Mustang Bass vs P Bass

[JenderBazzFass]

This is a question for anyone who's spent time with a Mustang Bass, but especially anyone who's used one on stage. I am thinking of the traditional split Mustang Bass pickup configuration, not the modern P or the PJ varieties.

I've been reading a lot recently about the Mustang Bass, which has kind of resurged in recent years especially in the indie music scene. I have not found any to try out locally, but the prospect is very interesting.

The sound is described by one artist I admire as being very focused with respect to the fundamental, as sitting very well in a mix, slicing through effortlessly. Some people describe the Mustang Bass as having more punch or more twang. At the same time, people sometimes say they have a tubbiness or more low-mid than a P due to the scale length. Others say they are very similar to the P sound.

Here's an example of a Mustang Bass tone that sounds quite nice to me:
I like the normal tone and the overdriven tone at the end.

The question:

Playing a long scale isn't a problem for me, and I already have a Precision Bass.

To those who've owned a Mustang Bass or used one live, do you think they are different enough from your P to warrant having both?

How would you described the differences in the tones and the feel?

What I have in my mind is perhaps a Mustang Bass fitted with Fender 9050s, played finger style but often picked like this as well. (I like those strings as a balance between a more traditional flatwound sound and a round sound, and as flats that have a good sound when picked)

Anyone owned both a Mustang Bass and a P-Bass? I'd never get rid of my P, but I wonder if having both makes sense, or if they are pretty similar in the end.

Thanks!

 

[Brandon Shea]

Longer reply, TL;DR at the bottom.

I've been playing bass on and off since ~2004. Got my first P bass in 2009 (Fender Classic Series 50s Precision), and I immediately fell in love with the sound. Life happened and I eventually started playing less, and when I moved across the country in 2015, I left that bass behind with a friend.

Fast forward to 2020: pandemic hits, I'm living in an apartment, and I want to get back into bass. I figured I'd go all-in and get an American Performer Mustang since I'm an adult and I can afford it now. I immediately loved how light and comfortable the bass felt, but since I was so out of practice, I didn't worry too much about the tone; that would come back with time. I just knew that I wanted a split coil pickup because I loved the sounds I got from my P bass.

Earlier this year, I really got the itch to have a "normal" P bass again because I just couldn't get the Mustang to sound the way I wanted it to. I got my old Fender back and put flats on it, and I also got a Sire P8 with rounds. The Sire has probably accounted for 90% of my playtime since it arrived, and I almost always use it with the blend rolled 100% to the split coil pickup in passive mode. The mids in particular sound much clearer than what I had gotten used to with my Mustang, and I no longer feel tempted to spend extra time tweaking the EQ on my amp looking for some magical setting that'll make it all sound right.

Something about the Mustang's split coil pickup just doesn't work for me, and I realize now that I've never actually liked the way this one sounds on its own. It sounds good with the bridge pickup blended in, and the bridge pickup alone sounds awesome (albeit extremely noisy), but nothing I do seems to fix what I'm hearing from the little Mustang pickup. It's honestly been kind of frustrating. I've also been disappointed by how noisy both pickups are in isolation. I expected that from the bridge pickup, but I had never experienced similar hum on any split coil pickups.

All that is to say: I really recommend finding one to try before you commit to it. My Mustang is really fun and extremely comfortable, but I don't reach for it often now that I have other basses in my arsenal. I hoped it would sound like a P bass, but that hasn't been my experience.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

Longer reply, TL;DR at the bottom.

I've been playing bass on and off since ~2004. Got my first P bass in 2009 (Fender Classic Series 50s Precision), and I immediately fell in love with the sound. Life happened and I eventually started playing less, and when I moved across the country in 2015, I left that bass behind with a friend.

Fast forward to 2020: pandemic hits, I'm living in an apartment, and I want to get back into bass. I figured I'd go all-in and get an American Performer Mustang since I'm an adult and I can afford it now. I immediately loved how light and comfortable the bass felt, but since I was so out of practice, I didn't worry too much about the tone; that would come back with time. I just knew that I wanted a split coil pickup because I loved the sounds I got from my P bass.

