Fender JMJ Mustang. Just pulled the trigger, video now up

[ezbass]

8 minutes ago, police squad said:

I'll be using the JMJ going forward. Sound wise, yes very similar, as someone else has said, the shorter string length makes it a bit more fundamental. Less harmonic overtones.

I likey a lot

Pretty much my take too, although I no longer own a P. Fitted mine with D’Addario roundwounds yesterday, not a million miles away from the Cobalts tonally on first listen in terms of midrange, perhaps a tighter low end and, obviously more top end sizzle, which I expect will dissipate after a while. Haven’t played roundwounds for years, so I’m expecting some finger soreness on my right hand.

[three]

Thanks for the video Police squad - love it. I learned to play on a Mustang (probably a very early 70s one with the competition stripes – candy apple red faded to bronze – it was beautiful) that was loaned to me by a very generous friend. I’ve never really been back to Mustangs but this one has me very excited. I play short scale almost all of the time and everything about the JMJ just looks perfect, from the lollipops to the relic job. I’ll start looking around

Edited July 17, 2021 by three

[police squad]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

Pretty much my take too, although I no longer own a P. Fitted mine with D’Addario roundwounds yesterday, not a million miles away from the Cobalts tonally on first listen in terms of midrange, perhaps a tighter low end and, obviously more top end sizzle, which I expect will dissipate after a while. Haven’t played roundwounds for years, so I’m expecting some finger soreness on my right hand.

The flats really work for me atm. I usually have very knackered rounds on these days, looking for a good thumping sound.

I'm putting together another P bass, which will have flats. That will be interesting to hear too, as I haven't done flats on a P bass yet

[police squad]

1 hour ago, three said:

Thanks for the video Police squad - love it. I learned to play on a Mustang (probably a very early 70s one with the competition stripes – candy apple red faded to bronze – it was beautiful) that was loaned to me by a very generous friend. I’ve never really been back to Mustangs but this one has me very excited. I play short scale almost all of the time and everything about the JMJ just looks perfect, from the lollipops to the relic job. I’ll start looking around

I am mighty impressed by this JMJ. When I unpacked it I thought 'meh'

But when I played it, wow. I can't recommend it highly enough

[hooky_lowdown]

27 minutes ago, police squad said:

The flats really work for me atm. I usually have very knackered rounds on these days, looking for a good thumping sound.

I'm putting together another P bass, which will have flats. That will be interesting to hear too, as I haven't done flats on a P bass yet

Fender flats sound great, specially on short scales. I changed the tuners on a Squier bronco, fitted fender flats, and wow, medium tension, lots of thump but still retaining articulation up and down the neck.

I too like the old rounds tone, lots of low end thump, have you tried DR Sunbeams or Fender Pure Nickel's, both are fabulous for that vintage thump sound, even straight out of the packet?

[police squad]

1 hour ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Fender flats sound great, specially on short scales. I changed the tuners on a Squier bronco, fitted fender flats, and wow, medium tension, lots of thump but still retaining articulation up and down the neck.

I too like the old rounds tone, lots of low end thump, have you tried DR Sunbeams or Fender Pure Nickel's, both are fabulous for that vintage thump sound, even straight out of the packet?

No I only really use roto RS66. I like em new and I like em old lol

[krispn]

3 hours ago, hooky_lowdown said:

Fender flats sound great, specially on short scales. I changed the tuners on a Squier bronco, fitted fender flats, and wow, medium tension, lots of thump but still retaining articulation up and down the neck.

I too like the old rounds tone, lots of low end thump, have you tried DR Sunbeams or Fender Pure Nickel's, both are fabulous for that vintage thump sound, even straight out of the packet?

Old rounds on the JMJ were my preferred go to for my old country band gig. I currently have the Fender flats on and it just consistently delivers. Rolling about 15-20% off the tone control just sets it right where I like it. 

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

The stock long scale fender flatwounds work really well on the JMJ, but Fender really should think about adding a 32" set to the range.

[police squad]

7 minutes ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

The stock long scale fender flatwounds work really well on the JMJ, but Fender really should think about adding a 32" set to the range.

