I'll start. An Epiphone SG with split coils and a Bigsby. That's got a way different feel from a Strat and a Jag and new will come in under $500.

What don't you like about Strats? There are so many Strat-like guitars out there. Do you not like them all?

If I'd stop buying old guitars to fix, I might actually learn to play.
Bringing instruments back to life since 2013.

Not all the Stratocasters are the same. But the tail stock design it has is one of the best performance wise or any guitar with a similar design. Did you try the different models out there? (Different necks etc, Squire vs Fender etc) even country its manufactured makes a difference.

That being said, I would rather have a cheap guitar with a similar Stratocaster bridge type design and a top shelf amp and tank effects than the other way around. Surf is really all about amps and Tank reverb than guitars in reality. Any good basic Strat like guitar will work in reality.

We all have different size hands - so the neck size is a big consideration playing wise - maybe all you need to do is try out the different necks avalible on Strats etc

I can’t afford a 350.00 bridge on a guitar that ran 300

Surfing_Sam_61 wrote:

Sounds like a Squire Jaguar -

I have both Fender and Squire jaguars - The bridge saddles on the Indonesian made Squires are not as good as a real Fender USA or Japan saddles. The teeth on the Squire saddles are kind of rounded off where the Fender saddles are sharper and grab on the string better. (At least on mine.) So maybe that's the problem. The irony of it all is the Jaguar were designed to use flat wound strings so the teeth on there where used to bite into the string to hold it there etc. So wire rounds hold much better though on the original Fender type saddles.

I've been using flatwounds for years on my Squier VM Jags...this is my second.
I don't know why but only recently it started to start to buzz and rattle. I've tried every trick in the book that I can find. I swapped hte bridge to a mustang bridge but it STILL rattles around. Granted it's an adjustable bridge saddle, not the non adjustable vintage styled ones.

Try raising the saddles up - if the high B and E string come anywhere close to the bridge frame it will raddle or buzz etc really all the string can do that if it touches the bridge frame anywhere.

The problem with a Mustang bridge is it kills the tone big time because there is too much string contact on the saddle, that's why the Fender Jaguar saddles have the ridges I'm talking about to lift the string up off the saddle (better tone) and hold the floating bridge in place (inotation) and allow the bridge to rock back an forth while using the wammy bar etc. It all works together.

edit: I forgot make sure the bridge is perfectly level to the pickguard, it doesn't matter how high up the jack screws are set (only that they are equally set ( bottom bridge must be level to the pickguard) or it will buzz even if the saddles are set right. You can't have the bridge on any kind of a angle all the way around

Last edited: Jul 08, 2019 09:46:04

You might be able to find a G&L Doheny for under $500. G&L claims that the G&L Dual-Fulcrum vibrato is an improvement over Leo's original design.

Here's a link about the vibrato:
https://glguitars.com/dual-fulcrum-vibrato/

An here's a link to the Doheny:

http://glguitars.com/product/doheny-2/

Regarding the Mastery bridge option, I can understand being hesitant to put a $350 bridge on a $300 guitar, but would it help if you thought of it as ending up with a $650 surf guitar in a form that you love versus a $500 one that might do? Just a stray thought that popped into my head.

Good luck with your search.

-Tim
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Surfing_Sam_61 wrote:

Yes just loosen the strings at the tuning heads enough to pull the bridge out (I do it all the time).

Like I said - be sure the bridge is perfectly level to the pickguard all the way around or the Jaguar will growl

Will try that this evening. I always keep everything 90 degrees to the plate...even the saddles have to be 90 degrees, no slanting. ;)

What if the sound from the bridge is on one string and is like a 'clunk' sound...any thoughts?

horax wrote:

What if the sound from the bridge is on one string and is like a 'clunk' sound...any thoughts?

Your string is touching the bridge somewhere (front ridge or back on the bridge) Its basically muted like using your palm on the strings to deaden it etc

The Mastery just turns your bridge into a rigid fixed saddle design with less-than-individual adjustment capabilities for intonation and height. If you want to drag your strings across fixed metal during bends you can just put a TOM on there for like 20 bucks. The smarter option, in my mind, would be a roller TOM. The only issue there is the radius mismatch but at least its functionality makes sense with a vibrato. But that could addressed with shims under the middle saddles on the right model.

One of these: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Roller-Saddle-Locking-Tune-O-Matic-Chrome-Guitar-Bridge-for-Les-Paul-Guitar/283539952574?_trkparms=aid%3D555018%26algo%3DPL.SIM%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20131003132420%26meid%3D148c0cc5d51047da9978e1755789a1ef%26pid%3D100005%26rk%3D4%26rkt%3D12%26sd%3D303143831816%26itm%3D283539952574&_trksid=p2047675.c100005.m1851

Not really, 'cause he broke his vibrato arm and then blocked the thing for 60 years...