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Post subject: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Mon May 16, 2011 8:42 pm
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Well, just got it, plugged in and here are some initial impressions.

1. Pretty much what I expected - much more "relaxed" at higher volumes than the M1.
2. Definitely much bigger and fuller sounding with its commensurate drawbacks.
- slightly less naturally sparkly compared to the M1
- will have to reduce the mids a bit via the Fuse editor.
- although it has less overall sparkle, that also translates to smoother highs. I was actually a bit hard pressed to get it to sound buzzy. This is of course via the front panel only. I'm sure it can be done using the Fuse editor.
3. It's supposed to be 7 lbs. heavier than the M1 but it sure doesn't feel like it. I keep looking at the M1 fiendishly wondering if there's a way to shoehorn a 12" speaker in there.
4. For the most part, the patches created in the M1 translated pretty well after the required firmware update, needing just a few adjustments here and there.
5. I'm appreciative of the fuller more naturally extended low end as I won't have to crank the bass control as much as I have to on the M1. That of course translates to more headroom for the power amp.

So far, for 200 bucks... I couldn't ask for more but I would demand lots more from the $900 Rebel 30 combo I used to lust after.

O.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 10:46 am
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Nothing cures G.A.S. faster than the Mustang series. I feel like every amp I always wanted is in there someplace, but I just haven't had time to create them yet.

A great tube amp is a work of art. A Mustang is a never-ending adventure.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 1:11 pm
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Musicmaster2 wrote:
Nothing cures G.A.S. faster than the Mustang series. I feel like every amp I always wanted is in there someplace, but I just haven't had time to create them yet.

A great tube amp is a work of art. A Mustang is a never-ending adventure.


Could not have summed it up any better than that!
Thanks, Musicmaster2.

O.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions update
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 3:02 pm
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I've just finished playing around with Fuse and the M2 and here are a few of the things that I found and liked.

- The 65 Deluxe model sounds better with the 57 Deluxe's Cab and vice versa. The 65 has more headroom and works great as a clean spanky amp with the 57's cab while the 57 model's propensity to break up sooner works better with the 65's less sparkly cab. The 57 also seems to have more low end girth.
- The Twin is a bit too icepick-y sometimes and it seems to pair better with the Bassman's cab.
- The SuperSonic's Cab is a bit more muted at the top end than any of the other cabs and works well for sounds I use that have a bit more gain. It's good for keeping things from getting too buzzy. It's a very fat sounding Cab sim.
- Both the M1 and 2 seem to respond really well with my Tex-Mex pickups. I have not played a guitar with regular sized humbuckers on these amps yet (my other guitar has mini humbuckers) but somehow I get the feeling that I won't like it as much as I do with the strat. I think this is understandable though. Since Fender has always been all about the single coils, I'm not surprised that the impedance relationship between these amps and my strat feels so spot on.

Of course it goes without saying that these observations are all centered around my personal preferences so, YMMV.
O


Last edited by Orcatraz on Tue May 17, 2011 6:18 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 5:25 pm
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I need to do more messing around with amp/cab combinations in my presets. Thanks for the heads up on the Deluxe cab switch. Gotta try this.....


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 7:26 pm
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Thanks! Just went and tried your suggestions for the Deluxe cabinet switch, and it really makes a difference. I had made up two Deluxe presets "Jazz Deluxe" and "Modern Deluxe" - switching the cabinets around and working with the bias and sag settings gave me the tones I was looking for.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 8:56 pm
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Excellent! If you don't mind me asking, what style of music do you play?

O.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 12:07 am
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And always lower the SAG control. It always improves the sound. The SAG is the one element they blew.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 2:25 am
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Musicmaster2 wrote:
And always lower the SAG control. It always improves the sound. The SAG is the one element they blew.



Not to me. Not everyone plays the same way - some need less SAG some need more. Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for anybody else.

The SAG control is precisely what separates Fender from the likes of Line6 and even Boss. Without SAG they may as well have left out all the classic Fender and early Marshall models and just modeled only high gain amps. In which case I would definitely not own a Mustang.
Sag is a huge part of the appeal of Fender amps. The fact that Fender gave us all a choice proves beyond a shadow a doubt that they did anything but blow it. We should be thankful that they understand just how diverse playing styles can be and are smart enough to provide an elegant and simple solution. They'd be just like everybody else if they didn't give us a choice and it would make it harder for them to differentiate themselves from the riff-raff. That would also translate to fewer sales. Not good.

By giving us a choice, they got it right - exactly right!
Personally, I can't stand playing through amps that don't sag.

