Mustang Brotherhood & Similar

[DanDoesBass]

Hey everyone!

I don’t think this topic exists yet, so I thought I’d start one to showcase Mustangs and similar models – things like the Fender Musicmaster, Vincent Pony, Atelier Z Baby Z, and other Mustang-inspired basses.

This is really just a “show us what you’ve got” thread – what you love, what you’re not so keen on, what’s on your wishlist, and any rare finds you’ve come across.

Personally, I really got into Mustangs after the release of the Fender JMJ, and since then I’ve owned a few different Mustangs and their sister models.

So let’s see what you’re rocking!

[ezbass]

 

JMJ and Harley Benton wannabe.

[DanDoesBass]

1 minute ago, ezbass said:

 

JMJ and Harley Benton wannabe.

How is the Harley Benton? 

[DanDoesBass]

Here are a few I’ve owned over the years - still holding on to my JMJ.
I also own a Fender Mustang PJ II in white and have an Atelier Z Baby Z on order.

Over the years I’ve probably had 10–12 Mustang-shaped basses in total. Highlights (and lowlights!) include:

- A Firemist Gold Fender PJ

- A second 1978 Musicmaster in white (honestly pretty rough, definitely not my favourite)

- The natural-finish ’78 Musicmaster pictured below - one I really regret selling
- A couple of heavily modded Squier Broncos - One pictured below

So at the moment I’m down to three in the collection, but Mustangs just keep finding their way back to me.

[MichaelDean]

Here's my 76 Mustang. Lovely little bass. It's got an almost 40mm nut, so it's fairly chunky for a short scale. I've put Hipshot Ultralights on it because the original tuners were knackered, a stainless steel refret and it needed a refinish when I bought it, so I did a bad job of a white blonde nitro, complete with a black vinyl racing stripe decal and matching strap! All wear on the body is by me since refinishing it. It's been to Japan and back with me. I dont' have much call to use it right now, but I'm not sure I can part with it! It was my first Fender, and it just fits me.
 

 

And here's me (when I still had hair) playing it on tour in Japan back in 2012.

[DanDoesBass]

3 minutes ago, MichaelDean said:

Here's my 76 Mustang. Lovely little bass. It's got an almost 40mm nut, so it's fairly chunky for a short scale. I've put Hipshot Ultralights on it because the original tuners were knackered, a stainless steel refret and it needed a refinish when I bought it, so I did a bad job of a white blonde nitro, complete with a black vinyl racing stripe decal and matching strap! All wear on the body is by me since refinishing it. It's been to Japan and back with me. I dont' have much call to use it right now, but I'm not sure I can part with it! It was my first Fender, and it just fits me.
 

 

And here's me (when I still had hair) playing it on tour in Japan back in 2012.

Ohhhh I love this! What a sick finish! Have you had it long?

[LeftyJ]

Atelier Z Baby Z-4J represent! Easiest playing bass I own. The knobs have been replaced with Sadowsky-style aluminium knobs (Guyker) since this picture was taken, just like Atelier Z uses now (the old ones were the stock Bartolini knobs). Otherwise it's still very much the same. I believe the Baby Z (or any Atelier Z with the KTS titanium rods in the neck for that matter) isn't actually made by Atelier Z themselves but by Fujigen Gakki. Either way, it's a fantastic bass!

 

Controls are neck volume - bridge volume (pull for passive) - stacked bass/treble (boost-only). It's quite a powerful EQ that can add a lot of oomph and a pleasant zingy top end, while still sounding very musical. A passive tone control would have been nice, but is not a must.

 

It has a slight neck dive, but nothing that a good strap can't counter. 

 

I traded my 1981 Ibanez MC924 for it with a lefty friend of mine in the US, and I have zero regrets. The Atelier Z weighs about half as much as the MC924, and has a lovely narrow U-shaped neck that instantly felt familiar. The 17mm string spacing at the bridge took a little getting used to, but is not unlike some of the 5-strings I've owned so wasn't a huge switch. It's brilliant! If I ever find a lefty PJ version (with a reverse split coil) I don't think I could resist. 

 

Edited yesterday at 08:46 by LeftyJ

[MichaelDean]

11 minutes ago, DanDoesBass said:

Ohhhh I love this! What a sick finish! Have you had it long?

I got it back in around 2010/11 I think. £500 on eBay!

[DanDoesBass]

4 minutes ago, LeftyJ said:

Atelier Z Baby Z-4J represent! Easiest playing bass I own. The knobs have been replaced with Sadowsky-style aluminium knobs (Guyker) since this picture was taken, just like Atelier Z uses now (the old ones were the stock Bartolini knobs). Otherwise it's still very much the same. I believe the Baby Z (or any Atelier Z with the KTS titanium rods in the neck for that matter) isn't actually made by Atelier Z themselves but by Fujigen Gakki. Either way, it's a fantastic bass!

 

Controls are neck volume - bridge volume (pull for passive) - stacked bass/treble (boost-only). It's quite a powerful EQ that can add a lot of oomph and a pleasant zingy top end, while still sounding very musical. A passive tone control would have been nice, but is not a must.

 

It has a slight neck dive, but nothing that a good strap can't counter. 

 

I traded my 1981 Ibanez MC924 for it with a lefty friend of mine in the US, and I have zero regrets. The Atelier Z weighs about half as much as the MC924, and has a lovely narrow U-shaped neck that instantly felt familiar. The 17mm string spacing at the bridge took a little getting used to, but is not unlike some of the 5-strings I've owned so wasn't a huge switch. It's brilliant! If I ever find a lefty PJ version (with a reverse split coil) I don't think I could resist. 

 

Looking forward to getting mine! Mine is the PJ configuration.

 

That natural finish though! 😍

 

sounds like a good trade if you ask me! 

