What do you mean by brash? Ive heard those pickups are really hot so was it like clipping a lot? Asking since ive been wanting to try that set.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
What do you mean by brash? Ive heard those pickups are really hot so was it like clipping a lot? Asking since ive been wanting to try that set.
Hot and blunt sounding. I use them with flats and they really punch but they don't have the detail of, say, a dedicated copy of a 1962 P Bass pickup.
I fitted the Dimarzio DP126 pj set to mine too, I still have the original rounds on there and really like the sound, the P is still stronger than the J but the sound to my ears is improved.
Oh, hey guys!
Just picked up this ‘07 CIJ Mustang. Thinking about swapping the tort guard for a WD “cream pearloid,” and excited to test out some various flat and round wound strings on it. Happy to be in the club!
Just picked up this ‘07 CIJ Mustang. Thinking about swapping the tort guard for a WD “cream pearloid,” and excited to test out some various flat and round wound strings on it. Happy to be in the club!
It's been about a year with my Squier CV Mustang, still bone stock save for a tort pickguard and LaBella LTFs. It sounds phenomenal and plays even better. Took about 9 months to become my main bass in the band because I was trying too hard to equalize the sound with my Reverend Watt. Once I stopped doing that, everything came together.
Sorry to contradict anyone, but my opinion is, just set it farther from the string.
Some products get a reputation that follows them forever. My experience is that Model P is very clear and beautiful.
A PJ on the left, and an American Performer on the right.
I sold off my other basses to pay for the upgrades to these, which include nitro finishes, Spitfire pickguards, Hipshot lollipop tuners, bone nuts, and reflector knobs. The PJ also has Aguilar pickups, a high-mass bridge, a Switchcraft pickup selector switch, and a Stellartone tone knob. The American Performer has pearl dots, which were easier to install than I'd expected. I'm planning to add "clay" dots to the PJ.
The neck on the PJ was actually taken from a Pawn Shop Mustang that I've since sold, so the fingerboard is rosewood rather than Pao Ferro. That Pawn Shop neck is considerably slimmer than the neck on the American Performer; it's like having one Mustang with a (short) Jazz neck and another with a Precision neck.
I currently have flatwound Chromes on both of them. The Aguilar pickups on the PJ are very warm and woolly, so I'm probably going to keep using Chromes on that bass, and may try out a set of LaBellas on the American Performer. I've used LaBellas on a Mustang in the past, and they sound great, but they're not bright.
Aesthetically, I'm not a huge fan of the Jazz pickup on these basses (especially the American Performer), but I've found it adds a lot of flexibility. I felt that the Pawn Shop Mustang lacked definition in a live setting with its single humbucker. I could have tried using roundwound strings, but I hate how they feel on my fingers, so getting a Mustang—or rather, two Mustangs—with a bridge pickup was a better solution.
I sold off my other basses to pay for the upgrades to these, which include nitro finishes, Spitfire pickguards, Hipshot lollipop tuners, bone nuts, and reflector knobs. The PJ also has Aguilar pickups, a high-mass bridge, a Switchcraft pickup selector switch, and a Stellartone tone knob. The American Performer has pearl dots, which were easier to install than I'd expected. I'm planning to add "clay" dots to the PJ.
The neck on the PJ was actually taken from a Pawn Shop Mustang that I've since sold, so the fingerboard is rosewood rather than Pao Ferro. That Pawn Shop neck is considerably slimmer than the neck on the American Performer; it's like having one Mustang with a (short) Jazz neck and another with a Precision neck.
I currently have flatwound Chromes on both of them. The Aguilar pickups on the PJ are very warm and woolly, so I'm probably going to keep using Chromes on that bass, and may try out a set of LaBellas on the American Performer. I've used LaBellas on a Mustang in the past, and they sound great, but they're not bright.
Aesthetically, I'm not a huge fan of the Jazz pickup on these basses (especially the American Performer), but I've found it adds a lot of flexibility. I felt that the Pawn Shop Mustang lacked definition in a live setting with its single humbucker. I could have tried using roundwound strings, but I hate how they feel on my fingers, so getting a Mustang—or rather, two Mustangs—with a bridge pickup was a better solution.
Your mustangs are always an inspiration! I didn't know that American performers didn't have bone nuts installed from the get-go. Did that provide a significant difference in sound/feel? Same with the nitro. Also, did you replace the pickups on the AP or did you leave them stock?
Thanks!
My American Performer came with a plastic nut, although it's certainly possible that Fender has shipped some with bone nuts. Honestly, I can't say I noticed any real difference in tone from the nut switch. I'd still do it again, though; I enjoyed the process of trying to replicate the shape of the plastic nut in bone, and I also prefer the look (although the visual difference is nearly as subtle as the sonic difference).
Similarly, I didn't notice any difference in tone after the nitro refinish. I had planned to refinish both basses in natural anyway, and I figured I might as well go with nitro because I prefer the look and feel to thick, shiny poly. Both basses have already developed some attractive checking. (The necks and headstocks are still finished in the original poly, although I sanded those to matte with steel wool and oil.)
I still have the stock pickups in the American Performer. I replaced the PJ pickups with Aguilar because the stock pickups sounded thin to my ear, and I do think Aguilars are a big improvement. But I really like the stock pickups on the American Performer and have no plans to switch them out.
I probably don't have the most discerning ear, because I've never noticed any tonal improvement from any modification except changing the pickups and strings. Everything else I've done is either to improve the look or comfort of the instrument. The Hipshot tuners, for example, help with neck dive, as does the high-mass bridge on the PJ. And the Switchcraft switch is much more reliable than the stock switch.
