Buying a mustang

[MaMo]

I don't think anyone really meant to imply that the cij's generally have a flawed set up out of the factory, its just that its possible. It could happen to any guitar.

[ultraviolence]

I don't think anyone really meant to imply that the cij's generally have a flawed set up out of the factory, its just that its possible. It could happen to any guitar.

Well it seems that everyone thinks I'll have to set up the trem differently than they do?

[James]

Uhh...but the RI jap mustangs trems...what is so bad about the way they come from the factory?

It isn't so much the trem. If the guitar is intonated it will probably be intonated for 9s which are useless for mustang scale length and will not work well with the trem system. The dont create enough tension to counteract the tension from the strings. You'll want to use at least 11s, if not 12s or 13s. People often use one guage heavier on Gibson scale than they do Fender standard scales (say 9s for Fender, 10s for Gibsons), shortscales are shorter than that so 11s dont feel at all like they do on a strat or tele. They'll feel more like 9s or 10s do on those scale lengths.

I mention all that because if, and I imagine it's very rare, the guitar has been setup by the shop staff before sale, it will have been setup with the factory strings which will be too light for proper use.

My advice (without knowing what string guage you use now) would be to purchase the mustang you like based on specs/colour/what have you and check for the following things...

Have a glance down the neck from both ends to see if it looks straight. It's unlikely in a new instrument but possible that it will not be. Have a look along the edge of the neck to see if it runs nearly parrallel to the strings. If it drastically curves that is fixable but not something you want to deal with. As another check for that sort of thing, see how high the action is all over the fretboard, and fret each note (every string, every fret) once to check for areas where the notes fret out. Again that's unlikely on a new guitar but could happen.

That sorts the neck straightness side of things. As far as qeneral quality goes, run your hand up and down the side of the neck on the high e side a few times. Check for sharp fret edges. Check the low e side too but its less important. See how you like the general feel of the back of the neck.

Turn the pots and operate the switches just to check they arent at all scratchy and that they work as they should.

Those are the main things I'd check. Things like the pickups, you can change later if you find you don't quite get the tone you want.

After the purchase, string it up with at least 11s and see hoe the playability is then. If you feel like it you can tweak straight away but I'd give it a little while so you can get used to it and get a better idea of what you like to improve about the setup.

[Thom]

After the purchase, string it up with at least 11s and see hoe the playability is then. If you feel like it you can tweak straight away but I'd give it a little while so you can get used to it and get a better idea of what you like to improve about the setup.

This is good advice. Until you've played the guitar you're not going to be able to know if it's set up well, or rather, whether you like the way it is set up.

[ultraviolence]

Uhh...but the RI jap mustangs trems...what is so bad about the way they come from the factory?

It isn't so much the trem. If the guitar is intonated it will probably be intonated for 9s which are useless for mustang scale length and will not work well with the trem system. The dont create enough tension to counteract the tension from the strings. You'll want to use at least 11s, if not 12s or 13s. People often use one guage heavier on Gibson scale than they do Fender standard scales (say 9s for Fender, 10s for Gibsons), shortscales are shorter than that so 11s dont feel at all like they do on a strat or tele. They'll feel more like 9s or 10s do on those scale lengths.

I mention all that because if, and I imagine it's very rare, the guitar has been setup by the shop staff before sale, it will have been setup with the factory strings which will be too light for proper use.

My advice (without knowing what string guage you use now) would be to purchase the mustang you like based on specs/colour/what have you and check for the following things...

Have a glance down the neck from both ends to see if it looks straight. It's unlikely in a new instrument but possible that it will not be. Have a look along the edge of the neck to see if it runs nearly parrallel to the strings. If it drastically curves that is fixable but not something you want to deal with. As another check for that sort of thing, see how high the action is all over the fretboard, and fret each note (every string, every fret) once to check for areas where the notes fret out. Again that's unlikely on a new guitar but could happen.

That sorts the neck straightness side of things. As far as qeneral quality goes, run your hand up and down the side of the neck on the high e side a few times. Check for sharp fret edges. Check the low e side too but its less important. See how you like the general feel of the back of the neck.

Turn the pots and operate the switches just to check they arent at all scratchy and that they work as they should.

Those are the main things I'd check. Things like the pickups, you can change later if you find you don't quite get the tone you want.

After the purchase, string it up with at least 11s and see hoe the playability is then. If you feel like it you can tweak straight away but I'd give it a little while so you can get used to it and get a better idea of what you like to improve about the setup.

11's...really? i thought 10's worked well on my jagmaster...I guess I'll stick with 10's, and if i feel like it's time for a change I will get 11's...thanks for the help.

[James]

Is the jagmaster a 24" one?

The mustang trem spring applies a set amount of tension and I'd say you'd want at least 11s to match that so the trem arm sits in a comfortable place. If you're happy with 10s and the trem works in a way you're comfortable with then you have no problem. 10s are definitely on the light side for a 24" scale guitar though.

[stewart]

After the purchase, string it up with at least 11s and see hoe the playability is then. If you feel like it you can tweak straight away but I'd give it a little while so you can get used to it and get a better idea of what you like to improve about the setup.

This is good advice. Until you've played the guitar you're not going to be able to know if it's set up well, or rather, whether you like the way it is set up.

exactly what i was about to write... play it first.

You'll want to use at least 11s, if not 12s or 13s.

and this is also good advice... 10s are probably not heavy enough, to be honest.

