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Fender Mustang vs. Squier VM Jaguar SS

Fender Mustang vs. Squier VM Jaguar SS

  • Fender Mustang

    Votes: 42 60.9%

  • Squier VM Jaguar SS

    Votes: 27 39.1%
  • Total voters
    69
B

BassfulOne

Oct 30, 2011
65
0
Santa Clara, CA
#1
As I wait for my Gibson SG Faded Bass to come in (in a couple months), I've been researching more and more short scale basses and have been developing major GAS. I haven't found much info regarding the Fender Mustang, however, and wanted to see all of your opinions on this short scale compared to the Squier VM Jag SS, which (as I've read) many people here seem to praise and recommend.

So: Fender Mustang vs. Squier VM Jag SS - pros and cons to each? Build quality? Tone versatility? Overall impression? I realize there's a huge price gap between the two, but I'm not concerned with that for the purposes of this comparison.

Thanks everyone, and compare away!

- BassfulOne
 
#3
I'm GAS'n big time for a Mustang, but don't care for the look of the Squier VM. I'm waiting on the Mikey Way MG soon to be released. I don't know who he is, nor do I go for signature basses, but it really looks like want I would want (except for the color).
 
#4
IME, every new Fender Mustang I have had my hands on has had better build quality, fit, finish, and construction than every new Jag SS I have seen. But the Mustang also has a higher price tag to match. I know there are many here who rave about the Jag SS, but the few models I have demo'ed have been well below my expectations, particularly the poor fretwork and overall cheap feel of the bass.

That said, as previously mentioned, the Jag SS is a wonderful platform for modification and upgrades, especially if you don't mind putting a little work into it. I would think, given its passive PJ setup, the Jag SS should be a bit more versatile out of the box.

As always, YMMV.
 
#5
I have and love both the Squier SS Jaguar and the SS Squier VM Mustang:) My Mustang does get more play time than the Jag.
Quality is top notch on both of them, very little build or fit/finish difference between the two. The Jag is a little more flexible tone wise but is in need of a stronger jazz bridge pickup, the one that comes stock with it is painfully weak in volume, to the point that soloing it is not really a good option. The Mustang sounds great right off the rack and delivers a fantastic vintage split coil tone. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder but I personally like the look of the 3 tone burst Mustang better than the Black on Black Jaguar. From a bang for the buck standpoint the Jaguar is about $100 less. So on the surface it appears to be a better value but if you sink $50 to $100 in it for better pickups you're right in the Mustang price range. The Mustang is perfect right off the rack, I can't think of any modification it would need to make it better.
So, if you tend to keep your basses stock the Mustang may be the better choice for you. If you like to tinker and replace pups and pots or install preamps the Jag may be the better choice.
FWIW - I did drop a spare JohnEast preamp in my Jaguar and it sounds fantastic but didn't solve the weak bridge pickup problem. I'll probably replace the jazz pickup with a Kent Armstrong lipstick or Delano fat pole pickup to solve the problem. The preamp/pickup modifications combined will far exceed the cost of the bass but should make a real nice player out of it, just like the Mustang bass already is.
 
#6
Just noticed you were looking for info on the "Fender" Mustang bass not the "Squier" Mustang bass.
I tried both side by side and quickly grabbed the Squier before anyone else in the store could walk away with it.
You can buy nearly 3 Squier Mustang basses for the price of one Fender Mustang bass and quite frankly I didn't see any significant difference in the two basses from a quality, looks, playability or sound standpoint. I went in the store with the intent to buy a Fender Mustang and departed the store with a brand new Squier Mustang AND a brand new Squier Jaguar and still had enough money left over to buy another bass if I wanted one.
Try both the Fender and Squier side by side and decide for yourself if it's worth 3 times the cost.
 
#7
GBassNorth said:
Just noticed you were looking for info on the "Fender" Mustang bass not the "Squier" Mustang bass.
I tried both side by side and quickly grabbed the Squier before anyone else in the store could walk away with it.
You can buy nearly 3 Squier Mustang basses for the price of one Fender Mustang bass and quite frankly I didn't see any significant difference in the two basses from a quality, looks, playability or sound standpoint. I went in the store with the intent to buy a Fender Mustang and departed the store with a brand new Squier Mustang AND a brand new Squier Jaguar and still had enough money left over to buy another bass if I wanted one.
Try both the Fender and Squier side by side and decide for yourself if it's worth 3 times the cost.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the heads up about the Squier Mustang. Unfortunately for me, I'm in a position where most of the local guitar stores (both mom and pop stores and GC) don't usually carry shorties. If they do, their selection of shorties to try out are quite limited.
 
