Jazzmaster Maintenance Tips from Sonic Youth Tech

[taylornutt]

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... _Tips.aspx

Very interesting article. Enjoy

[speedfish]

http://www.premierguitar.com/Magazine/I ... _Tips.aspx

Very interesting article. Enjoy

Cool! I just received my J Mascis Jazzmaster this AM and will put this knowledge to use.

Thanks!

[Hurb]

Some stuff I already did. but that bridge bit pissed me off. The orginal bridge can be made to be solid as fuck(yes it is a faff but if you're a real good tech you should be able to sort it) changing the bridge is the lazy mans option. The mastery bridge is just bridge they use because they were given loads for free. I saw a video of thurston using his black jazzmaster in a noise gig with the mastery bridge and his low E string was popping off all over the place.

[paul_]

Congrats on new guitar speedy, but I think the Mascis model already deals with all those common Jazzmaster problems he describes by using different parts and specs to vintage/reissue ones. The only truly universal advice there is the stuff about nut maintenance. The Mascis has a TOM bridge with increased string tension, reinforced trem arm housing and a gold ano pickguard (not that a modern plastic one would shrink, though many people have broken them off due to the jack socket being mounted to a skinny corner as with P-basses).

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Some stuff I already did. but that bridge bit pissed me off. The orginal bridge can be made to be solid as fuck(yes it is a faff but if you're a real good tech you should be able to sort it) changing the bridge is the lazy mans option. The mastery bridge is just bridge they use because they were given loads for free. I saw a video of thurston using his black jazzmaster in a noise gig with the mastery bridge and his low E string was popping off all over the place.

I've read a lot of reports that the original bridge is fine from owners of vintage JMs where the key to bridge stability seems to come from years of corrosion. Mine came with a TOM bridge which I was never going to use so I can't say either way, but I bought a Mastery and I think it's a valid upgrade, just like better pickups. Regardless of the strings popping out of the grooves or whatever, the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent. Sure, they're expensive, but I'd say don't knock it till you've tried it.

[johnnyseven]

the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent.

I'm not really bothered about what my JM's sound like acoustically, it's the sound plugged in and with some distortion that i'm bothered about.

[benecol]

Some stuff I already did. but that bridge bit pissed me off. The orginal bridge can be made to be solid as fuck(yes it is a faff but if you're a real good tech you should be able to sort it) changing the bridge is the lazy mans option.

This plus eleventy.

[johnnyseven]

I've had masking tape wrapped around the bridge posts on my JM's for years, stops it wobbling around - this works for me but I don't often use the vibrato. I'm really liking the TUSQ saddles I have in my JM's at the moment, the strings don't pop up and they can be height adjusted unlike the mustang saddles I used previously.

Re foam under pickups, i've found jazz/precision bass foam works fine - you need to cut it in half though and use across the width of the pickup.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent.

I'm not really bothered about what my JM's sound like acoustically, it's the sound plugged in and with some distortion that i'm bothered about.

Don't you think the unplugged sound of your guitar has any bearing on how it sounds when you plug it in? I do.

[johnnyseven]

the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent.

I'm not really bothered about what my JM's sound like acoustically, it's the sound plugged in and with some distortion that i'm bothered about.

Don't you think the unplugged sound of your guitar has any bearing on how it sounds when you plug it in? I do.

I agree it will have some effect, but as my guitar's sound travels through my pickups, through the guitar electronics, through a long cable, through a collection of distortion and other effects devices, through another long cable and into my amp I would think collectively these have more of an influence on the tone than my guitar's acoustic sound.

[timhulio]

I just don't like the Mastery because it looks like The Terminator's knuckles and costs as much as a guitar.

I've never found a problem with using a mustang bridge, and that's only £20 or whatevs.

[robroe]

the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent.

I'm not really bothered about what my JM's sound like acoustically, it's the sound plugged in and with some distortion that i'm bothered about.

Don't you think the unplugged sound of your guitar has any bearing on how it sounds when you plug it in? I do.

i don't even plug guitars in when i go to shops. if it sounds like shit not plugged in, its going to sound like loud shit plugged in. by not plugging in a guitar in a shop it makes you concentrate on the things that really matter like does it play well? or does it feel like shit ? or what the fuck ?

[Ankhanu]

Some of the advice in the article is pretty good, but a lot of it could be gleaned from spending an couple minutes here on Shortscale. The good advice is advice readily available here, the questionable advice, well, we can see where the community differs on it

i don't even plug guitars in when i go to shops. if it sounds like shit not plugged in, its going to sound like loud shit plugged in. by not plugging in a guitar in a shop it makes you concentrate on the things that really matter like does it play well? or does it feel like shit ? or what the fuck ?

Ditto.
The only time I plug an instrument in in a shop is when I'm seriously considering buying it, after playing it acoustic... just to make sure the pickups sound alright too.
If it doesn't feel and play right, and have a decent natural resonance (or otherwise interesting character), good pickups aren't going to save it.

[Hurb]

Some stuff I already did. but that bridge bit pissed me off. The orginal bridge can be made to be solid as fuck(yes it is a faff but if you're a real good tech you should be able to sort it) changing the bridge is the lazy mans option. The mastery bridge is just bridge they use because they were given loads for free. I saw a video of thurston using his black jazzmaster in a noise gig with the mastery bridge and his low E string was popping off all over the place.

I've read a lot of reports that the original bridge is fine from owners of vintage JMs where the key to bridge stability seems to come from years of corrosion. Mine came with a TOM bridge which I was never going to use so I can't say either way, but I bought a Mastery and I think it's a valid upgrade, just like better pickups. Regardless of the strings popping out of the grooves or whatever, the Mastery improves the unplugged acoustic tone of the instrument by about a thousand percent. Sure, they're expensive, but I'd say don't knock it till you've tried it.

The vintage bridges were just made tighter in the first place. The first thing I did with the original bridge on my jag was get rid of the corrosion as it made things too tight! The new jap bridges are harder work because things are looser, but can be made to work. If you want an easy life a mustang bridge will do a good job(I have a mustang bridge on my jazzmaster).
I have a big problem with the mastery bridge from a price stand point and the way it was marketed. I don't doubt it sounds way better than a Tom bridge did. It may even change the sound from the stock bridge. But I don't think it's worth it(admitley I have never tried one) and I am happy with the stock bridge. Not that I wouldnt try one if I was sent one for free *cough cough sonic youth!*

[UlricvonCatalyst]

I bought the Mastery for my Jazzmaster, but never got round to doing it up for yonks, so I used the Mastery in my Hellcat in the meantime. When I finally got round to assembling my Jazzie I put a Mustang bridge in the Hellcat and it sounded like it was under a blanket compared to how I was used to it sounding.

Fair enough if anyone decides it's not for them given the price, but I honestly think they're really good bridges. Yeah, they cost as much as some guitars, but so do some pedals.

[hotrodperlmutter]

right, pedals that don't necessarily need to cost that much, and especially don't guarantee you to play better.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Nothing guarantees you'll play better. Not even practice.

[hotrodperlmutter]

practice is most certainly a better investment than pedals or a bridge, and it's free.

[UlricvonCatalyst]

Fair enough if anyone decides it's not for them

Now go and practice. It's free!

[Fran]

Just read the article, it was like reading a thread on jag-stang.com from around 2004. Minus the wonderful Mastery Bridge of course.