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Post subject: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Sat Dec 10, 2011 12:36 pm
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I own a mustang III and V head. I'd like to offer some suggestions for firmware udates or future models.
Boost - How about adding a "boost" feature under the delay section in the next firmware update? I only use delay on leads and adding a boost, like a second master volume, as an option on the delay screen would give us that choice. If you just wanted to use just a boost, set the delay level to "0", just delay, leave the boost set at "0" or you could combine both. It would be a good work around as the mustangs do not have a dedicated boost button. I know some will use the overdrive as a boost but many of the sounds I've programed already have the overdrive as part of my sound.
Patch switching time - regardless of firmware update 1.8, switching patches is not seamless. When I switch patches, I get this strange demented flugelhorn type sound for a very breif moment. But its enough to hear and be a distraction, at least to me. I'm the only guitar player in my cover band and I need to switch patches quickly and seamlessly for some songs. Think Hey Jealousy by the Gin Blossoms, which uses a distorted Mesa patch to a clean Fender with chorus patch. Many digital products avaliable have no delay when switching - the old Vox "blue" series Valvetronix, all of the newer Zoom pedals which advertise 5ms or less, and the new Marshall JMD are examples. Instand patch switching on the Mustang would make me giddy.
The footswitch. As has been stated on other posts, its easy to hit the first button when attempting to engage the overdrive. Instant train wreck. Please redisgn the footswitch and while at it, include a screen like on the amps. I would pay more for that option. Also, the best feature on any footswitch ever was on the VC-12 from Vox for the Blue Valvetronix series. The first button was a "return" button. You could toggle between two patches (regardless of order) by hitting that button. I rarely use more than two patches for a song and that feature was fantastic.
By the way I use a Mustang III and Vox AD60VT for small shows and the Mustang V and Vox AD120VTH into a split Marshall 4x12 for others. Both are great amps and are somewhat similar. The screen, better cleans and obviously the fact that they are new and have a five year warranty and are affordable push the Mustangs ahead of the Vox in my book.
The Fizz. Uh.....need I go on? Yep, my V fizzes. I guess that makes me #12, right? It really doesn't bother me live because we play loud and I rattle my drummer's snares long before I hear any fiz from the Mustang.
Overall, fantastic sounding amps. Really fantastic. My studio is full of vintage Fender's, a Super Sonic, a Marshall 1987x and various Vox amps and heads. I play the Mustang III the most. I've been playing for 42 years. I'm still finding new and exciting sounds on the Mustang. I can't say enough about how great the Mustangs sound. I'd just like to see a few improvements.


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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Mon Dec 12, 2011 1:35 pm
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Hey bopcrash,

I"m pleased that overall you seem to like the amps. Your suggestions have been noted.

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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 5:49 pm
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:?: :?: I'm wondering what the possibility would be of adding an EQ of some sort to the list of effects...be it parametric or graphic. I know that the standard EQ's of Bass, Mid, and Treble are available obviously, but having the luxury of being able to "dial it in" to greater detail would be awesome as well in some cases. As an example, some rooms can tend to be too "boomy" when I try to dial in a perfect tone and I have to dial back the bass to fix the issue. I then lose some of the warmth of my tone when all I really need to do is dial back a certain frequency. I'm sure I can think of other situations where this could be handy...like in the studio for example. Just a thought. Otherwise, I LOVE my Mustang IVs. I have 3 of those and 1 Mustang III.

Dino* :D


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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Wed Dec 21, 2011 6:27 pm
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I'd like to see an *upscale* model in the Mustang line akin to the old CyberTwin SE with higher quality components, upscale tolex, tougher cab with metal corners.

As far as electronics go, it would be great to see pro-level direct outs on the back in stereo too.

The Mustang line is a great value, but there has to be something between a $299 Mustang V and a $2200 Axe Fx II ;) I had requested a coupon for an Axe II back in July and after receiving it earlier this month decided that the extra bucks just wasn't worth the upgrade over my Mustang V and III. I'd be thrilled to pay considerable more for a Mustang (VI?) if it had truly professional appointments.

More amp models would be great as would some *boutique* and vintage effects like a script Phase 90, MXR flanger, stereo Univibe and maybe a Fulltone OCD overdrive. I'd pay $1000 bucks for something like this....


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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 3:22 am
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A happy Mustang III owner here who has spent quite a lot of time experimenting with Fuse and tweaking presets. The amp covers a lot of ground, but there are a couple of things that are notable by their absence that might be worth considering in future firmware.

The most striking omission for me is that there are no emulations of solid state amps. Odd, given how good a job this amp does with clean sounds. Something like a Fender Jazzmaster Ultralight or a Fender Jazz King emulation in the amp and cabinet models seems like an obvious feature to add. It might broaden the amp's appeal to Jazz and Country players - you might sell more!

