Fender Mustang Ben Gibbard signature?

[Pacafeliz]

For a second I thought I was reading that this guitar had a blend knob on there, but instead I see that the guitar has a pull three way selector switch instead.

....you want a blend switch? Git yerself an old Gibson Marauder! I'm SO loving mine - NGD post coming soon!

[Larry Mal]

....you want a blend switch? Git yerself an old Gibson Marauder! I'm SO loving mine - NGD post coming soon!

I own one. Looking forward to your NGD.

[daysleeperjeff]

Got mine a couple days ago. Overall reviews:

-$1100 seems like a lot for this, but I've listened to Gibbard for at least 20 years of my life at this point so...take my money.
-It's pretty fun to play, though. Came nicely set up out of the box.
-Sounds like ben. I like the no-frills approach
-The neck is a literal louisville slugger.
-Not sure what the story is with the 3-piece body; is that done for the 'chambering' or did I just get a body made out of smaller cuts they had laying around?
-In classic Mexican Fender style, the pots go from 0-100 when they are turned from '1' to '2'. This has always driven me a bit nuts

In your opinion how much do you think it should cost? Any further likes or dislikes?

I’ve been wanting to add a mustang to my studio lately. I’m effect pedal heavy and this seems like it’s a good platform to handle pedals. Sounds excellent in the Fender demo video. I might get one in to try it out.

Trem system is not an issue for me as I don’t use that too much. My main guitar is an AO Jazzmaster. I’m looking for something pretty different from that. I’d really have to love the feel/weight, tone and pickups to keep it.

[graceless]

Good question and it is hard to say. How much 'should' any of this cost? The craftsmanship and play-ability is great, and on par with any of my American Fenders. I think it sounds awesome too.

It's both totally worth it and totally not. It's one of Fender's only real 'pro' guitars with actual modifications instead of the artist basically making a mod shop guitar with their favorite colors and selling it. I wish the pots were higher quality (they do that classic 0-100 maneuver when turned past '3', if that makes sense) and there's almost no finessing it or using it for swells as a result. The chambered ash body - it is super light and fun to play. Two full pounds less than my AO Jag.

I wish it was made in America for this price, and on one hand, I think it could have been, given the American Performer Mustangs for $100 more and how similar they are in price point right now, and the simplified control layout on the Gibbard.

But on the other hand, this probably cost *more* to make relative to a simpler mustang because of the funky wiring and changes to the body routing that they are doing. All of the one-off pieces, "non-trem trem", etc.

It's definitely head and shoulders above any stock Squier I've played, but simple enough that it is a little head scratchy at $1100, when I have a Flea Jazz Bass which was the same price (that I feel is justified at the $1100 I paid for it). I think $950-$1000 would have been the perfect price point.

I am a huge DCFC fan and would have paid $5k for a custom shop Mustang if he came out with one, gaff tape over the switches, punched-out tone knob and all, and I would have bought it at a Squier price point and quality level 'just to have' so maybe I'm not the best person to ask. It's also pretty unique in my lineup with nothing else really like it, so why the heck not..

So, bottom line, honest opinion on the price: It is probably too much for what you get on the surface (compared with the American Performer series, being only $100 more, if you don't care about Gibbard whatsoever, buy that instead...) but it sounds great, actually makes sense for what Ben does (he wanted something that isn't going to fail in a live setting, with no extraneous buttons, so he can push it pretty hard and not worry about smacking a switch or something mid-set) and as a result probably costs more to manufacture this oddity compared to a stock MIM Mustang. I bought it because I f-in love Ben Gibbard anyway.

Hope that makes sense.

[Beebe]

Is that made in Mexico or were you saying the pots are like Mexican ones? I'm building a custom one with mahogany Warmoth body and All Parts Jaguar neck and all Japanese or American parts for $912 in parts plus shipping. So I probably wont buy it. Especially after your neck comment. I did by the Olive American Professional Jaguar I saw hanging on his wall in his You Tube series though.

[graceless]

Yeah, this one is made in Mexico - and the pots have that signature MIM uselessness; all my MIA guitars have a nice gradual adjustment curve (sorry, I don't know the technical term, but the volume change is a constant from 0-10, whereas this does nothing from 0-3, and then is at 100% above like 3.5, lol). The Warmoth doesn't sound like a bad deal!

