ebrobston
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 122
birmingham alabama
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 11:11 AM
I know the problems associated with a jazzmaster bridge have been discussed throughout many threads here and elsewhere, but I haven't been able to find a good summary of the various ways to deal with the issues. As far as I can tell, here are the options (in my situation, I have a squier JM), from cheapest fix to the most expensive:
-keep the stock bridge, using loctite/nailpolish on the screws and perhaps filing a groove in the saddles to keep the strings in place
-replace with a mustang bridge (although this may be a problem because of the neck radius)
-replace with warmoth modified mustang bridge (proper radius, but E strings may be too close to the edges)
-replace with staytrem bridge
-replace with mastery bridge
Also if I understand this correctly, if I go with a bridge without individual saddle height adjustments, I may need to shim the neck to raise the high E and B.
Are there other things to consider?
Thanks y'all!
— www.reverbnation.com/thehighfidelics
|
JohnnyA
Joined: Apr 25, 2011
Posts: 52
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 01:17 PM
Mastery bridge. Put one on my Jag and Jazzmaster. Terrific.
|
Surf_Skater
Joined: Sep 06, 2012
Posts: 1300
Lawrenceville , GA
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 01:25 PM
I recently bought the same guitar and have been checking bridge options myself. It seems to go out of whack after about 2 to 3 hours of playing. Next string change I'm going to go the Loctite and groove filing route, Recommended by Woody J and Eddie Katcher , I don't think you can go wrong on their advice. When I checked the site the other day the Staytrems were out of stock at the moment.
|
WoodyJ
Joined: Apr 05, 2006
Posts: 1547
Bethlehem, GA
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 01:41 PM
Surf_Skater wrote:
I recently bought the same guitar and have been checking bridge options myself. It seems to go out of whack after about 2 to 3 hours of playing. Next string change I'm going to go the Loctite and groove filing route, Recommended by Woody J and Eddie Katcher , I don't think you can go wrong on their advice. When I checked the site the other day the Staytrems were out of stock at the moment.
Thanks for the kind words, S_S!
Well, Eddie K and I do have around 80 years of combined experience playing and messing with Jazzmasters and Jaguars. Filing a small V-notch with a jeweler's file in the saddles where the string rests really does work. I've never had a string jump out of the saddle and I play pretty hard.
Regarding the Loctite, be sure to use the blue, not the red. The red is much stronger than needed and will make the screws much harder to loosen later on if needed without damaging the screws (or the wrench). Clear nail polish also works but isn't as manly... 
— Jack Booth
(aka WoodyJ)
The Mariners (1964-68, 1996-2005)
The Hula Hounds (1996-current)
The X-Rays (1997-2004)
The Surge! (2004, 2011-2012)
Various non-surf bands that actually made money (1978-1990)
|
Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 02:35 PM
I've yet to meet a JM bridge I couldn't make work with a correct neck shim to get a good string break over the bridge and a bit of loctite.
Make sure to loctite the height adj screws as well as the saddle screwes to prevent "sink". Make sure you always use a new allen wrench (no wear) after loctiting to avoid stripping the screws.
A bit of heat will soften loctite but please remover the bridge from the guitar :-).
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
|
ebrobston
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 122
birmingham alabama
|
Posted on Aug 20 2013 07:35 PM
Thanks for the comments. My guitar recently fell off a stage and the bridge hasn't been stable since. I'll try the fingernail polish and see if that does the job. I bet my daughter has some.
— www.reverbnation.com/thehighfidelics
|
ebrobston
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 122
birmingham alabama
|
Posted on Aug 21 2013 03:10 PM
One last question -- where/how do you apply the loctite/nailpolish?
— www.reverbnation.com/thehighfidelics
|
killbabykill34
Joined: Apr 03, 2010
Posts: 3201
Jacksonville, AL
|
Posted on Aug 21 2013 03:16 PM
You apply it to the height adjustment screws.
— THE KBK ... This is the last known signal. We offer Sanctuary.
www.thekbk.com
http://www.deepeddy.net/artists/thekbk/
www.reverbnation.com/thekbk
www.facebook.com/thekbkal
|
ebrobston
Joined: Feb 14, 2010
Posts: 122
birmingham alabama
|
Posted on Aug 21 2013 03:22 PM
Underneath the saddles after you have adjusted the height? On the threads before you adjust the heights?
