Review Demo - Fender Mustang PJ

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Short-scale basses weren’t a new idea when Fender’s Mustang bass entered the scene in 1966, but stamp the Fender name on a new bass and the world will take notice. Since its introduction, Leo’s last original bass design while at Fender has been employed by bass heavies such as Bill Wyman, Tina Weymouth, and Trevor Bolder. Ignoring the “student model” label the Mustang carried in some circles, players embraced the design for its tone, comfort, and playability. The Mustang became a darling of the cool kids, likely also due in part to its slight flip of the bird to the norm.

Fast-forward to today and the introduction of Fender’s Mustang Bass PJ. The bass has retained the style, scale, attitude, and comfort of the original, but with a twist. In a Dr. Moreau-like way, the Mustang has been gifted with the mainstream tones of P and J basses as well. And suddenly, the hip becomes mainstream, yet still stays hip.

Out of the gate, the Mustang Bass PJ is a looker. Fender’s olympic white is always a classy aesthetic, and the mint scratchplate is a nice touch. For the traditional standard-scale player, the 30" scale will take a little getting used to since it might initially feel like a toy. I can assure you, however, this bass is no toy. The alder body has some beef to it, and unlike the models of the past geared more towards the beginner, this made-in-Mexico Mustang feels like it can run with its big P and J brothers. And speaking of its P and J brothers, what really gives the new Mustang its cool is the P/J pickup configuration (with a conventional 3-way switch running the show), instead of the small split-coil of the past.

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