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SurfGuitar101 Forums » Gear »

Permalink New offset bridge from Fender's Custom Shop...

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tubeswell wrote:

... Are the grub screws attached to slotted holes in the f-holy shaped bridge thing to let the brass saddley things slide backwards and forwards to intonate?

Again just guessing, the saddles are flat bottomed so it is fixed radius(?) The f-holy plate has slots which the grub screws pass though to a fixing plate on the underside(?). On the first photo (top of the thread) I think I can see some sort of underside black plate in the middle of the bridge, I could be mistaken though.

Does anyone know how to obtain one to try it out?

They are not yet available for purchase - currently they are only putting them on a few custom shop models. (This info comes directly from a friend who is artist relations for Fender).

The Counselors

I agree wit'you, Ace. I like to see new ideas. The less bridge parts to rattle and suck up vibrations parasitically, the better. I also hate that ersatz 'relic' fetishism they are pushing these days. Reminds me of the fake antiques in PKD's novel "Man in the High Castle" – satisfying a urge for 'authernticity' among people who lack that quality in themselves and think they can garner more by purchasing it, even when it is a barefaced fake.
The way they are pushing innovation at the same time 'relicking' shows a lack of authenticity at FMI, if you ask me. Not they aren't great guitars.

CrazyAces wrote:

I think it's innovative and shows that Fender is still involved in creating solutions.........in other words, it's a good thing.
Less moving parts often equals a better, purer tone.
Brass saddles on Teles sound great (although I'd like to hear this new bridge with steel saddles as well) and I'm sure that they've factored in things like radius and such.

Squink Out!

Last edited: Feb 06, 2014 15:17:41

Looks sorta cool, but I prefer individual saddles for intonation of goofy custom string sets. I've got 3 brass "Antiquity" compensated barrels on my '63 Tele and like the tone better than steel, but I try to stay with pretty standard string sets in order to maintain "intonation-a-bility" (new word) My Jazzer is running a Mustang bridge. I solved the buzzy loose barrel height screws with a touch of clear nail polish after the intonation is set.

Resurrecting this thread to see if anyone has had any direct experience with a RSD bridge and what they thought of it.

OaklandA, I have had two CS Jazzmasters with this bridge. I did not like it at all.

While it does make the bridge stable, it also injects a brightness into the guitar. My bandmates actually found the brightness rather painful at outdoor gig levels.

Aside from the brightness, the Jazzmasters also lost something essential in their tone that made them sound like JMs. They didn't have that deep, bassy, thump like my normal JMs.

On one of the guitars, I replaced the RSD with a normal Fender offset bridge and the guitar sounded much better.

Check out Wildwood Guitars CS Jazzmaster section. They have videos of CS JMs that have both the RSD and the normal bridge. Taste and tone are personal, but there was a difference.

Paul

God, Fender will do anything to avoid making a roller bridge, won't they?

The thing that struck me was the Custom Shop is using their in-house developed RSD bridge a lot more on their new offsets, despite the tone change.

However, as Dave Wronski told us, Fender USA improved the AV JM/Jaguar bridge and the tremolo arm fit in the AV tremolo unit. You can definitely experience the improvement in the (discontinued) AV 65 JM and the AV Thin Skin Jazzmaster.

The Custom Shop would be better off to just use the improved AV bridge and tremolo parts. However, the RSD gives them a marketing point of differentiation.

Paul

ColtsSurf wrote:

However, as Dave Wronski told us, Fender USA improved the AV JM/Jaguar bridge and the tremolo arm fit in the AV tremolo unit.

Could you elaborate on this improvement on the bridge and tremolo arm fit? Does this apply to the Fender replacement parts as well, and if so, what part numbers (or names) would we look for to replace other parts?

That new bridge looks hideous indeed, and I've never felt the original bridge was horrible by any means. On my '67 Jaguar, I've had some problems with grub screws coming loose and falling out and strings occasionally slipping over to the next groove, but it's been great with staying in tune. The tremolo arm twirls around like a windmill, though. Those are all small scale issues that should be fixable with small tweaks rather than a full replacement that looks like an ugly wart on a beautiful instrument.

I'm guessing the brass adds to the brightness. When i look at that bridge I think Tele-like. Interesting findings on the AV bridge & trem. Thanks!

Hey guys, here is the post from SlacktoneDave back in August 26, 2012:

Question to Dave: In improving the AVRI Jazzmaster, did Fender also improve the past issues with the bridge and tremolo arm seating?

Answer from Dave: "I let them spec one of my trem bars I've been using since 1998 that I still use to this day. It has a different shape on the end that goes into the collet. These are being shipped now with these guitars. My trem bars stay where I want them. Out of the few that I started with, only a couple of them give me trouble. They also copied the bends of my unmolested '63 Jaguar. Not sure if that is completely integrated yet. The collet has had some subtle redesign, also.

As far as the bridge goes, after telling them that the bridge can vibrate downward as much a 1/64" in a few songs.... a new height screw is now being used that has a channel cut into it with a permanent lock-tight type substance in it to prevent slippage.

The new vintage Jags have a neck pocket cut at an angle to allow better back pressure without stacking up a bunch of shims.

Know also that the headstock perimeter is corrected for straight string pull. No gaps between the keys. Even old, '60s Jaguars never had straight strigh pull. The low "E" is way off on the old ones. The body shapes have been revised to be more correct, also. That includes the edge radius, as well.
Proper bevel on the pickgaurd, too.

The keys look cool, by the way, with "FenderDeluxe" going down in a single line.

hope that helps,

~ dave"

Paul

Does anyone have one of these? I have one on my JM and one side is lower than the other side. My low E string seems to close to the fretboard and the notes are a bit choked past the 12th fret. Anyone know how to adjust this bridge?

NM I figured it out.

I have one of these bridges. It seems fine. Not sure what all the fuss is about, though; it's just a bridge. I prefer the Mastery on my Telecaster and my Staytrems on a few other Jazzmasters.

image

FWIW, someone is trying to seel one of these on Reverb for $500 now. So, if you really want one...

SSIV

I love the bridge but no way would I buy one for $500. I would rather get an Am Pro bridge.

Is there an update on how to purchase one of these bridges? I have had a Mastery Bridge for a long time and I find that in time it starts sounding like a sitar. I've had my tech "reprofile" the saddles but I might like to try one of these

I asked Fender about it and they got back to me a couple days ago.

image

While I don't think it's something I would be interested in using, it never hurts to have choices.

FWIW, last year I was able to create something very similar using a stock Jazzmaster bridge plate and brass Tele saddles, angled for intonation.
In direct comparison to a stock, properly set up offset bridge it sounded more "Tele-like", not surprisingly but not better or worse in a dramatic way.
Just one person's opinion of course and not with the actual, RSD product.

image

http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic

Last edited: Jul 11, 2020 13:56:09

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