Has anyone modded a Squier Bronco Bass?

[Orangeclawhammr]

If I had seen this earlier, I'd have posted a smart-a$$ remark about nobody posting anything about this on TB, but my serious response is that I think there will be a lot less of this now that these Buy Squier by Fender Vintage Modified Jaguar Bass Special SS (Short Scale) | 4 String Electric Bass | Musician's Friend are available. It already has the split pickup and IMHO nicer styling.

 

[Super D]

I agree for the price it will make for a great SS bass. But I love the Mustangs and Bronco style and part it for me is modding, I have a SX Jazz but still perfer the M/B's.

Here is my current Mustang and the SX.

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[ponticat]

Anyone ever modded a bronco with one of these?

Seymour Duncan Quarter Pound for Single Coil P-Bass® SCPB-3
Quarter Pound for Single Coil P-Bass® SCPB-3 - Seymour Duncan Progressive

Yes. Go back to post #11 in this thread. All four of 'em.

 

[FedericoC.uy]

Squier Affinity P tuners, fake Ford Mustang sticker on headstock, regular Fender threaded saddle bridge, rewound Strat pickup at neck with no-holes cover, rewound scpb pickup, cap/pickup selector rotary switch (volume knob), volume and series/parallel push/pull (tone knob), LaBella DT760FM's (TI's in pic).

How does the regular fender bridge works? In other post I asked If it could be done, And someone told me it couldn`t cause G and E must be too out at the neck. I´m really interested in some feedback about it, as Down here in my country (Uruguay) and around (Argentina) I couldn`t find any Mustang bridges nor pickups

 

[arsie]

How does the regular fender bridge works? In other post I asked If it could be done, And someone told me it couldn`t cause G and E must be too out at the neck. I´m really interested in some feedback about it, as Down here in my country (Uruguay) and around (Argentina) I couldn`t find any Mustang bridges nor pickups

I suspect that is why he uses the threaded saddles, so that he can move the strings closer to the middle. I use them to move my strings wider apart on my squier pj.

 

[FedericoC.uy]

I suspect that is why he uses the threaded saddles, so that he can move the strings closer to the middle. I use them to move my strings wider apart on my squier pj.

Right but does the threaded saddle allows you to do such a big alteration in string spacing?

 

[ghostdog93]

How does the regular fender bridge works? In other post I asked If it could be done, And someone told me it couldn`t cause G and E must be too out at the neck. I´m really interested in some feedback about it, as Down here in my country (Uruguay) and around (Argentina) I couldn`t find any Mustang bridges nor pickups

Actually, that was me...

I'm going to guess that a standard bridge might space the strings too far apart and force the E and G strings off the edge of the fretboard at some point along the neck. Just educated guesses though...no scientific proof.

The reason I used the words "guess" and "might" is because I wasn't sure if that would be the case; after all, I didn't have a Bronco and a standard bridge in front of me when I answered that question.

I'm wondering why you would use a standard bridge on a Bronco at all when there are other options available. You could either upgrade the stock bridge with new Wilkinson saddles, or order a new Hipshot B-style bridge with the correct .669 string spacing.

 

[FedericoC.uy]

The reason why I wanted to use a standard bridge is that down here(South of south america)is harder to find "non standard" hardware. Nor a mustang bass bridge or pups not even a mustang bass!! To get a Hipshot B with .669 string spacing I have to mail order it (which I think im doing) and end up paying more than $200 due to taxes and shipping


Ghostdog, I took your answer as a fact cause it confirmed what I suspected it was also my educated guess. And having a bronco and a standard bridge would confirm our guesses.
Also i didn´t want to sound rude or disrepectful to you or your answer. if it sounded like that, im really sorry but as english is not my mother tongue sometimes it´s harder for me to express myself in the right way

 

[Dark Horse]

I did the paint/refin, and the final user put it all together...

 

[ghostdog93]

The reason why I wanted to use a standard bridge is that down here(South of south america)is harder to find "non standard" hardware. Nor a mustang bass bridge or pups not even a mustang bass!! To get a Hipshot B with .669 string spacing I have to mail order it (which I think im doing) and end up paying more than $200 due to taxes and shipping.

It's a shame that this stuff is not more available where you are - paying nearly $200 for a Hipshot bridge for a Bronco is insane.

Given how much it will cost you to upgrade the bridge, why not just go with the stock piece? I know it's not perfect, or very pretty, but it seems to do the job well enough. I wouldn't use it on a studio bass, but for what the Bronco is, it seems to work.

If a standard string spacing bridge is more available for you, I guess one option is to bolt one on to a Bronco and see what it does with the strings.

 

[ghostdog93]

I am taking a little different path, one that I have not seen before. I am using a full size rail humbucker pickup, along with a push pull pot to select from single to humbucker. My pickup is 10K in dual mode for hopefully a nice vintage sound, and 5K split for a stockish single coil sound. I have completely shielded the pickguard and the pickup cavity to cut down on noise. I am looking for tuners as the stock ones could be improved upon, the bridge actually seems to be ok and I will most likely keep it stock. Heres some pics, enjoy.