— www.reverbnation.com/thehighfidelics
|
tubeswell
Joined: Sep 24, 2011
Posts: 1424
Wellington, NZ
|
Posted on Aug 21 2013 04:52 PM
What Hammond101 said. My 62 AVRI has the stock bridge and saddles. I shimmed the neck to get the 1st string's bobbin winding clear of the nearby trem plate screw, and the resulting break angle is sufficient to stop the strings popping out.
— He who dies with the most tubes... wins
Surf Daddies
Last edited: Aug 21, 2013 16:53:01
|
AXXA
Joined: Mar 30, 2013
Posts: 51
Atlanta GA
|
Posted on Aug 21 2013 10:27 PM
I initially put clear nail polish on the threads of the height screws, and filed grooves on the low E and A strings, on my Squier Jag. It did the trick, but i ended up replacing it with a Mustang bridge, which I feel is more solid. Both routes were effective though!
|
BJB
Joined: Jul 28, 2008
Posts: 413
|
Posted on Aug 22 2013 04:15 PM
My AVRI Jazzmaster came with a stack of three cardboard shims in the neck pocket. Unlike my Japanese Jaguar and Jazzmaster, I haven't had any bridge problems with my American guitar; no buzzing and the strings stay in place. I didn't even need Loctite because the hardware fits together properly.
The import hardware has very loose tolerances so you'll need to lock the threads on your Squier. Any auto parts store will have the blue Loctite or maybe you can get some cheap nail polish at the 99 cent store. If you live near a Harbor Freight, you can get a cheap set of miniature files for $5 or so and those will work if you want to groove the saddles.
— If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.
Last edited: Aug 22, 2013 16:18:03
|
Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
|
Posted on Aug 22 2013 05:24 PM
I recomend blue loctite. Nail polish not so much. Nail polish is very brittle.
You want to loctite all the saddle hieght screws, bridge height screws and the screws for setting intonation. I typically remove all the screws and place just a small dab on the internal threads of the saddles and bridge body. Let them sit for maybe 10 minutes prior to reassembly/adjustment.
I would not be filing slots until I shimmed first and still had issues of strings migrating on the saddles. Slotting a bridge saddle needs to be done at a correct angle/arc to prevent buzzing of the string in the saddle. This is best left for someone with more experience with set up. Just my opinion however. I can't stress enough how important increasing the break angle over the bridge is when setting up these guitars. Even with aftermarket bridges, some of them very expensive, the guitar will play better and stay in tune longer by increasing the neck angle. The downward pressure of the strings on the bridge is important to sustain and tuning stability.
Make sure you center the bridge wobble when re-stringing. The bridge must be able to move forward and back when the wang bar is opperated. This is paramount in keeping the thing in tune ans getting smooth trem action.
Hope this helps!
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
|
so1om
Joined: May 10, 2012
Posts: 492
|
Posted on Aug 22 2013 08:51 PM
do the screws one at a time after you got the height where you want it.
|
so1om
Joined: May 10, 2012
Posts: 492
|
Posted on Aug 22 2013 08:51 PM
oh.. and you apply the loctite to the threads of the set screws.
|
so1om
Joined: May 10, 2012
Posts: 492
|
Posted on Aug 22 2013 08:54 PM
Also.. my video. Read the description for tips: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0mNCdvNJUnU
|
Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
|
Posted on Aug 23 2013 03:46 PM
"oh.. and you apply the loctite to the threads of the set screws"
I don't do that as the loctite can then migrate into the head of the set screw if you need to turn it in below the top of the saddle. No harn, no foul however as long as it get between the threads. And you don't plug up the screw with gunk.
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
|
so1om
Joined: May 10, 2012
Posts: 492
|
Posted on Aug 24 2013 11:52 AM
i usually hold the screw with having the hex key in the screw at the time. you're only putting on a dot of loctite, not coating it.
|
eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
|
Posted on Aug 25 2013 08:01 AM
If you find you can't turn the screws after the locktite has set up, heat up the screw. I uses a small soldering iron but you can put the whole bridge assembly in the oven for a bit.
Of course NOT a microwave.
Woody's jeweler's files work wonders. I machine new saddles out of brass to add mass to the bridge assembly and set the whole assembly such that the string tension forms a lateral tension that forces them together keeping them from skating around back and forth.
That is WHEN I can get to my lathe.
ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
|
so1om
Joined: May 10, 2012
Posts: 492
|
Posted on Aug 25 2013 09:24 PM
blue or purple is no problem. just use the correct one.
|
April Birthdays 
