RI or Warmoth?

GordonShumway

Hi, I haven't really seen a place where I could introduce myself, so I'll make it short. 😁 I've never been fond of Mustangs, which seemed to me were "small, somewhat cheapy student guitars". And recently, I've seen The Long Blondes perform in Paris (oh, by the way, I'm french!), and Emma played a Mustang, and to be honest, it was the forst time I saw one for real, I noticed I've only seen pictures before, not the real deal. And I fell in love (with the guitar, not with Emma).

Now, a Mustang is topping my to-buy list.

But if I first thought I'd get a RI, I also thought I could combine with my envie to build a Warmoth guitar (I've already built guitars from parts before, but Warmoth is way above quality-wise). So, I tried to make up my mind... But I just can't. :/

Fender:

+ a real Mustang!

+ 7.25" radius!

- no stripes on the '69 model (I like stripes)

- basswood body on the '65 model

Warmoth

+ colors galore!

+ it'd be my (read: modified) Mustang!

- pricey

- 9" radius max

What do you think about those criterias? Plus, I keep reading stock pickups have a too low output and better be replaced. :/

Thanks. 😀

mowcheeba

Hi and welcome.

I have a 69 RI and it is an okay guitar. Need a lot of tweaking and fixing. If you do not know how to setup a guitar the Mustang 69 RI needs a professional guitar tech. So even if the 69 RI is cheap you have to count the extra franc or is it Euro now(my memory is not that good) for a setuo and maybe new pickups. I advise you to go to a music store and play one and if it feels just right do not bother build a WarmothStang. It could get pricey especially for us in Europe because of the taxes and shipping. But if the 69 RI do not feel right build a Warmoth Custom Mustang to your specifications. It

GordonShumway

mowcheeba said: I advise you to go to a music store and play one

That part is slightly problematic, as it's definitely not the most widely available model. 😁 I'll try to hunt for one, though... *Try*! Thanks for the reply. 😀

BanditGuitarist1

I think a RI might be better for starters, you could take the chunnel to UK and check there, Im not sure how easy that would be but I heard they have great music stores there!

LIFE

The reissue is a fine guitar, the people who have problems with them tend to suck at playing. I'd say go with the warmoth though, that way you could get exactly what you want.

GeorgeF

What's a Warmoth Mustang? I've never heard of them. Sound cool though.

robertoriginal

find a luthier, or warmother might not be a bad idea.

the re-issues are a bit iffy.

you life, i do suck as playing, but im fantastic at guitar work, repairs, restoration, so it paid off and honestly the mustand does need a bit of tweaking.

george f. warmoth is a guitar customizing site. basically you cchoose from a lot of woods/colors and selections and then they build it for you.

its not totally custom but its as far custom as you get without going to a well known luthier.

GeorgeF

Thanks for the info!

Wow, just checked out the site. What a great idea!

I'd be really interested to try out a Warmoth Jaguar and see how it compares to my RI.

Speaking of Mustangs though, I tried out one for the first time today. Gorgeous blonde/olympic white RI with torty plate. Really liked the small size body and neck although the string gauge was way to high for my liking and I found it impossible to keep in tune. I put that down to the music shop though and reserve judgement til I've tried more.

Despite all that I really liked the sound, alot less bright and more "strat-like" than my Jaguar, and it shifted much nicer between bridge and neck pickups (I usually use my neck pup on the Jag, and shifting to my bridge pickup on same amp settings seems an unpalletable amount of treble). The angled pickups in their positions gave it a really fab vocal quack too (well, I put it down to that, in reality I don't have a clue!).

Jeez, look at me rambling off topic! To conclude, thoroughly impressed with the Mustang!

GordonShumway

GeorgeF said: To conclude, thoroughly impressed with the Mustang!

So am I! 😆