• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

SX Short Scale Basses VS Squier Bronco Bass

SX Short Scale VS Squier Bronco Bass VS Fender Player Mustang Bass?

  • Total voters
    35
M

MarMar

Inactive
Sep 9, 2020
370
283
#1
See title. Which would you go with and why? For a 3rd option, would it be better to save up for a Fender Player Mustang? I don't know much about the "Player" series and I am looking for something more along the price of an SX or Squier Bronco Bass anyway.

Even though I love my Squier II P Bass I recently bought, I still prefer a short scale neck. I never realized SX had a bunch of basses that look like Fender style and have short scale necks. I also have interest in the pink Squier Bronco bass that is coming out. However, I have also learned that there is a pink Fender Player Mustang Bass that costs much more but is possibly "better."

Once again, I am looking for something that costs less rather than more. What do you think? There is great feedback going on in the recent short scale thread but I felt like this was more specific.
 
#4
MarMar said:
Is that the CV one all these people on here love? I have learned from these forums that Squiers are now good instruments. I have an Affinity series P Bass from the early 2000s and I heard that is not one of the good ones. o_O
Click to expand...
Yup. Classic Vibes are great. A lot of Affinity's are great too. The garbage ones were the basses that came with the combo pack with the little amp. There's also an older Squier Mustang that's long since discontinued and hard to find. SX's are just about as good as Affinity's. Classic Vibe Squiers are on par with Mexican Fenders.
 
#6
WI Short Scaler said:
I had an SX short scale once and still regret getting rid of it.

I have a Bronco now which after some mods is a better bass, IMO, than the SX.

But right out of the box factory original I'd say the SX based on price and my experience with it.
Click to expand...

Some people say SX is good and others not. Why is that? What kind of mods did you do to your Bronco? I heard they sound good with a Telecaster guitar pickup in them? Etc. I am fascinated by short scale. I played for years and years before I ever touched a short scale bass. My hands are small and they feel so much more comfortable on a short scale neck.
 
#7
MarMar said:
Some people say SX is good and others not. Why is that? What kind of mods did you do to your Bronco? I heard they sound good with a Telecaster guitar pickup in them? Etc. I am fascinated by short scale. I played for years and years before I ever touched a short scale bass. My hands are small and they feel so much more comfortable on a short scale neck.
Click to expand...

First, the SX I had was a short scale jazz. Nice tone, stayed in tune well, just sold it because it wasn't getting the playing time once I acquired a 2nd Musicmaster. I originally purchased it as a backup.

My first Musicmaster had the original strat pickup and the tone was very mellow, middle of the road-ish, IMO. Didn't have good thump to me. That's the basic design of what was in the Broncos too. I purchased the parts for my Bronco from 3 different sellers here on TB and assembled it. The loaded pickguard came with a 4 pole tele pup in it that has remarkably similar sound to the 4 pole I put in my Fender MM. The Bronco also had an upgraded bridge.

You'll hear no arguments from me on short scales, at 5'6" I'm just not a big guy and don't want the bigger size to remind me of how "vertically challenged" I am :thumbsup:
 
  • Like
Reactions: mikewalker and MarMar
#8
WI Short Scaler said:
First, the SX I had was a short scale jazz. Nice tone, stayed in tune well, just sold it because it wasn't getting the playing time once I acquired a 2nd Musicmaster. I originally purchased it as a backup.

My first Musicmaster had the original strat pickup and the tone was very mellow, middle of the road-ish, IMO. Didn't have good thump to me. That's the basic design of what was in the Broncos too. I purchased the parts for my Bronco from 3 different sellers here on TB and assembled it. The loaded pickguard came with a 4 pole tele pup in it that has remarkably similar sound to the 4 pole I put in my Fender MM. The Bronco also had an upgraded bridge.

You'll hear no arguments from me on short scales, at 5'6" I'm just not a big guy and don't want the bigger size to remind me of how "vertically challenged" I am :thumbsup:
Click to expand...

I am partial to the Fender Musicmaster too but mine is stock. I love the way it feels. It would be fun to have one like it where I could change the pickup.
 
  • Like
Reactions: WI Short Scaler
#11
I have two Broncos (red/black) and I love the neck.
They are nice basses for the money, but mine are not stock.
Parts are cheap and easy to fine should you decide to mod.

I've never had a S/X so I can't comment on them.

Mustangs are super cool if you want to spend that much money.
If not, the Bronco should work for you...057912
 
#12
I picked up a Musicmaster at a local jam night and it had the most perilous neck dive. Couldn't play it after that.
I purchased a used Bronco and it has a very comfortable neck. You absolutely need to shield the pickup and control cavity. Upgrading to a dual rail Stratocaster pickup is inexpensive and worthwhile. I got one from Musiclily and wished I'd shucked out a couple more dollars for one with a full cover, as it will transmit finger noise any time I touch it.
I've tried a couple of used SX basses (not short scale) and thought they were just as good as Squier.
 
  • Like
Reactions: DJ Bebop and MarMar
#14
MarMar said:
I think mine is late '70s. It's black with a black pickguard with a white outline. Black knobs with white letters and numbers on them. Not sure though. I would have to get better verification on the serial number.
Click to expand...

If it helps, this is the headstock on my Fender MM, if I read it correctly it's a '78. Just for comparison with yours.
20181118_134244.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: MarMar
#15
abarson said:
I picked up a Musicmaster at a local jam night and it had the most perilous neck dive. Couldn't play it after that.
I purchased a used Bronco and it has a very comfortable neck. You absolutely need to shield the pickup and control cavity. Upgrading to a dual rail Stratocaster pickup is inexpensive and worthwhile. I got one from Musiclily and wished I'd shucked out a couple more dollars for one with a full cover, as it will transmit finger noise any time I touch it.
I've tried a couple of used SX basses (not short scale) and thought they were just as good as Squier.
Click to expand...
Try covering over the pickup with a piece of clear packaging tape. When it starts yellowing and looking raunchy, rip it off and put on a new one.
 
#18
I found that the SX short scale fretless PJ was a well built, good solid bass, which is why I returned it to the seller. It was Fender-like chunky, not so easy to play (with my arthritic hands anyway), and the thick shorty p-bass style neck with it's huge headstock made it constantly dive floorward! Compared to my Ibanez Mikro it felt to me like a ~brick~! -Probably what I'm looking for is something like a fretless Mikro....
Greywoulf
 
#19
MarMar said:
Is that the CV one all these people on here love? I have learned from these forums that Squiers are now good instruments. I have an Affinity series P Bass from the early 2000s and I heard that is not one of the good ones. o_O
Click to expand...
I had a Squier CV Mustang up until recently (got it in a trade). It's a great playing bass but I ended up selling it as I ultimately realized I wanted a PJ short scale bass so went with an Ibanez Talman TMB30. That pickup configuration is a personal preference, but absolutely nothing wrong with the CV Mustang bass, the quality is pretty darn good, great neck and as some have mentioned, close to if not equal to a MIM Fender.
Now if you're after a PJ but in a shorter scale, there's also a Squier CV Jaguar bass which is Medium scale. This is probably something more up my alley and can't wait to try one out, just haven't seen one in my neck of the woods yet.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back