B&B Mustang (Ranaldo Edition). Oh so many revisions!

[WonderCouncil]

I've wanted a B&B sunburst Mustang for a long long time. This is something I came up with a while back utilizing a vintage WRHB I've had sitting around. Took some inspiration from Lee Ranaldo's red comp 'stang.

I really like the way the Jag' rhythm circuit plate looks on the Mustang. The pickguard could be fixed up though a bit, to flow better into the upper plate. I'd be using stereoordinary's "Tweedy Plate" that features double cutouts for the 2-way slider.

I'm thinking I would use a stereo switching output jack on it so depending on the cable I use I could run it stereo or mono. The wiring wolud be vol./tone on the lower plate for the two single coil pickups. I'd have a 3-way slide switch in the standard bridge pickup switch location (perhaps nudged over a bit closer to the bridge) which would act as the pickup selector for the single coils (Bridge - Bridge+Neck - Neck).

The rhythm circuit plate would have vol./tone rollers for the WRHB. The two switches would be on/off's, one for the pair of single coils and one for the WRHB.

I also toyed with the idea of using a Jag/Jazz trem setup on this but not 100% set on that. It would save me from having to get a custom body made if I went with the standard Mustang tremolo.

Also really like the idea of doing exactly like stated above but with a maple board and black block inlays. I'm thinking if I did it like pictured above, I'd go with a black pickguard and white single coils. Or perhaps lipstick pickups, can never have too much chrome

I don't foresee building this anytime soon although I may try some of these mods out on my 69'RI Mustang. Would at least give me an idea if it sounds/works good. I was looking at buying a CIJ Jaguar B&B neck but they are way WAY out of my price range it seems. At least according to eBay prices. I'd more then likely build this all using reissue parts, at least the neck and body would be CIJ's.

So, any thoughts or comments?

P.S. Also, Bronco knobs

*Edit*
Slightly tweaked pickguard. Still not completely happy with it but it's a start.


Also note, that is a Jazzmaster fretboard I just over layed on the Mustang neck. I couldn't find a good picture of a Jaguar neck with the binding and blocks. Not sure if it's noticeable or not but yea.

[WonderCouncil]

Meh, here's another poorly done edit. A different take on the Jag-Stang perhaps. Looks a little less cluttered with only the two pickups.

Could keep the 3-way slide switch and make the two on the plate be for phase and series/parallel. Could also just use a normal Jag plate and have the added rhythm circuit or separate vol./tones for the bridge and neck. Either way I think I'm going to run with the rhythm plate idea. Just not 100% set on how I want to incorporate it, functionality wise. I'd prefer to keep the WRHB in the middle position or even the neck spot as I rarely ever use the bridge pickup.

Here's where my inspiration in part came from. I think this is a picture I had found off this forum a long time ago before I joined. I apologize to whom ever it is that owns this picture. Second one I found and must be something I made up at some point. Kind of getting off topic here now. You can see the different placement of the rhythm plate though.


This was a mock up I made a while back for a completely different project but may use it now. I'm going to have to wait on the rhythm plate anyways so in the mean time I could tackle this build while collecting pieces for the Sunburst Mustang. This is the Lee Ranaldo Mustang I mentioned before. Albeit with the two single coils "photoshopped" out. Kind of a Mustang Jr.

[noisepunk]

[WonderCouncil]

That's actually a good reference for the pickguard shape noisepunk. I like the look of the plate being pushed up higher like in my mockups or in the picture you posted as opposed to the Olympic White one.

I know we've all seen this one Similar pickguard lines along the top oddly enough. Guess it isn't that odd really. Side note, I'm making this if I ever get a Squier Musicmaster.


I think what I may do is hang on to this idea for a future Mustang project. My current 69' RI I think is just going to be set up with the single WRHB in the middle spot, or perhaps the neck. I just fear in the neck spot it might get too mushy with fuzz.

