Fender Mustang Club

[Cran]

Kia ora guys, NZ Mustang player here again.

I was thinking about the pickguard situation that I am faced with (I want 1 ply tort for my american performer - shipping is almost more than the pickguard itself on WD), and gave a passing thought towards cutting my own. A one ply tort blank would cost me about $70 NZD shipped.

Is this something I even want to think about doing? Can a gumby like me cut a halfway decent pickguard fitting of a nice american instrument at home? Would I need to spend more on expensive power tools?

Give me your thoughts.

 

[Real Soon]

Kia ora guys, NZ Mustang player here again.

I was thinking about the pickguard situation that I am faced with (I want 1 ply tort for my american performer - shipping is almost more than the pickguard itself on WD), and gave a passing thought towards cutting my own. A one ply tort blank would cost me about $70 NZD shipped.

Is this something I even want to think about doing? Can a gumby like me cut a halfway decent pickguard fitting of a nice american instrument at home? Would I need to spend more on expensive power tools?

Give me your thoughts.

Hello! So, I'll confess that my best manual precision work has been on my former car, a 1994 Honda Prelude (I drilled holes into the EGR valve ports sealed on the engine top, among other cool stuff). For something like shaping a pickguard by hand? I suspect that sandpaper is gonna be your friend.

Someone with actual knowledge should chime in here lol but I could see cutting it to shape, then sanding with coarse paper (and lots of template reference via sketch from your original pickguard), then using fine-grit sandpaper to polish the edges, getting you a well-shaped, fully custom result.

 

[CPB2019]

Kia ora guys, NZ Mustang player here again.

I was thinking about the pickguard situation that I am faced with (I want 1 ply tort for my american performer - shipping is almost more than the pickguard itself on WD), and gave a passing thought towards cutting my own. A one ply tort blank would cost me about $70 NZD shipped.

Is this something I even want to think about doing? Can a gumby like me cut a halfway decent pickguard fitting of a nice american instrument at home? Would I need to spend more on expensive power tools?

Give me your thoughts.

If you have access to a friend’s band saw and table router with bits and drill with bits, you can do it. The trick is to back it with a piece of mdf for a good part of the process.

A pickguard is light and small. Is the shipping cost something unique to WD or is that simply the going rate to ship to NZ?

Edit: I’ll add that you can probably get away a coping saw, Dremel and drill, but it will probably look hand made up close unless you’re really detail oriented and patient.

Haere ra.

 

[SoulReflection]

Is mail/post to NZ that expensive for a light piece of plastic?

 

[manchego_eggo]

Does anyone know of tuners that will fit on a 77/78 Mustang neck? I checked the forums and didn't see anything helpful.

As a peace offering, I've pasted images below of the dimensions of an American Performer Mustang neck, which appears to have the same dimensions as the 70s neck, but we'll see once that neck arrives.

 

[Cran]

If you have access to a friend’s band saw and table router with bits and drill with bits, you can do it. The trick is to back it with a piece of mdf for a good part of the process.

A pickguard is light and small. Is the shipping cost something unique to WD or is that simply the going rate to ship to NZ?

Edit: I’ll add that you can probably get away a coping saw, Dremel and drill, but it will probably look hand made up close unless you’re really detail oriented and patient.

Haere ra.

I'll see if I can get my hands on any power tools or a workshop before I order the blank. Maybe the university has something along those lines that I can use.

Is mail/post to NZ that expensive for a light piece of plastic?

As for both of your questions about shipping to NZ, here are the options I get given by WD when I set it as the country to ship to:

So, I suppose that they take the safety of their pieces of plastic very seriously.

My other option is to check if the NZ Post's "Send it to our depot in the US and we'll ship it here" service would be cheaper. Last time I tried to ship a pedal with them and they ended up quoting me more than the price of the pedal itself.

Shipping things to NZ is a real nightmare.

 

[SoulReflection]

I'll see if I can get my hands on any power tools or a workshop before I order the blank. Maybe the university has something along those lines that I can use.



As for both of your questions about shipping to NZ, here are the options I get given by WD when I set it as the country to ship to:
View attachment 4534347

So, I suppose that they take the safety of their pieces of plastic very seriously.