Earlier this year, I really got the itch to have a "normal" P bass again because I just couldn't get the Mustang to sound the way I wanted it to. I got my old Fender back and put flats on it, and I also got a Sire P8 with rounds. The Sire has probably accounted for 90% of my playtime since it arrived, and I almost always use it with the blend rolled 100% to the split coil pickup in passive mode. The mids in particular sound much clearer than what I had gotten used to with my Mustang, and I no longer feel tempted to spend extra time tweaking the EQ on my amp looking for some magical setting that'll make it all sound right.

Something about the Mustang's split coil pickup just doesn't work for me, and I realize now that I've never actually liked the way this one sounds on its own. It sounds good with the bridge pickup blended in, and the bridge pickup alone sounds awesome (albeit extremely noisy), but nothing I do seems to fix what I'm hearing from the little Mustang pickup. It's honestly been kind of frustrating. I've also been disappointed by how noisy both pickups are in isolation. I expected that from the bridge pickup, but I had never experienced similar hum on any split coil pickups.

All that is to say: I really recommend finding one to try before you commit to it. My Mustang is really fun and extremely comfortable, but I don't reach for it often now that I have other basses in my arsenal. I hoped it would sound like a P bass, but that hasn't been my experience.

Thank you for your thoughts, and for taking the time to make such a thoughtful post!

 

[Bertone]

I am also a P bass player thinking about a mustang.. check out this great video, compares different Mustangs. American performer not getting great reviews in the video..

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I am also a P bass player thinking about a mustang.. check out this great video, compares different Mustangs. American performer not getting great reviews in the video..

That was a really great video, one of the best review videos I've seen.

Not only do I appreciate seeing the EQ of each bass, I really appreciate a reviewer who isn't afraid to be critical, or critical of the most expensive one even in a vendor sponsored video.

 

[kevinpmajka]

I've had numerous Precisions and 2 JMJ Sig Mustang Basses.

I like playing the JMJ mustang basses a ton. I think they have a great fundamental and overtones in a more focused way than a precision pickup. I ultimately sold them and rebought and resold due to the scale length. To me it was a challenge going back and forth between 34" and 30".

Deluxe Option:
I would buy a used JMJ Mustang bass - stock. You can try the Fender strings - they are nice, but the LaBella 760-MUS mustang specific strings are great. They have a great pickup and a comfortable but not small neck. I play country music and blues quite a bit - they sing for both. It would do well in a band with a lot of instruments too since it pokes through differently than a p bass.

Budget option:
Check out the Harley Benton MV-4MSB. It's a mustang similar to the MIM PJ mustang. They are inexpensive and you could replace the switch, harness, jack, and pickups. (I would just run the p pickup and disconnect the J (just use it as a finger rest).

If you can wire things on your own and buy some used pickups from the classifieds, you would be going for well under $400.

 

[_One//Man//Mutiny_]

If you’re on the fence about a Mustang, the Classic vibe is my favorite out of the bunch in stock form. Just pull back the tone knob to 75-50% and it fattens up, I only sold mine to get a Vintera II Mustang, which has a much mellower pickup, I have a Nordstrand NM4 I’ve yet to put in it.
It is definitely a cousin of the P bass but it does have a looser less pointed sound, it can definitely sing and has plenty of snap when you attack it. They are more similar than different just ones smaller than the other, which is where I think the lower tension of the Mustang comes into its own over the P bass. You can give it more finesse and the smaller scale makes it seem effortless to get up and down the fretboard

 

[bftbassman]

I switched to Mustang recently & but not until i found the P sound i wanted. It is with Fender JMJ, its right on for me. live & mix

 

[bluetex_]

The neck is a Huge selling point for me. It feels effortless. I own one of everything in my bass mob, jazz, precision, jaguar, mustang, and 5 string precision. Right now the Mustang neck is my favorite.

 

[J Wilson]

Mustangs feel like toys to me (I'm six foot, 44-long) and the originals just aren't for me, the pickups were barely OK for me. Maybe . . . the P/J versions would do, but it's still tiny. Would not be a replacement for a Precision for me but may fit others perfectly.

I've played long-scale forever and Mustangs or Hofners feel like kiddie basses, just too short.

 

[bluetex_]

Mustangs feel like toys to me (I'm six foot, 44-long) and the originals just aren't for me, the pickups were barely OK for me. Maybe . . . the P/J versions would do, but it's still tiny. Would not be a replacement for a Precision for me but may fit others perfectly.

