School me on Mustangs

ThePrettyDamned

Dey luk wel gud init

I'm thinking of partscastering one, using a Guitarbuild body and Warmoth or GSP neck. Matching headstock and maybe trying my hand at a bit of racing striping, too. 

Anything I should know regarding electronics, hardware options etc?

ICBM

The stock electronics are a pain the the backside - three switches with nine positions in total but only four sounds, and you need to move both switches to make most changes. A pickup selector and a phase (or some other type) of switch makes far more sense.

The stock trem is a pain too - it *can* work well, but is rather crude and not very adjustable... some combinations of string gauge, bridge height and bar height seem to be OK, others just don't ever seem to settle properly. And the arm falls out unless you modify the fitting. You're probably better off with a Jazzmaster/Jaguar trem and bridge - or a hardtail (which essentially makes it a Duo-Sonic). I would use a Toronado-type bridge if you're going to do that.

Gassage

I prefer the old ones. The one Steve McQueen had in Bullitt.

randomhandclaps

I believe Sally to be the most famous of the Mustangs.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

The stock electronics are a pain the the backside - three switches with nine positions in total but only four sounds, and you need to move both switches to make most changes. A pickup selector and a phase (or some other type) of switch makes far more sense.

The stock trem is a pain too - it *can* work well, but is rather crude and not very adjustable... some combinations of string gauge, bridge height and bar height seem to be OK, others just don't ever seem to settle properly. And the arm falls out unless you modify the fitting. You're probably better off with a Jazzmaster/Jaguar trem and bridge - or a hardtail (which essentially makes it a Duo-Sonic). I would use a Toronado-type bridge if you're going to do that.

Well, that's all rather annoying. 

I might go for a jaguar, then, as I do love the JM style trem and the staytrem bridge is available...

DrBob

Gassage;458292" said:

I prefer the old ones. The one Steve McQueen had in Bullitt.

Ooh Sir, 390 GT in Highland Green ?
Rather !

Well, at least until you hit your first wet roundabout..

IvisonGuitars

I looked after 4 pre-CBS Mustangs touring the world for the last 17 months.

I'd use one word to describe them.

Shitemare

Switches are annoyingly placed and useless, pickups are weak, trem is too light and needs locking down and the neck moves if you play it with any force.

To get them into a working, reliable gigging guitar, the only thing left original on the ones I worked with was the neck and the body.

Lightweight which is good but if you are anything other that a lean, 5"6 indie kid, it'll look like a mandolin on you.

IMO Avoid.

ThePrettyDamned

miserneil said:

I looked after 4 pre-CBS Mustangs touring the world for the last 17 months.

I'd use one word to describe them.

Shitemare

Switches are annoyingly placed and useless, pickups are weak, trem is too light and needs locking down and the neck moves if you play it with any force.

To get them into a working, reliable gigging guitar, the only thing left original on the ones I worked with was the neck and the body.

Lightweight which is good but if you are anything other that a lean, 5"6 indie kid, it'll look like a mandolin on you.

IMO Avoid.

I'm 5"4. 

But yes, I get your point would you say the same about Jags? 

I fancy some short scale fun, I have small hands and I'm seeing some really interesting chords here but I actually can't reach them on a 25.5" neck.  I tried a Mustang and I could. Just.

IvisonGuitars

ThePrettyDamned;458310" said:

miserneil said:

I looked after 4 pre-CBS Mustangs touring the world for the last 17 months.



I'd use one word to describe them.



Shitemare



Switches are annoyingly placed and useless, pickups are weak, trem is too light and needs locking down and the neck moves if you play it with any force.



To get them into a working, reliable gigging guitar, the only thing left original on the ones I worked with was the neck and the body.



Lightweight which is good but if you are anything other that a lean, 5"6 indie kid, it'll look like a mandolin on you.



IMO Avoid.





I'm 5"4. 

But yes, I get your point would you say the same about Jags? 

I fancy some short scale fun, I have small hands and I'm seeing some really interesting chords here but I actually can't reach them on a 25.5" neck.  I tried a Mustang and I could. Just.

Funnily enough, I was just going to add, we also had a '65 Jag on that tour and, bar swapping out the original bridge for a Mastery, it needed nothing but the odd truss rod tweak - mainly due to over zealous baggage handlers - and that was it.

:-)

ThePrettyDamned

Sweet, maybe I'll do a Jag then.

Or I might see if I can find a duo sonic body.  They don't seem common, though, and a warmoth mustang with toronado bridge is still $175...

GavRichList

I had a 65 mustang as my touring guitar for years. Loved it. Beautiful neck. Did disconnect the switches though once set on my preferred combination, as they are stupidly placed. Trem was always pretty good on mine. I moved it on, but only in favour of a jaguar. The latter is certainly better, but I'd say the Mustang I had was probably second only to that in my long guitar history. Have never been very impressed with the reissues.

Loobs

ThePrettyDamned;458310" said:

miserneil said:

I looked after 4 pre-CBS Mustangs touring the world for the last 17 months.



I'd use one word to describe them.