This is Ranaldo's Mustang that is the inspiration. I guess you can think of mine as a beauty project. Cleaning up the unused single coils and switch cutouts. I'll retain the both the volume and tone though.


Just for fun here's how it could look...Mustang-Master Blaster?


As for whole rhythm plate thing, I may start slowly gathering parts for that. I'm thinking a Sunburst Mustang, B&B Jaguar neck, black pickguard, two Jaguar pickups (non slanted) Mustang lower control plate and tremolo/bridge. Then stereordinairy's "Tweedy Plate". Note sure of the switching, maybe just on/off's for the pickups. I think adding the 3 switch Jag plate would look too crowded. Essentially it would be a Jaguar in a Mustangs clothing..."Musaguar"

[WonderCouncil]

And it gets more complicated...

I saw this set up, or a mock up of it somewhere else, I think maybe on here. Where a tele bridge was used as a tailpiece to have a pickup between the bridge and tailpiece. Kind of a two for one deal. Might looks snazzy with the bridge cover on too.

I'm thinking this could be done on the Mustang and the stock Mustang vibrato tailpice would then be utilized as a sort of buzzstop/vibrato/B-Bender. You could string the strings either through the tele holes or the vibrato holes..Possibly figure out a way that the saddles on the tele bridge could be used to "tune" the strings behind the bridge? Or you could just leave them off.

Is this getting too ridiculous now? Or too ridiculously cool?

[WonderCouncil]

Hmm it's possible it could work...or fail miserably. Just a very quick idea of trying to figure out a simple way to make the behind the bridge strings tunable. I can see some problems with it already though. Maybe I should post this over in the Mods & Projects forum. Won't likely be acting on any of this any time soon though.

[Stratelejazzuar]

What if you just used a Gibson-style ABR tailpiece? Then you wouldn't have to use a tele pickup - just fit whatever type you want between the tailpiece and bridge!

[WonderCouncil]

I had thought about that or even one of these...


It would be the cheaper route to go. I kind of like using an existing Fender part though. Keeps a little bit of unity to the whole thing plus it's its a string through. Not sure if really helps THAT much with sustain but it's a nice selling point if I was to ever use the tailpiece as an alternate way of making it a hard tail guitar. Not to mention the cool chrome cover I could slap on over the bridge

Pickup wise I'd more then likely just go with a cheap humbucker rail type pickup anyways. I'm not thinking tone isn't going to be the biggest importance for a pickup in this particular setup. As it'll more then likely be used for noise and effect type sounds. Would be cool to have a separate output for it that could be run thru delays and modulation effects tho.

No idea how well this idea would work but it did cross my mind that the tele bridge plate in conjunction with the mustang vibrato/bridge and some cut up reverb pan springs could possibly be made to work like an Aspri reverb unit. The pickup acting as the transducer for the springs.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l8k-Ow3H6LA

[bop]

And it gets more complicated...

I saw this set up, or a mock up of it somewhere else, I think maybe on here. Where a tele bridge was used as a tailpiece to have a pickup between the bridge and tailpiece. Kind of a two for one deal. Might looks snazzy with the bridge cover on too.

I'm thinking this could be done on the Mustang and the stock Mustang vibrato tailpice would then be utilized as a sort of buzzstop/vibrato/B-Bender. You could string the strings either through the tele holes or the vibrato holes..Possibly figure out a way that the saddles on the tele bridge could be used to "tune" the strings behind the bridge? Or you could just leave them off.

Is this getting too ridiculous now? Or too ridiculously cool?

Freakin great.

[pineder]

Damn, that tele bridge w/ pickup takes it to another level completely. Not sure I understand the point but it looks cool!

[WonderCouncil]

Thanks lol...the point is just to be able to pickup the ringing behind the bridge more directly. Then the saddles of the Tele bridge act as a sort of intonation/tuning mechanism so you the strings behind the bridge...when strummed...produce a pleasant sound/chord...that's the idea at least...which seems to actually work in practice...

Scour this thread...I believe there are sound samples of the behind the bridge pickup.
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=63893