Jazzmaster Maintenance Tips from Sonic Youth Tech

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Thu Mar 29, 2012 10:10 pm

robroe wrote: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.

This.

timhulio · Post by **timhulio** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:17 pm

Fran wrote:Minus the wonderful Mastery Bridge of course.

I LOL'd!

Johno · Post by **Johno** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:25 pm

Why do these bridges cost so much?

Ankhanu · Post by **Ankhanu** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 1:31 pm

Johno wrote:Why do these bridges cost so much?

It's a little bit of "people will pay" and the fact that they're made in small batches, keeping their cost to produce higher than if they were mass produced. I'm sure they could sell for less, but, they don't have to.

avj · Post by **avj** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 6:55 pm

Ankhanu wrote:
Johno wrote:Why do these bridges cost so much?
It's a little bit of "people will pay" and the fact that they're made in small batches, keeping their cost to produce higher than if they were mass produced. I'm sure they could sell for less, but, they don't have to.

Precisely. I have no opinion one way or the other about the use of the Mastery bridges (well, maybe the Tele stuff), but there's no denying the impressive engineering and craftsmanship. People seem to have no issue with purchasing machine-churned SMD+PCB electronic equipment for as much or more than the Mastery bridges, but clearly they can't appreciate what goes into making one of these bridges.

Does it cost Ibanez $179 USD to make one of those TS808 reissues? Of course not. Does it cost the person(s) at Mastery $180-ish USD to make a bridge? Of course not -- but I'm sure their margins are much thinner than one would imagine. They're not operating a leisure-time charity to help improve the lives of offset owners; they're running a damned business.

ekwatts · Post by **ekwatts** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 7:40 pm

You have to pay a great deal for not much so you can belong to an exclusive club of people. An elite. People who really know their amber switch tips.

Thom · Post by **Thom** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 8:01 pm

I'm just waiting for the Behringer version.

serfx · Post by **serfx** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:26 pm

benecol wrote:
Hurb wrote: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.

the funny thing is, no matter what bridge i've got on a jazzy, unless it's the one that Leo figured should be on it my Low is is all over the god damned map, but i setup the OG style, get it where i want it, and the mother fucker just works.

stewart · Post by **stewart** » Fri Mar 30, 2012 11:58 pm

The amber switch tip thing is OLD- we all know by now that they improve tone and provide tight upper mids and a snappy, punchy bass response right off the bat. I don't see what the problem is.

That said, I'd like to try a mastery, just to see what they're like. The resale's good. It's no worse than buying a pricey pedal, realising it's not for you and selling it on if it's not all its cracked up to be.

lorez · Post by **lorez** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:28 am

The only issue I feel I have with my old jazzy is to do with the high e and sometimes the G sounds quiter. Other than that tuning stability is spot on and there are no other issues.

UlricvonCatalyst · Post by **UlricvonCatalyst** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:55 am

there's no denying the impressive engineering and craftsmanship. People seem to have no issue with purchasing machine-churned SMD+PCB electronic equipment for as much or more than the Mastery bridges, but clearly they can't appreciate what goes into making one of these bridges.

ekwatts wrote:You have to pay a great deal for not much so you can belong to an exclusive club of people. An elite. People who own Moogerfoogers.

Fix'd!

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sat Mar 31, 2012 12:41 pm

Thom wrote:I'm just waiting for the Behringer version.

UlricvonCatalyst · Post by **UlricvonCatalyst** » Wed Apr 04, 2012 7:45 am

Thom wrote:I'm just waiting for the Behringer version.

It's here!

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 5:52 pm

I can comfortably use 9s or 9.5s using a TOM or a Mastery. I prefer 10s (I have 9.5 on the Cobain right now), but I like the fact that I can use whatever strings I want, since I like lighter strings. On stock Mustang bridges, 10s are pretty much on the lower end of strings you can use, and I've gone lower than that and while it was OK, there was a lot of extracurricular buzzing going on.

I chuckle a little every time people defend vintage Jag/Jazz bridges and you find out they're using 13 flats. Of course that bridge works for you when your strings have like 2-3 times the tension that my strings have. If your bridge limits you to using certain types of strings, maybe it is not all that perfect after all, and using big strings helps mask that fact. If you get it to work for you, fine, but it's annoying when you then think I should have to adapt to your style of playing and all that.

Seriously, 24" scale is not that short. Players like B. B. King or Jimmy Page use 8s on a 24.75" scale, which is way less string tension than 9s on a 24" scale. Their guitars stay in tune and they sound great. If people want to use 9s on a Mustang because they have a light touch and need a Mastery bridge to do it, let them have it.

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Thu Apr 05, 2012 6:24 pm

honeyiscool wrote:I can comfortably use 9s or 9.5s using a TOM or a Mastery. I prefer 10s (I have 9.5 on the Cobain right now), but I like the fact that I can use whatever strings I want, since I like lighter strings. On stock Mustang bridges, 10s are pretty much on the lower end of strings you can use, and I've gone lower than that and while it was OK, there was a lot of extracurricular buzzing going on.

I chuckle a little every time people defend vintage Jag/Jazz bridges and you find out they're using 13 flats. Of course that bridge works for you when your strings have like 2-3 times the tension that my strings have. If your bridge limits you to using certain types of strings, maybe it is not all that perfect after all, and using big strings helps mask that fact. If you get it to work for you, fine, but it's annoying when you then think I should have to adapt to your style of playing and all that.

Seriously, 24" scale is not that short. Players like B. B. King or Jimmy Page use 8s on a 24.75" scale, which is way less string tension than 9s on a 24" scale. Their guitars stay in tune and they sound great. If people want to use 9s on a Mustang because they have a light touch and need a Mastery bridge to do it, let them have it.

Good points well made Honey. I'll go 11 on a short but to be honest I'm happy with 10's on any scale. Small hands and joint pain + endless bending make heavy strings a literal pain for me.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 12:16 am

paul_ wrote: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).

Thanks, that's good to know. The best $326.00 that I've ever spent. It arrived set up better than my $1800.00+ American Stratocaster. Don't know if it was a fluke or if it's what everyone should expect from the JM Jazzmaster, but no compaints here.

aen · Post by **aen** » Sat Apr 07, 2012 1:16 am

Pretty glad the article just started with "Fuck that OG bridge."

Cause, srsly, fuck that OG bridge.