Shitemare



Switches are annoyingly placed and useless, pickups are weak, trem is too light and needs locking down and the neck moves if you play it with any force.



To get them into a working, reliable gigging guitar, the only thing left original on the ones I worked with was the neck and the body.



Lightweight which is good but if you are anything other that a lean, 5"6 indie kid, it'll look like a mandolin on you.



IMO Avoid.





I'm 5"4. 

But yes, I get your point would you say the same about Jags? 

I fancy some short scale fun, I have small hands and I'm seeing some really interesting chords here but I actually can't reach them on a 25.5" neck.  I tried a Mustang and I could. Just.

I'll give you some fucking short scale fun.

meltedbuzzbox

I have never played a mustang that I have liked. Pickups are weak and horrible. The switching system is meh and the vibrato pants. 

If you want 24" Fender fun go for a Jaguar. They are just much better guitars

littlethoughts

There is a Bronco with a TV Jones in the classifieds (with stock stuff as well) which is all kinds of wrong and all kinds of right. Also a squier CV Mustang for a laughable £120.

I liked my old 76 Mustang but it was an awful lot of money locked in a guitar that had a lot of bad settings (and a few cracking ones).

ICBM

I would say they're the most variable Fender actually. I've owned three - a sunburst '77 which was a toneless overweight plank, a red '65 which was really genuinely good (stupidly sold in my short-scale clear-out), and a '72 blue Competition which was OK but not as good as the '65.

Of all the others I've played about a quarter were great and maybe half were crap. Like GavHaus I don't like the reissues either, I've never played one that didn't sound thin.

Jaguars do have a much higher proportion of good ones, and the reissues are much better, but if you want a Mustang then a Jag is really not the same thing... totally different sound and vibe.

ThePrettyDamned

ICBM said:

I would say they're the most variable Fender actually. I've owned three - a sunburst '77 which was a toneless overweight plank, a red '65 which was really genuinely good (stupidly sold in my short-scale clear-out), and a '72 blue Competition which was OK but not as good as the '65.

Of all the others I've played about a quarter were great and maybe half were crap. Like GavHaus I don't like the reissues either, I've never played one that didn't sound thin.

Jaguars do have a much higher proportion of good ones, and the reissues are much better, but if you want a Mustang then a Jag is really not the same thing... totally different sound and vibe.

Okay, I'll not lie to you.

I *basically* want a two pickup, short scale strat.

Okay, a slightly pokier sound would be nice compared to my current strat with OCP hybrids wound quite vintage, but other than that, a two pickup strat. 

The Duo Sonic appeals a bit. 

And I want to put it together myself so I can say I did and get a huge fucking ego ride.

Loobs said:

ThePrettyDamned;458310" said:

miserneil said:

I looked after 4 pre-CBS Mustangs touring the world for the last 17 months.



I'd use one word to describe them.



Shitemare



Switches are annoyingly placed and useless, pickups are weak, trem is too light and needs locking down and the neck moves if you play it with any force.



To get them into a working, reliable gigging guitar, the only thing left original on the ones I worked with was the neck and the body.



Lightweight which is good but if you are anything other that a lean, 5"6 indie kid, it'll look like a mandolin on you.



IMO Avoid.





I'm 5"4. 

But yes, I get your point would you say the same about Jags? 

I fancy some short scale fun, I have small hands and I'm seeing some really interesting chords here but I actually can't reach them on a 25.5" neck.  I tried a Mustang and I could. Just.

I'll give you some fucking short scale fun.

GIVE ME YOUR NUMBER NOW. 

GavRichList

Mine, back in about 2007 or 2008 I think.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff193/guitarsforminnaars/Mobile Uploads/5E356660-A485-4C59-B935-6B022E9FE73D.jpg

it was ever so slightly worn on the back! A refin obviously, but done billions of years ago. All checked and blistered.

http://i238.photobucket.com/albums/ff193/guitarsforminnaars/public/backguit.jpg

bigfuzz

always wanted a 'stang. have fancied the pawn shop special job with the twin humbuckers and hardtail. not really a mustang but it looks like one (in some ways)

ThePrettyDamned

@gavhaus mega handsome.  The guitar ain't bad either. 

Nice looking guitars, they ooze 'cool'.  I might try spraying nitro for the first time on this, but if not I'll do a conch shell or teal coloured wudtone one. 

Hmm. I guess I could lock the bridge, but that seems such a shame! It is, at least, a nice looking bridge. 

GavRichList

As I say, I liked the bridge and trem on mine. Depending on budget, might be worth scouring Reverb.com for a vintage unit?

ThePrettyDamned

GavHaus said:

As I say, I liked the bridge and trem on mine. Depending on budget, might be worth scouring Reverb.com for a vintage unit?

Nah, I'd rather put it together myself.  I've only played three mustangs, two japanese (which were okay guitars, but tuning stability non existant) and one vintage model which felt like a boat anchor.  Honestly, it was like a les paul! And I don't mind heavy...

I figure that, if I put it together myself, I can get a body that's a wee bit lighter and take the risk out.