Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2145
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 09:57 AM
Tqi wrote:
Build quality is overall decent, sound is pretty great - the new Alnico Fender pickups are much improved over the VM Duncan ones from what I've heard. The finish is gorgeous - I've seen a few go back to Andertons in the UK for having flaws (they were listing some great B-Stock deals), but they were mostly things that could easily have been shipping damage - and it's a big box store selling many of these so of course there will be a failure rate. Mine had a misaligned pickup hole and a stripped screw - they'd actually redrilled the hole, but somehow put the screw in the wrong one. Easy fix but a silly mistake for the factory to let through.
Biggest issue is the set-up. It's garbage out of the box, and that's even accounting for the fact that they ship with 9-42 (stupid on this guitar). Perhaps they're assuming everyone who buys it will swap to 11's, so don't waste their time? Still not really good enough. But after a new screw and an hour of work to set up, it's a great guitar.
The only physical component that's subpar is the trem, same as with the VM before it. The collet teeth are weak, so rapidly stopped holding the arm in place and it's also loose, my arm rattles in the socket a little - there's no lock, either.
In my case, since my Jagmaster's already have strat style floating vibrato I don't see a big problem with having a third one, so I'm going to just change the collet and arm to a Staytrem one. At £32 plus shipping, it's a cheap fix that's also sensible on more expensive units.
Ralf's video is a good introduction with some relevant sound samples at the end. He also points out in the comments it has a nice vintage chunky neck which I agree with - though it's not actually much chunkier than my Jagmaster's. It's a good fit in the sparkle trio! 
Edit: Here's a TL;DR summary.
Sparkle Jag is best Jag. Buy from somewhere with returns just in case, and expect to do a set-up. Maybe get a Staytrem?
Oh, thanks for a great review! I want to get a Staytrem arm and collet for my Thin Skin Jazzmaster, it’s also loose.
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
New Single is out!
https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single
Waikiki Makaki
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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Tqi
Joined: Dec 07, 2014
Posts: 1222
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 10:19 AM
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Last edited: Feb 02, 2024 15:36:50
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 01:51 PM
Samurai wrote:
I want to get a Staytrem arm and collet for my Thin Skin Jazzmaster, it’s also loose.
Just bend the short part of the arm a little bit, close to the edge.
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2145
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 02:14 PM
Ariel wrote:
Samurai wrote:
I want to get a Staytrem arm and collet for my Thin Skin Jazzmaster, it’s also loose.
Just bend the short part of the arm a little bit, close to the edge.
Ok, I will try! Is it possible to do with only the pliers?
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
New Single is out!
https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single
Waikiki Makaki
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
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Ariel
Joined: Aug 29, 2009
Posts: 1556
Israel
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 03:22 PM
Samurai wrote:
Ariel wrote:
Samurai wrote:
I want to get a Staytrem arm and collet for my Thin Skin Jazzmaster, it’s also loose.
Just bend the short part of the arm a little bit, close to the edge.
Ok, I will try! Is it possible to do with only the pliers?
Yes. Pliers may chip the chrome so wrap it up with something. You'll need to hold a pivot point with another tool like a ring wrench before the 90deg angle. Or drill a hole in a piece of wood and go from there. Do it incrementally, very little at first, check and repeat until the arm holds.
More tips in this thread.
and here
Last edited: Oct 18, 2022 15:49:42
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Samurai
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2145
Kiev, Ukraine
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Posted on Oct 18 2022 11:59 PM
Ariel wrote:
Samurai wrote:
Ariel wrote:
Samurai wrote:
I want to get a Staytrem arm and collet for my Thin Skin Jazzmaster, it’s also loose.
Just bend the short part of the arm a little bit, close to the edge.
Ok, I will try! Is it possible to do with only the pliers?
Yes. Pliers may chip the chrome so wrap it up with something. You'll need to hold a pivot point with another tool like a ring wrench before the 90deg angle. Or drill a hole in a piece of wood and go from there. Do it incrementally, very little at first, check and repeat until the arm holds.
More tips in this thread.
and here
Thanks! Will try it)
— Waikiki Makaki surf-rock band from Ukraine
New Single is out!
https://waikikimakaki.bandcamp.com/album/rhino-blues-full-contact-surf-single
Waikiki Makaki
https://linktr.ee/waikikimakaki
Lost Diver
https://lostdiver.bandcamp.com
https://soundcloud.com/vitaly-yakushin
|
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