TooLShedd
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 51
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 04:56 PM
What exactly are the size differences between the US and Japanese Jazzmaster tremolo arms?
The Tremolo arm on my CIJ Jazzmaster ends about 1/2" below my neck pickup. From looking at pictures of the AVRI Jazzmasters it looks like 1/2" of the tip goes up past the neck pickup.
I used to have an early 1980's Candy Apple Red MIJ Jaguar that had a really short arm, it barely made it past the bridge pickup (very sad.)
What are the thickness differences between the US and JP tremolo arms? Are they close in size or will a US arm not fit in at all (or fall out) if used in the Japanese tremolo? I could probably replace the collet with a US one also if I really find myself needing that additional inch of US whammy.
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PhatTele
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
Posts: 445
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 05:12 PM
Unfortunately, MIJ/CIJ collets are not interchangable with MIA collets...metric threading vs english threading.
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RumorsofsurF
Joined: Mar 10, 2007
Posts: 286
Margaritaville, OR
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 05:46 PM
A U.S. Collet will work on a Jap trem, as long as you have the proper nut.
It just has a nut on the bottom.
Thanks, TooLShedd for the pic....I hope you don't mind if I took it off the Mascis Jazzmaster thread. 
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PhatTele
Joined: Jun 05, 2006
Posts: 445
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 05:49 PM
Hmmm...Maybe it works okay the other way. I tried a swap once when my MIA collet broke and I ended up with a MIJ collet. The MIJ collet threads didn't fit my MIA plate.
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TooLShedd
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 51
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 06:00 PM
I've never taken a tremolo apart fully, I'm not sure of the mechanics for the collet. Here is a picture of a US arm "bushing" courtesy of Guitar Parts Resource...
Does the bolt come off & hold it to the tremolo plate or do the threads actually screw into the plate? If it screws into the plate I can see the metric thread issue being a problem. It looks like the "bolt" might just be part of the casting and is just used to screw the collet in...
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SlacktoneDave
Joined: Jul 01, 2006
Posts: 657
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 06:09 PM
That is one machined piece. The "nut" is part of the collet. It's not removable. Also, I don't think you can interchange these, i.e. USA part to a Japan plate. The lock washer shown in the picture is not used with the USA tailpiece.
~dave
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2779
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 07:36 PM
I just breezed out to the living room and applied my dial caliper to the the AVRI and MIJ tremo arms:
AVRI=0.185"
MIJ= 0.197"
Maybe I should look into manufacturing a replacement MIJ collet that will actually work. Hmmmmmmmm, let me ponder that....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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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 07:45 PM
You should just buy an AV trem unit, they are better than the CIJ ones.
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TooLShedd
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 51
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 07:50 PM
eddiekatcher
AVRI=0.185"
MIJ= 0.197"
Gah! You would think that .012" (.3 mm) wouldn't make much of a difference!
So does the American arm just fall out of the Japanese tremolo or will it stay in but hang like it is (please excuse the term) flaccid?
I might be interested in conversion collets but wouldn't it be easier to have someone make longer 5mm diameter tremolo arms?
Thanks for the measurements!
Last edited: Oct 07, 2007 19:55:28
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TooLShedd
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 51
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 07:53 PM
JakeDobner
You should just buy an AV trem unit, they are better than the CIJ ones.
What is better besides the length of the arm? Mine seems to work just as well if not better than the one on my vintage 1963 JM did.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2779
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Oct 07 2007 08:59 PM
Both the AVRI arms and the MIJ arms are sloppy fits. At least all the ones I've owned have been. I am not sure why this is. I thought that maybe Fender was using worn out tooling on the AVRI's but that sure doesn't explain the MIJ's annoying tendency to do the same. In theory the slotted nut on the bottom of the trem collet should squeeze tight on the bottom end of the trem arm. It doesn't seem to work that way.
I just put a VERY slight bend in arm where it slides into the collet and mine are good to go....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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Stormtiger
Joined: Dec 12, 2006
Posts: 2688
Ventura, CA
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Posted on Oct 08 2007 11:50 AM
I have three trem units and all are different, one AVRI, one MIJ, and one from ebay that is supposed to be AVRI but bears no resemblance to the other 2. None of the arms are interchangable with the other units. I recently discovered the arm on the AVRI was too short to snap into the collet so I replaced it with one that works. So, not only are the arm lengths different on top but also on the other end. Other than the arms and spring, I can tell no difference between USA and Japanese, they work the same and my Japanese is 20 years old with lots of wear, still working fine.
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RumorsofsurF
Joined: Mar 10, 2007
Posts: 286
Margaritaville, OR
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Posted on Oct 08 2007 04:29 PM
TooLShedd
I've never taken a tremolo apart fully, I'm not sure of the mechanics for the collet. Here is a picture of a US arm "bushing" courtesy of Guitar Parts Resource...
Does the bolt come off & hold it to the tremolo plate or do the threads actually screw into the plate? If it screws into the plate I can see the metric thread issue being a problem. It looks like the "bolt" might just be part of the casting and is just used to screw the collet in...
I stand corrected! For some reason, I thought it was a nut... 
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Ron
Joined: Sep 18, 2007
Posts: 73
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Posted on Oct 08 2007 07:40 PM
I have a MIA Jazzmaster reissue and a MIJ Bass VI reissue that came to me with loose sloppy arms. I ordered new collets from Angela Instruments and they both fit the respective vibrato units perfectly. Naturally the Bass IV also needed an American arm, but both instruments are now nice and snug as Leo intended.
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2779
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Oct 08 2007 08:52 PM
that is certainly good to know.....go get 'em dudes! 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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