[ultraviolence]

After the purchase, string it up with at least 11s and see hoe the playability is then. If you feel like it you can tweak straight away but I'd give it a little while so you can get used to it and get a better idea of what you like to improve about the setup.

This is good advice. Until you've played the guitar you're not going to be able to know if it's set up well, or rather, whether you like the way it is set up.

exactly what i was about to write... play it first.

You'll want to use at least 11s, if not 12s or 13s.

and this is also good advice... 10s are probably not heavy enough, to be honest.

hmmm, well maybe not, I (think) Cobain used 10's, and I think Mark Arm too on their mustangs, like I said I like the way they are on my jagmaster, but maybe i'll try new ones in two weeks or so.

Is the jagmaster a 24" one?

The mustang trem spring applies a set amount of tension and I'd say you'd want at least 11s to match that so the trem arm sits in a comfortable place. If you're happy with 10s and the trem works in a way you're comfortable with then you have no problem. 10s are definitely on the light side for a 24" scale guitar though.

uhhh...It's the newest one so I think it is.

9's were pretty shitty on my jagmaster.

I don't really use the trem much..even when I am just fucking around on my guitars at home. and I never use them at gigs.

how does the mustang keep tune? (i never really played it for long periods at time, I feel really uncomfortable at guitar stores when there's like 30 metal heads shredding stupidly next to me, and I'm playing my own songs that are pretty much power chord progressions, with the odd bluesy fill, with fun/simple solos)

[Thom]

how does the mustang keep tune? (i never really played it for long periods at time, I feel really uncomfortable at guitar stores when there's like 30 metal heads shredding stupidly next to me, and I'm playing my own songs that are pretty much power chord progressions, with the odd bluesy fill, with fun/simple solos)

It keeps tune just fine, and don't let anyone tell you otherwise. If well set up, even heavy trem use will not put it out of tune.
I used to have 10's on my Mustang, and they suited me - each to their own.

[laterallateral]

Uh oh...

Dude? When was the last time you were at Steve's?

That red stang has been GOAN for a while, now... Even if that weren't the case, you would not have wanted to pay full price for it, anyway cause of that thing I told you about the drop, right? ...And knowing the staff at Steve's, they would have told you to go eat a bag of dicks, if you so much as implied wanting a price reduction based on this. Problem is, these boys don't restock the offsets like they restock the rest of their merchandise. I was there last week and the only thing offset they had was one AVRI Jaguar, one AVRI Jazzmaster and one Jaguar HH Special that's been hanging around since forever.

This fucking blows and I don't want to crush your spirit or nothing but I think you may be out of luck picking one up locally. I know Archambault doesn't have any cause I was there 15 minutes ago.

My suggestion to you, is to call around like, RIGHT NOW and see if anybody in town is holding. If not, (I know this is gonna super suck but...) I recommend you order one from Archambault. If you use a little force on them, they WILL give you a free setup. I've seen them give away free setups on $200-$300 purchases before!

[astro]

I used to have 10s on my mustang... never had a problem with tuning stability. I switched to 11s because I wanted increase tension, but there was nothing wrong functionally with having 10's on it.

[Mike]

hmmm, well maybe not, I (think) Cobain used 10's, and I think Mark Arm too on their mustangs

Kurt Cobain is dead. He shot himself in the face.

Mark Arm is in a rubbish band.

How about you try some 11s?

[ultraviolence]

Uh oh...

Dude? When was the last time you were at Steve's?

That red stang has been GOAN for a while, now... Even if that weren't the case, you would not have wanted to pay full price for it, anyway cause of that thing I told you about the drop, right? ...And knowing the staff at Steve's, they would have told you to go eat a bag of dicks, if you so much as implied wanting a price reduction based on this. Problem is, these boys don't restock the offsets like they restock the rest of their merchandise. I was there last week and the only thing offset they had was one AVRI Jaguar, one AVRI Jazzmaster and one Jaguar HH Special that's been hanging around since forever.

This fucking blows and I don't want to crush your spirit or nothing but I think you may be out of luck picking one up locally. I know Archambault doesn't have any cause I was there 15 minutes ago.

My suggestion to you, is to call around like, RIGHT NOW and see if anybody in town is holding. If not, (I know this is gonna super suck but...) I recommend you order one from Archambault. If you use a little force on them, they WILL give you a free setup. I've seen them give away free setups on $200-$300 purchases before!

I know the red mustang has been gone for a while, any time I've seen one there it's been the blue one.

I called up like a week ago and they said they had one.... The problem is if neither steve's or archambault..or any other guitar shop have one it'll take archambault 4-6 weeks to get one in, and it will take steve's 2-3 weeks. Also, at Steve's you can negotiate with the salesperson, you can't at Archambault.

Maybe steve's has one in the back? I dunno...anyways I think i'm probably gonna make like a 200$ deposit on one (if they have it in stock) on monday or tuesday, dunno if i'll be able to get it on (next) friday cause I think I may have to loan someone some cash again.

hmmm, well maybe not, I (think) Cobain used 10's, and I think Mark Arm too on their mustangs

Kurt Cobain is dead. He shot himself in the face.

Mark Arm is in a rubbish band.

How about you try some 11s?

What does being dead have to do with a fact?

Mudhoney is a great band, and that still has nothing to do with my point.

Like I said if I like the way 10's feel as much as I do on my jagmaster I'll probably keep the on the mustang, if not i'll try 11's.