NBD: The Pygmy Pony

[Michedelic]

My friend Jim generously gave me this 2020 MIM Fender Mustang P/J that he wasn’t playing anymore.

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This is not an instrument I would have sought out for myself but, not one to look a gift horse in the mouth, I decided to see how I liked it.

The only other short scale bass I own is a vintage Danelectro that I only ever use for a very specific sound (thonk) so this bass, which offers a lot more versatility, should be interesting to play.

At first I kinda wished it just had a traditional Mustang pickup but the stock P/J p’ups actually sound pretty good.

The 1 1/2” nut is narrower than I like and I might, at some point, cut a new nut that cheats the strings just a wee bit wider but I’ll see how I get used to it first.

I’ll also admit that the tinkerer in me is already contemplating routing the sucker out for T-bird pickups but I’ll give the stock pickups a chance first. They really sound a lot better than I was expecting.

This evening I oiled the fingerboard, put a fresh set of Slinkys on it and gave it a careful setup. It’s a pretty nice little bass! I think I’ll have fun with it. Giddyap! Hyaaa!!

Forget the Zappa, there’s only one song proper you should play on this…

 

[Lo-E]

Forget the Zappa, there’s only one song proper you should play on this…

There’s one in every crowd.

 

[WI Short Scaler]

Well, the Pygmy Pony and I had some fun for a while but it turned out to be a poor fit.

No matter how long or short I made the strap, I never really found a height where it sat comfortably on me and I found the neck to be uncomfortably narrow (an issue I’ve had with some other instruments in the past). I gave it a few weeks of practice at home and three 2-3 hour rehearsals with two different bands before I decided that there was no point in trying to force it.

It’s a nice bass. It’s well made and it sounds really good. As it turns out, I have an old friend who’s son has been playing bass for about a year. He’s playing a Squier P and, being a very small guy with small hands, he’s interested in getting a short scale so my friend was asking me a lot of questions on his behalf. I texted her a few days ago and told her that her son can have the Pygmy Pony. (I didn’t call it that). It’s not doing me any good and if it helps him to advance as a player it’s in everyone’s best interest. She’ll come by and get it sometime this week.

Ride on, little pony!

I love my Mustang but very cool of you to re-pay the gift and pay it forward to your friend's son.

 

[P. Aaron]

Forget the Zappa, there’s only one song proper you should play on this…

I'm partial to Funky Broadway when it comes to infectious grooves.