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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink Well, I ordered a Mastery bridge...

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guys im overhauling my cij jazzmaster, the new pups just arrived and was just going to pull the trigger on a mastery. simple question: is this worth 165 bucks?

Just got mine on the Jag today..played for a half hour..everything just feels more solid then before not to mention no string jumping issues etc..not cheap but worth it

www.northofmalibu.com

gusto
guys im overhauling my cij jazzmaster, the new pups just arrived and was just going to pull the trigger on a mastery. simple question: is this worth 165 bucks?

I'd certainly spring for it if I had $165. I don't have one yet, but I'd really love to get one. I don't play my Jazzmasters or Jag very often though...

I'm very happy with The Mastery Bridge. It makes the guitar much more solid around the bridge and you can pound the sh*t out of the strings and they will not budge. I have not touched the bridge since I installed it.

Ryan
The Secret Samurai Website
The Secret Samurai on Facebook

ditto as ruhar says above: it's an absolutely solid bridge.

is it worth $165?

for this heavy-handed Jazzmaster player it really seems worth it for me.
i love everything about the Jazzmaster, except the original bridge...now I'm good to go!

I'm not real big on continually changing things on my guitar, once I find what works for me, I tend to stop messing with it.

Hence the '51 Precision Bass: it works as it is.
Now the Jazzmaster works.

thanks for the response. im going for it

Ruhar
Well, I just installed the Mastery Bridge on my Jazzmaster and love it. It definitely improves the performance of the guitar without question. There is a noticeable increase in sustain and resonance, but nothing crazy and none of the guitar's character is sacrificed because of the bridge. It's very stable and makes trem picking a dream because there is no way that the strings will skip saddle threads.

I had no problems intonating with a wound G. In fact, the bridge came damn near intonated out of the box. The tremolo system works just as well as with the stock bridge as the Mastery Bridge also rocks slightly.

Amen. I just installed a Mastery bridge on my Jaguar and I can hardly stop playing it, a huge improvement. I haven't adjusted anything except the bridge height and it is set up way better than I ever had it. My action is lower than before and no buzzing or rattling. It is a new guitar. I was a little confused at first, but the bridge is not supposed to rock, but fit snug. I ordered the extra Japanese posts that are slightly larger and it fits perfectly.

Doug, I'm so glad you found time to install the Mastery. I'm also glad to read that you dig it! Congratulations!

Doug can you explain how the bridge allows for lower action? And related to that, does anyone else have trouble with your two E strings hitting the screw heads under them at the back of the trem plate?

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

Danny, it sounds like the pivot angle of your trem might be a little out...how's your spring/trem-lock setup?

http://www.webrocker.de/jaguar/cms/2007/05/12/setup-the-tremolo-system/

Danny
After reading your post, I just pivoted around in my chair to take a look at my Jazzmaster bridge. Yep Both 'E' strings touch the screws at the back of the trem plate.
Is it a big deal?

Joel

DannySnyder
Doug can you explain how the bridge allows for lower action? And related to that, does anyone else have trouble with your two E strings hitting the screw heads under them at the back of the trem plate?

It is probably simply that I did not have the radius of the saddles set properly so now it is a better set up. They put those bridges on guitars and test them before shipping so they probably set it up as in their video. I was pretty happy with the stock bridge but this in undeniably better. The 2 E-strings do touch the back screws on the trem plate but they did that before the Mastery. That is why Master Wronski replaces the screws with flatheads, I think he counter sinks the plate too.

dp
Danny, it sounds like the pivot angle of your trem might be a little out...how's your spring/trem-lock setup?

http://www.webrocker.de/jaguar/cms/2007/05/12/setup-the-tremolo-system/

Yep, I have it adjusted with that method. I found on my high E I got a sympathetic ringing as a result of touching the screw, sort of a sitar sound. It went away when I raised the bridge, however the action is higher now. I'll have to follow master Wronski and replace the screws.

I'd love to get a Mastery Bridge but money is tight these days. If anyone bought one and doesn't like it please drop me a line.

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

My reissue tremolo screws touch, but my original '65 doesn't.

Jazzmaster Tweek Miester Eddie Katcher files the two screws down, and/or sticks a piece of foam under the strings to stop the ringing. I did it to one trem, and it worked.

