The Short Scale Bass Appreciation Society!

[Baloney Balderdash]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Does anyone know what the bridge string spacing is on a Fender Mustang?

And is it the same on all of them? 

 

I'm having such cravings for a JMJ and I've never even been in a room with one.

 

I am pretty sure it is 17mm.

[Osiris]

1 hour ago, fretmeister said:

Does anyone know what the bridge string spacing is on a Fender Mustang?

And is it the same on all of them? 

 

I'm having such cravings for a JMJ and I've never even been in a room with one.

 

 

I don't know the numbers off the top of my head but I've played several different Mustang variants, including owning a Mexican PJ as well as a JMJ, and the spacing varies. The PJ, Squires and IIRC the current top of the line Performer (which was also the most underwhelming IMO) all have tighter spacing and slimmer necks than the JMJ, they're more jazz like necks with narrower nuts. The JMJ is a more chunky P like neck with wider spacing, but still comfortable and addictive to play. The JMJ models definitely live up to the hype and I regularly gig mine in preference to my Sandberg shorty. 

[fretmeister]

5 minutes ago, Osiris said:

 

I don't know the numbers off the top of my head but I've played several different Mustang variants, including owning a Mexican PJ as well as a JMJ, and the spacing varies. The PJ, Squires and IIRC the current top of the line Performer (which was also the most underwhelming IMO) all have tighter spacing and slimmer necks than the JMJ, they're more jazz like necks with narrower nuts. The JMJ is a more chunky P like neck with wider spacing, but still comfortable and addictive to play. The JMJ models definitely live up to the hype and I regularly gig mine in preference to my Sandberg shorty. 

 

I've seen the nut differences on the Fender site - but I can't see any mention of bridge spacing.

 

I've got a Lionel with IIRC 19mm and a couple of Jim Deacons which are 16mm or 16,5mm and I like them for different things. I like the really tight spacing for plectrum work.

 

If it's not too much hassle - next time you play the JMJ could you take a photo of the bridge showing a ruler next to the saddles?

[EssentialTension]

My 2002ish Crafted in Japan is 19mm.

 

EDIT ... but see below for the remeasure at 17.5mm.

Edited 14 hours ago by EssentialTension

[Osiris]

 

Hope this helps.

 

FWIW, I've tried to match the string spacing on my Lionel (still a daft name for an awesome bass!) to match the JMJ, and while it's close the Sandberg strings are a fraction of a mm wider even at the closest even spacing than the JMJ. 

[ezbass]

38 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

 

I've seen the nut differences on the Fender site - but I can't see any mention of bridge spacing.

 

I've got a Lionel with IIRC 19mm and a couple of Jim Deacons which are 16mm or 16,5mm and I like them for different things. I like the really tight spacing for plectrum work.

 

If it's not too much hassle - next time you play the JMJ could you take a photo of the bridge showing a ruler next to the saddles?

I have it written down as 17.5mm and just checking again, that seems accurate with a steel rule.

 

[fretmeister]

Thank you both very much!

[Aidan63]

My Squier ClassicVibe Mustang is ~18mm, I think the original Fender Mustang type bridge is 18mm, the PJ variants with hi mass or bbot bridges are probably 19mm

 

string spacing seems to be left off the technical details on so many instruments these days, I wonder if it is because they buy in components from so many sources in batches and can't guarantee if they are all the same - they really should detail string spacing at the bridge and at the nut, not just the nut width

Edited Wednesday at 17:35 by Aidan63

[ped]

My 1966 Mustang is 17.5mm as far as I can tell

[EssentialTension]

18 hours ago, EssentialTension said:

My 2002ish Crafted in Japan is 19mm.

 

Having measured again in daylight, using a steel rule rather than a tape measure, and Mrs ET's eyes rather than my own eyes ...

 

... it does seem to be 17.5mm.

[Obrienp]

21 hours ago, ezbass said:

I have it written down as 17.5mm and just checking again, that seems accurate with a steel rule.

 

I’m sorry, it must be my obsession with detail but I have to ask what that second row of small cross head screws is for?  How many screws does it take to hold a bridge plate on? There already seem to be 5 large cross head screws holding it on.

[MichaelDean]

1 minute ago, Obrienp said:

I’m sorry, it must be my obsession with detail but I have to ask what that second row of small cross head screws is for?  How many screws does it take to hold a bridge plate on? There already seem to be 5 large cross head screws holding it on.

They're originally for holding the individual string mutes on. You could tighten or loosen them to bring them up or down.

 

You can see it here:
https://www.oliviasvintageguitars.com/bass/guitars/6603/

[Obrienp]

1 minute ago, MichaelDean said:

They're originally for holding the individual string mutes on. You could tighten or loosen them to bring them up or down.

 

You can see it here:
https://www.oliviasvintageguitars.com/bass/guitars/6603/

Thanks. I’ll be able to sleep tonight 😀.
 

As an aside, I wish there was an after market bass bridge that came with string mutes but I guess it would make manufacturing costs too high and it would have a small market. It would beat messing around with bits of foam, or fret wraps.