Price watch (108)

Just look at these ridiculous listings. Once again, I'm sure everyone would agree that upgrade is a subjective term when tagged onto musical instruments. Our concept of an upgrade might be different from what others understood it to be. Inflating a Squier in view of such upgrades is a push factor as opposed to attracting potential buyers. $800 for an upgraded Mustang? Look harder & you'd find Fender (not Squier) Mustangs listing for less.

That $2K Mustang reeks of ignorance & possibly desperation. The details of the listing did not disclose the 'revamp'. It's 'hardly use in good condition' but it's 'not for fussy buyer'. We have other listings to consider which are neither confusing nor contradictory, yes?

More gold

Should have looked carefully & included this in the previous post pertaining to gold.

White version exudes class. Anyway, do I fancy gold hardware? No. The coating wears off over time but that's just me. I don't wanna spend money on something that would undo itself over time 😅

Pics: Fender Japan

Desktop Mustang

 

PRS, Gibson & Fender were absent from Summer NAMM 2022. They'd be foolish not to introduce something new this time round not as a commercial obligation but as a virtual shoutout to let guitardom know they have plans of their own. True enough, Fender released the Mustang LT40S (to debut in stores this August), perhaps as part of the plan.

This is a desktop utility amp, one which can interact with your computer to further tweak features. I must say Fender is quite late to the game. BOSS & Positive Grid, among others, were there & did stuff which had successfully gained fans along the way.  This lists for USD229.99 so it's not that appealing, price-wise, if all you need is just an amp for desktop practice.

Pics: Guitar

Shady

I've been tracking this deal for a while now. Nothing too appealing but noted a duplicate; same everything less the seller. I engaged one of the sellers (assuming they are different entities but the same contact number was provided) to solicit more info.

The guitar in question is a Mexican Fender Mustang, the fixed bridge version. A close scrutiny revealed rusty string saddles which was contrary to the listing details of it being new & unused / unplayed. So the account for this was that the picture used is not the actual guitar, it's a convenient reference of the actual thing. Also, the seller claimed to be in a position of selling quantities, she (assuming it's a female with reference to the i/d image used. For all we know, it could be a talking rabbit at the other end) would dispatch a sealed version upon order confirmation. She said she's running an online store & invited me to check out other listings there.

And so this happened - no guitars were listed. There were mostly electronics with prices too good to be true. Probed further, she said the team took down listings of items not in stock & would have more stuff there the following day (mind you, this was 2 days ago). I invite you to check this out personally: CLICK

To be fair to the entities involved, if you have dealt with the buyers mentioned here or the store in question, please share some info to help sift the truths from the lies (for want of more cordial terms). On that note folks, please be wary of such circumstances. I've emailed the store & waiting for a reply. Take care everyone, have a scam-free weekend.

Of bridges

The Fender American Pro Jaguar & Jazzmaster received a feature refinement in 2017 with the addition of a 'new' bridge which isn't new. Seen above is the aforementioned bridge which is clearly visible at the manufacturer's website.

The hardware in question is actually the Mustang bridge which retrofits into the Jaguar/ Jazzmaster  readily due to identical measurements.

As you can see, the original Jaguar bridge (right)  features saddles which do not have a dedicated string slot unlike the Mustang's (left). Players with a dedicated bending technique often face the frustration of having their strings dislodged & causing unwanted tuning issues during play. This is a DIY 'upgrade' if you wish to avoid such contentions, simply purchase the Mustang bridge (available at TYMC by the way) & do a swap over. Done. 

Back: Mustang

Fender fans will recall the American Special Mustang guitars which were offered not too long ago. They had been discontinued.

But their recent announcement mentions a return & we thank Fender for this. When Fender re-introduced the offset models in the 2017 line up, only the Jazzmaster & Jaguar made it into the Pro series. The Mustang & Duo Sonic were designated into the Standard (Mexico) make but they remain to be good guitars for the money. Hopefully, the AS Mustang would signal a firm production line for the model. 

Modern Player- recall (Part 1)

Back in 2011, Fender introduced (re-introduced?) the Marauder in the Modern Player series. The Modern Player, my friends, consist of idiosyncratic models which forged its identity by assuming an established Fender monicker only to fall victim to the manufacturer's creative license in making it 'different'. 

Fender also released the Jaguar in the same series, altering it significantly to manifest some Gibson-ish DNA in terms of tone- P-90s, tune-o-matic, 3-way toggle... these are definitely not Fender genetics.