The other very handy feature I would really like to see is a "clean gain" stomp box in the same category as the overdrive/compressor/fuzz set. Just a basic gain booster and reducer would be handy for everything from solos, driving the amp models hard with weaker pickups to dialling the gain down for guitars with hot pickups. If this also added some EQ capability (I would personally love to see a fully parametric EQ - but even bass and treble shelving filters would be great) it would allow for powerful adjustment to the tone and be switchable.

If you wanted to get really fancy, another very cool feature to consider might be a "flat" cabinet model that (as much as possible) compensates for the frequency response of the inbuilt speaker. Why? Then the amp could be used for acoustic instruments (acoustic guitar notably, maybe acoustic bass) which might broaden its appeal - and you might sell more! Of course, this cabinet model would have to be different between the III, IV and V which could be a bit of a trick ... but surely the firmware can detect the model and choose the right compensation curve.

One of the strengths of modelling amps should be the ability to update software and add features over time - so here's hoping!


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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Fri Dec 30, 2011 5:39 pm
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Hi bopcrash. I have an AD120VTX/AD212/VC12 rig and liked the Mustang III very much because, as you rightly intimated, it sounded so similar to my Vox. It was almost as if Fender had copied the Vox modeling.

The game plan was for the MIII to give me a light, compact 'version' of similar tones to use at home, rehearsals or gigging. Unfortunately, it's only a 1x12" amp & like all 1x12"'s it's missing the fullness of a bigger 2x12", and it didn't have an extn cab out which was essential for me to connect to a 2x12 or 4 x12 when needed. So I returned it. Whilst it didn't have quite the valve warmth, feel, dynamics & touch-sensitivity of the AD120VTX, it was close enough. Unfortunately the floor-pedal options don't have the sheer gigability of the VC12 (& like you I really like the last patch recall feature) but I could have coped with them.

Re a boost function (eg for lead solos) the only modeling amp I'm aware of that has that function are the Laney Prism P35/P65's. It's such a useful feature for gigging players I don't understand why more manufacturers don't include it.

I solved the problem of a clean boost in my AD120VT rig by using a BBE Boosta Grand in the FX loop. In fact I use 3 pedals in the FX loop, which in order are: Behringer EQ700, BBE Boosta Grand, BBE Sonic Stomp Maximiser.

If you haven't yet tried it, I urge you to put a 7-band EQ somp pedal in your AD60VT's FX loop - it will transform your amp! And a BBE Sonic Maximiser after the EQ is even better. The EQ gives you way more EQ control than the onboard EQ, allowing you to raise/lower bass, mid or treble frequencies independently so you can accenuate the high end whilst keeping bass response, or scoop mids etc.

The BBESSM adds a bigger, punchier more '3D' feel to your amp. Guitar speakers have a problem dealing with all the frequencies thrown at them at the same time. So they do their 'best' but the result is they have to compromise. The BBESSM splits the higher & lower frequencies and very slightly alters when these reach your speaker thus allowing it time to interpret the frequencies more efficiently. The result is a much clearer, bigger & more dynamic tone in a different way to the EQ. The EQ & BBESSM in the FX loop is the best way to go...it will turn your 'Blue' Valvetronix into even more of a tone monster ! :wink:

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Post subject: Re: Suggestions to Fender for the Mustang III -V
Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2011 6:35 am
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What I really, really dislike about my IV is the footswitch entering the tuner mode WAAAAY too quickly. I still sometimes instead of changing the footswitch mode to add some delay or something for the solo enter the tuner mode which is a no-no situation seeing how I am the only guitarist in my band and that means no sound whatsoever when there should have been plenty of sound for a solo.
Is there any way the R&D could make a software update where you'd be able to program the footswitch via FUSE - program how long do you have to hold the Mode button on footswitch that it enters the tuner mode?
That'd be AWESOME. When we need to (re)tune our guitars we usually have more than enough time that the extra second or two, however we program the footswitch, don't really matter much, while an extra second or two instead of 0,3s (or whatever the exact time is) that it takes to enter footswitch now would make gigging a lot easier and give you some room for "nervous feet", if you know what I mean. That's the only thing I really really miss. It's a tone monster as it is, but this is really bad for live playing.

PS: Those that need a boost for lead sound - I need it to, but you don't really need an effect to do it. Here's what I did - I made pairs of the amp sounds that I needed for solo playing as well, when solo comes I just change the mode of footswitch between QA buttons and between up/down buttons. I go one up (or sometimes down, it's true you have to remember for each setting where you have the lead sound) and the sound there is exactly the same, except I programmed it a bit louder (whether via Volume knob or Master knob in FUSE, that varies on a case to case basis) and added some mild delay that's already turned on (which I love for solos, kinda fills in the blanks). Viola - you have your lead boost :)

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