Squier Sonic Mustang: One heck of a mod platform!
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- Опубліковано 8 лют 2025
- Link to schematic in this video: www.instagram....
Link to original schematic for reference: www.offsetguit...
I wanted to do a simple video, just to show the steps to working over a sonic mustang and giving it the look and functions of a traditional mustang. To be sure, this was a quick job - and I could have smoothed out the pickguard cuts a bit more - but hopefully this should give you an idea of what to expect if you embark on this project! Overall, a fun and useful mod job.
Also I have no idea why the clip at the start of the video sounds so thin ... some kind of Gremlin in the youtube transfer!
Key steps to remember:
Measure and cut the pickguard. If you buy an American or Japanese pickguard, the dimensions will be different,
so you'll need to cut away at a bit of material to make it fit around the Squier control plate and bridge.
Measure and route a spot for the slider switches - it has got to be wide enough that you can fit any leads that bridge the side of your switches.
Cut your leads - I recommend primary (doorbell) wire for the switch body leads, and regular gauge wire for the rest.
Get those body leads in place first, then move on to the pickup leads and any other leads going to back of the pots or elsewhere.
Make sure the switches are grounded together as per the diagram - ground to the screw on switch 2 if necessary.
Test it all out - the bottom switch should work in all 3 positions, and the top switch will work in the first position (parallel) and in the 3rd position (series), with the middle positon just being a kill switch. Note that the series switching puts both pickups in series and ovverides switch 1.
Hope this helps - and look forward to seeing your own version of this!
Products used in this video:
Pickguard: www.amazon.com...
Slider Switches (3 way on-on-on): www.stewmac.co...
![How BAD is the Squier Sonic Mustang [review and demo] #electricguitar #budgetguitar #cheapguitar](/img/n.gif)
Hi guys, let me know if issues hearing the vocals on the audio at the start. An audio tech friend of mine said he thinks the audio part at the beginning has gone out of phase - if that's even possible - probably karma for all the out of phase mods I've done! I may need to re-upload the vid to see if it solves the issue.
0:18 - 0:33 sounds rough. Every UA-camr needs to have a video (or 5) with some tech issue. 1:59 - 2:17 as well... looks like it's something with a room mic.
@blueslawyer Thanks! I had a tech friend look at the video, and he says that audio part at the start sounds out of phase - strangely the final video cut on my end sounds fine on a bunch of different devices, but once it got to youtube that's likely where the pre existing issues with this vid finally showed up. A good lesson to use a new microphone next time and probably a new editing suite!
@@nilesthrompton it happens to everyone! Trying new stuff is what it's all about.
My savior! No one showed the cavity, now I know that it don’t matter if I get the HH or the SS Sonic mustang model. I was going to gut it either way so now I can just pick a finish and ignore the stock pup configuration
For sure, just a swimming pool rout so you can drop any pickup combo in there!
I was in love with it right out of the box. Those singles handle high gain perfectly for me.
You are such a hero… I got this guitar for my birthday last weekend! It has got my Fender strat stuck in its case for over a week now😂 It’s sounds too good to keep a three- way toggle on there. I was literally searching weather this mod was possible! Thanks! I subbed! 🙌🏻🎸
Thanks! Glad the video helped! Check out other diagrams online, but this one is probably a safe bet, since a lot of other diagrams I saw warned of potential dead spots.
Good video man. I got one of these a couple weeks ago that was loaded with humbuckers. Plenty room for mods. I gave the neck a quick go over filing the fret edges and leveling a couple frets but it has a nice strong and straight neck. My mods, I installed a set of noiseless Telecaster pickups with the adapter plates. Now it's a 6 pound short scale Telecaster. Just what my back ordered lol. have a good one.
The switch modification goes a long way with this guitar. Really nice to have that additional sound palette...
I agree - having that extra series boost in this gives a combined output of about 11k which really helps drive an amp!
I've got a Squire Bullet Mustang which has now got Schaller 3D bridge; EMG 85 (bridge) and EMG 89 (neck) The EMG 89 is wired to a push/pull pot to give a single coil at the neck ; Graphtech Ratio locking tuners. It's a monster guitar now!! Happy to swap modding notes with you if you like. 😊😊
Sweet! Sounds like an amazing mod - I'd love to see some pics! Hit me up at my email address - should be in the bio!
This is great and you’re an entertaining UA-camr. I’m getting a Will Forte vibe and I love it!
Thanks! Appreciate the kind words! I try to keep it entertaining... I don't always succeed but I'm super happy when people like it!
