The world of music is a vast field full of endless flavors and characteristics. Music has different genres that suit your mood and personality. It comes in many forms and style which reflects different emotions and conveys different messages. Music comes in different genres. It can be acoustic, classical, mellow, pop, rock, and metal, among others. It can be played by a person using different instruments, a band, orchestra, and many more.
Among the most popular means of playing music is playing it in a band. Bands have been inevitable for so many decades, and it has been gaining popularity more and more. A rock band or a pop band is a small group that performs pop or rock music. A common band is composed of guitars and keyboards (an electric piano, Hammond organ or synthesizer), a drum kit, a bass guitar, and one or two singers. Perhaps the most underrated instrument in a band is the bass guitar.
Sounds and Playability
Fender Mustangs are built to give bassist an ultimate experience in terms of visual design, sounds, and playability. Pick up selector are placed in the midsection that allows the bass to give a low and all-around tone. It allows you to play with plenty of variation. The Fender Mustang is extremely comfortable to play with a mix of a classic and modern vibe. The Fender Mustang cannot be easily compared to other bass guitars as it embraces a unique appeal and vibe. The tone is solid; the sound is not barking; it is deep low, providing a full bass tone. The neck playability is good, which gives comfort when you play it.
What is Fender Mustang Bass?
The name Clarence Leo Fender is synonymous with bass guitars. The innovative guitars were invented and introduced by Fender in 1951, and since then, guitar bass has marked its place in the music industry. The first Mustang Bass was introduced in 1966. A Mustang Bass has an oval-shaped single split-coil pickup. It has a chrome plate volume and tone control. The strings are loaded through the rear of the body, and it has a large bridge plate, individual string saddles, and foam mutes. In later years the Mustang bass was modified, built using poplar or ash bodies dressed in natural, black, walnut, and wine red finishes.
They mostly have black pickguards, but others have sunbursts or white.
Fender mustang is Iconic in the music industry, especially if we talk about guitars. Fender, no doubt, established the foundation on the evolution of bass guitar. If you are on a lookout of which mustang guitar to get, here’s a list of the top fenders mustang guitar for 2020.
1) Fender American Performer Mustang Bass
- 4-String Electric Bass
- Built with Alder Body
- Maple Neck
- Rosewood Fingerboard
- It has the new 2 Single-coil pickups
The new American Performer Mustang Bass has increased-output Yosemite Alnico V passive pickups. It has additional Jazz Bass pickup with flat staggered pole pieces that are meant to provide balance, punch, and clarity. It has independent volume controls for each pickup. It also has master control. The American Performer Mustang Bass has a Grease bucket tone control allowing you to roll highs without affecting the volume. It allows your fingers to glide smoothly and with ease. The new American Performer Mustang Bass has independent master tone control that will allow you to play any kind of music.
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2) Fender JMJ Signature Series Road Worn Mustang Bass
- Has a 30″-scale maple neck; 9.5″-radius rosewood fingerboard
- Aged Pearl pickguard
- Road Worn Daphne Blue Lacquer Finish
- Custom-spec split-coil Mustang pickup
- Vintage Style Hardware
- Hipshot tuner
The Fender JMJ Signature Series Road Worn Mustang Bass has an amazing neck or a maple neck with rosewood fretboard making playing very comfortable. This bass is shorter than other basses at 30,” and it makes playing easy and smooth moving up and down the neck. It has a more pronounced bottom end and a little tighter top end. The “C” shaped neck allows you to explore different varieties of attacks. This bass guitar has a great pick up for low-end tone. The Fender JMJ Signature Series Road Worn Mustang Bass has a great worn look and vibe. The Custom Seymore Duncan Split Single-Coil Pickup produces a meaty-low tone.
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3) Fender Offset Series Mustang Bass PJ MN
- Has 3 exclusive Color Sunburst Finish
- Built with Alder material
- Maple wood neck
- Maple wood fingerboard
- 4 – Saddle Standford
- Classic Mustang Body Style
- Fine-tuning with individual volume controls
The Fender Offset Series Mustang Bass PJ MN has a short scale length that is great for tone and increased playability. It makes it easier to navigate the fretboard, which is perfect for novice players and those who have shorthands. It has a different tonal character before its thick mellow tone. It has a traditional split-single-coil P Bass pickup, which makes it fixable, produce clear sounds and dynamic tone.