My other option is to check if the NZ Post's "Send it to our depot in the US and we'll ship it here" service would be cheaper. Last time I tried to ship a pedal with them and they ended up quoting me more than the price of the pedal itself.

Shipping things to NZ is a real nightmare.

I hope you find a solution because those prices seem unreal for a 1 to 2 oz piece of plastic.

 

[Cran]

I hope you find a solution because those prices seem unreal for a 1 to 2 oz piece of plastic.

Ok, so... Huh.
I found a place that stocks WD custom pickguards, including the one I want, on Ebay. The shipping to NZ is ridiculously cheaper.

If this is a reliable place to get it from (Capital Music Gear, apparently), this would be actually kind of viable.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Ok, so... Huh.
I found a place that stocks WD custom pickguards, including the one I want, on Ebay. The shipping to NZ is ridiculously cheaper.
View attachment 4534362

If this is a reliable place to get it from (Capital Music Gear, apparently), this would be actually kind of viable.

~
I do not know this seller, but that's more like it for shipping, and it says that it includes international tracking.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Does anyone know of tuners that will fit on a 77/78 Mustang neck? I checked the forums and didn't see anything helpful.

As a peace offering, I've pasted images below of the dimensions of an American Performer Mustang neck, which appears to have the same dimensions as the 70s neck, but we'll see once that neck arrives.

~
Sorry that I cannot help about the tuners, but I'm always impressed when someone posts pics like what you just did, with measurements and all !
~

 

[TTPbass1]

My Pawn Shop Mustang on duty today

 

[sleddogn]

laminate router

 

[Real Soon]

I must say, I hadn't played my Mustang PJ much thru my relatively recently acquired Ampeg BA-110 v2 practice amp.

Often I like to work thru pedals for extra tone control and general fun, but... this pairing sounds mighty nice bass-to-amp.

Lil technicals: EMG GZR P & J-HZ pickups + GHS Pressurewounds, now well broken in. V/V/T all at 10. Stock pups would sound great too. And while I'm still mulling putting Precision Flats on this puppy... the Pressurewounds with a foam string mute gives me a uniquely full-bodied sound with the characteristic faster decay of flats, and it is rather phenomenal.

 

[DavesnothereCA]

....while I'm still mulling putting Precision Flats on this puppy... the Pressurewounds with a foam string mute gives me a uniquely full-bodied sound with the characteristic faster decay of flats, and it is rather phenomenal.

~
Two Words : Brite Flats

[Apologies if I've badgered you about these in the past and forgotten.]

Great middle ground between flats and rounds, both in sound and in price.

I've used them on my 1974 Ric 4001 for several decades [light gauge, long scale 45-98], beginning when [I'm convinced that] GHS made them for Dean Markley, known then as Ground Round Wounds.

BTW, they have a similar tension to the light gauge long scale of Pressure Wounds, which to satisfycuriosity, I also plan to try, but not on my Ric, due to the narrow soft frets of that model, which after just 2 weeks of Rotosound rounds when I first bought it, started to show visible wear on the frets.

I have also put GHS Brite Flats onto two short scale basses, and like them there as well, though for short and medium scale, they only come in a heavier gauge, which in such an application, suits me fine.
~

 

[Ostie]

Here’s My Little Pony:

 

[Ostie]

Here’s My Little Pony:
View attachment 4541981

You can’t really tell, but that’s a mint PG over pearl green. It kind of looks like parchment in the photo. Thinking of swapping the mint for white pearl.

 

[Real Soon]

~
Two Words : Brite Flats

[Apologies if I've badgered you about these in the past and forgotten.]

Great middle ground between flats and rounds, both in sound and in price.

I've used them on my 1974 Ric 4001 for several decades [light gauge, long scale 45-98], beginning when [I'm convinced that] GHS made them for Dean Markley, known then as Ground Round Wounds.

BTW, they have a similar tension to the light gauge long scale of Pressure Wounds, which to satisfycuriosity, I also plan to try, but not on my Ric, due to the narrow soft frets of that model, which after just 2 weeks of Rotosound rounds when I first bought it, started to show visible wear on the frets.

I have also put GHS Brite Flats onto two short scale basses, and like them there as well, though for short and medium scale, they only come in a heavier gauge, which in such an application, suits me fine.
~

You've not! And likewise, the listed .049-.108" sounds very appealing to me. I've enjoyed the Pressurewounds thoroughly, but it takes a real change in technique to play light-gauge strings on a shortscale bass, even if they're higher tension than standard rounds.

