Fender Mustang Club

[DoctorZee]

I recently picked up an old CIJ Mustang and am enjoying it, but the volume and tone knobs are a little bit scratchy and roll off way too quickly. 75% may as well be 0%. Do you guys recommend replacing the pots, or might they just need a cleaning? If replacing, do I need mini pots or would a standard size fit? And any idea if the stock pots are 250k or 500k? (I wouldn’t mind opening up a little more treble if there’s any on tap)

 

[birdswthvertigo]

I recently picked up an old CIJ Mustang and am enjoying it, but the volume and tone knobs are a little bit scratchy and roll off way too quickly. 75% may as well be 0%. Do you guys recommend replacing the pots, or might they just need a cleaning? If replacing, do I need mini pots or would a standard size fit? And any idea if the stock pots are 250k or 500k? (I wouldn’t mind opening up a little more treble if there’s any on tap)

I’d replace them. They are tiny Asian made pots so you’d need to ream the holes larger if you wanted CTS pots. Mustang basses come with 250k pots as standard.

 

[DoctorZee]

I’d replace them. They are tiny Asian made pots so you’d need to ream the holes larger if you wanted CTS pots. Mustang basses come with 250k pots as standard.

But this might work? (CTS 500k mini pot)

 

[SulzerType2]

I’d replace them. They are tiny Asian made pots so you’d need to ream the holes larger if you wanted CTS pots. Mustang basses come with 250k pots as standard.

They really cheaped out on the electronics of those basses. Zero shielding as well.

 

[Cran]

Hey gang, here's another quick clip of my American Performer. I chucked some old LaBella tapewounds on it recently and man, this thing rips! It's ridiculously comfortable to play now. Check the video out if you'd like!

 

[mrperkolator]

I cant find the answer searching.... Is the Mustang bass and Mustang 6 string guitar the same body size? obviously they have different routing. Just kinda curious and going down the rabbit hole of the mustang....

 

[birdswthvertigo]

I cant find the answer searching.... Is the Mustang bass and Mustang 6 string guitar the same body size? obviously they have different routing. Just kinda curious and going down the rabbit hole of the mustang....

They are slightly different as shown here:

bass body is a bit bigger, and deeper neck pocket route, with different shape on the treble side. This compares to a duosonic which I believe was identical to the mustang/musicmaster/bronco guitars.

 

[mrperkolator]

They are slightly different as shown here:View attachment 5002372

bass body is a bit bigger, and deeper neck pocket route, with different shape on the treble side. This compares to a duosonic which I believe was identical to the mustang/musicmaster/bronco guitars.

hmm... looks like a little bit of work could turn a warmoth mustang guitar (no routing) into a bass... Thanks!

 

[Cran]

Hi everyone, I'm weary of oversaturating this thread with videos of me playing my mustang, but I'm particularly proud of this one. Listen to it if you'd like - or tell me to quit pestering you with these videos . Whichever you want.

 

[J. Crawford]

 

[SkyBlueMarshall]

Yep. That's how I feel also! Generally, I choose USA all the way. I just bought some USA Ultras to replace my USA HB7s on a JMJ neck and just received the adapter bushings for the larger MIM holes in the JMJ necks, and will fit the Ultras in the next day or so. The HB7s on the JMJs and Vintera are great machines, but really bulky, at 85g each, compared to the US Ultra at 55g; or the licensed, at 57g.
View attachment 4980188

It didn't seem worth the expense, though, on my Bronco build, so I used licensed Ultras on it.View attachment 4980165

Your solution looks great, but I don't know if I have the machining skills to do that. Did the plates add any weight?

I made my beauty plates using only: cordless drill, hacksaw, drill bit set, pieces of wood for clamping and drilling, transfer punch, scribe, marking pen, files, C clamps, towels, sanding block, sand paper, Scotch-Brite pads. No actual "machining" per say was involved. I did the work on my kitchen table.

I estimated the weights before I bought the aluminum sheet. I wish that I had kept my notes. I bought a sheet of aluminum that has moderate strength while still being fairly thin and therefore lightweight. I was concerned that if the aluminum was too soft and too thin, it would bend like a potato chip when I punch marked my holes. This proved to be a wise decision. They are thin and light and just strong enough not to bend too much when punched.

They actually came out lighter than I had calculated because of all the holes, especially the large post holes. Each beauty cover plate only adds a few grams. I forget the exact weights. It wasn't much. Your Bronco looks very nice. I'm surprised. Most people just bolt on the new tuners and leave their headstocks looking like Swiss cheese.

 

[CPB2019]

Go to the Hipshot website. They have spec sheets with drawings for each Ultralight tuner. You will find that when you compare the licensed to tuner drawing to the USA version of the same style and post diameter, the USA versions are lighter, which is the entire point of buying lightweight tuners.

Also, Ultralites aren't really drop in, because the mounts are single screw teardrop shapes and most (not all) Squier and Fender basses come stock with large 4 screw, semi-rectangular tuners. There are ways to cover up the ugly screw holes and impressions left in the wood by the original tuners. I experimented with hand tool making my own beauty cover plates out of thin aluminum. Perfectionists will criticize my crudely made plates, but I will stack my results up against any photos of plugged hole style mods. For a first try using only common hand tools they're not bad, but I've thought about making a second, closer match set.

Your beauty plates look great!

 

[ElCrowg]

View attachment 5005984

I'm not sure I've ever seen a mustang with the chrome pickup cover. Looks cool!

 

[J. Crawford]

I'm not sure I've ever seen a mustang with the chrome pickup cover. Looks cool!

I hadn't either, so I mocked it up... I love it. Gives me more of an anchor than the small pickup.

 

[velobob]

curious if the p/u cover has any affect on sound?

 

[mrperkolator]

curious if the p/u cover has any affect on sound?

some of the new ones are non-magnetic so they shouldn't. Most are also not grounded, which iirc the originals were in an effort to defeat hum. I like the look of them, but dont use them since I like to pluck over the pickup.

 

[J. Crawford]

curious if the p/u cover has any affect on sound?

Not even a smidge.

 

[And I]

Sadly, I'll be "leaving" this club. I tried several sets of strings and even new (nordy) pickups... but i just can't bond with my Mustang... keep your eyes on the classifieds, if i can't sell it locally there will be a great deal on a vintera mustang coming soon...

 

[manchego_eggo]

Sadly, I'll be "leaving" this club. I tried several sets of strings and even new (nordy) pickups... but i just can't bond with my Mustang... keep your eyes on the classifieds, if i can't sell it locally there will be a great deal on a vintera mustang coming soon...

been in the same boat lately, loving the neck on my mustang but hating the body! does anyone know of any other options to pair a mustang bass neck with?

 

[MagnusGudberg]

Hi dear Mustang fan fellowship.
I just did a partstang project from 60s/70s parts and it plays beautifully. The body is a refin 74/75 and came with original shealds, but the upper horn and curve of the body reminds more to p bass then a mustang. I have never seen a shape like this befor, do any of you have knowledge to this kind of horn shape on a mustang?