Wiseman88 said: Is using .009-.042 string gauge okay for my Mustang? I don't want to hurt the neck or anything. Sorry for such a noob question. Noob Question #2 I've never needed to string the mustang before and it has vintage tuners anything to worry about there? Or I should know before the plunge? Thanks for helping! edit: the particular brand of Strings I'm using is D'Addario EXP120 - Super Light's
Wiseman, got this from the MR. Maxima Mustang website:
Mustang Setup
The Mustangs are strung by inserting the strings into the tailpiece from the bridge side. The strings then come out of the tailpiece on the bottom strap button side and is wrapped around the underside of the tailpiece and over the bridge and then onto the tuners. Here's a jpeg that shows a side view of a properly strung Mustang. If the strings are threaded
incorrectly through the bottom strap button side of the tailpiece and over the bridge, the tremolo arms will be way low against the body. The tremolo arms of a Mustang according to Fender specs should be parallel to the strings. In the jpeg the two blue lines (one for the tremolo arm and the other for the strings) should be parallel to each other. However, I
personally don't like Fender specs on this matter and have the tremolo arm angled further away from the body then called for by the Fender spec. The tremolo arm angle is adjusted by raising or lowering the tail piece. The tremolo arm will be more parallel to the strings if the bridge is set higher or it will be angled away from the body if the bridge is set lower.
So, how do you adjust the tailpiece height? There are two holes on the tailpiece marked by the red arrows. You stick a .050" Allen key wrench into these holes and fish around to find the screw head. You turn the screw to raise or lower the tail piece. Same thing with the bridge. You stick the same Allen key wrench in the two holes on the bridge marked by the blue arrows and try to find the screw head. Turn the screw to raise or lower the
bridge.
Fender specs call for a string height of 3/64" on the treble E string and 5/64" on the bass E string at the 12th fret. The neck relief should be .012" on all strings at the 7th fret. You can try to make it lower than this, but it becomes a delicate adjustment trying to get the lowest string height without getting the strings to "fret out" when you choke them.
Typically, you will experience the "Fender Kick" on the neck above 15 fret that had the shim installed in the neck pocket to raise the end of neck to allow for proper string height over the bridge. Necks with this condition will fret out when you choke around the 12th fret. Otherwise, the neck in a true Fender fashion is relatively trouble free.
Doug
