ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 01:29 PM
Hi all, hoping i can get some help from the experts here...
i bought a Troy Van Leeuwen Jazzmaster a few months back. I love this guitar... it feels and sounds great to me.
the bar / arm didn't really fit in the socket. i had to really fight to get it in there and i got it in. to move it around takes some muscle. using the bar while playing is fine. it works great. but it is so tight, i can't get it in and out without a real fight.
i haven't brought it back to the shop i got it at because i've been having too much fun playing it.
has anyone ever encountered this? is it an easy fix? i was going to put some nut sauce in there to lube it up a bit. but before i do anything i wanted to check here first. is that a good idea to fix it? is it a defect that has to go back to the shop or back to Fender?
thoughts?
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 01:39 PM
You shouldn't remove the arm, ever. Much better to keep them in place. It won't do any harm to keep it in.
It is a delicate system, by removing it you can really loosen how tight the arm sits(which causes the vibrato arm to wiggle around).
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josheboy
Joined: Mar 13, 2009
Posts: 2367
Twin Cities, MN
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 01:44 PM
Like Jake said, no harm in leaving it in.
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 01:48 PM
Thank you Mr. Dobner, i appreciate your advice.
i keep it on a stand at home and haven't tried to put it back in the case (not in a band right now) but i'm pretty sure it won't fit in the case with the bat in. it sits a bit high. hard to hols as i'm playing, like i can with a Strat. this is my first JM, haven't compared to any others
but i also want to know if this is a defect or just needs a bit of TLC. if it is a defect, i may have the shop or Fender address it.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 01:55 PM
It will fit! Not a defect, and there are ways of lowering the arm if it is too high.
When you pull up on the arm, does it stop moving before you get the pitch movement you want?
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 02:00 PM
i'm not sure i've pulled it up... i'll try to night after work.
will 'nut sauce' casue an issue? i really don't think it could but what do i know!?!
i have another question, on the floating trem the is a switch that goes up (towards the neck) and down (towards the bottom body), but i don't know what it does. i move it up or down and doesn't seem to do a thing.
Last edited: Feb 06, 2015 14:06:06
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 02:10 PM
No, nut sauce won't cause an issue.
That is the lock, read about it here: http://mmguitarbar.com/2013/05/10/demystifying-the-fender-jazzmaster-and-jaguar-part-3-free-your-mind-and-your-tailpiece-will-follow/
I suggest reading all of Michael's posts about Jags/Jazzmasters. Good stuff!
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 02:28 PM
thanks again Jake. that is an interesting read. so if i understood, the button locks the trem from being raised but you can still lower the pitch. that's pretty cool!
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SaschaReynders
Joined: Dec 26, 2013
Posts: 251
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 02:35 PM
Hey ParkRowe, I've got a TVL Jazzmaster myself and putting in/removing the trem arm requires quite a bit of force on mine as well. But I see that as a good thing, it makes the arm stay firmly put where I want it to be  And yes, it sits a bit high but it will fit in the case just fine without removing the arm, trust me. Mine is in and out of it's case the whole time between rehearsals, gigs and playing at home.
— "Duck Tape is like The Force: it has a light side and a dark side and it holds the universe together"
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https://twitter.com/SPEEDBALLJR
https://itunes.apple.com/be/artist/speedball-jr/id389972205
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 02:43 PM
ParkRowe wrote:
thanks again Jake. that is an interesting read. so if i understood, the button locks the trem from being raised but you can still lower the pitch. that's pretty cool!
I always leave it unlocked, the arm moving up is a crucial element of how i use the vibrato(and how anybody should use it).
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 03:02 PM
thank you so much for all the info! i know about trems on Strats, but these are new to me. but i think i'm getting it
Thanks again!
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raito
Joined: Oct 16, 2008
Posts: 551
Madison, WI
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 04:12 PM
ParkRowe wrote:
thanks again Jake. that is an interesting read. so if i understood, the button locks the trem from being raised but you can still lower the pitch. that's pretty cool!
I've seen pictures where the lock has a slot in it, so when locked, the trem won't move either way.
Of course, now that I want to show that, I can't seem to find one now. 
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 05:23 PM
There is a tension adjustment screw right behind the trem-loc button. You should adjust that screw until it will hold pitch when you deploy the button (sliding it backwards to lock the tremolo)and pull up on the trem-arm. That way, should you break a string, you can put a bit of preload on the arm, slid the button backwards and lock the trem so the guitar will stay tuned. This works quite well but it must be adjusted correctly. A bit of tweaking but it is worth it.
I also leave the arms in place and have no issues with them in gig bags. It will fit in the Fender case as well with no clearance problems if the arm is not sitting too high off the body. I carefully bend the arm in a vise (holding it with two pieces of wood to not scratch it) so that with normal string tension, the center of the plastic tip sits 1 1/4" or less above the pick guard when pointed directly down the neck.
That is my tremolo happy place.
Happy tweaking Parky,
Reverbs,
ed
— Traditional........speak softly and play through a big blonde amp. Did I mention that I still like big blonde amps?
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Las_Barracudas
Joined: Apr 24, 2011
Posts: 1087
Surf City, NC
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Posted on Feb 06 2015 06:16 PM
It's a known manufacturing defect and Fender is aware of it; they'll address it on a case by case basis, but from what I understand they are making it right. Do not force it.
I ordered one and it had the same problem as well as other issues so I sent it back.
OffsetGuitars.com has a pretty lengthy thread on the guitar and said issues.
— METEOR IV on reverbnation
Last edited: Feb 06, 2015 18:26:34
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 10:31 AM
thanks Las_Barracudas, i contacted them and you're right!!
From Fender: "This uses our American Vintage tremolo system and there was some issues with the amount of chrome that was applied, I will send you a replacement tremolo arm"
well that settles that!
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 10:38 AM
Keep the old one just in case...
The new one hopefully won't have too little on it.
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 10:50 AM
good point... i'll keep them both. i hope i can get the current one out!!!
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 10:58 AM
I'm not sure if the old arm literally won't fit in the top, or it is just tight into the collet. I've had to put most of my body weight to get an arm into the collet in the past, but when it is in there and tight it feels great.
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ParkRowe
Joined: Apr 01, 2013
Posts: 147
Vancouver BC
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 12:01 PM
it's too tight. i hate when the bar swings around. hate it!! but now, it take some muscle to move it around. ya i hope the new one isn't too lose!
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ludobag
Joined: Jun 05, 2010
Posts: 620
at south of
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Posted on Feb 10 2015 12:48 PM
for an arm too hard to turn few drop of oil on
mine Av65 was a little hard at the beguin then i put a little oil on it and now is perfect
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