I've played long-scale forever and Mustangs or Hofners feel like kiddie basses, just too short.

I’m 5’7”. I can see how short scale might fit me better kinda like airplane seats do.

 

[iiipopes]

On my 30-inch Mitchell short scale travel bass, I re-engineered the pickup rout and covers so I could use a Nordy Mustang replacement. It has dual poles per string and a little more wire than a stock vintage Mustang pickup. It keeps the Mustang vibe, but it does approach a P-style tone as well. Great, versatile pickup.

 

[J Wilson]

I’m 5’7”. I can see how short scale might fit me better kinda like airplane seats do.

Exactly. We often get requests from folks that a Precision or Jazz-scale instrument is just too big, and these days medium and short scale axes are great, not the under-developed and overlooked 'beginner' basses they were cast as for far too long. I often think a big part of the Ibanez Soundgear series success is that they are about as small as a long-scale bass can be, opening them as a real choice for folks that are a bit smaller in stature: We all come in many different sizes.

 

[IPA]

I've tried to make mustangs work. I love Air and Sloan and a few other mustang fueled bands but I don't like mustangs when I play them. Even with string changes I can never get them where I like them tonally. And ergonomically I'm just used to the dimensions of a P or J.

 

[Mildew Jones]

I play both Mustang, and P in various bands. Mustang actually, only in a Stones tribute. I eased into the water with a Squier Mustang from Sweetwater. It plays like a dream, set up beautiful out of the box, I highly recommend the La Bella Mustang flats. I'd love to upgrade to a JMJ 'Stang, we'll see.
I love the Mustang sound with the single split pickup. I hear King Gizzard tone when I play it, a good thing!

 

[buldog5151bass]

If you aren't SURE there is a big musical difference, you have your answer. For two decades, I played the same bass for rock (originals and covers), jazz, pit band, and church folk group. No one ever complained about my tone. If it weren't 11 pounds, it would be my only fretted bass for almost 4 decades.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

I've had numerous Precisions and 2 JMJ Sig Mustang Basses.

I like playing the JMJ mustang basses a ton. I think they have a great fundamental and overtones in a more focused way than a precision pickup. I ultimately sold them and rebought and resold due to the scale length. To me it was a challenge going back and forth between 34" and 30".

Deluxe Option:
I would buy a used JMJ Mustang bass - stock. You can try the Fender strings - they are nice, but the LaBella 760-MUS mustang specific strings are great. They have a great pickup and a comfortable but not small neck. I play country music and blues quite a bit - they sing for both. It would do well in a band with a lot of instruments too since it pokes through differently than a p bass.

Budget option:
Check out the Harley Benton MV-4MSB. It's a mustang similar to the MIM PJ mustang. They are inexpensive and you could replace the switch, harness, jack, and pickups. (I would just run the p pickup and disconnect the J (just use it as a finger rest).

If you can wire things on your own and buy some used pickups from the classifieds, you would be going for well under $400.

View attachment 5463113

Thanks for writing all that out. The JMJ looks very interesting and does get glowing reviews. Maybe I'll be able to find one used at a decent price.

 

[JenderBazzFass]

Mustangs feel like toys to me (I'm six foot, 44-long) and the originals just aren't for me, the pickups were barely OK for me. Maybe . . . the P/J versions would do, but it's still tiny. Would not be a replacement for a Precision for me but may fit others perfectly.

I've played long-scale forever and Mustangs or Hofners feel like kiddie basses, just too short.

I'm 6'3", and I am almost always playing a P, so the 34" scale is fine with me and it's not a question of needing something smaller to play comfortably. I just notice players I respect saying the Mustang Bass has even more of the focus/cutting through quality that the P is known for.

I also played Fender electrics for years which are 25.5" scale without issues, but I can see that switching between two scales on a bass between songs might be disorienting.

 

[Prodigus Filius]

 

[Fat Bottom Kyle]

fender jmj with labella flats or the fender flats it comes with just slices through the mix in a band setting. It pops and thumps. I think it punches a bit harder in the mix than a p Bass, but I prefer playing my P bass and feel it is more of an all around great sound. Both are good options and not going to let you down. I had the performer mustang, the Japanese mustang, and the JMJ (both colors). The JMJ is something special and superior to the others to my ears. I like to slap though and the long scales are my thing as of late. Good luck!