On that note, they messed with the Jazzmaster as well, desecrating its signature tone by including humbuckers & a rather profane fretboard switch to maple. 

And while they're at it, why not include the Mustang into the mix. P-90 equipped Mustang instead of traditional single coils.

To be continued...

PJ Mustang

One of the new Fenders at Swee Lee right now is the Mustang bass. Previously, it was offered as a Japanese make & only feature the P-type pickups which were smaller than the P models seen here. The current Mexican version (part of the new offset series released late 2016, listing for $839) has both the P & J pickups on board & medium jumbo frets as opposed to the vintage frets of the Japanese. Since I own the Japanese version, I would urge guitar dweebs who would grab a bass every now & then to check this one out. Its shorter scale length is the winner here with so many extended scale guitars out there rivalling the scale of shorter scaled basses. It's about familiarity & the willingness to embrace a bass which delivers all the low end  goodness, just a little compressed to address the needs of smaller built players. 

Squier 2017: Offsetting

We're still in offset fever as Squier revealed its 2017 listing. This is the most affordable Jazzmaster
 by the manufacturer, an Affinity model. 👍

A little above the tier, we have this Mustang in HH format. Apparently targetted at distortion fiends hence the humbucker format.

Jazzmaster Deluxe- nothing new as Squier has the Vintage Mod versions currently running which is quite well-received. 

Squier is doing the right thing by supplementing its Fender releases. Late 2016 we saw the Mexican offsets being released followed by the American Pro models which will be officially unveiled at Winter NAMM 2017. Now we have a range of offsets by Squier in case your pockets are not deep enough to join in the fray. Both Fender & Squier are enticing the buyers away from the usual Strat & Tele offerings not that they ran out of ideas but they are cleverly telling the new generation of guitar dweebs out there, hey, we have some other models going as well. For frustrated players like me, we had always wanted a reputable range of offsets in the market which didn't happen in the '90s, let alone the turn of the century. Offsets could be had from the Japanese market which wasn't well supplemented in terms of online presence as well as dealers here due to distributorship issues. Things are looking good in this camp 👌

Bridge of sighs (Jaguar vs Mustang)

I read with interest how Fender Jaguar owners out there are pretty upset with their instrument's bridge. The common misfortune- the strings won't stay put on the saddles. On occasions, when a wicked bend or whammy adventure is done, the strings would jump off & cause severe detuning (not to mention severe embarrassment when playing live).

The simple observation here is that Jaguar saddles are the threaded version. There are no precise indentations for the strings to rest in unlike the Mustang version as indicated above. 

In the 1950s - 1960s, Fender was still experimenting with bridge saddles & the threaded version did make it into some instruments like the 60s Telecaster depicted here. Unlike the Jaguar, the Telecaster observes a very acute break angle travelling to the body cavity or bridge end. The Jaguar is the clear loser here as it doesn't observe such a feature & there is simply insufficient tension to hold the strings in place if players choose lighter gauge strings for their instrument. Remember that the Jaguar & other offset models were short-lived in the Fender catalogs, no further R&D made it to the instrument prior to their passing. However, the revived Jaguar & Jazzmaster in the upcoming American Professional series (2017) will feature Mustang saddles as default 😙

Mustang's low & behold

This is the final member of Fender's offset range, new for 2016- the Mustang PJ bass. (Mex) Named to announce the pickup combination of this bass, the shorter scale Mustang bass might appeal to guitar dweebs more than the bass wielders. Since I own the Japanese version, there is a tendency for me to move quickly up & down the neck as opposed to observing a rhythm focus. That said, the Mustang bass is every bit a bass & not something that pretends to be one without the proper sonic properties. 

Mustang 2016

Together with the Duo-sonic, the Fender Mustang was the other member of the Offset Series (Mex) released during the Summer NAMM 2016 convention. That's right, no traditional Mustang bridge, just a fixed bridge.

Alternatively, the sibling, Mustang 90, features a pair of P-90 pickups for added fatness. Definitely interested :-)

Musduo

Awaiting further details on the re-introduction of the Mustang & Duo Sonic Fenders (Mexican). These were announced last Summer Namm 2016 but not featured on the manufacturer's website (yet).

Horsing in...

I'm not averse to having a Chinese label on a Fender. I value the instrument in its entirety, nothing less. The Modern Players are good for-value instruments & the Mustang here is no exception.

Giving the P-90s a good playing time, I might keep/replace them; it's a 50-50 affair. They appeal big time in clean mode & with some crunch thrown in but not with intense distortion.

