Duncan SBP-2 and STK-J2B set. I bought these used off Ebay, and the previous owner had already de-badged them, which helped me out a bit. I had to re-wire the STK-J2B as two of the hookup wires fell off the terminals when I was working on it. I hard-wired the pickup with a small jumper between the coils, and recycled the Fender bridge pickup wires to the other two terminals on the pickup. This means that, in true Fender fashion, I could run a white and black wire into the cavity from this pickup, and not have to mess around with four wire + ground wire hookup. I dislike four wire wiring at the best of times; especially when the wires are hair thin and getting everywhere.

I star-grounded everything to the eyelet that screws into the control cavity floor, and the bass is now totally whisper quiet. The SPB-2 delivered a lot of thump, and the STK-J2B is quite weak by comparison. However if I A/B this with my stock white PJ bass then there isn't a lot of difference between bridge pickups. The STK-J2B is, at least, totally hum free. This is good as I have a couple of festival dates coming up in the summer and I don't want to be caught out again!

Honestly Fender get 2/10 for the quality of wiring and shielding in these Mustang basses. They use cheap 3-way switches and only partially shield the cavities. In both basses the route for the switch is totally unshielded, and I'm not convinced the black shielding paint Fender use is all that effective anyway. The yards of black and white hookup wire crammed into each bass is also a total pain, and the way the volume and tone pots are wired isn't the most helpful either, as I found it makes the controls way too sensitive to adjustment.

Anyway, my white bass is now next in the queue for modifications. I will probably go the full copper route on this one as well, and maybe look at a different pickup set. The 3-way switch has to be replaced as it is already a little crackly, and I will re-wire the controls as I did the sonic blue bass. I've cut a red pickguard for this bass, but I'm leaning towards a black pickguard. I saw a photo recently of a 1977 Mustang bass with a nice rosewood board, and I'm thinking a black 'guard looks pretty good:

vnubnz0mhsad6hq3sox4.jpg


I just need some black Strat knobs and a thumb rest! I'm thinking of keeping my white bass as my 'roundwound' Mustang.
 
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#424
pomegranesis said:
For the past few months, Fender's redirected me to the generic international site (I used to be able to click on the US site without being redirected). The Mustang PJ seems to be on the country-specific sites (I checked the U.K., France and Luxembourg) but not the 'international' one, and Canada doesn't have a specific site... Not doing too good by us, eh?
Click to expand...

When I go to the Fender site and look at the number of instruments for each type - Jazz, Precision, etcetera, it show " (1) " for the Mustangs. I think they discontinued the Mustang PJ.
 
#425
Axstar said:
Honestly Fender get 2/10 for the quality of wiring and shielding in these Mustang basses. They use cheap 3-way switches and only partially shield the cavities. In both basses the route for the switch is totally unshielded, and I'm not convinced the black shielding paint Fender use is all that effective anyway. The yards of black and white hookup wire crammed into each bass is also a total pain, and the way the volume and tone pots are wired isn't the most helpful either, as I found it makes the controls way too sensitive to adjustment.
Click to expand...

I can only speak to the MIJ Mustangs. They use cheap Alpha pots and the shielding is non-existent. I had nylon tapewound strings on one of my 'stangs and it was noisy as heck.
 
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#431
Greetings Mustangers! I have another modded Mustang to put before the assemblage.

Back in January I took advantage of the Adorama special $400 deal on my Surf Pearl Mustang PJ. I liked the price and sound a lot; the color & electronics, not so much:

upload_2018-6-1_23-12-35.png


So, it doesn't look like that any more. And even though it sounded very good out of the box, it doesn't sound exactly like that any more either. Sorry to chew up a bunch of thread, but if you'll indulge me, I just got it back from the mod man and have had serious trouble putting it down long enough to take snaps:

upload_2018-6-1_23-18-33.png


- Replaced all hardware (including face plate) and wiring, and the pups - now both P & J = Lindy Fralin. Strong improvement in both signals, but especially in the J pup.
- Hipshot Kickass bridge. Screws lined up exactly with existing holes.

upload_2018-6-1_23-22-29.png


Ahhh... no more pesky switch! I tripped it accidentally every time I played the instrument, even after lowering it a bit using a trick learned way back in this thread (flailing around in a fit of bassic-delight as usual no doubt)(Edit: switch issue was here: Fender Mustang Club). Instead now, the top single knob is pup blend, and the bottom is a stacked knob - volume on top, tone beneath.

upload_2018-6-1_23-29-16.png


And I have always loved candy tangerine on cars. Ms. Painter-person did a stellar job I think. This is about as close as I'm ever going to get to a real 1965 candy tangerine Ford Mustang 289 - but it's probably just as well. It's a lot le$$, even though it ain't no $400 bass no mo. :whistle:

I didn't change the neck or fingerboard. Still feels great, solid and straight, no neck dive at all. I've played it with my mates twice since getting it back - small group straight up jazz both times. Gonna try it this weekend at a big band rehearsal. Awesome, wonderful flexibility of sound now with pup blender, and it's just so light and easy on the left hand to play. Punchy, clear, with a nice sweet voice in the higher register. I still love the my Pbass and MM Sterling, but I think I'll keep this little beauty around for awhile.

Question For Mustangers: the black pick guard is ok, but essentially a placeholder. Any ideas on a pick guard color/style? I'm looking for flashy, but classy. Deep blues, greens, fire, lava patterns have been suggested... not white or tort please... always kinda like the idea of chrome diamond plate :woot:...

Thanks for checking it out...

Flo
 

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#436
I have a JMJ now but think I might return it and scour the web for an orange PJ. Orange is my favorite color, PLUS i have a big tax bill to pay and could use the few hundred difference in price.

BTW, AMS says the orange ones are coming back in stock next month and has a preorder thing set up for them. Do you guys know if this is accurate? I can wait a month for my favorite color... =0)
 
#438
Modder said:
Bass Direct can get you HB10s, I just ordered a set from them
Click to expand...
I didn't go to far back on this thread but here goes. I have a MIM mustang pj that I really like but the tuners are to tight and with my severe Rheumatoid Arthritis I can't get a fine tune. Do you think that the Hipshot or Gotoh would help this problem. Finally there seems to be some difference of opinion whether the HB10 or the HB7 are the drop in replacements for the MIM mustangs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much
Bob
 
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#439
Bobhmcs said:
I didn't go to far back on this thread but here goes. I have a MIM mustang pj that I really like but the tuners are to tight and with my severe Rheumatoid Arthritis I can't get a fine tune. Do you think that the Hipshot or Gotoh would help this problem. Finally there seems to be some difference of opinion whether the HB10 or the HB7 are the drop in replacements for the MIM mustangs. Any help would be greatly appreciated.
Thank you very much
Bob
Click to expand...

I heard from Hip Shot that the HB6-3/8" are the replacements for MIM Mustangs. I have mine on order and will report back...
 

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