EDIT: One other note on the nuts: the string slots on the plastic Fender nuts are sometimes too shallow. The reason I originally replaced the nut on my PJ is that the E string would sometimes pop out of its slot and go dead when I played hard or fast. (And I was playing indie and folk rock, not punk or metal.) When I crafted the bone nut, I made sure the slots were slightly deeper than on the original plastic nut, and I've never had an issue since.
Last edited:
As I said, I LOVE your builds!
I'm deep into building a sub 7 pound Mustang (okay, I have almost all the parts; waiting on "The" neck
). I'm interested in your Lollipops. I'm curious which lollies you chose; HB7s, USA Ultras, or Licensed Ultras? How much fitting was required, and how do you like them now? I currently have 2 basses with Hipshot "lollies", and I love them each (one more than the other 
):The PJ/JMJ, with factory HB7s (8.0 lbs):
The, uh, "Back Surgery Bass" (Bronco- 6lb 13oz) with licensed UltraLites;
I also used a Switchcraft 3-way switch, my "go to" on my PJs, but the Mustang location is problematic to me. On the Mustang PJ, I invariably bump it "down", which I have chosen as the J pickup.
I cut the shaft in half, but this didn't resolve the problem. I just bought a rotary switch, which I hope to adapt to work. Should arrive tomorrow.
Thanks for the inspiration!!
Last edited:
Thanks!
Right now, both have Ultralites. At the time I bought them, I don't think Hipshot yet distinguished between USA and Licensed; they were just marketed as Ultralites. They're excellent tuners.
Unfortunately, neither set of tuners was a drop-in replacement for the stock tuners, so the backs of these headstocks aren't as elegant as they could be. I filled the old tuning machine holes on the PJ using toothpicks, and then sanded them down, but they're still visible. Maybe someday I'll buy HBs for the PJ instead so the back of the headstock will look cleaner. (Because the neck on my PJ came from a Pawn Shop Mustang, I'll need to check if HB7 is the correct drop-in replacement.)
I think in both cases I also had to use some duct tape on the Hipshot bushings to get them to fit tightly into the existing headstock holes. The winding posts and bushings on the American Performer are significantly wider than on the Pawn Shop headstock, because the American Performer comes with Fender's newer single-screw tuners that also appear on other USA models. Those tuners seemed pretty good, but I think a Mustang just doesn't look quite right with clover-leaf tuning keys.
Good thinking! The rotary switch should look cool, too. I haven't had that problem, but I'm almost tempted to install a rotary switch now just because I like the look.
Another option would be a blend knob. I'm tempted to get one for my american performer, just so that I only have one volume knob to worry about.
@2cooltoolz, I am confused by a couple of your comments on the Switchcraft switch. You mentioned the location being a problem, which I am guessing is related to the amount of real estate between the bridge pup and the switch on the Mustang PJ?
You also mentioned cutting the shaft in half. I was under the impression that Switchcraft makes a short switch. I was thinking about swapping out the stock switch on my Mustang PJ, with the short Switchcraft. Am I mistaken that this will fit as a “drop in?”
Last edited:
It's because I keep bumping it out of position. I actually use the "short switch", but that refers to the frame, not the shaft. The shafts on all the SW 3 ways appear to be the same:
I cut the shaft in half and sanded down the tip. It's easy to grab, actually easier than the ones on my precision based PJs, but for me, its TOO easy.
I'm not exactly sure why I keep bumping the switch out of position. My playing style is 90% floating thumb, with my i and m fingers, but I do play thumb and 2 fingers some, like an acoustic player, for arpeggios and chords. I also developed the goofy habit of resting my left arm in the lower cutout between songs, or whatever. That's probably the main culprit.
edit: In looking at my own picture, I'm wondering why I didn't put washers on the bushing under the pickguard, to recess the switch further into the bass. Doh! I'll have to check for room under there tomorrow. Don't want to rout it.
Last edited:
Thank you for sharing that explanation and the equally informative illustration and your bass pic. I can see how the height and positioning of the switch is an issue with your playing style. I was off in my own little world, of hand resting on bridge using a pick, wondering: “how/why is he playing that high up with his pick?” ha ha
I'm curious if there is any difference in quality between the USA and the license ultralites. Would it be that big a deal to swap out the tuners in my american performer for license lolli ultralites? or should i save for the american ones?As I said, I LOVE your builds!
I'm deep into building a sub 7 pound Mustang (okay, I have almost all the parts; waiting on "The" neck
The PJ/JMJ, with factory HB7s (8.0 lbs):
View attachment 4961154
The, uh, "Back Surgery Bass" (Bronco- 6lb 13oz) with licensed UltraLites;View attachment 4961188
View attachment 4961155
I also used a Switchcraft 3-way switch, my "go to" on my PJs, but the Mustang location is problematic to me. On the Mustang PJ, I invariably bump it "down", which I have chosen as the J pickup.
View attachment 4961198
I cut the shaft in half, but this didn't resolve the problem. I just bought a rotary switch, which I hope to adapt to work. Should arrive tomorrow.
Thanks for the inspiration!!
questions, questions...
licensed all the way. i have licensed on one bass and usa on another and cant tell the difference.
I think there are some differences that may or may not be important to you. If the licensed works for you, they work. I think the USA versions can be reversed while the licensed cannot. And the sizes may be slightly different. Finally, all the models are not available in the licensed and there may be a difference in some of the materials used.
