Mustang PS Special

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 4:26 am

So after having it for a few days i've noticed a few things.... 1) The tuners suck. The tuning is constantly slipping. I'll tune, then play for 15 mins and i have to recheck my tuning cuz shit just sounds reckless. I really think if i bought some better tuners it would fix this. I doubt there are any direct replacements but does anyone know what the peghole size is? I have a little experience with replacing and modding stuff but this thing is my new baby and most likely would take it in and have it done right. Any recommendations on good solid tuners? 2) my 3 way switch sucking fucks. It is obviously cheap and faulty. I'm going to get a new one for sure and hopefully have it installed at the same time as the tuners. 3) I like the bridge but the saddles seem kinda cheap and generic. Would it be worth the money to replace those with maybe graphite or something else. Is it worth it to replace them? If i'm sending it in for new tuners, saddles and switch should i just have the nut replaced also? I really love the feel size and sound of the guitar but i just feel like it can be even better.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:09 am

before swapping tuners put some real strings on it. they ship it with .09's
grab some .11s at the least and give it another shot.

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:14 am

A good setup will fix a lot of tuning problems too. Try the easy things first.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:21 am

serfx wrote:before swapping tuners put some real strings on it. they ship it with .09's
grab some .11s at the least and give it another shot.

The first thing i did was take off the 9's when i got it and put some 10's on. Would moving up to 11s make that much of a difference?

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:24 am

mixtape wrote:A good setup will fix a lot of tuning problems too. Try the easy things first.

I went thru and set it up and adjusted the intonation etc. It just wont stay in tune. I've set up all my guitars and basses and they don't slip like this one does. After a bit i notice that G B and E are anywhere from 1/16 step to 1/8 step flat. The whole guitar in general just seems to take a lot of work to actually tune like the tuners arent that accurate.

Haze · Post by **Haze** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:39 am

have you tried stretching the strings at all? make sure its properly set up before you drop coin on tuners that probably aren't as quality...

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 5:42 am

I really doubt it's the tuners. Are you used to short scale guitars? The guitar is almost always going to go a little flat but if you're noticing a problem, I would really switching strings and see if that helps.

what is wrong w/ the three way switch? I wouldn't even a very, very cheap switch should be experiencing problems this early and a switch change certainly isn't going to change the sound of the guitar.

I'm not sure why you would change the saddles based on the fact that they're "generic". I really like those strat saddles and unless you have a set that you like the feel of or there is something about them that you really like, I don't know why you would change them. Same for the nut. The nut should be fine, that's a really high quality Made in Japan guitar and those are issues that I may expect on a lower end MIM but not on that guitar.

None of the the things you mentioned, except for the tuners, are going to have a drastic change on your guitar and if everything is functional, I really recommend not changing things just to do it.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:28 am

SKC Willie wrote:I really doubt it's the tuners. Are you used to short scale guitars? The guitar is almost always going to go a little flat but if you're noticing a problem, I would really switching strings and see if that helps.

what is wrong w/ the three way switch? I wouldn't even a very, very cheap switch should be experiencing problems this early and a switch change certainly isn't going to change the sound of the guitar.

I'm not sure why you would change the saddles based on the fact that they're "generic". I really like those strat saddles and unless you have a set that you like the feel of or there is something about them that you really like, I don't know why you would change them. Same for the nut. The nut should be fine, that's a really high quality Made in Japan guitar and those are issues that I may expect on a lower end MIM but not on that guitar.

None of the the things you mentioned, except for the tuners, are going to have a drastic change on your guitar and if everything is functional, I really recommend not changing things just to do it.

I've never owned a short scale guitar no. I'm just not used to playing a guitar for 15 mins and having to retune it. It seems like something is slipping and the most logical place for that to happen seems to be the tuners. I played guitar for about 6 years in highschool doing general jamming and did jazz band and all that but switched to bass and i gig regularly doing that. So guitar is kinda secondary to me. In the past ive owned almost exclusively ibanez guitars and basses. So this whole adventure into Fender is new for me. Ive never had this issue on any guitar. Even my Ibanez 7 string with stock tuners will stay in tune solid for a few days of moderate noodling. As far as the switch goes it is just bad. If i tap it slightly up while in the bridge position, it will switch to neck-bridge even though its still in the bridge position. sometimes it sits half way between the two options and makes a scratchy noise. Ive heard of other people having similar problems.
That said, im kind of a tinkerer and for some reason no matter what guitar it is i have to fight the urge to try other things and upgrade this that and the other. For what i paid i shouldnt need to i guess. But the tuning thing really just bugs the shit out of me.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:33 am

Haze wrote:have you tried stretching the strings at all? make sure its properly set up before you drop coin on tuners that probably aren't as quality...

thats just it. I resrung, and stretched the stings. and ive been jamming on it a few days and still notice that if i tug on a string, any string, it will go flat. the more i tug on in the flatter it will get. do you think the strings are still "settling" even after a week?

