It is currently Mon Mar 16, 2020 10:22 am

All times are UTC - 7 hours



Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 
Author Message
Post subject: Mustang amp Modification
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 6:22 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Hi all, I have the Mustang II, couldnt resist trying to see how it sounds with BACK Open. Well Its sounds better! Less Boxy More full. Im sure a speaker change would help as well. To Fender: What Ohm Speaker is in the amp?
I will be making a new Wood back with Holes drilled or a Huge slot like usual open back amps for it.
Anyone else try a new speaker? or opening up the back?


Top
Profile
Fender Play Winter Sale 2020
Post subject:
Posted: Tue Nov 16, 2010 10:24 pm
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Thu Oct 07, 2010 11:24 am
Posts: 63
I have the same question. I don't want to void the warranty but a speaker change is always an upgrade I like to do and it doesn't involve touching the electronics, just unhooking two wires. Dimensions-wise, it would accommodate my Eminence Swamp Thang speaker which is what I have been using in all my amps.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 6:08 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Well I was wondering which speakerto use in the Mustang II as it could make or break the sound of the amp as is. Some of the Modeled amps are clearly better sounding than others, and there is that Brittleness Soundwise at top end (Not in a good way) that you definetely do not want to Enhance with a brighter sounding speaker,also I noticed there is a very FINE line between God sounding breakup and when it turns to S**T, of course each guitars OUTPUT (Pickups) will make a huge difference there, mine are quite hot. So agian the speaker choice copuld make the amp breakup earlier (NOT Good in a Modeling Amp!! IMO) So any suggestions as to what speaker to use?

I for one am not worried about voiding the warrenty, as its a 189. dollar item. My theory is if you get 5 years out of it you got your monies worth. Although if taken care of I see no reason it wont last a long long time. My buddy has my 1st amp a Marlboro Brand solid state 2 watt Piece of C**P I paid $125. dollars for back in early 70's it still works and still sounds like S**T it had no effects other than a super cheezy slapback delay they called reverb and a 5" T.V like speaker. The cabinet was like the Twice the size of the Mustang II (ALL EMPTY INSIDE ALL FOR SHOW) So it is quite amazing what you get for same money these days! Getting back to amp, I am definetely having my buddy CUT the rear Cover into 3 pieces, 7 1/2" from top and 3" from bottom the middle section will be OPEN. It just chages the whole sound of the amp from boxy to much more Full right there w/ no speaker change. And this way the center pice can be added back with (2) Screws if I want it closed up for some reason.
Try it unscrew the back (Be carful the leads to power cord are SHORT inside Mark down Black at left-White at Right and Yellow at Bottom in case one of them pulls off the power connector-just gently let the back rest at an angle so its open and see for yourself how it sounds.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 8:16 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Fri Oct 24, 2008 11:55 am
Posts: 548
If you don't want to void your warranty, you might want to try putting insulation inside instead of cutting the back panel. A guy at the Vox forum did this with his Valvetronix amp and found it really helped the tone of his amp...similar to opening the back up!

FWIW :)

Bob

P.S. He used a pillow to test before buying insulation.


Top
Profile
Post subject: Re: Mustang amp Modification
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:34 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Wed Dec 24, 2008 9:15 am
Posts: 4
stevencirile wrote:
Hi all, I have the Mustang II, couldnt resist trying to see how it sounds with BACK Open. Well Its sounds better! Less Boxy More full. Im sure a speaker change would help as well. To Fender: What Ohm Speaker is in the amp?
I will be making a new Wood back with Holes drilled or a Huge slot like usual open back amps for it.
Anyone else try a new speaker? or opening up the back?
The speaker is 8 ohms in both mustang amps.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:45 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Yea just tried the pillow test. Changed the sound a bit.
I personally still thing The Mustang II sounds better with Back off or partially open


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 10:47 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Also just tried using ther EH English Muffin Tube Preamp in front of amp, It does mellow out SOME models a bit on the top end, but doesnt really add that much tubiness to the already decent sounding models. Kind of pushed the modeling to much on some presets I made.


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2010 12:56 pm
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician

Joined: Sun May 09, 2010 6:41 pm
Posts: 621
Remember the stock speaker is an FRFR (Full Range-Flat Response) 2-way with crossover. The opposite of a guitar speaker.