#8
I used to have a 77 Mustang, now I have an ss jag.(unmodded- if it aint broke, dont fix it) Save your money, get the jag. Any split pbass type pickup is always going to sound better than a mustang pickup just because its an inherently better design. The J pup is fine for adding tonal variety when used with the split P. I cant imagine why anyone would want to turn the P pup down all the way when playing live. There is really no reason you have to mod anything on this bass if you dont want to.
 
#9
This weekend, I'm going to make my mind up between an 8 year-old Fender Mustang (MIJ) with hard case for $400, a new squire mustang $316(with taxes) no case, a new squire Jag $207(with taxes). The mustang is a private deal so no taxes. I play in a rock band that gigs about 2 nights a month. Any ideas as to what I should buy?
 
#11
ericeroberts said:
This weekend, I'm going to make my mind up between an 8 year-old Fender Mustang (MIJ) with hard case for $400, a new squire mustang $316(with taxes) no case, a new squire Jag $207(with taxes). The mustang is a private deal so no taxes. I play in a rock band that gigs about 2 nights a month. Any ideas as to what I should buy?
Click to expand...

If it was me and the fender had no issues I would go for it
 
#12
A Fender Mustang w/Hardshell case for $400 is a very good price.

Shoot, i haven't seen one for less than $600 around here for a long time. Even old Fender Musicmasters are going for $700 and up.

Even IF you didn't like it, you could flip it and probably make some profit.

I play mainly Short Scales these days... my advice would be:

If you KNOW you will mod it... go for the SS Jaguar.

If you KNOW you will rock it stock... go for the Fender Mustang.
 
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#13
I'm with DoW on this. I own the Jag SS. Assuming it's not beat to crap, I would get the MIJ Fender at the quoted price.

Specifically regarding the Jag SS. The overall workmanship of mine is at least comparable to other Squiers I have played. I agree that the biggest issue is the J pickup. It definitely is weaker in output that the P pickup. I don't like the sound of a soloed J bridge pickup so it's not an issue for me. The fretwork on mine is very good. No high spots or buzz that I can find. Most importantly, there is no fret sprout.
 
#14
The Fender won out. I was pretty sure I was going to go with it anyway, but I played the Squier Jag and the Squier Mustang. I played the Jag first; I'm small and old and I liked the fact it was light. It had a nice neck and played easily. It sounded ok. I played the Squier Mustang next. I was surprised by how heavy it was and the frets needed filing. I was also surprised that I liked the neck on the jag better. Then I went back to the jag. It didn't sound as good as the Mustang. When I saw the Fender it had some rust on a couple of pickup screws and needs new strings, but there were no deal breaker problems so I got it, a hard case that's in good shape, a couple of patch cords for $400.
I'm happy.
 
#17
Jag SS is more versatile - at less of a price.

History will eventually be written that the Jag SS was one of the best bargains ever offered by Fender/Squier. It's Such a great deal for the dollars that you have to wonder if it's almost a marketing experiment.
 
#18
SBassman said:
Jag SS is more versatile - at less of a price.

History will eventually be written that the Jag SS was one of the best bargains ever offered by Fender/Squier. It's Such a great deal for the dollars that you have to wonder if it's almost a marketing experiment.
Click to expand...

I've gotta agree. I got one for Christmas, play it every week at church and remain dumbfounded on how it was possible to get such a quality bass for so cheap ($145 at the time!). If I could only have 1 bass, I think I could live with this being it...
 
#19
SBassman said:
Jag SS is more versatile - at less of a price.

History will eventually be written that the Jag SS was one of the best bargains ever offered by Fender/Squier. It's Such a great deal for the dollars that you have to wonder if it's almost a marketing experiment.
Click to expand...

I still have not tried one but I used to own a Mustang and thought it was a great bass. So better than MIJ Mustang at $150 new?
 

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