First guitar in the year of the horse- a horse guitar. Must be a good sign :-)

Fender: Modern Player Mustang (review)

To many of us, 'Fender' & 'Made in China' should not go together. It's production execration to say the least. But this relationship had been going on for a while for a reason; China's QC is up there, together with other India, Vietnam & Indonesia among other developing countries offering top notch manufacturing for less cost. So the fault lies with us who fall into denial every time we see this twosome.

To the uninitiated, the Modern Player series are Fender's take on its established makes with a dash of eccentricity. Historical accuracy isn't the objective here, it's the freedom to include slight differences that are appealing. So the MP Mustang you see above is every bit a Mustang less the P-90s in there.

The QC is rather faultless. Coming from an appraiser's perspective, the Chinese hands should have devoted some quality time on matters pertaining to set up as well. In brief- everything's top notch less the set-up. The Mustang also exudes that typical Fender experience, namely a C-type neck profile with lots of twang coming from the weight-electronics chemistry. By the way, the Mustang sports a pine body which isn't a bad thing considering the familiar mass it has to offer (as opposed to its lighter Japanese counterpart) & its similar grain pattern compared to the traditional alder- so now we know why this wood was considered above the availability & costs factor. 

Tone wise, the traditional Mustang was a single coil proponent & having a pair of P-90s in this one isn't a wayward inclusion. The traditional Mustang switching system is retained, regular/ off/ out of phase so you need some getting used to especially when you are more at home with a Strat-type selector. Whatever you expect from a P-90, this one delivers; fat & twangy with lots of midrange warmth. However, the issue with many of us is the fact that we have limited applications for an out-of-phase P-90 tone. Personally, I find it too nasal with lots of drive/distortion, so most of my test time with this guitar was hearing it in its traditional P-90 tone. In this aspect, please acknowledge the fact that P-90s are hum excessive with lots of drive & this might be the put off factor. In clean mode, there's nothing to dislike. The P-90s deliver that expected midrange warmth they're known for, enough to differentiate themselves from the standard single coils or humbuckers.

All in all, the MP Mustang is a little more 'special' with the inclusion of P-90s but this is the Modern Player philosophy; traditional with a dash of likable eccentricity. I'd recommend this to the more adventurous players who would want to embrace a slightly different Mustang experience & wouldn't mind doing just that.

Rating: 80%

Fender: Modern Player Mustang

Availability: Swee Lee Co.

Price: TBA $700

Fender: MG-77

The new guitar is an animal- Fender's Mustang model, precisely, this is an MG-77. It's on my acquisition list because it features a maple fretboard. Dig out Fender's history & check which other Mustang features a maple 'board. :-)

Also, it's an ash bodied Fender which I really dig. It does some good to the pickups- '50s Fender... you get the drift.

But this one's different. Never mind the body wood, weight plays a part in it too so you are not gonna hear the good 'ol '50s here. Not quite. The pickups also do not do justice to tone appeal. They are, at best, acceptable & largely to blame for many non-eventful playing time . No Strat twang, no Tele honk but hold it just there- this guitar is neither, it's a Mustang for goodness sake. So how does a signature Mustang tone sound like? That's a tricky one isn't it? The Mustang tone I'm well acquainted with is the Teen Spirit kind but that's a glorious humbucker singing its way through pop-music history, not single coils like the ones here. What's that? Swap pickups, you say?

To be continued...

Fender 2013: Pawn Shop Mustang

How can I not like the Mustang bass? I own one, it's a shorter-scaled unit (30") so it's a likable bass for guitar dweebs like me. This 2013, the Mustang bass is still a Japanese make but it features a humbucker so it's something I am considering. I was gonna go with a full scale bass this year because I don't own any of such basses in the mean time. The last good one had a history with my dad but I'm trying to forget that episode... sheesh.

Semi-hollow Mustang

This is an interesting release by Fender (Japan)- see that F-hole in the Mustang body?

It indicates a hollow section & with reference to the x-ray version here, we can see the hollowed wings of the body, it's not an entirely airy piece. It's not readily available here but we know who to go to for an order.

Tasty VMs

It seems that the eager Squier chaps have added some tasty models to the Summer 2012 line, it's the best distraction ever- could it be? Which of these models would make good company for my Duo Sonic? Hmm...

Spider + horse = ?

In a recent Fender-Japan anniversary release, Fender collaborated with Marvel comics to give birth to this hybrid of sorts. Spider? Mustang? But it's 100% guitar.