Top
Profile
Post subject: stock speaker
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 12:31 am
Offline
Aspiring Musician
Aspiring Musician
User avatar

Joined: Sun Oct 31, 2010 8:55 pm
Posts: 859
Location: ʎʇıuıɟuı ɟo sʇɹıʞsʇno
i love it ..couldn;t imagine anything else .. long as it holds up and the back on for me .. how else can I let the neighbors know I;m home lol

_________________
J. Hendrix / S.R.V. / E. Clapton / R. Hansen / F. Marino / B.B. King (now that's a neat six-pack) :)
Eminence The Wizard vs Stock Mustang II Speaker Shootout http://arttux.com/Fender-Mustang-II-Eminence-Wizard-Speaker-Swap/


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Fri Nov 26, 2010 7:06 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
Ok kids,
I just had a speaker out jack-self switching setup so when a speaker cable plugged in it auto cuts off internal speaker which by the way I was told is NOT a Full range with woofer-tweeter and is in fact a standard style 8 ohm speaker,anyhow the amp sounds totally different as you would expect with an external cab......of course youll have to re tweak the presets you made,,,its pretty drastic..and will then agian change with each new bottom you try..but opens up new doors....I tried it w/ a real british 12" celestion--great.....
Wish fender would again come up woth alternate Distortion Pedal Models as the included are a bit weak...And the downloading of presets should be able to be done in SETS...also wheres the BACK button guys each time you do a search--you download...then have to hit community button and start from scratch,,,instead of being back to where you were.
really my only big gripe is the overdrive/distortion is definetely weak--and can be a bit cheezy,,,,,,going to a Jam Sunday with real live drums and boys using real tube amps..my fear is the Mustang will dissapear in a wash of fizziness when up agianst tubes in a room w/ live drums..I have the II so volume wont be an issue as its about as loud ad 18 Tube Watts I will report back after jam....let all know how she holds up sound wise.
Also I did notice a bit better sound when I put a Tube pre in front adjusted carfully though it did tame the harsh..fakeness a tad will experiment more with that..but that defeats why I bought the amp--to show up at a jam w/ one box that does it all....hopefully fuse will be updated and refined which then will put fender on top of the pack for begginers..hobbyists and Pros....for cheap!! Just for the reord i ownan excellent tube amp and have owned many in my 40 years of playing..modeling just isnt quite there yet--but it is closer than ever..My experience and ears tell me that modeling amps do wash out quickly when up agianst Live Drums and bass--seems the do a weird phase cancellation thing where the amps sound just simply dissapears..sounds awesome by itself..then woosh gone when band kicks in,,,maybe they can address that in software..I cant be the only one who's ever heard that.....


Top
Profile
Post subject:
Posted: Mon Nov 29, 2010 7:29 am
Offline
Hobbyist
Hobbyist

Joined: Sat Nov 06, 2010 5:56 pm
Posts: 7
OK DID 1ST JAM W/Mustang II amp. used the Speaker out into a 16 Ohm four twelve marshall bottom...Master Volume was up at about 8 and it was loud enough to play with drums-bass and others..in rehearsal room about 20' x 20'. Now bear in mind the 16 ohms even cut the volume the amp can produce so it was fine there.
Now the sound, well as i suspected modeling is not tubes and in the MIX w/ live playing certian frequencies get lost or phase cancelled. I do not think any software peeps have overcome that anomily as of yet.
I was told and my ears told me the sound was good! during the jam i used my custom strat w/ seymour duncans, I had a slightly crunchy blues tone setup on the amp...The big thing I noticed was the lower strings sounded sort of tubey-as promised..but the phase cancelation thing happens with the higer b and e and higher registers on the neck..try it sometime youll hear what i mean..tube amps just do not do that..modeling amps always will i suspect. Final Comments--i wanted an all in wonder box thats easy and light to take to a jam..the mustang II worked with the speaker output jack mod...the internal speaker wouldnt have cut it at all i can assure you of that not enough low end to compete w/ a drum kit...in studio or bedroom it rocks though....(I also cut the back to make a 3" slot at bottom to let the speaker breathe,,,,it sounds better to me anyway,,,,thats it..looking forward to fender hopefully tweaking fuse for more options--graphic eq Similar to MXR's ten band in conjunction with the overdrive already there will make a HUGE difference i believe...also more Drive tones-models of different pedals?....I love the amp for under 2 bills..hey...


Top
Profile
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 11 posts ] 

All times are UTC - 7 hours

Fender Play Winter Sale 2020

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 2 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: