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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
I have my dad's shoe box from the '60s and I never polish my sneakers. Now I know what to use the old wax for! I have a MIK pau ferro board that could use some darkening.
Love the Reverend in the middle. It looks like a Wattplower with a different headstock. Was it custom-made?
Currently on my last full day vacationing in Belize, and think my USPS mail holding ends tomorrow... so hopefully I'll have a set of the GHS Brite Flats in the mailbox Wednesday.
While I'll miss a daily average temp of 82ºF and perfect sunshine/breeze combos, I didn't bring a bass and haven't gone this long without playing since I first picked up the bass. I'm missing that too!
I'm not sure what kind of access I have to denatured alcohol types, but I've got some high-concentration isopropyl alcohol I'm planning to wipe them with before installing, per various reviews about their initial stickiness (a property whose origin I'm curious about; it must be from the manufacturing process or otherwise GHS would dispense with it).
While I'll miss a daily average temp of 82ºF and perfect sunshine/breeze combos, I didn't bring a bass and haven't gone this long without playing since I first picked up the bass. I'm missing that too!
I'm not sure what kind of access I have to denatured alcohol types, but I've got some high-concentration isopropyl alcohol I'm planning to wipe them with before installing, per various reviews about their initial stickiness (a property whose origin I'm curious about; it must be from the manufacturing process or otherwise GHS would dispense with it).
I just installed a Lindy Fralin's bridge jazz pickup in my AP Mustang. I alwayd thought that the Yosemite pickup sounded thin, with a non interesting sound, but this pickup is just wow! Meaty and clear.
Next step is to change the Mustang PU for a Curtis Novak.
I also stringed the bass with Pyramid flatwound. Short scale is more than fine for the bodythru issue, and they sound and play excellent. Some people says this set has a dead E string, but I think the problem is the brightness of the G string, but obviously it's going to mellow over time. E string sounds pretty well.
Next step is to change the Mustang PU for a Curtis Novak.
I also stringed the bass with Pyramid flatwound. Short scale is more than fine for the bodythru issue, and they sound and play excellent. Some people says this set has a dead E string, but I think the problem is the brightness of the G string, but obviously it's going to mellow over time. E string sounds pretty well.
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A couple of friends / former bandmates are currently in Mexico, where they have spent 10 weeks of most of their recent Winters [except the last one], and I expect that they have enjoyed similar conditions.
One difference though, is that even though they are aged 70+, they DID bring some musical gear [and had left other gear in storage there from previous years' visits], and managed to get in a few local gigs this time and the last couple.
But regarding those strings....
The last set of Brite Flats which I installed were perhaps 3 years ago, onto a USA Gibson SG bass, short scale [49-108], and I do recall some stickiness, but I stopped playing it after only 2 or 3 gigs, due to not liking the electronics, so they are not yet broken in.
On my Ric 4001, the Brite Flats are mostly Dean Markley Ground Round Wounds, light gauge [45-98] [NLA, and allegedly are Brite Flats in sheep's clothing, prior to GHS offering them under their own name, with only a different colour of silk], and are well broken in, as they were installed during the 1980s, except for the E, which I changed not too long ago, did not notice much difference in the sound, so have procrastinated changing the other 3 strings.
Admittedly, the bass sat idle for nearly 20 years of the period, while I'd stopped playing, but still, that particular set has been used for a lot of gigs.
I've bought and am considering putting LaBella 760FX DT Flats [39-96] onto the Ric next, just to see what I think of them, as I used to use Ric's own flats prior to the ground type strings, back in the day.
One day when I get a Mustang bass, both of those brands/types of strings will be on my shortlist.
And about alcohol, I've sometimes cleaned my strings with ordinary 70% Isopropyl rubbing alcohol, but not as much lately, though I do keep a small bottle of it in my accessory case, inside of a ziplock baggie.
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~Some people clean their flats with chicken grease, or so I've heard....
....together with saliva, I would expect.
Case in point :
Yer enjoying some KFC during a break, and the bandleader calls everyone back for the next set....
