NSSBD - Mustang Content

[ezbass]

This was meant to be posted on Saturday as I selected next day delivery, but between the supplier and the courier, it actually arrived this morning (potential for another thread, all on its own).

Anyhoo, there's a back story to this purchase, so bear with me. Last March, just before the world went to hell in a hand basket, I had a video for David Byrne on Saturday Night Live come up on my feed, playing Once in a Lifetime with his Utopia ensemble. As a DB/Heads fan I watched and noticed the bass player using some sort of Hofner-esque short scale affair, sounded good. The next video up was from the same SNL programme with DB playing Toe Jam with the same guys, except the bass player had swapped to a shell pink, 5 string of some description; it sounded incredible. A very quick search on Google for the player, then images to see if I could find out what the bass was, revealed it was a short scale, Serek, 5 string. Now, I heard good things about these basses already, so I thought I'd investigate the price - yikes! However, by this time, my interest was piqued and so I trotted off to my local Guitar Guitar to try some short scales to see if this was something worth pursuing. I tried a Gibson double cut, an Epiphone, a Gretsch and Fender/Squier Mustangs, including the JMJ signature. I was hooked, there was definitely something to this resurgence of SS basses. The 2 that impressed me the most were the Gretsch (good playability and tone and an absolute bargain) and the JMJ, which was in a different league to all the rest. Rather than diving straight in, I thought I'd ponder a bit - then lockdown arrived.  After the first lockdown ended and GG opened up again, I needed a new tuner and, as my car was in for a service just round the corner from the shop, I went to buy it in person and also try the JMJ again to see if it had just been a momentary whim; it hadn't. I decided to move my Maruszczyk Jake L on to facilitate financing the new purchase and put it up on commission sale at The Bass Gallery (where it is available should you, dear reader, wish to purchase it https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/443414-maruszczyk-jake-l-in-fiesta-red-reduced-to-£775/ ). I tried the Vintera and a couple of vintage Mustangs while I was there, the Vintera was the best, but not as good as my memory of the JMJ (I also tried a Wilcock Mullarkey, which was brilliant, but beyond my budget). Then... lockdown 2 arrived, coupled with my moving to Scotland, where I'm in temporary accommodation with just one of my basses (Rob Allen MB2) for low end company, the others being in storage and the pause button was hit, again. Well, we all know this lockdown has been tough and I finally snapped and bought a JMJ anyway, without waiting for the Jake to sell and it finally arrived this morning.

A quick play and everything was in order, just my usual set up required (it wasn't bad out of the box to be honest, just not my preference). I'm really rather pleased, my only complaint being, if you're going to put modern, albeit 'aged', Hipshot tuners (nice touch), why not put a modern, hex head, easily accessible, truss rod on? Having to take the very well fitted neck off (twice) is a PITA!  Also, if you're supplying a SS bass, provide a SS gig bag, not something that is way too long. Will I become a SS devotee? Time will tell, but early indications are good.

Enough waffle, on with the show...

 

 

 

Edited February 24, 2021 by ezbass

[Osiris]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

... I'm really rather pleased, my only complaint being, if you're going to put modern, albeit 'aged', Hipshot tuners (nice touch), why not put a modern, hex head, easily accessible, truss rod on? Having to take the very well fitted neck off (twice) is a PITA! 

 

Agreed, it's a ball ache having to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod but I guess they're trying to make the bass authentic to the '66 original. Having said that I bought one of these to save the hassle of having to take the neck off. It's not particularly cheap for what it is, which is essentially a bent bot of mental, but it makes truss rod adjustments a doddle. 

StewMac Truss Rod Crank for Tele | eBay

[ezbass]

16 minutes ago, Osiris said:

Agreed, it's a ball ache having to take the neck off to adjust the truss rod but I guess they're trying to make the bass authentic to the '66 original. Having said that I bought one of these to save the hassle of having to take the neck off. It's not particularly cheap for what it is, which is essentially a bent bot of mental, but it makes truss rod adjustments a doddle. 