I take it they cut them down to fit. What tension do you reckon they are. They seem to work really well

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

They are the '9050' set, .045 - .100.

I put a set on my CIJ mustang and I think I only had to trim off a little of the skinny part at the end of the E & A strings.

Edited July 17, 2021 by Jean-Luc Pickguard

[ezbass]

Just finished the set up with the D’Addarios (EXL160M, 50-105]. I did a bit yesterday that also included a truss rod tweak and wanted it to settle. Another tweak today, plus height and intonation adjustment (not much). Man, these strings are punchy! They push the pickup into breakup when you dig in (the amp level is staying the same) very similar to way Nordy Big Singles break up; love it. The bottom end is a fair bit tighter, which makes it seem more even across the strings and not quite so low mid heavy allowing for a tone that’s more pleasing to my ears, but should still sit in the mix nicely without becoming lost, it certainly has punch in abundance.

Now I just need a band to use it with ☹️.

[hooky_lowdown]

1 hour ago, police squad said:

I take it they cut them down to fit. What tension do you reckon they are. They seem to work really well

I don't think they are cut down for Mustang's. Full scale they're high tension, but on short scale they're more like medium.

[hooky_lowdown]

1 hour ago, krispn said:

Rolling about 15-20% off the tone control just sets it right where I like it. 

This is pretty much exactly how I set up to get the best tone from them. 👍

[ezbass]

5 hours ago, krispn said:

Old rounds on the JMJ were my preferred go to for my old country band gig. I currently have the Fender flats on and it just consistently delivers. Rolling about 15-20% off the tone control just sets it right where I like it. 

The tone control on the JMJ is marvellous, plenty of variation all through its travel, very like my old ‘63 P.

Edited July 17, 2021 by ezbass

[krispn]

It's such a good wee bass. I think between the short scale and price some people might be put off but actually it's got all the best attributes of a P bass just in a smaller form or at least that's my take on it not having any real experience with a Mustang previously. Don't get me wrong I love my p bass (B profile Jap 70's neck and a Shuker P bass body) but the JMJ just makes playing all the more fun.

[Maude]

9 hours ago, police squad said:

The flats really work for me atm. I usually have very knackered rounds on these days, looking for a good thumping sound.

I'm putting together another P bass, which will have flats. That will be interesting to hear too, as I haven't done flats on a P bass yet

Have you tried & D'addario half rounds? It sounds like we like the same strings tonally, and after wanting dead rounds, or bright flats I found 'my string', the D'addario ENR72. Dead round tone straight out the packet, smoother feel than rounds and they don't seem to change in tone no matter how long you've had them on. 

 

[Woodinblack]

5 hours ago, Jean-Luc Pickguard said:

They are the '9050' set, .045 - .100.

I put a set on my CIJ mustang and I think I only had to trim off a little of the skinny part at the end of the E & A strings.

I put a set of those but 50s (as they didn't have 45) on my Squier mustang and I like it, gives a good sound for the mustang (not a sound I would want on anything else). Enjoyable to play.

[martthebass]

2 hours ago, krispn said:

It's such a good wee bass. I think between the short scale and price some people might be put off but actually it's got all the best attributes of a P bass just in a smaller form or at least that's my take on it not having any real experience with a Mustang previously. Don't get me wrong I love my p bass (B profile Jap 70's neck and a Shuker P bass body) but the JMJ just makes playing all the more fun.

Strangely enough I’ve never got on with P basses in a live setting, I always tended to lose it in the mix. I find the Mustang cuts through a little better for me with my set up.

[police squad]

14 hours ago, Maude said:

Have you tried & D'addario half rounds? It sounds like we like the same strings tonally, and after wanting dead rounds, or bright flats I found 'my string', the D'addario ENR72. Dead round tone straight out the packet, smoother feel than rounds and they don't seem to change in tone no matter how long you've had them on. 

 

I haven't no. I had a trade account with rotosound from when I was making valve amps and stocked up on RS66 then. I rarely change my strings now as I only do about 10 gigs a year on bass. I still have 2 or 3 sets in stock, which will last me a good while yet

I have a cheap set of Olympia flats to try on a p bass bitsa I'm putting together