c.2002 Fender Japan Mustang Bass

August 16, 2012

c.2002 Fender Japan Mustang Bass

This bass has been my workhorse bass for the past year and a half or so and in that time provided the bottom end for two albums but only a couple of shows. I picked it up because I wanted a nice professional quality instrument for recording, and that it is.

These new reissue Mustang basses made in Japan (this one is from 2002-ish) have tonality and fittings similar to a Precision bass but have a shorter scale, slightly smaller pickups, and a nut width and neck shape that's closer to a Jazz bass (narrower, slim). The body is offset and thinner than a P-bass as well, which combined with the shorter 30" scale (vs. 34") makes this an ultra-fast and ultra-comfortable instrument to play. It's hard to believe it's a bass, really, since it feels in the arms about the same as a lightweight solid body electric guitar.

It's too bad the lighting isn't better, but the creamy-white finish next to the darker-brown tortoise guard is really attractive. This instrument is pretty darn clean, too, and all-original save the strap buttons, which are replacements.

This has a "vintage tint" neck with a warm buttery-yellow color to it. The vintage script on the headstock is way cool, too.

Nice rosewood board with white dots and side dots. This feels so nice to play. Strings are Rotosound Flatwounds for that more upright-ish Motown-y tone.

In fact, the only reason I'm popping this bass up on the market is to slosh more funds towards the upright I'm playing now, and you know how that goes...

The smaller-housing pickups are wired similar to a P-bass split pickup. Check out the nice heavy-duty knob and jack plate as well as the nice through-body bridge. The hardware is great and gig-ready on this fella.