O.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 4:33 am
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Orcatraz wrote:
Excellent! If you don't mind me asking, what style of music do you play?

O.


I play blues, jazz and some pop sort of stuff (think Bill Frisell, Jason Mraz), and had been tweaking to get a couple of different clean sounds. The Jazz Deluxe is set up with the '57 Deluxe amp, and now the '65 Deluxe cab. Really mellows out the tone, makes a great jazzy tone.
On the other end, using the '65 amp and the '57 cab brightens up and gives some fullness to the "Modern Deluxe". With a bit of delay and reverb, it is just what I was looking for in an all around clean sound.
I set up a crunchy '65 Deluxe sound as well, again with the '57 Deluxe cabinet - now it really sings. :mrgreen:


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 5:54 am
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Orcatraz wrote:
Musicmaster2 wrote:
And always lower the SAG control. It always improves the sound. The SAG is the one element they blew.


Not to me. Not everyone plays the same way - some need less SAG some need more. Just because it doesn't work for you doesn't mean it won't work for anybody else.

The SAG control is precisely what separates Fender from the likes of Line6 and even Boss. Without SAG they may as well have left out all the classic Fender and early Marshall models and just modeled only high gain amps. In which case I would definitely not own a Mustang.
Sag is a huge part of the appeal of Fender amps. The fact that Fender gave us all a choice proves beyond a shadow a doubt that they did anything but blow it. We should be thankful that they understand just how diverse playing styles can be and are smart enough to provide an elegant and simple solution. They'd be just like everybody else if they didn't give us a choice and it would make it harder for them to differentiate themselves from the riff-raff. That would also translate to fewer sales. Not good.

By giving us a choice, they got it right - exactly right!
Personally, I can't stand playing through amps that don't sag.

O.


Completely agree - but isn't it backwards ie turning the dial to the left increases (ie lowers) the amount of sag (improving feel), and to the right reduces it (tightening up, but less responsive)? :?:

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"I started out with nothing ...and I've still got most of it left!" (Seasick Steve)


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:08 am
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Rockcat wrote:
Completely agree - but isn't it backwards ie turning the dial to the left increases (ie lowers) the amount of sag (improving feel), and to the right reduces it (tightening up, but less responsive)? :?:


No Rockcat, If you look at the control labels, on the left it says "less" and to the right it says "more". But I know what you're thinking - that it's like the "cut" control on a Vox amp. No, it's "righty loosey and lefty tighty". :)


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 9:16 am
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CharlesTY wrote:
Orcatraz wrote:
Excellent! If you don't mind me asking, what style of music do you play?

O.


I play blues, jazz and some pop sort of stuff (think Bill Frisell, Jason Mraz), and had been tweaking to get a couple of different clean sounds. The Jazz Deluxe is set up with the '57 Deluxe amp, and now the '65 Deluxe cab. Really mellows out the tone, makes a great jazzy tone.
On the other end, using the '65 amp and the '57 cab brightens up and gives some fullness to the "Modern Deluxe". With a bit of delay and reverb, it is just what I was looking for in an all around clean sound.
I set up a crunchy '65 Deluxe sound as well, again with the '57 Deluxe cabinet - now it really sings. :mrgreen:


Wow! I did exactly the same thing as your first two patches. I'm still playing around trying to find a combination that'll give me a Dumble-like Robben Ford type sound. I'm thinking that the SuperSonic 212 cab would be a good starting point. Sometimes I wish there was a way to keep Fuse from switching Cab Sims when you switch amp models. Oh well, no big deal.

Sounds like we play similar types of music.

O.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 11:27 am
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Let me know if you find a tone like a Dumble overdrive! I've experimented with the Supersonic model a bit to find this, but not messed with the cabinet sims along with it.
I've seen a couple of presets loaded up on the Fuse site that head in that direction, but weren't quite right to my ears - too buzzy, too much distortion, etc.

I'm going to work a bit more looking for this sort of a sound; if I find it, I'll post it over at Fuse.


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Post subject: Re: Mustang 2 - First impressions
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 2:43 pm
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Real Sag in THEORY would be a brilliant addition. But in PRACTICE on the Mustangs, it turns all models lifeless, flat and non-responsive. It sounds horrible, and every setting above OFF sucks dynamics and character.

You're much better off getting your sag control from a compressor setting, they work like they're supposed to and sound fine.

And I'm a tube-amp studio guy for a zillion years and love real sag. Mustang sag, as Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell would say..."ain't nothin' like the real thing, baby!"


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