A Mustang measurement

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:34 am

I wish I had a Mustang to measure for myself - but can anyone tell me how much string length they have behind the bridge? I'm thinking about the part of the string which goes through the vibrato bar, wraps around and heads up to the bridge saddles.
This is for my "Mustang VI" project - trying to get an approximation of a VI using a shortscale neck, a Jazz Bass body and a Mustang trem/bridge because of body spacing issues. I need to know how far off the string length will be from a real VI, which uses a Jag trem of course, but closer to the bridge than a Jag. I suspect the Mustang's wraparound tailpiece might add enough length for the two to measure the same behind the bridge.
The reason I need to know is because strings for the VI have a taper to fit the Kluson style tuners, which has to start at the right place along the string length, including the part behind the bridge.
Of course, fitting VI strings through a Mustang bridge will be an interesting job as well.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:48 am

it's roughly 6.25cm, if i understand you correctly.

that's from the back ridge of the bridge, and taking into account the amount of string that wraps around the tailpiece. without that it's 5cm from the back of the bridge to the far end of the tailpiece, looking at it from above.

MattK · Post by **MattK** » Tue Jan 05, 2010 11:55 am

Fantastic - thanks very much. What a helpful place Shortscale is.
If anyone is changing strings and could try putting a Sharpie marker dot where a string crosses the bridge, and measure from the ball end to the mark when the string is off, that would be a great backup measurement. I will try to figure out what the equivalent measurement is on a VI, think I saw it mentioned somewhere.