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4) The Squier by Fender Affinity Series Precision Beginner Electric Bass
- It has a split single-coil P Bass neck pickup, single-coil J Bass bridge pickup for a wide variety of tones.
- Vintage-style tuning machine
- Smooth satin finish neck
- Made slim and has a comfortable “C” shaped neck profile
- 20 narrow frets
- Standard split-coil Precision Bass pickup and single-coil Jazz
The Squier by Fender Affinity Series Precision Beginner Electric Bass – PJ embraces the classic Fender P Bass tone, and it has a great feel in your hands. The maple “C” shaped neck, and the 20-fret Indian board makes this bass easy and smooth on the fingers. This bass is designed for fast and comfortable playing, which allows you to play with variations. The combination of Precision and Jazz bass pickups has its own volume knob and tone knob that will allow you to dial in your preferred sound. The Squier by Fender Affinity Series Precision Beginner Electric Bass – PJ makes playing easy and smooth with its sleek design.
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5) Squier by Fender Bronco Bass
- It has an Agathis body with a gloss polyurethane finish
- Has a 30-scale length C-shape maple neck
- 9.5 radius maple fingerboard
- 19 Jumbo frets
- A specially designed Single-Coil Pickup
- 2-Saddle Chrome Bridge
- A tone and 1 volume control
It can be easily tuned in, and the sound is full and rich. It has a single-pickup, die-cast tuners, maple neck, and agathist body. This is highly recommended for novice players. The Squier by Fender Bronco Bass delivers a versatile that is compatible with all music genres. The sound quality is good, and it is a decent bass with a good set up.
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6) The Fender Player Precision Electric Bass Guitar – Maple Fingerboard
- Modern playability with P boss experience.
- It has an Alnico V split-coil pickup ranges (fat low end to punchy midrange to toothy treble)
- Smooth and fast playing with “C” shaped neck
- 9.5 fingerboard radius
- A synthetic bone nut that enhances vibrational transfer to its neck
- 4-saddle standard bridge
The Fender Player Precision Electric Bass Guitar combines the vintage vibe and modern edge character of a bass guitar. It has incorporated the vintage appearance and has its classic logo that made Fender a legend over the years. The Fender Player Precision Electric Bass Guitar is a smooth playing bass that has a futuristic approach with the new Alnico V pickups that gives it its amazing tone. The Fender Player Precision Electric Bass Guitar cam create a sound that is good for any music genre. The sound quality is very impressive, especially on the low tones. This is a good bass guitar for novice players and gigging bassists.
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7) Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass
- 4-Saddle HI mass
- Hardtail Guitar bridge System
- Single Coil Guitar Pickup Configuration
- Vintage jazz boss bass pickups
- 5-string Jazz Bass
- 3-band EQ opens up your tonal options
- Maple and pau Ferro neck
- “C” shaped neck
The Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass has a classic design and modern features. It is a perfect model of a classic fender looks but upgraded and advances functions. It has a pair of dual-coil ceramic Noiseless J-style pickups that can bring superb sounds. It also has a pan pot that allows the precision blending of the pickups. The “C” shaped neck allows the ease to play. The Fender Deluxe Active Jazz Bass is excellent to play, and it can bring about high resonance and sustainability. It has a satin-finished neck, and the back has a slick-playing satin that gives you the worn-in feeling and ready to play. The headstock is beautifully made and has a tinted gloss finish.
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8) Fender Player Jaguar Electric Bass Guitar
- Classic tone and style
- Modern playability
- A perfect combination of Precision and Jazz Bass-style pickups
- Has individual volume control
- Modern “C” shaped neck
- 9.5″ inches fingerboard
- 4-Saddle Standard bridge
- Synthetic bone nut
The Fender Player Jaguar Electric Bass Guitar has a versatile pickup combination made possible by its split-coil precision bass pickup. It is also equipped with a powerful midrange punch. It has individual volume and picks up controls. The Fender Player Jaguar Electric Bass Guitar is no just made for a specific genre of music. It is very versatile and can play most music genres. This bass guitar is also very for those who are starting to learn how to play the bass guitar.
