Surfgitar
Joined: Mar 16, 2007
Posts: 1342
Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
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Posted on Nov 09 2008 05:12 PM
So my new Jaguar came in on Friday and now I get to have fun with the various mods to overcome some of its inherent quirks.
I played it for one set at a gig Friday night and the loose tremolo arm really bugged me. SO I did the 3/8" beveled plumbing washer mod as indicated here http://home.comcast.net/~rmessick2/Home.htm but took it one step further.
After reaming the washer with a 7/32" drill bit, I placed it over the collet and used a small hose clamp to tighted the collet teeth further, without the trem arm in place. Then I removed and discarded that washer and reamed a new one with a 13/64" drill bit and repeated the step with the hose clamp. Then I discarded that washer. By this time, the teeth were nearly touching with minimum gap between them.
I then reamed a new washer with the 13/64" bit but only a couple millimeters into the washer. This provided enough of an opening to grab the top of the collet but still leave the original 3/8" hole to tightly hold the collet end.
We'll after a couple hours and some sore fingers, my tremolo arm now stays in place. However, I may take this one step further in the future - should the arm start loosening up. I may put a small 5/8" stainless hose clamp around the beveled washer to tighten the collet even further. This could even possibly be a fix for those who have broken collet teeth.
— CUTBACK
Last edited: Nov 10, 2008 15:29:43
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Nov 09 2008 06:46 PM
Congrats, It's always neat to check out everyone's different approaches to this annoying problem that Fender should have never let happen............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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scotstandard
Joined: Nov 09, 2008
Posts: 1140
Davenport Iowa
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Posted on Nov 09 2008 11:20 PM
in my MIJ Jazzmaster reissue I tryed lots of things but the last one I did I think did the trick, I was changing strings and was pissed off about the arm (as allways) when I thought to put the unwound part of the low e or a string in and drop the arm in, still working months later!
Give it a try!
— Give me reverb or give me death!
facebook.com/onenightstandards
https://www.youtube.com/scotstandard
scotstandard@yahoo.com
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on Nov 09 2008 11:29 PM
A trick I learned from Paul our other guitar player (also a Rickenbacker luthier) is to take the arm and put the short end in a bench vise..give it just a very slight bend and perfecto...stays right in place when installed.
— www.northofmalibu.com
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TommyD
Joined: Feb 11, 2008
Posts: 85
Salina, Kansas
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Posted on Nov 10 2008 05:33 AM
I bent the end of the arm as Kenposurf suggested and it has worked perfectly for me. I was having trouble with the arm swinging free on my JM and someone here at SG101 had the solution. Thank you again!
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surfer
Joined: Apr 12, 2007
Posts: 428
South Florida
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Posted on Nov 10 2008 08:48 AM
Ditto, just bend the arm a little bit.
— www.cutbacksurfband.com
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DannySnyder
Joined: Mar 02, 2006
Posts: 11077
Berkeley, CA
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Posted on Nov 10 2008 09:31 AM
If you don't have a vise, drill a hole the same size or slightly bigger into a block of wood. Stick the arm into it and bend it a little.
— Danny Snyder
"With great reverb comes great responsibility" - Uncle Leo
I am now playing trumpet with Prince Buster tribute band 'Balzac'
Playing keys and guitar with Combo Tezeta
Formerly a guitarist in The TomorrowMen and Meshugga Beach Party
Latest surf project - Now That's What I Call SURF
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tommyalvarado
Joined: Jan 03, 2008
Posts: 512
Delaware, USA
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Posted on Nov 10 2008 03:21 PM
DannySnyder
If you don't have a vise, drill a hole the same size or slightly bigger into a block of wood. Stick the arm into it and bend it a little.
What if you don't have a drill? 
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Kman1
Joined: Aug 29, 2008
Posts: 694
Surf City
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Posted on Nov 10 2008 03:24 PM
Why do Jaguars have really long trems?
—
Sonichris
I also like to think that all early 60's fender equipment is happy to be playing surf music again. After all, its the music it was meant to play.
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NoisyDad
Joined: Mar 04, 2006
Posts: 215
West Hartford, CT
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Posted on Feb 02 2009 05:00 PM
So I put the slight bend in the arm and it held in place perfectly.
Then I just played a gig Saturday night, doing trem-dips to my heart's content, until the LAST song, when I reached for the trem and -YIKES- the arm was suddenly dangling loosely and the trem barely would work at all. It seems that the tube where you insert the arm has come unattached from whatever it attaches to. I haven't taken the unit apart yet, but I'm hoping it simply came unscrewed and isn't actually broken 
Oddly enough, the guitar is still in tune.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
— http://www.aquatudes.com
http://www.facebook.com/theaquatudes
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Feb 02 2009 05:19 PM
Kman1
Why do Jaguars have really long trems?
The trem unit is farther from the bridge than many tremolos so a longer arm makes sense.
People like to hold the arm when they play, which is very possible on the Jag/Jazz.
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Kawentzmann
Joined: Feb 27, 2006
Posts: 1062
Berlin, Germany
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 03:38 AM
Kman1
Why do Jaguars have really long trems?