~
here in Ky, KFC between sets is a MUST, those later sets finish faster than normal due to the grease effect, lol
Hey, @DavesnothereCA, is it you or your basses that don't like heavier gauge flats? I use LB flat sets with E strings of 08 or 10.
Also, I may have my cherished Mustang PJ up for sale, custom burst, LB flats, HipShot lite tuners and Badass bridge, deluxe Gator gig bag. Also have a set of EMG PJ pickups that haven't been installed yet...price to be determined.
Also, I may have my cherished Mustang PJ up for sale, custom burst, LB flats, HipShot lite tuners and Badass bridge, deluxe Gator gig bag. Also have a set of EMG PJ pickups that haven't been installed yet...price to be determined.
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TBD is another way of asking for offers ?
As for the heavier string gauges, note in my earlier post, where I mention having them on my short scale Gibson bass, practising what I incessantly preach about the need for them in that situation.
On a long scale bass [my Ric], I've been able to use somewhat lighter gauge strings over the years, without any strange tuning, intonation, nor note character issues.
It turns out that the light gauge Brite Flats on a long scale bass have about the same tension as the medium gauge do on a short scale bass, according to the GHS string guide file, attached below.
On which of your basses do you use the sets with the 108 or 110 E ?
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No, I am not asking for offers. I may do that when I actually offer it for sale in the Classifieds.
I would imagine that your choice of strings would depend upon what kind of music you are playing which, is why I posed the question. It doesn't really matter at this point as I was just trying to opening up a discussion.
I use those sets on all of my basses in my signature.
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So that is the long and short of it then.
This is only from vague recollection [and I may still have some in my used strings archive], but I think that the original factory flats on a Ric 4001 were pretty close to 45-100, so that may have been part of why I have generally not gone heavier on it, and also because that gauge of set has sounded and felt good on my Ric [to me], both for rock and for country music.
But having personally experienced how lighter gauge strings can sometimes misbehave on a short scale bass, I tend to go heavier there, though for my Hofner Ignition Club bass I chose LaBella Low Tension Flats, partially in respect for it being hollow.
Those only come in 42-100 in all scale lengths, and on that bass they seem decent.
I bought some 760FL LaBella DT Flats [43-104], one set in each of short and medium scale, and those will eventually find their way onto one or another of my pandemic period purchases which have rounds on them, as most of them do.
One exception is the MIM Jazz with the Brad Lowe 32" conversion neck, which came to me with nylon tapes on it, D'Addarios I think, and I will give those a fair try before considering changing them, as it's been a long time since I've played tapes - cassette tapes too, for that matter.
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If any one is looking for a mustang bridge i found these on ebay 
JMJ Justin Meldal-Johnsen Mustang Bass Bridge with Offset Saddles! | eBay
JMJ Justin Meldal-Johnsen Mustang Bass Bridge with Offset Saddles! | eBay
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it's been a long time since I've played tapes - cassette tapes too, for that matter.
Me too, on both counts. The last time I played, what were called Black Nylons at the time, was from 1968 to '70 on a Telecaster Bass. They sounded great!
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But having personally experienced how lighter gauge strings can sometimes misbehave on a short scale bass, I tend to go heavier there, though for my Hofner Ignition Club bass I chose LaBella Low Tension Flats, partially in respect for it being hollow.
One exception is the MIM Jazz with the Brad Lowe 32" conversion neck, which came to me with nylon tapes on it, D'Addarios I think, and I will give those a fair try before considering changing them, as it's been a long time since I've played tapes - cassette tapes too, for that matter.
~
I've used tapewounds for over a decade and flatwounds since the '70s before that. I currently use D'Addario nylon tapewounds on every bass I have including my Hofner Ignition Club bass because I didn't like the sound of the Labella Hofner tapewounds I tried.
To use the D'Addario tapes I had to open up the holes in the E and A string tuning pegs to accommodate the wider string end and strip back some of the string silk at the nut but the sound is worth it to me.
