Fender Mustang Ben Gibbard signature?

[Jonesie]

I saw Death Cab and Postal Service last night and was surprised Ben Gibbard played Strats the entire Death Cab set. He switched to what looked like his sig Mustang for Postal Service.

To be fair, during the Transatlanticism era he was mostly paying those strat-like Japanese Fender Bullets. So it could be trying to recreate the sound more accurately?

Ah ok. I thought he was playing an ASAT at that point. That would make more sense now.

I think ASAT was more Plans and the couple of albums after that. I could be wrong. I just know he's playing the bullet on the Drive Well, Sleep Carefully DVD -- We Looked Like Giants

[Pepe Silvia]

To be fair, during the Transatlanticism era he was mostly paying those strat-like Japanese Fender Bullets. So it could be trying to recreate the sound more accurately?

Ah ok. I thought he was playing an ASAT at that point. That would make more sense now.

I think ASAT was more Plans and the couple of albums after that. I could be wrong. I just know he's playing the bullet on the Drive Well, Sleep Carefully DVD -- We Looked Like Giants

Actually he may have been using that Bullet. Hard to tell, I was like 50 rows back. That video is great, it is so different to how they play the song now where it sounds like they just pushed play on the recording. I haven't seen Death Cab in a few years and noticed they made the switch to no amps. It just isn't the same, it doesn't feel like live music. I've gone to three concerts in the past month and have yet to see an amp.

[Jonesie]

Ah ok. I thought he was playing an ASAT at that point. That would make more sense now.

I think ASAT was more Plans and the couple of albums after that. I could be wrong. I just know he's playing the bullet on the Drive Well, Sleep Carefully DVD -- We Looked Like Giants

Actually he may have been using that Bullet. Hard to tell, I was like 50 rows back. That video is great, it is so different to how they play the song now where it sounds like they just pushed play on the recording. I haven't seen Death Cab in a few years and noticed they made the switch to no amps. It just isn't the same, it doesn't feel like live music. I've gone to three concerts in the past month and have yet to see an amp.

I saw Superchunk and Jimmy Eat World last weekend (different shows.) Superchunk had amps on stage and sounded incredible. Jimmy Eat World uses AxeFx and everything just sounded digital and fizzy. Totally different worlds. Both were great shows though.

[Shadoweclipse13]

We saw Death Cab for the first show of their current tour (just Asphalt Meadows, not Postal Service also) and there were definitely amps on stage. I couldn't tell exactly what model, but it looked like both guys were using Fender amps. The one behind Ben looked like a Twin Reverb, or something with at least 2 speakers.

[Jonesie]

We saw Death Cab for the first show of their current tour (just Asphalt Meadows, not Postal Service also) and there were definitely amps on stage. I couldn't tell exactly what model, but it looked like both guys were using Fender amps. The one behind Ben looked like a Twin Reverb, or something with at least 2 speakers.

I wonder if they're just trying to keep the stage bare for the Postal Service aesthetic maybe?

[Shadoweclipse13]

We saw Death Cab for the first show of their current tour (just Asphalt Meadows, not Postal Service also) and there were definitely amps on stage. I couldn't tell exactly what model, but it looked like both guys were using Fender amps. The one behind Ben looked like a Twin Reverb, or something with at least 2 speakers.

I wonder if they're just trying to keep the stage bare for the Postal Service aesthetic maybe?

That would make sense, since Postal Service is SO synthy. I know there's plenty of guitar in the songs, but it's not as in the forefront as DCFC or even Ben's solo stuff.

[Pepe Silvia]

I think ASAT was more Plans and the couple of albums after that. I could be wrong. I just know he's playing the bullet on the Drive Well, Sleep Carefully DVD -- We Looked Like Giants

Actually he may have been using that Bullet. Hard to tell, I was like 50 rows back. That video is great, it is so different to how they play the song now where it sounds like they just pushed play on the recording. I haven't seen Death Cab in a few years and noticed they made the switch to no amps. It just isn't the same, it doesn't feel like live music. I've gone to three concerts in the past month and have yet to see an amp.

I saw Superchunk and Jimmy Eat World last weekend (different shows.) Superchunk had amps on stage and sounded incredible. Jimmy Eat World uses AxeFx and everything just sounded digital and fizzy. Totally different worlds. Both were great shows though.

I saw Jimmy Eat World recently too, actually my 4th time seeing them and my wife's 11th time, she is a super fan. The first time I saw them in 2015 or so, was shortly after they ditched the Thunderverb 200s for AxeFX. The sound was good, but it didn't sound live, like a recording through the PA. I was complaining to my wife how i wish they had amps, and she didnt even notice, which would be the case for most concert goers.

I saw Weezer in like 2000 and they were using Line 6 PODs, the sound was awful. Modeling has come a long way since then.

[ryanthellama]

Actually he may have been using that Bullet. Hard to tell, I was like 50 rows back. That video is great, it is so different to how they play the song now where it sounds like they just pushed play on the recording. I haven't seen Death Cab in a few years and noticed they made the switch to no amps. It just isn't the same, it doesn't feel like live music. I've gone to three concerts in the past month and have yet to see an amp.

I saw the tour tonight and can confirm he was using two Bullets during Death Cab’s set. He had a sunburst and a black, alternating between them almost every song. Thought the guitars sounded great in both sets, but I couldn’t make out amps (or lack thereof) from my angle.

[rogerwilco]

I picked one up on Reverb for a very reasonable price a few weeks ago. I regularly go from wanting to change the pickups to replacing them - we'll see. Otherwise I'm really happy with it.

Question: is the tailpiece adjustable on these? I'd like to lower it a little for a bit more downward pressure to help fix a weak high E string but with my big drawerful of wrenches couldn't find one to adjust. I'd like to avoid raising the bridge as I'm happy with the action and playability.

Thanks!

[Pacafeliz]

I picked one up on Reverb for a very reasonable price a few weeks ago. I regularly go from wanting to change the pickups to replacing them - we'll see. Otherwise I'm really happy with it.

Question: is the tailpiece adjustable on these? I'd like to lower it a little for a bit more downward pressure to help fix a weak high E string but with my big drawerful of wrenches couldn't find one to adjust. I'd like to avoid raising the bridge as I'm happy with the action and playability.

Thanks!

Nope, the tailpiece is fixed

[rogerwilco]

Thanks. I took the tailpiece and saw for myself. Bummer, but not the end of the world. I have it fairly well dialed in now.