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 6:37 am

something just seems "off" about it. Ive never taken a guitar in to get it set up "properly" but maybe i will take it ot my buddy's guitar shop and have him give it a one over and set it up and see if that helps.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:02 am

the tuning sucks and if you're a "tinkerer" you should replace the switch yourself. a 8 dollar soldering gun and a little patience will get you there and you'll learn how do it. (if you already know how to solder, ignore what I just said).

The tuners on those guitars are quality. Everything is. That guitar wasn't cheap but MIJ are really, really good quality. Actually, the biggest complaint about Fenders made in Japan is the pickups which you haven't even mentioned yet!

if you want to replace the tuners, any "vintage" size tuners will work. If you try to put modern style tuners on it, which I highly recommend against, as it would be an irreversible change, you would need to make the holes for the tuners bigger.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 7:48 am

SKC Willie wrote:the tuning sucks and if you're a "tinkerer" you should replace the switch yourself. a 8 dollar soldering gun and a little patience will get you there and you'll learn how do it. (if you already know how to solder, ignore what I just said).

The tuners on those guitars are quality. Everything is. That guitar wasn't cheap but MIJ are really, really good quality. Actually, the biggest complaint about Fenders made in Japan is the pickups which you haven't even mentioned yet!

if you want to replace the tuners, any "vintage" size tuners will work. If you try to put modern style tuners on it, which I highly recommend against, as it would be an irreversible change, you would need to make the holes for the tuners bigger.

I've a soldering gun and im pretty good with it. I've replaced pickup and pots etc before and I wired up my Ibanez i built out of random craigslist parts myself and it works. Maybe i'm just a little worried about tinkering with a guitar i spent $800 on new rather than a frankenstein cosmetically imperfect project. I don't have a full understanding of wiring etc. I'm good at looking at pictures on the interwebs and trial and error figuring things out. Which is cool on a project hobby guitar. But doing that to a sweet ass mint more expensive guitar worries me haha. If i knew 3 way switches were pretty standard and knew i could just look at how it was before i started, then disconnect and put everything back the same way it was on a new switch id be good to go. Maybe i just need to grow some balls and go for it.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:38 am

I actually really like the pickups. That was my worry coming into it and they've actually surpassed any expectations i could have ever had

singlepup · Post by **singlepup** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:51 am

Mattsican wrote:
serfx wrote:before swapping tuners put some real strings on it. they ship it with .09's
grab some .11s at the least and give it another shot.
The first thing i did was take off the 9's when i got it and put some 10's on. Would moving up to 11s make that much of a difference?

Some may disagree, but I always use 11's on a shortscale. I think it does make a difference compared to 10's.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 8:57 am

singlepickup24 wrote:
Mattsican wrote:
serfx wrote:before swapping tuners put some real strings on it. they ship it with .09's
grab some .11s at the least and give it another shot.
The first thing i did was take off the 9's when i got it and put some 10's on. Would moving up to 11s make that much of a difference?
Some may disagree, but I always use 11's on a shortscale. I think it does make a difference compared to 10's.

I'll def give that a shot then.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:20 am

No ones mentioned lubing ?

Try using pencil graphite in the nut grooves / string trees / and bridge saddles.... I bet that helps. The softer & darker the pencil the better and don't be shy. You can clean up around it afterwards.

Give the strings another yank as well, make sure they're fully stretched.

Also, check the neck pocket is closed up properly... I could see daylight through a factory fresh Fender the other day.

Mattsican · Post by **Mattsican** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:24 am

othomas2 wrote:No ones mentioned lubing ?

Try using pencil graphite in the nut grooves / string trees / and bridge saddles.... I bet that helps. The softer & darker the pencil the better and don't be shy. You can clean up around it afterwards.

Give the strings another yank as well, make sure they're fully stretched.

Also, check the neck pocket is closed up properly... I could see daylight through a factory fresh Fender the other day.

There were so many "that's what she said" possibilities in that post haha.... The neck pocket seems okay. I literally just ordered some 11's online so when i get them i'll make sure to "lube" everything well and give it a shot. I've been yanking on the strings quite a bit but i'll yank them some more... I just restrang my 7 earlier tonight and gave them the normal yank i give them and all is in line with them.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 9:48 am

Coolio, I would recommend running some of the excess string that is trimmed off from the 11. set and loosely working it through the grooves in a sawing fashion, don't dig too deep or press down to hard though. Several times will be sufficient. That'll also help if the strings are binding there, should take off any resistance.

weeping_moon · Post by **weeping_moon** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 10:24 am

if the pickups are to high they will make the guitar go out of tune in 15 min i noticed this on many guitars.
so try with to screw the pickups a little bit down and see if it helps.

DanHeron · Post by **DanHeron** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 12:17 pm

Pickups too high make the guitar go out of tune? Never heard that one before.