NBD (non-Guild content)

[Minnesota Flats]

Got this Fender "Player" P/J (MIM) Bass pretty recently.

White Mustang is an MIJ Re-pop I picked up a decade+ ago. I really like these two basses. The necks feel pretty "Starfire-like" although, due to the differences in bridge placement, number of frets and body size, the Mustangs "feel" much smaller and ergonomically different, over-all.



MIJ Mustang Bass re-pop:
•30" scale length
•rosewood fretboard with 7-1/4" radius
•19, narrow "vintage-style" frets
•1-1/2" wide nut
•"string-through" bridge
•string spacing at bridge 17mm
•gloss-finish neck (poly)
•stock pups replaced with Nordstrand NM4s

MIM Mustang "Player" P/J:
•30" scale length
•maple fretboard with 9-1/2" radius
•19, "medium jumbo" frets
•1-1/2" wide nut
•top-load bridge
•string spacing at bridge 18mm/19mm
•satin-finish neck (poly)
•stock, "P/J" pups

Main shortcoming of the "Playert/PJ" is mismatched pup output, which I anticipated, having read numerous comments to that effect in reviews prior to purchase. Doesn't make the bass "unusable": it's just that the "J/bridge" pup is noticeably weak compared to the "P". It adds some nuance in the middle, selector switch position, but is pretty thin on its own.

I may swap in some replacements at a future date since I'm happy with the ergonomics, physical aesthetics and overall craftsmanship of the instrument on the whole. Here are a couple sets I'm considering:

Aguilar DCB 4P/J-HC

Aguilar DCB-4PJ 4-string Dual Ceramic PJ Bass Pickup Set

Full-bodied tone with a rich sustain characterizes the sound of the DCB series. Using our dual ceramic bar design, these pickups introduce a new and unique voice for PJ style basses. These passive, hum-cancelling pickups are engineered to deliver higher output versus traditional passive pickups...

shop.aguilaramp.com

DiMarzio Relentless PJ set:

Relentless PJ™ Pair | DiMarzio

DiMarzio pickups embody equal parts tradition, innovation and invention, not only in their individual design but also in the way they complement one another. The Relentless PJ set delivers a thunder-and-lightning example of these idealized combinations, pairing a Relentless J™ bridge pickup with...

www.dimarzio.com

The EMG GZR PJs also seem to have a lot of fans:

GZR PJ

EMG along with legendary artist Geezer Butler have collaborated to develop the GZR-P and GZR-PJ signature bass pickup sets. The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame bass player started working with EMG founder Rob Turner in 2011, looking to recreate the classic bass tones he had in Black Sabbath’s early...

www.emgpickups.com

If anyone else has tried any of these sets, or would like to suggest an entirely different set, feel free to chime in with your comments. I've used DiMarzio DP-123 and DP-127 pups in the past and been very happy with them. The Aguilars and EMGs I haven't tried before.

I play finger-style pretty exclusively and my taste in music tends towards late-'60s/early-'70s rock, urban/electrified blues and "Americana". I usually string with flats but am having fun working out on the rounds that came on this bass since I haven't used any in quite awhile.

Really like the feel of the satin finish on the neck on the "Player".

 

[GGJaguar]

Mustang Basses are underrated.

 

[mellowgerman]

Based upon my experiments, I can indeed recommend some replacement pickups...
(Dark Star + Dimarzio Model One - which surprisingly humcancelled when the Dimarzio was in single-coil mode!)

All extreme modifications aside though, I would recommend looking into Bartolini Classic P/J sets! I'm a big fan of their clean and clear, warm tones. Should note though, they do explicitly state in their description that the P inherently has more output than the J, so if you're looking to get an output-matched set, they may not be the ones.

Classic PJ Sets - Bartolini Pickups & Electronics

Our Classic P-Bass® pickups have enhanced treble response and narrower apertures for more incisive attack and focused sound without harshness. This P-J set is designed for players who need P and J voices in one instrument. The P neck pickup has a higher output than the J bridge pickup in the...

bartolini.net

 

[Minnesota Flats]

Should note though, they do explicitly state in their description that the P inherently has more output than the J, so if you're looking to get an output-matched set, they may not be the ones.

Well, that wouldn't be the end of the world.

I was originally looking at the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang Bass '60s (which looks like pretty good bang for the buck) to put an NS BiSonic into (since I have a couple of spares lying about). But then the "Player" kinda caught my eye, partly because the overall quality of materials and craftsmanship would be a bit better and partly because I wanted the maple board and a non-opaque finish (since I'm a sucker for wood grain and 'burst).

I can live with these pups, since they offer something different from the NM4s in the MIJ, My main complaint is that if you switch to the bridge only from the "P" or "P"+"J" position, there's a pretty abrupt volume drop off.

We shall see...

 

[mellowgerman]

Well, that wouldn't be the end of the world.

I was originally looking at the Squier Classic Vibe Mustang Bass '60s (which looks like pretty good bang for the buck) to put an NS BiSonic into (since I have a couple of spares lying about). But then the "Player" kinda caught my eye, partly because the overall quality of materials and craftsmanship would be a bit better and partly because I wanted the maple board and a non-opaque finish (since I'm a sucker for wood grain and 'burst).

I can live with these pups, since they offer something different from the NM4s in the MIJ, My main complaint is that if you switch to the bridge only from the "P" or "P"+"J" position, there's a pretty abrupt volume drop off.

We shall see...

In that case, it might be worth while to look for a beefy humbucking jazz pickup (Dimarzio Model J comes to mind), which would definitely increase your bridge pickup output, while also eliminating hum from the equation entirely, since your precision pickup is already hum cancelling.

I had the model J pickups in a USA Jazz bass and really liked them. They almost have more of a throaty precision pickup sound actually and as a bonus, the pole pieces are all height adjustable!

 

[Minnesota Flats]

I had the model J pickups in a USA Jazz bass and really liked them. They almost have more of a throaty precision pickup sound actually and as a bonus, the pole pieces are all height adjustable!

In addition to their sound, I too really like those individually-adjustable pieces of the DP-123s. I put a set in a short-scale, knock-off J-bass and am quite happy with them. DiMarzio gets a bad rap in some quarters, but not from me: I've found them to be an affordable option which (more importantly) yields some pleasing tone.

I put DP-127s in a cheap, short-scale, P-bass knockoff to deal with the fact that the string spacing on that particular bass didn't align well with standard, P-bass pole piece spacing. Since they are blades, the DP-127s mooted that issue. I really liked that one because it had a 1-1/2" wide nut but (unlike a "real" P-bass or J-bass) had 17mm string spacing at the bridge saddles, like a Starfire. Unfortunately, it later got stolen, which really pissed me off because I've never seen another one of those with a neck like that: they all have 19mm spacing at the saddles.

Ah, well, water under the bridge, now...

 

[chazmo]

Nice Mustangs, Flats!
Thanks for sharing them with us!

 

[Harp Tail]

The EMG Geezer Butler P-bass pickup, which I have in a 32' scale MIJ Squier P, sounds incredible, so I'd recommend you give the Geezer J-bass PU a good listen.