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Which Mustang Bass in 2025?

#41
I own a JMJ and an original 1973 Mustang:
TGTB74H.jpg

And I've played the JMJ for a few years now and I really really really like it. The neck is pretty chunky, it plays veeeery comfortably and sounds the bizz. I've really doubted if the extra cash for the 73 is worth it and it barely is, to be honest. It's a different bass (slimmer neck, contoured body) but the JMJ is just a very very very good bass. I've tried the Squier CV and although it's a good bass for the price, the JMJ easily outplays it tenfold.
 
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#45
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#49
If you can find an older Crafted in Japan Mustang, go for that. I had one in Olympic white and it's one of the best basses I've ever owned. I kick myself for selling it.

If The Mod Shop offered a Mustang bass option I'd be all over it
 
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#50
Naviiin said:
Can I go a bit left field and propose a Vincent Pony? If I had a large budget, I'd def check one out.

Click to expand...

I've looked at the Pony and it's look really good. The colours, the truss rod wheel. But as petty as it sounds, I can't get past the Vincent logo. No offence, but was it designed on some open sourced version of Word in 1998?

ahbass2500 said:
If you are going boutique Mustang, Nash seems to be the popular choice. Have not seen much about it, but the Jones Mach II is interesting.

MB Model — Nashguitars

www.nashguitars.com www.nashguitars.com

jonesmusicalinstruments.com

MACH II® - Jones Musical Instruments

Short Scale Bass – 1...
jonesmusicalinstruments.com jonesmusicalinstruments.com
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The Nash looks really good, and there's a dealer about a 2 hour drive from here. They have a Jazz and Precision, but no Mustang. I've never tried a Nash, though.

Olinto also makes one. It looks great. It starts at US$4,400. But the Fenders I've tried had massive neck dives and those Olinto headstocks are huge…
 
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#51
Levitamin said:
If you can find an older Crafted in Japan Mustang, go for that. I had one in Olympic white and it's one of the best basses I've ever owned. I kick myself for selling it.

If The Mod Shop offered a Mustang bass option I'd be all over it
Click to expand...
There's one on Reverb that ships to Canada. It's US$1,400. Seems a bit expensive for a used non American Fender? But I have no idea what they go for. https://reverb.com/item/85705943-fe...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=85705943
 
#52
Just Wrong said:
There's one on Reverb that ships to Canada. It's US$1,400. Seems a bit expensive for a used non American Fender? But I have no idea what they go for. https://reverb.com/item/85705943-fe...are&utm_campaign=listing&utm_content=85705943
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Well, I sold mine less than a decade ago for $800, so they've skyrocketed. But so has literally everything else. CIJ/MIJ Fenders are incredible value for the money. They have excellent craftsmanship and QC. I mean the MIM Fender Mustangs (with real Mustang pickups not P/J) are well over $1000 now. Every CIJ/MIJ Fender I've owned (three basses and a Baritone guitar) are far superior to the stuff coming out of Mexico, as nice as some of it is. There's the American Performer, but I can't understand why they put a Jazz pickup in that thing.
 
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#53
The only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger on a JMJ is the potential neck dive. I mainly play a 32", so I think a 30" Mustang would be a great addition for me. However, I can't find any to play in person here (north Texas/dfw), so I'd have to order online. Anyone have any insight into the balance of the JMJ irl?
 
#54
CoachEvan said:
The only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger on a JMJ is the potential neck dive. I mainly play a 32", so I think a 30" Mustang would be a great addition for me. However, I can't find any to play in person here (north Texas/dfw), so I'd have to order online. Anyone have any insight into the balance of the JMJ irl?
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The neck dive on the JMJ and all other Mustangs I've tried - the only one I haven't tried yet is the Vintera - was a major issue for me.

That said, I've been playing a headless bass exclusively since July, so maybe the neck dive isn't as bad if you're used to regular 34" scale Fenders. But it definitely was a turn off for me.
 
#55
CoachEvan said:
The only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger on a JMJ is the potential neck dive. I mainly play a 32", so I think a 30" Mustang would be a great addition for me. However, I can't find any to play in person here (north Texas/dfw), so I'd have to order online. Anyone have any insight into the balance of the JMJ irl?
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The shop near me has at least one JMJ in stock right now. I'll test it out tomorrow and report back with my impressions!

My American Performer has a slight bit of neck dive, but it balances well enough on a regular strap, and the whole thing is so light that it's never uncomfortable anyway. I'm expecting similar from the JMJ since the weights are usually in the same range (high 7lbs, low 8lbs).
 
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#58
CoachEvan said:
The only thing keeping me from pulling the trigger on a JMJ is the potential neck dive. I mainly play a 32", so I think a 30" Mustang would be a great addition for me. However, I can't find any to play in person here (north Texas/dfw), so I'd have to order online. Anyone have any insight into the balance of the JMJ irl?
Click to expand...

I know Vintera is not JMJ, but... my Vintera Mustang wants to hang about flat for me using a Moody 2.5" strap (leather backed not suede; suede fights neck dive more to me so does wider strap). Seated, the neck wants to dive, but it has not been an issue for me. The bass is not particularly heavy and I keep my right arm on the bass while playing seated anyway. Right arm position keeps the neck from being heavy in my left hand.

The point of all of this is that it dives, but not quite the same way a larger bass might dive. Very manageable to me. For me it wants to dive more while seated than when it is on a strap.
 
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#59
I just tested with my American Performer using an Ernie Ball PolyLock strap (2" wide). Not much noticeable dive if you saw me standing with it, but I end up raising the neck slightly (maybe half an inch?) when actively playing. I imagine it would be completely eliminated with a wider strap. The neck certainly isn't heavy by any means... I think Mustang bodies are just so much smaller and lighter than your typical P or J bass that some level of dive is inevitable.

Personally, I've never had an issue with the ergonomics of the neck on mine. It took me way longer to get my right hand comfortable and stop clacking the strings all the time! 🤣 I was really accustomed to planting my thumb on the pickup of my P bass, and that didn't work out for me when I got the Mustang. Floating thumb solved that problem forever though. :thumbsup:
 
#60
JMJ by a mile. It will hold it's resale value if you don't get along with the neck. I've had 2 and sold them both due to not needing a short scale for a project/downsizing of the collection. If I was going to get a short scale of anything it would go:

1. JMJ
2. Classic Vibe Mustang
3. Classic Vibe Rascal bass with the two humbuckers.

I am used to acoustic and classical guitar necks and p basses so the JMJ neck was comfy for me.
 

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