I’ve just put a DiMarzio Tone Zone S in the bridge of mine. Pretty good so far.
Awesome - great pickup! Nothing better than rail style pickup in a guitar like this. I'd love to see a vid and hear what that sounds like! I've got an SD STK S1B on hand for a future drop in on this...
Good job! Looks and sounds great! 😃
Thanks man! Appreciate the kind words! I hope this provides a bit of a road map to help people modify the sonic mustang to the original mustang style if they choose!
Hey, i love the video but i was wondering how the wiring is done if there is a double coil pickup on the bridge. Sorry if thats a dumb question.
Not a dumb question at all! I just used the same two single coils it came with, but wired them to act in series. By switching from the standard parallel to series wiring, the output of one pickup now goes into the input of another pickup, creating a much fatter but darker tone and essentially turning both single coils into a humbucker.
I got the same Indonesian mustang in sunburst. Mine sounds great, actually like the stock pickups. Tuners better than expected. But the frets are razor sharp, almost unplayable
That's a shame on the fret ends - although mine were rounded off, quality control on these sonics can be a bit hit and miss... Are you gonna do the old sanding block on an angle job to smooth them down or do a proper fret job?
for me the FSR bullet mustangs are better as they have a contoured body and a 12" fb radius. Change to whatever pups you want with a pickguard to fit them.
I wanna see it with a tremolo!
Sold the guitar a while back as someone made me an offer... And I needed the cash to buy more guitars for the channel! I do have a mustang tremolo that I'm gonna put on a custom build - stay tuned!
My first guitar was a 1967 Mustang.
My first car was a 1968 Stratocaster.
I really like mine, I got the red one as well. I did a few mods. Locking tuners, roller trees, a white pearl pickguard and red metal knobs. Once I got it properly intonated, it's a great guitar. I had 10s on it because I thought short scale guitars needed heavier gauge strings, but I just put a set of 9s on it and it feels so much better.
I also have a Bullet Mustang that I turned into a Bullet Mustang-90 with a set of P-90s. Also locking tuners, roller trees, pearl pickguard and metal knobs.
Any chance you know where you got the pearl pickguard? I've been looking for it but can't seem to find it anywhere
@@Johnny-wx5yz eBay. It's actually for a Fender Mustang so it did require a little work with the jigsaw to cut around the hard tail bridge of the Squier. Also had to drill a couple new screw holes.
@@christopheraaron8299 Ok thanks
@@christopheraaron8299 ok thanks
I find on mine the saddles slide around too much when bending and throws the tuning way out.
For sure, that can be an issue with these especially since it's a shorter scale guitar, even shorter than a Gibson. It has been recommended to me to that the issue can potentially be solved by replacing the bridge with a tele half bridge, supposedly the 3 brass barrels will stay in place and provide more stable tuning... That's what they used on the original duo sonic for example.
@@nilesthrompton I figured out what was wrong- the intonation screws were long enough that the string rubbed on it like pulling over a hump and that caused the string to go flat and sharp. I pulled the screws and dremeled them a bit to shorten them and no more!
I also find it is rather easy to move the neck forward and back- like when you see people "shake" the guitar to cause tremolo- not a fan of this but I figure maybe it's due to the thinness of the body(?) There is not a lot of wood behind the neck.
Mine is awesome as is, no mods needed.
Please recommend a new bridge, Stewmac has one for $44, so much better, a snap to change.
What is the one on stew Mac called? Is it a mustang bridge?
Your room mic sounds odd through my monitors. Voice over mic sounds fine. Just tying to help. Great video tho man!
Thanks! Yeah for some reason that part of the audio at the start seems to have gone out of phase... I think now that its because of the new editing suite I switched to at Christmas, which was a total waste of money!
When you cut body for extra space for switches did you noticed the body is made from solid wood or ply?
It's made of solid poplar, I believe it's a 3 piece poplar body. A good tone wood!
Mod it! 👍👍
I think I just might - a new set of pickups, new switching and the tremolo!
I'd like to see that in the comments....
I'll try my best to visualize a mustang tremolo install in the comments... I may need to seize control of youtube and change the code in the back end to do it but by gawd it will be a sight....😊
Take out the useless toggle switch and add and interrupter switch
@davidmarkham4391 For sure - I replaced it with a momentary on off push button kill switch before I sold it.
Please stop saying exetera instead of et cetera....
Lol good point... I should probably stop using that altogether, as my jumbled Atlantic speech makes words difficult.