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Hi! I might trade my old CP jazzmaster for a 68' Mustang in very good condition I really love my CP jazzy, but now that I have a 65 jag I almost don't use it. The only thing that's keeping me from trading or selling it is that it's a great guitar for shoegaze, and I'm not sure if the Mustang can "shoegaze" like the jazz.

Do you make this kind of music (dream pop/shoegaze) with a Mustang? Cons, pros?

Thanks and greetings from México!

Paco wrote:Do you make this kind of music (dream pop/shoegaze) with a Mustang? Cons, pros?

I was going to post a pic of Bilinda Butcher and her Mustang (I will anyway) then I realised it's fitted with a JM/Jag tremolo.

If it helps you make a decision, I recorded this with a '66 Mustang: http://craiggates.bandcamp.com/track/with-a-kiss

I like the pickups for shoegaze, they sound pretty mellow especially when you have them both on (opposite polarity) and roll the tone off a little. The trem can be funny. I bent the arm a little to accommodate using it more while playing

shoegazing is a question of effects and overdrives

i did with mustangs, bronco, jazz and jaguar.

my current band is not shoegaze but noisy: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yk_VUr17t-M" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

That is an absurdly good trade

chacha wrote:That is an absurdly good trade

Yeah, regardless of whether or not a Mustang can "gaze" like a Jazzy (I'm sure it can) you should go for this trade as long as the guy is happy to go ahead with it!

CPJM for a 68 Mustang is a crazy good deal IMO.

Yeah, that's a ridiculous trade...I would do that in a heartbeat ( ). Also because I wasn't a big fan of my CP fender back in the day.

I think Mustangs are bad ass, and would love to own one (and I tend to gaze at my shoes as well..)

But, to be honest, it doesn't really matter that much what guitar you use to gaze at your shoes with. You could make some amazingly beautiful and dreamy sounds come out of any guitar, if you play around and/or know what your doing. Shoegaze is all about tone, and effects often play into this, meaning your rig could go through 10+ pedals, so the clean signal really doesn't make much of a difference in the end. Look at MBV, there's so much going on there that Kevin Shields could've been using a Bronco and it wouldn't've made a difference (it's closer to the Jaguar than the JM, however).

Also, IMO one of the best Shoe/Newgaze bands, The Fleeting Joys, uses a Mustang
http://userserve-ak.last.fm/serve/_/370" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 2b72ec.jpg

I wouldn't agree that guitar choice doesn't affect the overall shoegaze tone, independently of the effects used. You can shoegaze with Explorer and EMG pickups, but it'll sound different to shoegaze done with Jaguar and same effects. The question is how near you'd like to stay to *established* shoegaze sound, and how far you are willing to go and experiment.

Having all that in mind, Mustang could be classified as 'standard' shoegazing guitar IMO. It'll sound close to Jaguars etc and you could definitely get some familiar shoegaze tones out of it. If everything is ok with the Mustang, I personally would go with the trade.

My opinion is that the whole guitar chain is as good as the weakest link, be it guitar, pedals or amp. Without a *good* source, ie guitar, you won't be happy with the results, no matter how rare/vintage/expensive your pedals and/or amp are. Not to mention the joy and inspiration that come from playing a *good* guitar.

Btw - Fleeting Joys is an excellent band, thanks for sharing!

Yeh- a lot of the early shoegaze stuff (MBV, JAMC, etc...) was recorded/performed with guitars that many here would find distasteful in retrospect. I've seen pictures of Bilinda Butcher with pointy pink shredder axes.

I think that most offsets lend themselves well to the genre in both tonal and aesthetic aspects, but limiting yourself to those stereotypes can definitely hold you back. True genius lies in stretching (sometimes shattering) the established norms to explore new territory.

Back on point- Do the trade. I doubt you'll regret it.

I know some people think shoegazing is effects, but I happen to think shoegazing starts at the guitar and I don't really care for effects-driven shoegaze, I much prefer the My Bloody Valentine simple vibrato bar to amp setup. For that, it is hard to use a Mustang for shoegaze. Now, I'm somewhat well known for having made a video where I used my forearm to work a Mustang vibrato enough to play "To Here Knows When" through, but that's not something you can keep up for an entire night.

So basically, here's the thing. If you think shoegaze is Slowdive, it won't matter what guitar you use. But if you think shoegaze is My Bloody Valentine, it does matter because MBV isn't about effects. It's about starting at the guitar and getting the right vibrato and the strings detuning the right way, and really only a Jazz/Jag vibrato gets it right. Almost everything else has a bit of a problem. The Mustang vibrato sounds excellent and has the right sound, but it's just not ergonomically ideal because as you're twirling the bar, the angle is just not ideal. You can do it once in a while but your hands might cramp. It is best to have a really long arm with a far-away tailpiece. Strats are too stiff. Floyds are too fast. About the only other vibrato that would be equally suitable would be a Bigsby with a longer arm, but that can cost a fortune.

That said, not every MBV song even swirls, so if you need just the occasional swirl, I think Mustangs are great. But don't tell me that you can easily play a song like "Loomer" or "Slow" on a Les Paul. You need the right guitar.

pacemaker wrote: ↑

Sat May 04, 2013 7:04 pm

If it helps you make a decision, I recorded this with a '66 Mustang: http://craiggates.bandcamp.com/track/with-a-kiss

HOLY FUCK THIS SONG IS SO GOOD

This is a very good trade on your part.

This is a really old thread! I did trade the CP jazz for my lovely 68 Mustang, and yes, it is an amazing guitar (and the trade was crazy i know lol)! I used this guitar a lot on my old band first EP, all guitars are pretty much the ol' Mustang out of phase going through a CE-2.

https://hawaiian-gremlins.bandcamp.com/track/teen-angst

Unfortunately, it was with this particular Mustang that I discovered short scale is just not for me, I have terribly big hands

I actually ended up giving this guitar to an ex girlfriend, who still (I hope) has it. Nice memories!! I must have a picture of the guitar somewhere, beautiful black refin <3

small world! Have definitely listened to hawaiian gremlins.