Product review: Fender Mustang 1 Amplifier

More than just "high speed, amped up and loud," the Mustang 1 is smart, too


The Fender Mustang 1 is a smart piece of gear. First off, despite it’s entry level price tag, it looks like a Fender amp with the trademark silver grill and Fender logos, a fully enclosed case and a recessed dashboard to minimize the chance of ripping the knobs off when you tip it or drop it. It sports an 8-inch driver and at 20 watts, it’s a pretty powerful, portable practice amp.


It also sounds like a Fender amp, or rather several of them, as the Mustang 1's primary feature is the multiple preset onboard amp models, including:

• `57 Deluxe
• `59 Bassman
• `65 Twin Reverb
• British `60s
• Metal `80s
• American `90s
• Super Sonic 
• Metal 2000

Have I played through all those amps and done a side-by-side comparison/contrast? No, but this amp does a good job recreating each of those distinctive sounds, and as a hobbyist with a pretty minimal guitar -- I play a 2002 Squire Silver Sparkle Jagmaster -- I really appreciate the many varieties of tones it creates and the fact that I don't yet have to spend a ton of dough on effects pedals. The American `90s setting, which is apparently intended to sound like a Mesa Boogie, is a big favorite, and it's got a distinctly different character than the Metal 2000, Super-Sonic and other settings.


It took some getting used to, but each of the presets has three settings: ‘standard,’ and two customizable variants. You can shape your tone with the onboard controls and save your settings. You can also connect the Mustang 1 to a computer, via USB, to create, download, save and install customized settings using the Fender FUSE™ software. Whether you connect the amp to your computer or not, this amp gives you a lot of possibilities for shaping your sound.


The amp’s dashboard has the standard Gain, Volume, Treble, Bass and Master controls -- a mid would have been nice -- as well as selector dials for 12 modulation effects and 12 delay and reverb effects, including:

• Chorus
• Flanging
• Phasing
• Tremolo
• Vibratone
• Step filter
• Reverb
• Echo
• Octaver

Fender’s marketing phrase is "High Speed, Amped up and Loud," and while the Mustang 1 definitely delivers the loud, it’s also smart.


In addition to all the effects and amp models, the Mustang 1 also has a 1/8-inch input for an iPod or a computer, and a 1/8-inch headphone jack. These are simple but important amenities in a practice amp, allowing you to play along with a song, and do so without driving your family and neighbors crazy. It also shipped with the Ableton Recording software and also a demo version of Amplitube II, which allows you to use a PC or a Mac as practice amp and shape your tone with yet another set of amplifier models and effects. Be aware that to use Amplitube, you will need an analog-to-digital converter, such as a Stealth Plug ($70) or an Apogee Jam ($99). 


In sum, the Mustang 1 one is a well-designed, portable amp that offers an enormous amount of flexibility and customization for your tone. It’s also a cost-conscious solution; I bought this amplifier on sale for $75 (list price is $149.99). 


Link to the product specifications.


Chris McMahon, MSJ is a business journalist concentrating markets and technology. His views are his own and he has not accepted payment of any sort for this review.

Product review: Squier Jagmasters Keep it Simple and Rock Hard

Jagmasters Keep it Simple and Rock Hard


I’m a big fan of the Squier Jagmaster. These are well-designed, well-built guitars that have the same "offset-waist" styling as the ultra cool vintage Fender Jazzmasters and Jaguars, minus several of their design flaws -- chiefly the "rocking tremolos," which are unstable and difficult to keep in tune, the overly complex wiring and switches, and the thousand-dollar-plus price tags. 


I'd like to add here that I have previously owned a Jaguar, a Jazzmaster and currently play a Jagmaster.

3-color sunburst Squier Jagmaster

The Jagmaster features a standard Stratocaster bridge/tremolo unit that stays in tune even for the most ham-fisted hacks, such as myself. It's a simple and proven design and quick to restring. The Jaguar and Jazzmaster feature "rocking tremolos," which means that the bridge moves back and forth when you use the whammy bar. To oversimplify: they have too many moving parts. Google it. You'll see what I mean. The "Vintage Modified" Jaguars and Jazzmasters have dealt with this issue by having fixed bridges -- no whammy bar -- and where's the fun in that?


The Jagmaster also features two humbucker pickups for a fatter, more distortable sound. Simply put, it's much more RAWK sounding than a Jaguar or Jazzmaster. Jaguars and Jazzmasters are known for their many switches and knobs, which can allow for creating all kinds of custom tones, but which can also create opportunities to sound awful. Jagmasters keep it simple. That should probably be on a T-shirt, now that I think about it.


One thing to be aware of is that Jagmasters typically have 24-inch necks, which are well suited for those with smaller or less nimble hands (most Fenders have 25.5 inch necks). This is a plus for many players and shouldn't be considered unusual, as most Gibsons also have 24-inch necks. It's all about what you're used to.


My one issue with these guitars is that they are only available in black, and sunburst. If I had my way, they'd drop the sunburst in favor of the discontinued silver metal flake, candy apple red and sea-foam green. Jagmasters are much too cool for such a limited and conservative color options. A cool after market thing to do is add a mother of pearl pick guard.


The 2011 Jagmasters list for $480, to snag one for $280 is a steal. Used ones can range from $130 to $180.


Chris McMahon, MSJ is a business journalist concentrating markets and technology. His views are his own and he has not accepted payment of any sort for this review.

Questions remain as OTC is cleared for take-off

Exchanges are poised to take advantage of the regulatory push into over-the-counter clearing. While there are massive opportunities, exchanges also know clearing OTC isn't as simple as it may look, writes Chris McMahon.


Download a PDF of "Questions remain as OTC is cleared for take-off," as featured in the Derivatives 2011 Yearbook, a publication of the Futures and Options Association.