While considered by many to be an entry level/student instrument, I thought I'd give the Squier Bronco Bass a go as a mod platform while recovering from back surgery a year or so back, due to its very light weight. That project produced a decent, playable, fun little bass; not a pro instrument, but great for travel, back yard, whatever.
So, I had essentially a bass left over. I decided to part it out, neck first.
This neck had been first on the used Bronco I bought for parts, then on the newer Bronco body I had decided not to use. No fitment issues at all, as one would expect.
I knew that I would be asked if this would fit a Mustang body, so I tried it out. The Mustang, Musicmaster, Bronco style bass necks have a different heel design then other Fender basses and guitars, sitting significantly deeper (i.e. closer to the bridge) into the body. I'd guess to further reduce the overall length while retaining a standard(ish) guitar body size.
At any rate, the neck fit like a glove into the pocket, and visually, pre-fit it looked like a go. But the holes didn't line up. I dropped a feeler pin into each hole and they only went body deep.
Turns out, the holes in the Bronco neck are drilled about 2mm off center. Visible, once I thought to look for it.
So I pulled off my 2021 neck off the project bass (now tinted and slightly modded) and it was drilled the same way!
I searched eBay completed auctions for these necks. Every one, 2017 on, looks like this!
They seem fine and straight on Bronco bodies, so I'm thinking they must be drilled in position, with the bodies. I know they are always (as are Fender) the same size holes, threaded through both (which I always "fix"). Squier’s drill jig must be set up a little off, and they never noticed…
. Or just committed to it when found, for the sake of compatibility.
At any rate, if I wanted to use it in a Mustang, I would just plug the existing holes with dowels (toothpicks) and wood filler and redrill it. But that’s me.
Wordy write-up, I know. But I found this "discovery" interesting and worth sharing.
So, I had essentially a bass left over. I decided to part it out, neck first.
This neck had been first on the used Bronco I bought for parts, then on the newer Bronco body I had decided not to use. No fitment issues at all, as one would expect.
I knew that I would be asked if this would fit a Mustang body, so I tried it out. The Mustang, Musicmaster, Bronco style bass necks have a different heel design then other Fender basses and guitars, sitting significantly deeper (i.e. closer to the bridge) into the body. I'd guess to further reduce the overall length while retaining a standard(ish) guitar body size.
At any rate, the neck fit like a glove into the pocket, and visually, pre-fit it looked like a go. But the holes didn't line up. I dropped a feeler pin into each hole and they only went body deep.
Turns out, the holes in the Bronco neck are drilled about 2mm off center. Visible, once I thought to look for it.
So I pulled off my 2021 neck off the project bass (now tinted and slightly modded) and it was drilled the same way!
I searched eBay completed auctions for these necks. Every one, 2017 on, looks like this!
They seem fine and straight on Bronco bodies, so I'm thinking they must be drilled in position, with the bodies. I know they are always (as are Fender) the same size holes, threaded through both (which I always "fix"). Squier’s drill jig must be set up a little off, and they never noticed…
. Or just committed to it when found, for the sake of compatibility.At any rate, if I wanted to use it in a Mustang, I would just plug the existing holes with dowels (toothpicks) and wood filler and redrill it. But that’s me.
Wordy write-up, I know. But I found this "discovery" interesting and worth sharing.
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