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Looks like a GFS Crunchy Rails. You'll have to let us know how it sounds.

 

[Super D]

I just got it back together, so far I have only played it on my Toneport so I haven't gotten the full effect. So far I like it, the humbucker has a nice big full sound and when split it has a cleaner thinner sound. Can't wait to play it back to back with my Mustang on my GK MB212.

It does look like a GFS, I got this one on Feebay for 26 shipped.

 

[arsie]

Right but does the threaded saddle allows you to do such a big alteration in string spacing?

I bought one set of these not too long ago for my Squier PJ.
NEW - 4 Vintage Style Bass Bridge Saddles - NICKEL | eBay

I did a quick measurement of the distance and I reckon the closest you are likely to get the strings is about 52-53mm between E and G strings, whether that is close enough for the Bronco is something I am not aware of. Hope that helps.

 

[SanDiegoHarry]

the picup definitely needs to be replaced, the stock pickup is a cheap strat pickup. My first bass was a squier bronco. Make sure to work on grounding and shielding, mine hissed a lot. good mod would be upgrading the tuners, the stock ones are really cheap. They make it difficult to tune and dont stay in tune well. also you might want to upgrade the bridge as the stock one is a 2 saddle.

Good lord yes. NOISY AS HECK. If my GF's kid actually played it more, I'd replace the p'up...

 

[Pilgrim]

You didn't miss the link to this 7-page long thread, did you?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/chop-shop-bronco-edition-689477/

 

[nocontrols]

You didn't miss the link to this 7-page long thread, did you?

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f57/chop-shop-bronco-edition-689477/

Pilgrim - Yours is by far the hottest Bronco mod I've ever seen. I'm talking about that Bronco with the Gretsch 2202 pickup from TV Jones plus the racing stripe plus V8 logo. Post those pics again!

 

[boristhespider7]

Yes. Go back to post #11 in this thread. All four of 'em.

Sorry ponticat couldn't quite make out what PU it was, but now you said that i can see the basslines logo on your pics. What kind of tone did you get out of the bronco/basslines combination? Anything reminiscent of a 51P or something completely different?

 

[ponticat]

What kind of tone did you get out of the bronco/basslines combination? Anything reminiscent of a 51P or something completely different?

What I'm looking for in my basses is the deepest possible tone on the bass side. The Bassline Quarter Pound pickup provides waaaay more range, both bass and treble, than the Bronco pickup. I normally use .050 capacitors but I've also used .100 caps to excellent effect. I always use flat wound strings.

I've never played a 51P so I couldn't tell you.

 

[Super D]

I finally had the chance to play my modded Bronco back to back live with my Mustang. I will say that I still like the neck and the overall feel of the Mustang by far, but the modded Bronco flat kills the Mustang in the sound and tone department. A lot bigger fuller sound, and the sound and volume from string to string is spot on.

Between the new pickup and my shielding job, the bronco is now dead quiet. Anyone wanting to mod a Bronco I recommend one of these pickups, I might go ahead and install one in my Mustang.

 

[Jade Guitars]

Here's my Bronco Bass. I've owned several short scale basses over the years, including a '78 Musicmaster Bass which I still own and love. As a professional guitar repairman I get lots of work from customers with low-end instruments that need upgrading and I've always been intrigued by the possibilities with a lot of the Squiers. So, I picked up my Bronco for $100 and it has had the following done:

I sanded off the 'Squier' logo (but left the model name intact), replaced it with a 70's Fender logo and then clearcoated over it. I ordered a new parchment pearloid pickguard from Pickguardian, and put on two Jazz Bass knobs. The pickup is a 'Vista Tone' single coil from a Squier Musicmaster Bass which sounds great, but this will shortly be replaced with a custom handmade pickup from Wizard Pickups in the UK (contact me for details about these!). I installed new CTS pots, Switchcraft jack and orange drop capacitor. I even upgraded the string retainer from the cheap looking Squier one to one from a MIM 60's Jazz Bass. But by far the biggest improvements have been the tuners, which are Hipshot Ultralite HB6C's with 3/8" posts, and the bridge, a heavyweight Schaller adjustable unit with roller saddles (the absolute best option for achieving the correct string spacing via the rolling saddles).

My bass is particularly heavy at 9lb 2oz, probably one of the heaviest Broncos I've ever held. The result of this is that its sound is clear and punchy. I use cut-down regular bass strings, as I find that all the short scale strings I've tried aren't good enough. Because of the Schaller bridge it now plays and feels like a real bass, and sounds really great. The Fender logo and pro level tuners make it look like a proper bass instead of a cheapo student bass. Have a look, let me know what you think! I'll try to post more photos as well.