NGD: Fender Players II Mustang

  • Thread starter tele_pathic
  • Start date
  • This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate links like Ebay, Amazon, and others.

tele_pathic

Friend of Leo's
Ad Free Member
Joined
Aug 18, 2009
Posts
3,380
Age
53
Location
St. George, UT
Got a Fender Players II Mustang, 2024 MIM the other day with the thought that I would upgrade the tuners to Fender locking tuners and the pups to Seymour Duncan Vintage Stack Plus pups in both positions. I've been comparing it to my 2022 Fender Pro II Strat MIA, which right now has been modified to something like strat esquire with that DS VSP pup in the bridge. And dang man, not to sidetrack, that pup is soooo much quieter than the stock strat pups.

As I get older (I'm 53) and play less often, I thought maybe the 24" scale might be more comfortable. But honestly I don't know. I haven't had a new MIM guitar in decades, have been playing mostly American Teles and Strats. The new rosewood boards on the 2024 MIM guitars was the thing that sold me, a reason I wouldn't buy the Squier cuz it's indian laurel, which I don't like.

Also, I got the MIM because of the hardtail bridge as I've read that the Mustang bridge can be a pita to keep in tune and healthy, which is why I didn't get the Squier CV Mustang.

Playability wise: I thought I'd notice that the 24" was a lot easier to play. And it's a lot easier to bend, which I expected. I thought maybe barre chords like F# and F might be a lot easier to play, less of a stretch (again, back to the not 20 anymore and less frequent playing/stretching of fingers), but in reality, it's meh, not as dramatic a difference as I thought it would be.

Still I thought I'd buy the MIM Mustang, then sell the MIA strat and pay off a bill. Does that seem crazy, to go from a MIA to a MIM? Is that a downgrade? To go from a Strat to a Mustang? Weight is not really an issue as I sit when I play. Simplicity might be an issue as the strat, when in stock form, has A LOT more options than I use: I tend to stay on the bridge most of the time. So that's one win for the mustang. The stock Mustang pups SUCK!!! though, to my ears anyway, but again, I plan on putting in the SD Vintage Hot Stack PUPS this week, so that's not really an issue.

I like the color A LOT more than I expected that I would. Of course, I like the strat dark knight color too. Maybe I should write a pro-con list: Maybe y'all can help me with that. Answer this question: What are the pros of keeping the strat? Cons of keeping the strat? Pros of owning only a Mustang? Cons?

mustang 1.jpg
strat 1.jpg
 

thescarecrow

Tele-Holic
Joined
May 3, 2010
Posts
972
Age
69
Location
The Deep South
Nice guitar!
I had a Fender Duo-Sonic back around '65 and it was the same color as your guitar. Loved that guitar. Let it slip away...
 

Peegoo

Telefied
Ad Free Member
Joined
Oct 11, 2019
Posts
31,576
Location
Beast of Bourbon
Does that seem crazy, to go from a MIA to a MIM? Is that a downgrade? To go from a Strat to a Mustang?

Just because a guitar is more expensive or more feature-packed does not mean it's a "better" guitar for you.

The game involves finding the specific guitar that just works for your playing style. It could be a $20 rummage sale orphan guitar that you clean up, restring, and fall in love with.
 

AAT65

Doctor of Teleocity
Joined
May 29, 2016
Posts
10,008
Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Not a thing wrong with a Mustang… I played those MIM hard tail Mustangs back when they first came out (as the “Offset Series”) and I’ve always thought they were really nice guitars and fun to play. I like the slim slab bodies a lot. If you aren’t a trem-user then that hard tail version is a great choice.
The pickups are pretty low-output iirc but should sound pretty nice and clear. All depends what you sort of noises you like to make though.
 

Highway 49

Friend of Leo's
Joined
Mar 8, 2022
Posts
2,809
Age
125
Location
UK
Answer this question: What are the pros of keeping the strat? Cons of keeping the strat? Pros of owning only a Mustang? Cons?
I very much like the idea of owning only one electric guitar - it’s a kind of beautiful concept - a person and their guitar.
I’ve never played a Mustang and I don’t know what music you’re into but people as far apart as Molly Rankin (Alvvays) and Ty Segall seem to have been able to get them to do what they want, so maybe it would work for you … although if I was going to have just one guitar, I’d probably go with a Tele 🙂
 
Top