greghagger Posted Saturday at 14:32 Share Posted Saturday at 14:32 Short-scale basses are becoming very popular lately, and there are many reasons why, not least because they are so much lighter than full-scale basses. Personally I'd never really considered short-scale basses before I had to play one when covering for another bassist on a gig. This particular short-scale bass was a Fender Mustang, and I've got to say that I was pretty impressed! The Mustang was instantly easy to play, and through a decent amp, it sounded much fatter than I imaged it would. So, of course I've gone out a brought one! In my latest YouTube video, you can check out what I think of my new Mustang bass, and hear how it stacks up against a full-scale P-Bass. This is a useful video if you’re considering buying a short-scale bass, and you want to hear how a Mustang bass sounds. Enjoy! 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted Saturday at 16:50 Share Posted Saturday at 16:50 2 hours ago, greghagger said: not least because they are so much lighter than full-scale basses. My JMJ is actually heavier than all my longer scale basses. However, they are particularly light, 3 of them being chambered. But the Mustang is still a tad heavier than my Squier P bass. With all that said, the perceived weight of the Mustang feels less, due to the balance. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghagger Posted Saturday at 17:42 Author Share Posted Saturday at 17:42 50 minutes ago, ezbass said: My JMJ is actually heavier than all my longer scale basses. However, they are particularly light, 3 of them being chambered. But the Mustang is still a tad heavier than my Squier P bass. With all that said, the perceived weight of the Mustang feels less, due to the balance. Interesting. The Squier P-Basses must be light. My Mustang is considerably lighter than any other 4-strings that I’ve picked up before. But I know they are making basses a lot lighter nowadays. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owno Posted Saturday at 17:55 Share Posted Saturday at 17:55 (edited) 1 hour ago, ezbass said: My JMJ is actually heavier than all my longer scale basses. However, they are particularly light, 3 of them being chambered. But the Mustang is still a tad heavier than my Squier P bass. With all that said, the perceived weight of the Mustang feels less, due to the balance. The JMJ I had some couple of years ago was also on the heavier side and considerably heavier than my p-bass. My current Mustang, made in 78’ with a beautiful single piece ash body and chunky neck, weighs 4,4kg despite having contours. Shortscales - and perhaps Mustangs in particular - does not necessarily have to be lighter than 34” basses. ☺️ I can highly recommend trying a 70’s Mustang in alder. They weigh around 3 to 3,5kg and the pickups are second to none if you’re looking for a p-bass vibe. Edited Saturday at 18:19 by Owno 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted Saturday at 18:54 Share Posted Saturday at 18:54 My heaviest Mustang (a JMJ) is 3.8kg, lightest (a CIJ) is 3.5kg. But as @ezbass said the balance is better, probably due to the weight distribution so I just find short scale basses better on the back/shoulder over long rehearsals. I liked your video @greghagger, showed that sound wise not that much difference to a Precision (so not that much difference to a Jazz neck pick up either). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owno Posted Saturday at 20:27 Share Posted Saturday at 20:27 1 hour ago, Lozz196 said: But as @ezbass said the balance is better, probably due to the weight distribution so I just find short scale basses better on the back/shoulder over long rehearsals. I agree! Great comparison @greghagger! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarky Posted Sunday at 11:21 Share Posted Sunday at 11:21 (edited) Thinking about the video comparison, the basses sound similar (albeit not identical) when recorded clearly and without the accompanying cacophony of other instruments in a band. If you then crank this up to a live band situation, I think there are very few people who would be able to tell any difference at all Edited Sunday at 11:21 by Clarky 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghagger Posted Sunday at 11:41 Author Share Posted Sunday at 11:41 18 minutes ago, Clarky said: Thinking about the video comparison, the basses sound similar (albeit not identical) when recorded clearly and without the accompanying cacophony of other instruments in a band. If you then crank this up to a live band situation, I think there are very few people who would be able to tell any difference at all Yeah I agree. I was pretty surprised at just how similar they sounded. Within a mix, I don’t think many people would be able to tell the difference. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lozz196 Posted Sunday at 14:00 Share Posted Sunday at 14:00 Yes it’s things like this that show me no matter how much I still want to play my Precisions in my bands, playing my Mustangs is the sensible move. 