Brite Flats installed, and only had a couple min right now to try them out...but:
1) I must not've realized how much the low tension/high flexibility of the Pressurewounds in light gauge was bugging me, because suddenly the bass feels a lot more "normal". It's possible I'd have just stuck with them had they been in a regular gauge, though I'm also into the tone journey I'm taking with these new puppies. Got some truss rod/action tweaks to make to dial 'em in!
2) Brite Flats actually being groundwounds, I had some concern they might have burrs, but GHS's quality control hasn't missed a beat. They actually feel a lot like the Pressurewounds, though I can tell a difference in the texture. Both are extremely pleasant.
3) Re: texture, I forgot to do the alcohol wipe before installing them, and yep--they've got what feels like a coating or something. I'll come back and wipe them with the isopropanol to see if that helps, but even if not, I'm unbothered as long as I can play the sticky away.
4) They sound great! Brand spanking new, they have that fresh sparkle, but I can already hear the difference in amplitude envelope compared to the Pressurewounds, and soloing the GZR neck pup on my PJ + lowering the tone gets me immediately fat and deep notes. Awwww yeah.
5) The baby blue silks are gooorgeeouuusss sitting across from the shell pink finish!!
Finally, I noticed while working that I'd scratched the bass's finish in four spots between bridge and strap button... clearly while uninstalling either the PWs or the original stock strings. Interesting to note that the poly finish on this one isn't as 100% invincible as that on my 50s Classic P...and I'm curious if that means it might wear down with enough play/gig time.
1) I must not've realized how much the low tension/high flexibility of the Pressurewounds in light gauge was bugging me, because suddenly the bass feels a lot more "normal". It's possible I'd have just stuck with them had they been in a regular gauge, though I'm also into the tone journey I'm taking with these new puppies. Got some truss rod/action tweaks to make to dial 'em in!
2) Brite Flats actually being groundwounds, I had some concern they might have burrs, but GHS's quality control hasn't missed a beat. They actually feel a lot like the Pressurewounds, though I can tell a difference in the texture. Both are extremely pleasant.
3) Re: texture, I forgot to do the alcohol wipe before installing them, and yep--they've got what feels like a coating or something. I'll come back and wipe them with the isopropanol to see if that helps, but even if not, I'm unbothered as long as I can play the sticky away.
4) They sound great! Brand spanking new, they have that fresh sparkle, but I can already hear the difference in amplitude envelope compared to the Pressurewounds, and soloing the GZR neck pup on my PJ + lowering the tone gets me immediately fat and deep notes. Awwww yeah.
5) The baby blue silks are gooorgeeouuusss sitting across from the shell pink finish!!
Finally, I noticed while working that I'd scratched the bass's finish in four spots between bridge and strap button... clearly while uninstalling either the PWs or the original stock strings. Interesting to note that the poly finish on this one isn't as 100% invincible as that on my 50s Classic P...and I'm curious if that means it might wear down with enough play/gig time.
Quoted myself from earlier in this thread. I didn't want to re-tell it.
I bought the Brite Flats and put them on the Bronco. To a long time Chromes player like me, they don't seem flat-wound at all (yeah, I know they're really not), but I NEVER play true rounds. The gauge works much better for me than the Short Scale Pressurewounds I had tried. Those were just too flimsy and twangy for me in short scale (love them in 34").
I also like the sound of the Brite Flats. Very aggressive, compared to my trusted Chromes; a nice alternate sound.
BUT, they are very "grabby", and do seem to be coated and sticky. I might try some Finger Ease on them. UPDATE: Finger Ease made it worse!!
SUMMARY: (not a RW player, EVER!)
- CHROMES for my P and PJs, including my Mustang PJ. This is home base.
- PRESSUREWOUNDS for my Jazz bass. I tried a lot of flats on it, but a Jazz needs at least semi-rounds to be a Jazz (IMHO)
- BRITE FLATS (for now) on my modded Bronco, just for variety. It's my "mini-Jazz". If Pressurewounds were available in .045-.050 up to .105 they'd get the nod.
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