"You can't tell where you're going if you don't know where you've been"

DannySnyder

dp
Danny, it sounds like the pivot angle of your trem might be a little out...how's your spring/trem-lock setup?

http://www.webrocker.de/jaguar/cms/2007/05/12/setup-the-tremolo-system/

Yep, I have it adjusted with that method. I found on my high E I got a sympathetic ringing as a result of touching the screw, sort of a sitar sound. It went away when I raised the bridge, however the action is higher now. I'll have to follow master Wronski and replace the screws.

I'd love to get a Mastery Bridge but money is tight these days. If anyone bought one and doesn't like it please drop me a line.

Hmmm...my CIJ Jazzmaster E strings don't touch the screws. I have it set up with heavy stings (.053-.013), and a heavy trem spring...the fulcrum pivot point of my trem is set so that the "string attachment plate" is pretty tall...my trem-lock balance point seems to tilt the movable part of the trem enough to clear those screws...

my action is is the 2mm zone, not really high at all...I have no shims in the neck...it's all flat and straight...

could yours be set something like this?
image

I lubricated the fulcrum/ pivot point of mine with a couple drops of 3-in-1 oil...took it all apart and made sure the everything was kosher before re-installing the trem and re-stringing the guitar...

sometimes, it seems that the moveable trem part that the strings attach to can drop down a bit changing the fulcrum angle...

Sorry Danny, it's sort of difficult to describe, since I don't know the correct names for all the trem pieces...

DannySnyder

dp
Danny, it sounds like the pivot angle of your trem might be a little out...how's your spring/trem-lock setup?

http://www.webrocker.de/jaguar/cms/2007/05/12/setup-the-tremolo-system/

Yep, I have it adjusted with that method. I found on my high E I got a sympathetic ringing as a result of touching the screw, sort of a sitar sound. It went away when I raised the bridge, however the action is higher now. I'll have to follow master Wronski and replace the screws.

I'd love to get a Mastery Bridge but money is tight these days. If anyone bought one and doesn't like it please drop me a line.

I have been using tailpieces with round-head screws for some of the new Jags I've been putting together. To use flat-head screw on the tailpiece you need to counter-bore the holes in the plate to accommodate that type of screw. All the tailpieces I have with flat-head screws were counter-bored prior to plating. But, I think maybe Fred Stuart found a way to bore them after plating that did not cause the plating to peel. Too many years ago to remember! If you want to try using flat head screws, I think the screw is the same one that holds the top plate to the block on a Strat Tremolo.

I checked some of my latest JAGS with Mastery Bridges, and found that I adjusted the bridge high enough so the strings don't hit the screws. On my red sparkle Jag I actually removed the roundhead screw that was under the low "E" string. I must have been in a hurry that day!

Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm going to spend some time this week on the guitar. I don't think I want to go as far as to counter sink for a flathead screw. Maybe I'll try screwing around with the trem spring as DP mentioned. Perhaps a stiffer one, if i can find one at the hardware store.

I'm getting a little closer to pulling the trigger on a mastery, I'm starting to come around to investing some money in the object that brings me so much joy. Looking at pickups too, though that's a whole nother thread.

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

DannySnyder
Thanks for all the advice everyone. I'm going to spend some time this week on the guitar. I don't think I want to go as far as to counter sink for a flathead screw. Maybe I'll try screwing around with the trem spring as DP mentioned. Perhaps a stiffer one, if i can find one at the hardware store.

I'm getting a little closer to pulling the trigger on a mastery, I'm starting to come around to investing some money in the object that brings me so much joy. Looking at pickups too, though that's a whole nother thread.

I don't know why you would need to change the spring. To adjust the tailpiece,

1} Hold the trem bar down and slide the sliding lock back.

2} Pull up on the bar to be sure there is no play. If there is movement before it hits, tighten the screw on top of the plate until there is no play.

3} Tune the guitar

4} Now, begin to turn the screw counter-clockwise until pulling up on the trem bar has a small bit of upward movement before it hits.

5} Fine adjust the screw until it seems you are at the "zero point" where there is not upper movement, and when the lock is slid forward the guitar does not go out of tune.

6} Use the slide lock when you want to "D" tune, or if you break a string.

7} If you break a string, hold the trem bar down, then slide the lock back.

Also, if you don't want the strings to hit the round head tailpiece screws raise the bridge until they clear them. Then, you will need to shim the neck to compensate.

Thanks Dave!!! I hadn't heard of that method of tremlock adjustment before.

Danny Snyder

Latest project - Now That's What I Call SURF
_
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo

I'm back playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta

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