I realized some time ago that there must be at least two lengths of arms for this kind of tremolo. Maybe three (Bass VI?).
— The Exotic Guitar of Kahuna Kawentzmann
You can get the boy out of the Keynes era, but you can’t get the Keynes era out of the boy.
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flatwound01
Joined: Mar 03, 2006
Posts: 464
Western MA
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 05:34 AM
Nice job, Surfgitar! I have played around with vinyl tubing and hose clamps, too (which works well), but haven't documented that on my website - guess I should do that someday. Sounds like your fix should work just fine!
NoisyDad
I'm hoping it simply came unscrewed and isn't actually broken
Hopefully, that's all that happened - if you check out the pix on my site here you can see the hex nut that holds the sleeve in place - just tighten that a bit. Good luck!
-Dick
— Fender Reissue Cap Mod Site
http://home.comcast.net/~rmessick2/
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lonecat
Joined: Jun 09, 2008
Posts: 65
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 06:53 AM
NoisyDad
the arm was suddenly dangling loosely and the trem barely would work at all. It seems that the tube where you insert the arm has come unattached from whatever it attaches to. I haven't taken the unit apart yet, but I'm hoping it simply came unscrewed and isn't actually broken
Oddly enough, the guitar is still in tune.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
If you put too much of a bend in the arm, it will grip the collet assembly which then unscrews itself from the trem plate as you swing it out of the way throughout the evening.  Sounds like what happened to your guitar.
I have found that if you bend the arm so it's tight, yet will still move inside the collet with a gentle push so you can swing the arm out of the way under regular playing conditions, it will be fine.
You can tell if you have it right if the arm itself moves, but the collet tube stays in place. It's trial and error and a pain in the ass, but once dialed in it's a great solution...
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NoisyDad
Joined: Mar 04, 2006
Posts: 215
West Hartford, CT
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 09:49 AM
lonecat
NoisyDad
the arm was suddenly dangling loosely and the trem barely would work at all. It seems that the tube where you insert the arm has come unattached from whatever it attaches to. I haven't taken the unit apart yet, but I'm hoping it simply came unscrewed and isn't actually broken
Oddly enough, the guitar is still in tune.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
If you put too much of a bend in the arm, it will grip the collet assembly which then unscrews itself from the trem plate as you swing it out of the way throughout the evening. Sounds like what happened to your guitar.
I have found that if you bend the arm so it's tight, yet will still move inside the collet with a gentle push so you can swing the arm out of the way under regular playing conditions, it will be fine.
You can tell if you have it right if the arm itself moves, but the collet tube stays in place. It's trial and error and a pain in the ass, but once dialed in it's a great solution...
Yup, that's what happened.
I took it apart last night and used some threadlocker when I screwed it back together. Hopefully that'll hold.
Thanks for the info, guys!
— http://www.aquatudes.com
http://www.facebook.com/theaquatudes
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eddiekatcher
Joined: Mar 14, 2006
Posts: 2778
Atlanta, GA
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 10:15 AM
One easy way to grip the tremolo arm for putting a slight bend (arch) in it is to hold it in the the chuck of an electric drill. Then slightly tap it with a hammer and wood block right where it makes it's 90 degree bend. Bingo!
Use the wood block to cushion the blow so that the hammer doesn't beat up the finish on the trem arm. Ham fisted Katcher uses a brass mallet that he normally uses for straightening pressed together crankshafts. It doesn't take much impact energy to give the trem arm a slight bow where it drops into the ferrule/colett assembly.
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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DKspf4
Joined: Jan 26, 2008
Posts: 14
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Posted on Feb 03 2009 11:33 AM
A little dab of Loktite has been a faithful "fix" for me(Jag & Strats)...it just snugs it up enough....lasts a few months or more.
DK
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scenenada
Joined: Jan 10, 2009
Posts: 50
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Posted on May 24 2009 01:45 PM
...are we talking about just keeping the arm from swinging? Before you bend try teflon thread tape....works great and lasts a long time. Bending...ouch!
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kenposurf
Joined: Feb 23, 2007
Posts: 1650
Santa Rosa, CA
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Posted on May 24 2009 02:59 PM
Eddie's right on this..a slight bend to the bar is the best way to go...use tape and you have to keep replacing..bend the bar once and it's good forever...
www.myspace.com/northofmalibu
— www.northofmalibu.com
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Serpico
Joined: Dec 30, 2007
Posts: 443
Falun Sweden
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Posted on May 24 2009 06:06 PM
NoisyDad
So I put the slight bend in the arm and it held in place perfectly.
Then I just played a gig Saturday night, doing trem-dips to my heart's content, until the LAST song, when I reached for the trem and -YIKES- the arm was suddenly dangling loosely and the trem barely would work at all. It seems that the tube where you insert the arm has come unattached from whatever it attaches to. I haven't taken the unit apart yet, but I'm hoping it simply came unscrewed and isn't actually broken
Oddly enough, the guitar is still in tune.
Anyone else ever have this happen?
yes exactly same thing happened to me and i havent gotten around yet to do something about it. hope it can be fixed easily
— The reality is that we do not wash our own laundry - it just gets dirtier.
www.myspace.com/tumbleweedofsurf
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