NGD - Squier Bullet Mustang Competition Orange

nonesuch

NGD - Squier Bullet Mustang Competition Orange

Just bought an ‘affordable’ guitar for my partner to learn on, and for me to mess around with…

It cost £130 so I wasn’t really expecting the greatest guitar ever, and I certainly knew there’d be a bit of setting up to be done.

It’s got quite a thin body, so it’s super light and looks great. The back of the neck has a really, really thin satin finish, almost non existent, but saying that it’s smooth enough. The fretboard is laurel I think.

The frets were the worst I’ve ever seen or felt on a guitar. To say they were a bit rough and scratchy would be an understatement. Absolutely awful! I’ve tried to polish them with some wire wool, and it’s improved it a lot but they’re still not perfect. But playing it is definitely smoothing them up a bit more.

Truss road adjusted perfectly, so I was pleased about that.

Intonation was a bit more tricky - the saddle for the top e string is just about as far forward as it can go without the screw coming out. Has anyone got any advice on how that can be improved? I think the saddle is maybe rattling a bit because the adjustment screw is barely in.

Pickups sound decent enough - quite powerful, although I haven’t played it a lot through the amp yet.

So considering the price I’m fairly pleased with it so far, now that it’s actually in tune and the frets are feeling smoother. 

chrisj1602

Looks great. They are a bargain it seems based on the positive reviews I have seen.

Gerz6558

I've got one of these, love it. Frets were scratchy but took very little amount of playing to sort that out. I put 11's on straight away and oiled the board, both of which I think the guitar was very grateful for!

Still toying with a single coil in the neck and a cream pearloid pickguard to finish the look. Pickguard is a bit too fridge freezer white for me.

nonesuch

Gerz6558 said:

Still toying with a single coil in the neck and a cream pearloid pickguard to finish the look. Pickguard is a bit too fridge freezer white for me.

Yeah pearloid scratch plate would be nice. How does the back of the neck feel on yours? I could do with a bit more lacquer I think.

Funkfingers

Vintage pieces had 4-ply pearloid pickguards. These usually aged to a cream colour. 

Hopefully, the popularity of this series will convince somebody to manufacture direct replacement ‘guards.

thecolourbox

Welcome to the Mustang club!!

skullfunkerry

That looks great, I love orange guitars! Congratulations, HNGD

Jez6345789

I keep looking at these as they seem amazing value and with a couple of hours work great guitar little guitar

Gerz6558

nonesuch said:

Gerz6558 said:

Still toying with a single coil in the neck and a cream pearloid pickguard to finish the look. Pickguard is a bit too fridge freezer white for me.

Yeah pearloid scratch plate would be nice. How does the back of the neck feel on yours? I could do with a bit more lacquer I think.

Yeah it's pretty much bare wood, exactly the same as my bullet telecaster. Had the telecaster for a year longer and the back of the neck has smoothed out nicely over that time from lots of playing. I kind of like that over thick lacquer.

underdog

Oh that's a lovely colour, I want it and I already have a blue one and a duo sonic. 

monquixote

Just bought one.

It's great.

Frets are scratchy, but well cut.

paulnb57

Seller “earlpilanz” sells replacement scratchplates on eBay

rossi

I noted it and at the same time my daughter asked if there was anything I fancied for Birthday and Christmas.i sent her a link and told her Andertons ,local to her would probably have one but they are limited so who knows.I fancy a pair of P90's in it if a pick guard can be made .I really fancy the Fender P90 mustang but will be perfectly happy with a Bullet

WezV

Plenty of room under the guard for most pickup options, but you do need to extend the route if going for the traditional slider switches

Funkfingers

WezV said:

the traditional slider switches

IMO, Squier has done the right thing by avoiding that option. The Duo-Sonic style toggle selector will be simpler for the majority of users. 

Looking at your photograph of the stripped-down guitar, the rout looks as if it might just accommodate a blade/lever Megaswitch or a Freeway 3X3-03, at a pinch. Plenty of coil permutations without cluttering the pickguard.

rossi said:

I really fancy the Fender P90 mustang but will be perfectly happy with a Bullet

Easy. Humbucker-sized P90s. Carefully file out the corners of the pickup cut-outs in the pickguard until they fit the covers.

Alternatively, I vaguely recall one of @Alegree’s clearance sale prototype pickups being a hybrid of one Strat coil and one P90-voiced coil. I cannot recall the model name or price. You would require fancy switching to get both modes. 

If you can stand its appearance, there is always the Seymour Duncan P-Rails pickup. On the Squier, just the humbucker and P90 modes should suffice.

paulnb57

Ebay seller I mentioned above will customise scratchplate  for different pickups and switches

nonesuch

paulnb57 said:

Seller “earlpilanz” sells replacement scratchplates on eBay

Thanks for the info - I'll probably go for a pearl pickguard I think. Need to take the pickguard off at some point anyway, to sort out the wonky selector switch.

Funkfingers

The best remedy for the type of selector switch seen in WezV’s photograph is to consign it to the bin. They are utter crap.

paulnb57

Just note that a standard Tele/Strat switch will not fit in the switch cavity as it is not deep enough,  not sure there is enough depth of body to accommodate a deep enough cavity.....

WezV

paulnb57 said:

Just note that a standard Tele/Strat switch will not fit in the switch cavity as it is not deep enough,  not sure there is enough depth of body to accommodate a deep enough cavity.....

There isn't.   Should be fine for a right angle toggle though

Funkfingers

paulnb57 said:

a standard Tele/Strat switch will not fit in the switch cavity as it is not deep enough, not sure there is enough depth of body to accommodate a deep enough cavity.

Useful to know. Thank you.

How deep is the cavity? This would determine which types of switch can fit without modification to the body.

WezV said:

Should be fine for a right angle toggle

Would a generic SE Asian sprung leaf toggle type fit? (c.25mm) How about a Schaller Megaswitch (c.30mm) or an OTAX 24-contact job?

The switch cavity would need to be at least 25mm wide to accommodate a Freeway 3X3-03.