StewMac Truss Rod Crank for Tele | eBay

That's brilliant, thanks for sharing.

[Adee]

1 hour ago, ezbass said:

That's brilliant, thanks for sharing.

Well done on the JMJ, I'm still chuffed to bits with mine, the StuMac tool is usually available on eBay and is the BEST £14 i've spent !!

Edited February 24, 2021 by Adee

[ezbass]

I've had a good play and it's a really nice thing, but the fitted Fender flats have quite a bit more tension than I'm used to, even on the 30" scale. I have some spare, used Cobalt flatwounds in storage and I'll give them a when I finally move house. Having said that, it could be just down to not having played anything except my MB2 for last 2 months, with its LaBella, nylon tape wounds. I'm impressed by the taper on the tone control, lots of different tones available, reminds me of my old '63 P bass and it seems that hand position makes more difference than on a long scale; no one trick pony this. Also, the feel of the vol and tone pots is lovely, smooth with just a little resistance; proper quality.  I must have the control plate off and check the resistor value. It balances nicely on the strap and doesn't look stupidly small on me (something that bugged me about my Ibby SRs). It weighs in at 3.8kg, making it my heaviest bass. Side by side with MB2, which is 35" scale, it's almost as tall . So far, definitely a keeper (inasmuch as I won't be using distance selling rules to return it), very easy to just have to the side of the sofa for a quick play without taking over the entire seating area. I'm very interested to hear how it records, I have high hopes for it in that regard.

Edited February 24, 2021 by ezbass

[police squad]

I have my eye on one of these atm. Once my Brian May is paid for (interest free over 9 months, bought last july) I may jut pull the trigger with another interest free purchase

[meterman]

Would love one of these, I played a couple in GAK before the first lockdown, and I thought they felt and sounded superb. I’m not jealous, honest 😂

A mate had a beautiful original ‘66 in Daphne blue that had faded to a sort of duck egg green that was the best Mustang bass I’ve ever played, but the JMJ’s are as close to that as I’ve ever found.  

Would definitely own one if funds permitted.

[ezbass]

I’ve found a fault. The nut was plainly cut by someone with failing sight and no ruler. You certainly don’t notice it when playing and it was only because I was looking at it closely that I saw it. E - A 10mm and then progressively wider. I might get it replaced when life returns to some semblance of normality; we’ll see.

 

[ezbass]

There was a weird resonance on the open D and 12th fret harmonic of the same string (not any other D on other strings), a little scrape and light sanding with a nail file in the D, nut slot seems to have sorted that nicely. Also reset the intonation as that seems to have changed a little overnight (obviously settling in). I dug out my pedal board that I brought with me and this sounds great through the VTDI with some drive, better than any of my other basses, proper P bass through a driven SVT. I found I had to back off the bass and treble of the Sadowsky preamp pedal from my go to settings, as it detracted from the vintage, midrange vibe a bit too much. As I had seen and heard on YouTube, the tracking with an octave pedal is way more accurate on low notes than a long scale. One day in, I’m even happier than I was yesterday and that was pretty much an all day, smile fest. The only downside is that I played way more yesterday than I have for a long time (I’ve really not been playing much at allot be honest) and I have a sore, right hand, index finger. Pick time!

Edited February 25, 2021 by ezbass

[bassbiscuits]

Good effort. I bought a Fender Japan Mustang three years ago and its quickly become a very dependable, cool bass.

I've always fancied trying a JMJ but with neither the money or the opportunity at the moment it's not happened.

Mine's got La Bella flats on it and unplugged it sounds like a double bass. Weird. Good weird tho.

 

[ezbass]

Decided that the thumb rest wasn't for me and looked a bit too big for the body size, therefore, i took it off, which gave me an excuse for another photo  .

 

[bassist_lewis]

I got mine 2 years ago when they were first released and I gig it as much as possible. It was my first Fender and now all I want is another Mustang! I'm aiming to put some LaBella mustang flats on it when Bass Direct finally gets them in stock.