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted Sunday at 16:00 Share Posted Sunday at 16:00 (edited) 5 hours ago, greghagger said: Yeah I agree. I was pretty surprised at just how similar they sounded. Within a mix, I don’t think many people would be able to tell the difference. The only real difference for me, in the video and from my own personal experience, is that 34”s have more harmonic content below the 5th fret on the E string, whereas shorties are all about the fundamental in that area. The pay off is further up the neck where the long scales can be a bit plinky, the shorties still maintain that fundamental, making them more even sounding across the whole neck. This aspect also makes them react really nicely with FX, especially analogue octave boxes. Edited Sunday at 17:08 by ezbass 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghagger Posted Monday at 18:58 Author Share Posted Monday at 18:58 On 22/12/2024 at 16:00, ezbass said: The only real difference for me, in the video and from my own personal experience, is that 34”s have more harmonic content below the 5th fret on the E string, whereas shorties are all about the fundamental in that area. The pay off is further up the neck where the long scales can be a bit plinky, the shorties still maintain that fundamental, making them more even sounding across the whole neck. This aspect also makes them react really nicely with FX, especially analogue octave boxes. Really interesting. Great info. I’ll be trying my Mustang with some effects to see! Thanks 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owno Posted Monday at 21:48 Share Posted Monday at 21:48 2 hours ago, greghagger said: Really interesting. Great info. I’ll be trying my Mustang with some effects to see! Thanks …and they sound even more even across the fretboard strung with flatwound strings! Try it if you haven’t already. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greghagger Posted Monday at 22:10 Author Share Posted Monday at 22:10 21 minutes ago, Owno said: …and they sound even more even across the fretboard strung with flatwound strings! Try it if you haven’t already. That’s my next move. Also interested in trying some Creamery pickups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owno Posted Monday at 22:19 Share Posted Monday at 22:19 4 minutes ago, greghagger said: That’s my next move. Also interested in trying some Creamery pickups. Great move, indeed. I can highly recommend the LaBella Mustang flats (for a vintage vibe) or Dunlop steel flats (for a tad more zing the first couple of months). 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
meterman Posted Monday at 22:32 Share Posted Monday at 22:32 36 minutes ago, Owno said: …and they sound even more even across the fretboard strung with flatwound strings! Try it if you haven’t already. Mustangs with flatwounds on is the quintessential Mustang sound for me. I know it's always a personal preference, but I've owned maybe 6 or 7 Mustangs over the last 23 years (vintage, reissue, also Squier) and it's always been flatwounds that have brought the best out of them. Favourites: La Bella's special Mustang flats. Pricy but totally worth it 👍 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Owno Posted Monday at 22:40 Share Posted Monday at 22:40 (edited) 24 minutes ago, meterman said: Mustangs with flatwounds on is the quintessential Mustang sound for me. I know it's always a personal preference, but I've owned maybe 6 or 7 Mustangs over the last 23 years (vintage, reissue, also Squier) and it's always been flatwounds that have brought the best out of them. Favourites: La Bella's special Mustang flats. Pricy but totally worth it 👍 I fully agree! The LaBella’s are my favourite as well. I just had my 78’ setup with a fresh set of said strings last week after trying rounds for a while. It felt at home immediately and it plays and sound so much better. Edited Monday at 22:56 by Owno 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted Monday at 23:09 Share Posted Monday at 23:09 I’ve been a big fan of EB Cobalt Flays for ages and can confirm that they work wonderfully on my Mustang. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RichT Posted Monday at 23:37 Share Posted Monday at 23:37 (edited) 29 minutes ago, ezbass said: I’ve been a big fan of EB Cobalt Flays for ages and can confirm that they work wonderfully on my Mustang. EB Cobalt flats are my default goto on my short scales now. Traditional flats have never really done it for me soundwise, but as alluded to above there can be something a little odd about the harmonics on the first few frets on a 30" E string when using rounds (probably my brain has just been indoctrinated for years by the sound of 34" harmonics so anything different sounds odd). The Cobalt flats have plenty of bite and life to them but I find they also negate those weird E string harmonics. Fantastic strings, little bit pricey but so worth it. Edited Monday at 23:39 by RichT 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grahambythesea Posted yesterday at 13:29 Share Posted yesterday at 13:29 Having never had a mustang I am surprised that the tiny little pickup seems to perform as well as the Precision type with its exposed poles. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spongebob Posted 21 hours ago Share Posted 21 hours ago 17 hours ago, ezbass said: I’ve been a big fan of EB Cobalt Flays for ages and can confirm that they work wonderfully on my Mustang. My go to string on everything! 🤟 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ezbass Posted 19 hours ago Share Posted 19 hours ago 2 hours ago, spongebob said: My go to string on everything! 🤟 Same here, except the Rob Allen and EUB. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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