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Fender Mustang Club
- Thread starter FlyingPigSound
- Start date
Yes, it did. "Like a Strat pickup, but with four poles" would have been more work designing and tooling a new pickup; they just used used Strat pickups, period. Works fine, though.
OK, I stand corrected about the pole pieces. I have an MIJ Mustang RI but have never owned or played a MM, hence my ignorance.
Thanks for the correction, guys.
Thanks for the correction, guys.
Just set my P/J Mustang up with flat Chromes yesterday and I love it!
I used LONG-SCALE Chromes, as that's all that was in stock and I've got shows to play this week. Don't let anybody scare you: You can cut long-scale Chromes down and use them on the P/J, no problem! Only minor issue is you end up wrapping the full-diameter portion of the string around your tuning post on the low E but I was still able to get 2 solid wraps in. Intonation is spot-on (Well, as close as I can tell. No strobe tuner
), tuning stability is fine.
BUT this brings me to a problem. When I play the D string open (and with a little more-than-normal force), there's an audible buzz. Not from the bridge, not from the nut, not from the frets. It's the freaking pick guard! There's nothing anchoring it to the body near the P pickup and it rattles unless I put pressure on it. Has anyone else had this problem? It's a non-issue when playing plugged in, but on the couch at home, it's really annoying! I would guess that installing a tug bar anywhere on the treble side between the P pickup and the neck would anchor the pg a little better and fix this but I don't really want to do that. Any suggestions?
I used LONG-SCALE Chromes, as that's all that was in stock and I've got shows to play this week. Don't let anybody scare you: You can cut long-scale Chromes down and use them on the P/J, no problem! Only minor issue is you end up wrapping the full-diameter portion of the string around your tuning post on the low E but I was still able to get 2 solid wraps in. Intonation is spot-on (Well, as close as I can tell. No strobe tuner
), tuning stability is fine.BUT this brings me to a problem. When I play the D string open (and with a little more-than-normal force), there's an audible buzz. Not from the bridge, not from the nut, not from the frets. It's the freaking pick guard! There's nothing anchoring it to the body near the P pickup and it rattles unless I put pressure on it. Has anyone else had this problem? It's a non-issue when playing plugged in, but on the couch at home, it's really annoying! I would guess that installing a tug bar anywhere on the treble side between the P pickup and the neck would anchor the pg a little better and fix this but I don't really want to do that. Any suggestions?
At my gig saturday - it was a tight stage, smallish gig - probably a little over 100 people... The Mustang into a Rumble 200 Combo was just what the doctor ordered - worked like a champ!!!!
Absolutely true. I run balanced sets and that means long scale and I love it.
I would like to apologize for the time lag and lack of response lately. I have been out of town and not able to have internet. I was helping to take of my granddaughter at Oakland Ca and Boston Ma Children's Hospitals.
The results of the tech appoint for my Mustang PJ are short, sweet, and to the point.
I ended up meeting with the owner of the store who stated, and I quote:
“This is the best modification I have ever seen on one of these modern PJ’s! The neck is exactly true, the string height and action is perfect, I love the new bridge, and the pickups HOWL! Absolutely NO humm or noise and it is a joy to play! I refuse to do any work whatsoever and would feel terrible to charge you anything as nothing needs to be done”. Unquote. (He had it for 3 days while inspecting)
I strongly feel that due to the patience, guidance, input, recommendations, and suggestions these compliments belong to everyone who shared in this thread. It was extremely nice to hear these comments from a professional expert be made. Thank very much again to you all.
The final outcome of this is I am back taking lessons to work on technique and finger placement. He recommended an instructor who has experience with arthritic musicians. The ONLY negative is the kids I have to sit with. (JK). ;{)
With respect and friendship
Bob
Oh, my goodness, Bobby! I hope that sweet granddaughter's getting better now. Cross country hospitals must be serious. Blessings on you both.And, oh yeah, excellent news from the store owner! Keep on thumping.
Thank you for the kind thoughts.
And, oh yeah, excellent news from the store owner! Keep on thumping.
Unfortunately she passed a short while ago.
Your kind words are greatly appreciated.
Bob
A couple of thoughts:
1) Don’t play the open D
(Sorry, had to say it!)2) Don’t play on the couch at home — try playing in a chair or perhaps standing up (Oh, I slay me
)3) (But seriously, folks)...
Could you jam a piece of paper, perhaps a thick piece of paper or thin piece of packaging or whatever between the pickguard and the body so as to stop the rattle? If so, maybe take the pickguard off and attach something of similar thickness to it’s underside, something like, I dunno — there’s all those little single sticky-sided 3M bumpers and pads at the hardware store or Walmart or wherever. Maybe like a little felt pad. Or a piece of moleskin like for a "hotspot" in a shoe or hiking boot.
I say stick it to the pickguard so as not to affect the instrument’s finish, but if you leave it on for enough years the finish will probably eventually get affected anyway. However, as this would be under the pickguard, who the heck really cares? — the main thing is that the damn rattle would [hopefully] stop and no one would ever see any possible finish mark unless they went to the trouble of taking the pickguard off.
Good luck — rattles suck for sure!
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^ For years jazz basses had another pickguard screw just north of the neck pickup. It wouldn't look funny, and would fix your problem.
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Greetings from Ireland Mustangers. New to talkbass so bear with me. Have already gained a lot of advice from this thread but looking for a bit more. After 20 years of playing the same 4 ton jazz bass (I still love he, the big bitch) a bad shoulder made me invest in a pj mustang. I want to make it into a great bass and have a few mods planned - pups, tuners, bridge, moving the strap button and getting rid of THAT switch for a vvt set up. Also smoothing the underside of frets on the neck before I lose a finger. What I need help with is strings. I prefer flats and put an expensive set of thomastic short scale flats on it but they are wayyyy to floppy for my liking, big disappointment. Any advice on strings that would give me really good tension? I hear short scale basses have a floppier feel to them anyways. Willing to put whatever type on for the tightest feel whether that be flats or rounds, any advice guys?
Thanks, just had a quick look on thomann, I see them for short scale, I'll take your advice and get a set, cheers
truss rod adjustment doesn't affect the action, which is done at nut and saddle/bridge - truss rod adjusts the neck relief. the reason i feel this is important, especially for those of us with hand issues, is that while changing your neck relief can make the top and bottom of the neck close to the strings, because it's curving the neck further, it will make the middle of the neck further away from the strings. of course, you can remove relief from the neck - ibanez ships some of their basses with virtually straight necks, but they buzz like mad.
