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Flats for a mustang

samson3382

samson3382

Apr 26, 2009
1,100
1,308
Boise, Idaho
www.myspace.com
#1
I’ve got a “new to me” Fender American Performer Mustang.

My favorite bass at the moment is my Mexican mustang, with rotosound 77 short scale monel flats. (40-50-75-90).
These strings are too short for the string through bridge on the American mustang.

I’m trying to get as close as I can to the same sound, and feel. I could probably stand something a touch heavier, but I really like the light gauge.

What’s the best bet?
 
#8
+1 on the La Bella set. They are especially designed for the Mustang string-through-body bridge and give the best tone for this bass. Being 43-104 gauges, they are heavy enough to have tuning stability, but not so thick they go thumpy and lose tone, although the E string can give it up a little sooner than the rest of the set.

Note on tension: tension varies as the square of the scale length, not linearly. So for a short scale bass, the tension of any string is only @ 80% of its long scale counterpart. So you're going to have to go with something a little heavier anyway to get tuning and fretting stability.

If you aren't completely tied to flats, God's gift to short scale bass players is the GHS Balanced Pure Nickels round wounds. They have a huge round tone. Nickel is more dense than nickel plated steel, so they have more tension for the given diameter than NPS strings. These strings were designed by Jon Moody of GHS for short scale basses. They have consistent tone both string-to-string and up the neck, consistent feel, don't go thumpy or twangy, are reasonably priced, and last a long, long, time. And you don't have to worry about the bend from the string-through-bridge. I still have my set on my travel bass from my band's annual trip to Mexico last February. The only thing: mark one of your current strings where it crosses the nut. Then take it off and measure from the ball to the mark. It does need to be less than 32 3/4 inches total for the GHS BPN's to fit. But I think Jon allowed for that with the spec of the winding, or speaking length of the strings.
 
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#9
This thread is relevant to my interests as I'm looking at a Squier Mustang right now.

I have LaBella LTFs on my Reverend Watt. I love them and have no issues with tone and tension. If I could, I would grab a medium scale set for a Mustang and be happy. But it looks like I'll run out of silk. I can't imagine the difference between 42-100 and 43-104 is huge, so I'll probably go with the standard LaBella Mustang set.
 
#10
I just put a set of D'Addario XL chrome flats on my de-fretted early 70s Mustang. They are "medium" scale, and fit great. Also, I'm quite happy with the sound and feel.

The previous strings (GHS Brite Flats) developed a lump in the A string, so I was worried they'd let go on me. Too bad, they were about 30 years old. ;)
 
#11
I bought the Mustang and the LTFs. Restrung them tonight. Here's what they look like at the headstock:
upload_2022-2-4_20-46-59.png


So yes, they fit. But just barely. Will update over the next few months as they break in. Everything is super new right now.
 
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