making bridge pickup sound good

blacktaxi · Post by **blacktaxi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:25 pm

so how do you guys do this? i mean the clean sounds.
my mustang sounds too thin in bridge position, compared to neck. i've experimented with different volume/tone values, pickup height. the only thing that offsets this problem is really turning up bass on the amp, but then the neck pickup sounds too boomy!

i know, it is impossible to make my mustang sound like a Tele, but i'd really like to

any tips?

Post by **Mike** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:31 pm

Do you have a '69 Reissue perchance?

Generally bridge pickups should sound great, but those stock RI '69 Pickups are wank. You can try raising it and rolling off the tone a small about.
Also angle up the neck pickup treble side.

kim · Post by **kim** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:33 pm

hm.. i think it's one of those things about stangs you actually love or hate, if you think it sounds too thin (though i wouldn't say 'thin'.. rather .. nasal) then maybe it's not your sort of thing. guess it depends on the pickups in there, string gauge, when it was made etc. ..and how picky you are

i know i'm not too picky and i love the nasal sound of my mustang, it's why i stick with it, it cuts through, there's no other guitars or bass in my band so i guess it's a weird option to use a mustang, i don't switch much between pickups though, usually i only use the bridge pickup, sometimes i switch to 'both' for heavier slow stuff.

i don't know what sort of mustang you have or the string gauge you use .. can make quite a difference. also i tune to D and sometimes drop the top string to C..

oh and it's a wank 69 cij

i think i just have bad taste in sound

blacktaxi · Post by **blacktaxi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 3:43 pm

i have an MG-66, replaced stock pickups with DiMarzio Area. (Area'61 in bridge, 58 in neck position). they sound very similar to stock pickups, or most strat pickups for that matter, but they have more clarity than stock ones, and are noise-cancelling.

do use .010s, and tune to concert, or half-step down sometimes.

i like how the neck pickup sounds, and i like the bridge when there's some amount of distortion - sounds very clear and with distinct notes when crunchy. but when clean it sounds too trebley, and when amp pushed just slightly - it's an ice pick in your ear! i'd describe this as great lack of bass.

that's a nice idea there, Mike. i think i'll try lowering the neck pickup more when i get home, especially on the bass side. then to compensate, i'll turn up bass on the amp... hope this will do the trick!

can't wait!

kim · Post by **kim** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:11 pm

10's ???

blacktaxi · Post by **blacktaxi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 4:48 pm

heavium wrote:10's ???

so what? excuse my girly hands

so how do you think, is it possible to make mustang sound close to a tele?

fuck, everything becomes more expensive every day in here... that G&L tele i was considering is kinda outta my price range now

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 8:54 pm

hmm I dont think theres much you can do. Maybe experiment with the tone knobs on your amp and guitar. I have a 69ri and it doesn't sound too thin, i like it anyway.

Reece · Post by **Reece** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:06 pm

buy a telecaster.

you're not going to get a tele bridge pickup sound out of a mustang, you're going to get a mustang bridge pickup sound.

it appears you have bought the wrong guitar for what you want.

blacktaxi · Post by **blacktaxi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:10 pm

so i did it, i raised bridge pickup a bit even more, and lowered neck pickup, to the point that i can't lower it anymore on the bass side.

i am much much happier with the sound now! it didn't make a tele from my mustang, but the bridge pickup is really playable now for me, so i guess the neck pickup was just too damn high.

thanks fellas!

edit: to clarify - i also increased bass amount on my amp, so now bridge pickup sounds fine, and neck pickup doesn't sound too boomy.

blacktaxi · Post by **blacktaxi** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:13 pm

Zaphod wrote:buy a telecaster.

you're not going to get a tele bridge pickup sound out of a mustang, you're going to get a mustang bridge pickup sound.

it appears you have bought the wrong guitar for what you want.

nah, it's fine, i really like this mustang. previously i almost always played the neck pickup, and used the bridge only for high gain harmonics wankery. but recently i was watching a lot country players clips on youtube and am really getting into it

as soon as it gets easier with monies, i am getting a tele, most likely a G&L.

aen · Post by **aen** » Wed Mar 11, 2009 9:25 pm

I always just play a telecaster through a good amp.

hwestman · Post by **hwestman** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 12:43 pm

I don't know if they use the exact same unit for the bridge and neck position... but I would guess so.

Personally I have never been really happy with identical pickups in both positions. The bridge unit really should be slightly beefier and/or the neck pickup less bassy in order to have a good balance when you switch between the two.

I have no hands on experience with mustangs but don't they accept strat pickups without any mods?

If so, there are severeal makers who make tele-ish strat pickups with bottom plates.

Of course it wouldn't sound exactly like it bc of the differences in scale lenght and bridge construction... but they'd probably give you a beefier bridge pickup tone and take you a little closer to the tele sound you are lusting for.

Post by **Mike** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:09 pm

They're identical, I had a pair and measured them.

hwestman · Post by **hwestman** » Mon Aug 17, 2009 1:42 pm

Mike wrote:They're identical, I had a pair and measured them.

Then upgrading the bridge pickup probably will give the best bang for the buck. I don't find neck pickup quality to be as critical. IMHO they tend to sound fine whereas generic pickups tend to be pretty sharp and brittle in the bridge position...

Justyn · Post by **Justyn** » Sat Sep 19, 2009 12:24 am

Coil tap / different value pots I guess