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9) The Fender Vintera ’70s Jazz Bass – Pau Ferro Fingerboard
· Built with Alder Body
- It has a 4-Saddle Bridge with threaded saddles; “f”-stamped open-gear tuning machines
- It has a 7. 25”-Radius bound Fingerboard with 20 vintage-style Frets
- Pearl black inlays
- It has a “’70s C”-shaped maple neck
The Fender Vintera ’70s Jazz Bass was first introduced in the 60s, and it has proven itself very versatile and durable. With the advances in technology, this bass has undergone some changes that added to its great performance and appeal. It has an offset-waist body, two Vintage-Style ’70s single-coil pickups, a fast-action neck, and a 3-ply black pickguard. The Fender Vintera ’70s Jazz Bass is built for comfort and performance.
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10) Squier by Fender Affinity Series Jazz Bass
- Built slim and comfortable
- Two- Squier single-coil J Bass pick-ups
- 4-saddle bridge
- A Vintage-style open-gear tuning machine
- A satin neck finish
The Squier by Fender Affinity Series Jazz Bass is a modern bass with a touch of classic vintage appeal. The body is sleek and slim, which provides comfort and ease. The vintage-style open-gear tuning machines allows a smooth and accurate tuning. It has a satin finish and “C” neck that would allow you to play it comfortably. The Squier by Fender Affinity Series Jazz Bass has god sound quality, and it is a fantastic instrument that is versatile for most music genres.
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Buying Guide
There are many reasons why a guitarist would want to pick up a bass guitar. You may be attracted to the low deep rumbling sound that is not possible to play for a regular guitar. You want to add some soul and flavor to our song that a bass guitar can play. Or maybe you are have been keeping that old bass guitar and need to be replaced with a better one. Whatever the reasons are, the bottom line is you need to buy a bass guitar.
In buying a Mustang Bass, there are things that you need to consider before picking up your bass guitar. Know that there are a lot of bass guitars available in music stores or online. You may have a hard time picking the right one, but taking some tips for consideration may help you.
- Purpose and Budget – Are you a pro? Are you just learning? Is it just going to be a hobby? Knowing the purpose of buying the instrument is very important so as you’d be able to decide on which among the many bass guitars you should pick. If you are a pro, then you may need to get the “high-end” ones to play your music. You may need to pick an expensive bass guitar for that matter. If you are a beginner and just learning how to play, there are bass guitars that are also designed for you. It depends on your skill, as well. The more advanced the guitar, the more expensive it is too. So before you go shopping for a bass guitar, take into consideration its purpose, your skill, and your budget.
- Bass construction and design – Musicians are very particular with their instruments. It is like a part of who they are, an extension of themselves; they become so attached to them that they know what they need to do about it. If you are a bassist, for example, by years o playing the bass, you would probably have an idea of what makes you comfortable, what’s lacking, and what sound you want. So when they get a new instrument, it becomes like an upgrade of what they have right. A lot of this is to be taken like the bass construction and design, which includes the necks, the scale length, the body types, bridges, pickups, the number strings, and frets and tone.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Where are Fender Mustang basses made?
Fender guitars are made in the main headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona, and different manufacturing facilities, including Corona, California (US), and Ensenada, Baja California (Mexico).
- What is the best short-scale bass guitar?
The best short-scale bass guitar is the Fender Squier Vintage Modified Jaguar Special Short Scale Bass Guitar. This guitar is easy to handle with a perfectly shaped maple fingerboard and neck that is covered with rosewood basswood fretboard.
Conclusion
The bass guitar may have been an underrated musical instrument played in a band, but over time it has become popular. The bass guitar is responsible for hitting the deep low-ends that regular guitars cannot hit, and it accompanies the drums and, most importantly, the lead guitars. With so many brands and models to choose from, you get lost in confusion as to which type and brand you need to get. The list we have above may be able to help you while you go shopping for a new bass guitar. Fender Mustang Bass has been around for decades, and it has been tested by times. With the help of technology, you could do research about the bass guitar that you want to buy and check its specs. Electric bass guitars may seem to be complicated, but they are easy to play. It may be underrated, but it plays a very important role in a band by providing rhythm and harmony. In general, buying a bass guitar depends on a person and the need for the band or the music. There is no perfect bass guitar for every bass guitar player. All you need to do is to get the bass guitar that would fit its purpose, your skill, and you may also need to consider your budget. We hope that the list we have given to you will give you a great overview if you want to buy a fender mustang bass guitar.