Squier Bullet Mustang...functional?

Lewy

I bought my kids some half sized electrics a while back but they’re utter garbage...can’t be intonated etc

My oldest is just getting to the point where he might be able to get his arms round a small full-sized electric. Is the Squier Bullet Mustang a functional instrument? Can it be made to play in tune, set up with reasonable action etc?

Any experiences welcome!

skullfunkerry

Not had one myself but I’ve seen a lot of positive comments about them on here

Gerz6558

I picked up a bullet tele past year and recently picked up one of those comp orange bullet Mustangs. Both needed minimal tweaking, play and sound very good.

UnclePsychosis

I bought one, and like it so much that I put boutique pickups in it...

https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/116540/blinged-up-squier-bullet-mustang#latest

Good stuff: the woodwork, finishing, and fretwork is excellent. The tuners are perfectly adequate. 

Not so good stuff: the nut needed a bit of work and the frets needed a good polish when i bought it. 

Alright stuff : the electronics. It's a £115 guitar, you get what you get. Functional but not spectacular. 

WezV

this is mine
https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/173196/wezv-q120-challenge/p1

It was great for the money, but easily improved with a few tweaks too

Funkfingers

UnclePsychosis said:

Functional but not spectacular. 

Therefore, an excellent platform for customisation. For example, Mustangs sound nice with P90s. Humbucker-sized Filter'Trons, Dynasonics and gold foils might be pushing the envelope a bit too far. Your money, your choice.

If the Squier Bullet Mustang is anything like the Hello Kitty STRAT, shoving an EMG-81 in it will work wonders. 

Lewy

Lovely, thanks all.

Grampa

My eldest uses his as his go to for noodling. Been upgraded with SD pick-ups & locking tuners, definitely a very nice instrument to play, sounds good, stays in tune, who needs more?

drofluf

I bought a Bullet Tele FSR at the start of lockdown. Not quite the same model but similar enough.

Just needed some minor adjustments to get the action where I wanted it but intonation was spot on out of the box. The nut needed some work but that was because I put heavier strings on (I'm primarily an acoustic player and bought this so as not to drive my family  demented ) and also because I switch between tunings. Once tuned though it stays in tune.

Finish is good with no rough edges on the frets; I've played more expensive guitars that weren't as good.

I probably don't have enough experience to comment on the electronics; it's my first electric (other than an electric mandolin) but though a Blackstar Fly and headphones it sounds good enough for my ears.

Finally, yesterday I managed to get it to a local tech to get the nut sorted; he took a look down the neck and was very impressed.

So it sets up easily, plays well and stays in tune. Don't think that you could expect much more for the money.

Hope this helps

rossi

Very good in its own right .If upgrade pickups even better but doesnt need it .I would go so far as to say if its was the only guitar you ever could own you would still be the winner .I put Donliss P94  types in mine and it rocked ,bluesed and even jazzed  as good as any other guitar .I only sold it  as something has to go  when I got a new larger amp .I keep wondering about buy another but in seafoam

guitargeek62

The main issue with my one when it arrived was that the frets needed a polish - they were quite rough! Other than that it’s a great little guitar. I’ve done some hefty mods since though, but that was all planned before I bought it.

paulnb57

Yes, great little guitars, obviously at the price will need a setup and a fret polish, but thats all, or go bonkers and mod it!....

suspiciousminds

Ive had two - an imperial blue one which i converted to single coils (sold it on) but then i bought one of the fsr comp blue ones and i love it.
Frets needed polishing, and the fretboard was really dry so i lemon oiled it.
ive upgraded the pots,capacitor etc, and swapped the bridge pup out for a Seymour duncan.
I’ve left the neck pup as it actually sounds ok.
I’m going to get it properly set up as soon as i can, but tbh, for the money its bloody great!
Ok, a few quid spent on mods but tbh if i had summat like this when i started to learn in the ‘80’s i would have been made up.

racefaceec90

i have been reading a lot of good things about these guitars.

i am highly tempted to order one tomorrow when i have the funds.

am no luthier so wouldn't be able to give it a full set up etc though but man i have an idea about modding one one day.

if anyone remembers the fender pawn shop mustang special a few years ago,i have always wanted one of those. basically a mustang but with 2 wide range humbuckers fitted and a 3 switch coil switch next to each pickup (can choose either neck position,both or bridge position) and a 3 way switch as per usual too.

i would love to mod one like that but with added out of phase switches too (one for each pickup,along with a kill switch.

looks like i will be ordering one tomorrow then lol 

racefaceec90

well i have now ordered a black bullet mustang for the princely sum of £122.00 inc delivery.

it wont turn up until the 26th but am definitely looking forward to getting it :-)

mbe

They are great guitars for the money.  Only thing is to achieve perfect intonation the E and G saddle screws may need shortening to achieve the necessary full travel.

racefaceec90

well i had a surprise delivery about an hour ago (it was due on the 26th june so fantastic a week early :-)

just been messing around with my new mustang unplugged and have to say i like it a lot.

it definitely needs setting up by someone who knows what they are doing and the fingerboard needs oiling but apart from that it is fine (it definitely resonates and vibrates when strumming a chord for sure).

i have to say the best £122.00 i have ever spent, very happy with the guitar :-) 

racefaceec90

apologies for adding another comment but have just been playing the mustang through my boss gt-1 pedal.

am actually blown away with how it sounds tbh (and plays also with the short scale,just my bad playing letting things down lol).

man the pickups sound great to my ears and the neck feels like an ibanez wizard neck to me if that makes any sense (i have a j mascis jazzmaster as my other guitar,the neck is more vintage feeling than the mustang).

also impressed by the volume and tone pots,they actually do make a difference when you turn them down a bit.

overall am blown away by the guitar especially considering the reasonable price :-)

i will shut up now.

tony99

racefaceec90 said:

apologies for adding another comment but have just been playing the mustang through my boss gt-1 pedal.

am actually blown away with how it sounds tbh (and plays also with the short scale,just my bad playing letting things down lol).

man the pickups sound great to my ears and the neck feels like an ibanez wizard neck to me if that makes any sense (i have a j mascis jazzmaster as my other guitar,the neck is more vintage feeling than the mustang).

also impressed by the volume and tone pots,they actually do make a difference when you turn them down a bit.

overall am blown away by the guitar especially considering the reasonable price :-)

i will shut up now.

oh give us a pic racey

of the guitar

Octahedron

Scared to touch anything with "bullet" on the headstock after my experience with a bullet Strat HSS. Awful. Hands down worst guitar I've ever owned. That was some time in 2012. Have they improved since? Intonation was dreadful. Pickups were incredibly noisy. 

Funkfingers

Octahedron said:

Have they improved since? 

Yes.