[DanDoesBass]

1 minute ago, MichaelDean said:

I got it back in around 2010/11 I think. £500 on eBay!

Damn!!!! What a killer price! 

[ezbass]

50 minutes ago, DanDoesBass said:

How is the Harley Benton? 

Really good and not just for the money. The bridge pickup is underpowered compared to the P pickup, but that’s not unusual. I’ve been considering putting an EMG GZR set in it and selling the JMJ.

[DanDoesBass]

14 minutes ago, ezbass said:

Really good and not just for the money. The bridge pickup is underpowered compared to the P pickup, but that’s not unusual. I’ve been considering putting an EMG GZR set in it and selling the JMJ.

Yeah, almost every bass I have owned with a bridge J pickup has been underpowered. (with stock pickups)  

Oh really. Thats a big move. 
Well do let me know if you decide to make that decision. 😏

[Chiliwailer]

This bass was a real saviour during a period when I couldn’t play a long scale, but was playing a lot. 
 

1971 Musicmaster, cost me £250 in 2004. When I got it the pickup, pickguard and bridge were changed and it had a natural varnish finish. I soon after added a Jazz pup, and Mustang tuners. 
 

Later it had a new bridge, pickguard and sunburst respray shortly before I sold it to a guy who also bought my ‘78/9 Sabre that I always wanted back…
 

Sold this Musicmaster when I was able to use a P Bass again and needed some cash. Great bass, really loved it, ideally would have kept it for nostalgia and odd times of playing it. The neck was divine 🤤

 

Edited yesterday at 10:07 by Chiliwailer

[toneknob]

My JMJ as featured on Mustang gig bag thread (https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/329743-mustang-bass-dimensions-for-gig-bags/)

 

)

 

 

[DanDoesBass]

5 hours ago, toneknob said:

My JMJ as featured on Mustang gig bag thread (https://www.basschat.co.uk/topic/329743-mustang-bass-dimensions-for-gig-bags/)

 

)

 

 

😍😍😍

[HeadlessBassist]

I’ve had three Mustangs this year. I still have the 2023 American Performer in ‘Aubergine’ which I’ve almost sold a couple of times, but secretly I’m glad it’s still around. It’s strung with cut down Elixir 40-95’s (Fender put 40-100 on as standard) and plays & sounds phenomenal.

 

I also had one of the Vintera II’s in “Competition Burgundy” for a while, which was a fine bass, but I didn’t like it as much as the American Performer. It came with Labella Flats which sounded very dull and had far too much tension, so I changed them for a set of Thomastik Jazz Flats I had. Better, but still don’t particularly like flat wound strings. (Don’t shoot me!)

=

 

And for about five minutes I had one of the Player series Cherry Burst P&J’s. This was the biggest disappointment. Yes, it sounded huge, but it sounded like any given P&J full sized Precision. Not at all like a Mustang. There was none of that short scale delicacy to the sound.

 

Edited 16 hours ago by HeadlessBassist

[dBassGtr]

Hi all! Great page!

[DanDoesBass]

Newest Mustang to my collection 🙏

Atelier Z Baby Z… Purchased on here actually. 🙌

[DanDoesBass]

1 minute ago, dBassGtr said:

Hi all! Great page!

Super cool bro! What’s the toggle switch situation on those?? 👀👀

[Byo]

1 minute ago, DanDoesBass said:

Newest Mustang to my collection 🙏

Atelier Z Baby Z… Purchased on here actually. 🙌

IMG_5368.mov

So it was you! LOL 😄, I was about to pull the trigger on this and it showed as SOLD.

Massive Mustang fan here and short scale basses in general, this Atelier looks killer. You can't beat those competition stripes (go faster!).

Enjoy! 🤘

[Byo]

These are my two Japanese 🇯🇵 Fender Mustangs. After trying many US, MX and Squier Mustangs over the years, I always keep coming back to the Japanese models due to their slimmer necks.
 

• The one of the left is a Fiesta Red with an upgraded Nordstrand pickup and rocking a set of Rotosound flats.
  I am still getting used to these flats, they have a lower tension than the LaBella's on my other Mustang.
  I do like the Nordstrand pup, seems to open the sound a bit more and has a lovely midrange to it. I can do more chordal work on this bass and it seems to love modulation and time-based effects due to the added clarity.
   
• The one on the right is my go-to bass for the past several years. Candy Apple Red with an upgraded @KiOgon loom, as the original one was crapping out on me during sessions, a set of LaBella Mustang strings, and a set of roadworn J-Bass controls (large for vol, and small for tone) which I think look way better ☺️
  This one is all low-mids, big round notes, pretty decent sustain too. Loves drives and fuzzes due to having a little less top-end.
   

As far as I understand, Japanese Mustangs have an early 60's neck profile and the rest (US, MX, Squier) have a late 60's/70's neck profile.
If anyone knows better, please shed some light. But this is something I have come to experience with Mustangs and agreed upon with other Mustang players in the past.
 

Edited 2 hours ago by Byo

[dBassGtr]

54 minutes ago, DanDoesBass said:

Super cool bro! What’s the toggle switch situation on those?? 👀👀

Thanks!

I had a problem with one of the toggle switches and tried a blend knob. I liked the blend knob so much, I added one to each. 
I personally really love the subtle changes I can make between the p’s and the j. 
I also put in some dimarzios on the blue. The regular pj kit. 

Edited 2 hours ago by dBassGtr

[DanDoesBass]

@Byo Nice!  I have never tried a Japanese Mustang, very very nearly purchased one last year. 
I'll have to try one though, my Player II has a much slimmer neck and that's really lovely to play, not that the JMJ isn't, but it is much much thicker. 

Nordstrand for the win! I put Nords in my JMJ 🫡