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Mustang Tone Vs. P Tone

#5
if you compare both head to head you'll see two completely diferent animals, but IME the mustangs tend to sound "thumpier" and the precision tend to sound more "punchier".
Side to side they're completely different, but in a band invironment they're very similar.
 
#6
IME, the Mustang sounds like a slightly growlier P bass. It definitely sounds most comparable to a P bass. In the average mix, it could easily be mistaken for one. The shorter scale length kills some of the sustain.

I gigged a Mustang for a half year or so to get myself past a flare up of tendonitis. Those are fun little basses. Never thought I'd enjoy a short scale so much.
 
#7
Here's a pic. You can see that it's closer to a split coil version of the original single coil P pickup than the regular split P pickup; one magnet per string, taller and thinner coil.
 
#9
Interesting this should come up, I just happened to compare my Mustang RI and my 3 of my P basses last night.

None of them sounded exactly alike but the Mustang RI tone is definitely well within the range of tones expected from a P bass.
 
#12
stshipley said:
Thank you for all your responses! Follow up question for GlennW. Would you say the sound is more similar to a single coil P from the 50s, but with the noise cancellation of the split coil?
Click to expand...

Mine's a Mustang RI so the pickups have a wider pole piece than the original Mustang so that could make them sound different. I don't currently have an original Mustang to compare it to but I did compare my Mustang RI against an original at GC when I purchased the RI. I remember the RI sounding ballsier but that could be for any number of reasons. Or one, the original had ancient flats and the RI had their current OEM rounds.

My RI does sound more like my split coil Ps than it does my single coil Sting (with Fender OEM single coil pickup) but my single coil DIY with a SD Quarter Pounder sounds closer to the Mustang RI (but with added noise).

Hope that helps.
 
#15
This is an old thread but since I recently obtained a Mustang RI I thought I'd throw in my comment...

I purchased the Mustang RI due to worsening tendonitis. When solo'd it sounds a little weak compared to my P-bass tone. I play rounds, not flats.

But as I've played it the past couple weeks I've been growing more and more amazed at it's tone IN A MIX. In a mix there is some magic there in this Mustang that I haven't heard with any of my other basses. It sits in the mix with a beautiful fundamental, just a tad hairy and with great variability of the mids and fuzziness based on right hand positioning. With my other basses I'd always spent a lot of time with EQ and drive settings getting them to settle into a happy place in a mix but the Mustang just settles into my happy place straight through a DI with hardly any modification.

It sounds similar to the P in the mix but more "distinct" with IMO a more pleasing fundamental. It doesn't sound as good with a pick IMO as a P for heavy stuff but I don't play anything close to metal so no worries.
 
#16
Kael said:
IME, the Mustang sounds like a slightly growlier P bass. It definitely sounds most comparable to a P bass. In the average mix, it could easily be mistaken for one. The shorter scale length kills some of the sustain.
Click to expand...

This.
Also, what defines the sound of the Mustang is the slightly softer attack due to the lower string tension. Great for bluesrock, you can get stringbends and vibrato that you can't get as easily on a long scale bass. Played with a pick you can get a 'twangy' sound suitable for surf rock. It sure has a voice of its own, compared to other basses I'd say the sound of the Mustang is somewere between a P and a Rick.
 

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