dickandjill Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 Would I be better off buying a Fender Mustang reissue bass new for around £399 or an old Fender Musicmaster which seem to go for around the same sort of money. Which is the better bass? I've got a Squire Bronco at the moment and would like to upgrade to something decent. i've noticed the mustang bridge has more adjustment. Is there much diference in sound between the two? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waynepunkdude Posted January 11, 2009 Share Posted January 11, 2009 (edited) I could be wrong but I believe the Musicmaster is short scale, personally I would go for the new bass as your first bass as you get a warranty and you haven't got to worry about things going wrong as much. But I'm not a huge expert on either as I go between P's and Jazzes. Edited January 11, 2009 by waynepunkdude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neepheid Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 They're both short scale, that's not the issue here. I'd say go with the Mustang - it has a pickup which was actually designed for a bass (unlike the 6 pole piece pickup in an old Musicmaster) and has a nicer bridge (old Musicmasters have a 2 saddle bridge which is more difficult to intonate properly, whereas I believe the Mustang always had an individual saddle for each string). I can't say with regard to differences in sound but I'd guess that there would be. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lozbass Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 PM sent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jean-Luc Pickguard Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 I have examples of both - I bought a secondhand CIJ mustang for £300 and in terns of tone and playability it knocks spots off my 1971 musicmaster which was a lot more expensive. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
noelk27 Posted January 12, 2009 Share Posted January 12, 2009 (edited) Well, it all depends when the Musicmaster was made. If it's one of the very early ones - separate control plate - it will have a Mustang body, properly routed for the Mustang pickup. So, you'd have the option to convert it with vintage or reissue Mustang parts. The Musicmaster bridge and pickup are the big issues - the bridge saddles are in two sections, so you sacrifice harmonic adjustment - and the pickup is much more prone to interference from external electrical sources. Something else to note, but the Musicmaster only ever came with a rosewood touchboard. That's currently the case with the reissue Mustang, I think, but if you hunt about you can get vintage Mustang examples with maple boards for not a lot of money - if maple is your preference. Having owned original versions of both, I'd go with the Mustang - you can get a very passable P'bass sound from that miniature pickup. Edited January 12, 2009 by noelk27 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickandjill Posted January 12, 2009 Author Share Posted January 12, 2009 lozbass have sent you PM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickandjill Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 (edited) Thanks for the replies From what you've all said I will go for a Mustang bass. Cheers Richard Edited January 13, 2009 by dickandjill Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OutToPlayJazz Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 Just out of interest, where is the current new Mustang produced? (The one on the Fender UK website.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dickandjill Posted January 13, 2009 Author Share Posted January 13, 2009 I think its in Japan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Leowasright Posted January 13, 2009 Share Posted January 13, 2009 The Mustang is Japanese, which must be a tick in the box in it's favour. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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