I know and love the Precision Flats, but the description of the Brite Flats is really intriguing. As for those Pressurewounds, I've also got a light set of them on an old Precision bass, and they are absolute thunder there, with tension and flexibility right in the money zone (I went light because that bass is a 1960 vintage, and I want to baby the neck).

At this point, I should maybe call up GHS for an endorsement deal....

 

[2cooltoolz]

~
Two Words : Brite Flats

And likewise, the listed .049-.108" sounds very appealing to me. I've enjoyed the Pressurewounds thoroughly, but it takes a real change in technique to play light-gauge strings on a shortscale bass, even if they're higher tension than standard rounds.

Yep! You sold me also! I ordered a set tonight. My primary basses are 34" Precisions (PJs), running (bought singly) .050-.100 Chromes flats. I love my Pressurewounds on my 34" Jazz, but I bought a set for my Mustang bass and the only offering (.040-.096) is lighter than I've ever been happy with, regardless of scale. I like the reduced string tension on a 30" scale, but the ONLY Short Scale Pressurewounds offered just sound and feel awful to me.

I went to a set of Chromes (.045-.100) on my Mustang, and I'm very pleased, for classic rock and blues. For funkier stuff, I'm putting together a parts Bronco, and going with the Brite Flats .049-.108 for that. They may well end up on the Mustang as well!

 

[DavesnothereCA]

You've not! And likewise, the listed .049-.108" [of Brite Flats in short or medium scale] sounds very appealing to me. I've enjoyed the Pressurewounds thoroughly, but it takes a real change in technique to play light-gauge strings on a shortscale bass, even if they're higher tension than standard rounds.
- I know and love the Precision Flats, but the description of the Brite Flats is really intriguing. As for those Pressurewounds, I've also got a light set of them on an old Precision bass, and they are absolute thunder there, with tension and flexibility right in the money zone (I went light because that bass is a 1960 vintage, and I want to baby the neck).
- At this point, I should maybe call up GHS for an endorsement deal....

~
I've not yet tried 49-108 Brite Flats on either of my two recently acquired medium scale basses, and they might turn out to be a bit heavy there, but on my USA Gibson SG bass [30.5" scale], they feel good and tune in a stable manner, with none of the weird characteristics/anomalies all too frequently exhibited by lighter strings on short scale basses.

I would expect them to behave similarly on a Mustang as on my Gibson, bearing in mind that a string thru Mustang might [or might not, with GHS's more generous 32.75" of wrap, so best to measure it] need the medium scale version.

I completely agree with choosing lighter scale offerings for ANY long scale bass, though some folks get away with heavier.
~

 

[DavesnothereCA]

Yep! You sold me also! I ordered a set [of Brite Flats] tonight. My primary basses are 34" Precisions (PJs), running (bought singly) .050-.100 Chromes flats.
- I love my Pressurewounds on my 34" Jazz, but I bought a set for my Mustang bass and the only offering (.040-.096) is lighter than I've ever been happy with, regardless of scale. I like the reduced string tension on a 30" scale, but the ONLY Short Scale Pressurewounds offered just sound and feel awful to me.
- I went to a set of Chromes (.045-.100) on my Mustang, and I'm very pleased, for classic rock and blues. For funkier stuff, I'm putting together a parts Bronco, and going with the Brite Flats .049-.108 for that. They may well end up on the Mustang as well!

~
So you ordered them for the Bronco ?

I wish that I 'd done that when I briefly owned a used one several years ago, but I did not take my own advice, instead getting impatient and flipping the bass when the thin factory rounds still on it gave those strange warbly overtones, making them untunable.

But c'est la vie on that.

Last year, I did order some LaBella DT Flats in 39-96, planning to try them on my Ric after around 4 decades of 45-98 Brite Flats, but for the few gigs which we had, I ended up playing one of my pandemic purchase short scale basses [a Jay Turser JTB-40, not a bad Mini-P of sorts, BTW] for all but one job where I used my not yet restrung Ric, partially because it was closer to the door at the time, and the other bass [in HS case] had gotten some boxes set onto it on a table in the back room during one of our band's slack periods.
~