[Beebe]

Love the natural body with single ply black pickguard look!

[Beebe]

What makes the Warmoth a good deal is getting it unfinished. And if you are into a natural finish you can rub one coat of hard wax oil on it and be good to go. I think the technical term on the pots would be audio taper vs linear taper. Sounds like the MIMs you got may have had linear taper pots. Though the MIAs may have had "custom" or "vintage" tapers that worked for you. The MIA may have also had a treble bleed circuit on the vol.

[daysleeperjeff]

Good question and it is hard to say. How much 'should' any of this cost? The craftsmanship and play-ability is great, and on par with any of my American Fenders. I think it sounds awesome too.

It's both totally worth it and totally not. It's one of Fender's only real 'pro' guitars with actual modifications instead of the artist basically making a mod shop guitar with their favorite colors and selling it. I wish the pots were higher quality (they do that classic 0-100 maneuver when turned past '3', if that makes sense) and there's almost no finessing it or using it for swells as a result. The chambered ash body - it is super light and fun to play. Two full pounds less than my AO Jag.

I wish it was made in America for this price, and on one hand, I think it could have been, given the American Performer Mustangs for $100 more and how similar they are in price point right now, and the simplified control layout on the Gibbard.

But on the other hand, this probably cost *more* to make relative to a simpler mustang because of the funky wiring and changes to the body routing that they are doing. All of the one-off pieces, "non-trem trem", etc.

It's definitely head and shoulders above any stock Squier I've played, but simple enough that it is a little head scratchy at $1100, when I have a Flea Jazz Bass which was the same price (that I feel is justified at the $1100 I paid for it). I think $950-$1000 would have been the perfect price point.

I am a huge DCFC fan and would have paid $5k for a custom shop Mustang if he came out with one, gaff tape over the switches, punched-out tone knob and all, and I would have bought it at a Squier price point and quality level 'just to have' so maybe I'm not the best person to ask. It's also pretty unique in my lineup with nothing else really like it, so why the heck not..

So, bottom line, honest opinion on the price: It is probably too much for what you get on the surface (compared with the American Performer series, being only $100 more, if you don't care about Gibbard whatsoever, buy that instead...) but it sounds great, actually makes sense for what Ben does (he wanted something that isn't going to fail in a live setting, with no extraneous buttons, so he can push it pretty hard and not worry about smacking a switch or something mid-set) and as a result probably costs more to manufacture this oddity compared to a stock MIM Mustang. I bought it because I f-in love Ben Gibbard anyway.

Hope that makes sense.

Makes a lot of sense thanks for the info.

It would be worth it to me if I loved those BG pickups...they sound so good in the video. I know I’d love the light body a ton. Wish it had the satin neck. Love those. Looks really great too. Do you think the hard tail bridge adds sustain over a normal mustang? Wonder how the pickups compare to the American performer Mustangs.

[Maggieo]

I bet a quick swap to a CTS pot would be worth the $$$.

Can you sand the neck, ever so slightly, to make it more satin-y? It worked with my SG Classic, but it's got a nitro finish, so not sure about how it'd work for your BG.

[AztecGold]

Not a fan of his or his bands, but I like the look of the guitar. The natural with maple and black plastic is definitely cool, as is the presence of additional cool and affordable guitars in the world.

[HNB]

I am going to do a Jazzmaster version.

[dc]

I am going to do a Jazzmaster version.

you totally should! a natural JM would be cool

[graceless]

I bet a quick swap to a CTS pot would be worth the $$$.

Can you sand the neck, ever so slightly, to make it more satin-y? It worked with my SG Classic, but it's got a nitro finish, so not sure about how it'd work for your BG.

I would like a satin neck on this, but honestly the only time I care about neck feel is when I'm measurebating specs for the internet. As soon as I stop playing I forget what the back of the neck looks and feels like anyway

[HNB]

I am going to do a Jazzmaster version.

you totally should! a natural JM would be cool

I have a ash body coming in and have a custom guard with just volume and tone being made in one ply black. Going to use a three way knob in the tone spot. Maple neck will be a next month thing while I focus on the body this month.