What's the best way to lock a mustang vibrato?

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 8:30 pm

What is the best way to lock a mustang vibrato and rocker bridge to act like a stop bar? I have seen so many ways.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 10:09 pm

See here:

http://www.shortscale.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=48332

Easiest way I discovered:

-Take out tremolo.
-Remove springs, toss aside.
-Allen key off the mounting poles until lipstick part becomes detached.
-Find 4 washers (2 either side), or 2 thicker ones that will go just over the threaded part, of the mounting poles. Washers can't be too wide or they won't fall into the routing.
-Orientate the lipstick part the other way, so you can string through.
-Put washers on the mounting poles and push through the mounting plate as far as can go. Washers will be located underneath the plate.
- Screw lipstick tube, and tighten.

Done.

Essentially the washers just take out the gap, where it would normally be able to move on its axis.
Hope this makes sense.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Sun Nov 11, 2012 11:07 pm

Do you have pics of this?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:05 am

I didn't but I've just taken my stang apart for you !!
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As you can see the lipstick part is flipped 180 so you string it straight through ala Les paul...

This shows the washers x2, and it's merely tightened up once these are in. Without them the whole thing would still rock / pull forward.

What's really important is to find some washers that are small enough that they fall within the routing on the body. Initially I used one thicker washer, but it was too wide.

If you wanted you could have a washer either side of the plate, or even above entirely... and that would give you space to string the mustang the conventional way if preferred - through and under which would give you more break angle over the bridge... but the washer would be visible on top. I decided against this mainly for ease of restringing... and it's the same sort of break angle as my jag which I like in regards to the string tension, with the string gauge I use.

Check out HNB's solution in the other thread, that is also a good solution... if not better, as you're tightening against a flat surface (allen bolt head) and not against the angle part of the mounting poles... which could still lever slightly over time. Not so rigid, but still very stable none the less. It aint goin nowhere !!

Hope this helps.
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And a picture of the guitar for good measure.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:15 am

I feel flattered now. Thanks! (: that seems so perfect. There's no rocking at all? Now what about the bridge? I heard taping the post and I have also heard washers. I really dont have a problem with the mustang bridge other then the rocking. How does your gotoh bridge just stay in there?

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:30 am

Import-style large post TOMs fill the Mustang/Jaguar/Jazzmaster thimble cups perfectly. I dropped an Epi TOM on my CIJ Jag for a few years.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:36 am

Punkacc9 wrote:I feel flattered now. Thanks! (: that seems so perfect. There's no rocking at all? Now what about the bridge? I heard taping the post and I have also heard washers. I really dont have a problem with the mustang bridge other then the rocking. How does your gotoh bridge just stay in there?

No worries...

Theres no rocking, and you can't move it with your hands... it is solid.

The bridge is a bit of a faff... and I just worked with what I had. I didn't buy a specific bridge for it, this one's off an Epiphone. I had to file the bottom of the bridge, and studs, and saddles to get it low enough. I didn't swap out the bridge post inserts... so once it's set it is set. They just sit inside the original holes.

There are few different type of tunomatics with different post sizes, mine the larger kind. Smaller ones may require widening with tape etc.

There are arguments for and against the rocking thing... really it's designed to move along with the strings movement / trem use. i.e. Floating tremolo.

What sends most guitars out of tune is the strings binding in the saddle &/or nuts slots... which is the idea behind roller nuts and saddles, so the string can freely move over them. By stopping the bridge from moving you could be aiding this friction. But if you don't have tuning issues or don't use the trem then it could be good to tape them up for more precise intonation. Just depends on your requirements.

I didn't mean to kurtify the guitar... it just ended up this way after finding good results with these parts on my jag, and the type of music I play.

It's definitely moving away from what they 'should' sound like traditionally.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:39 am

So the rocket bridge won't effect tuning? I know if I bump mine it goes out of tune. What's the best way of locking this? Washers?

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:45 am

Electrical tape the posts of the bridge until it fits snug in the hole.

But like I explained above it could be contrary to what you're aiming to achieve if you're using the tremolo.

There is no harm in trying... I have many times. I would then advise lubricating nut slots / bridge saddles and any moving parts, with pencil graphite or vaseline.

ALSO, give your strings a good stretch... the number one factor for guitars going out of tune.

The last probably being the machine heads, which most consider the first haha...

Joey · Post by **Joey** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:58 am

I don't flip the tail. I shim up the tube from the plate using small washers.... just high enough to past my bass string under it just barely clearing. I personally prefer a tighter break over the bridge.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 12:58 am

Lol. Yeah everyone jumps to the tuners. And nah. I got a jaguar for a tremolo!

haha.

othomas2 · Post by **othomas2** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 1:08 am

Punkacc9 wrote: got a jaguar for a tremolo! haha.

Same, can't beat a Jaguar trem !!! I didn't want to put time into the stang trem to get it right. I tried the obvious solutions but wasn't convinced.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 2:29 am

Yeah. Too much maitanance as well.

taylornutt · Post by **taylornutt** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:43 am

No need to lock the tremolo. Both my Mustangs stay in tune fine and I leave them stock.

Cymbaline · Post by **Cymbaline** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 3:33 pm

I'm going to have to disagree with flipping the cigar around so you can do string-through. Leaving it loop-under is better because you get a steeper break angle thus better sustain and tuning stability. Find the absolute thinnest washers you can get that will allow you to still loop the strings under and put those on the top side, so the cigar comes to a tight rest atop the washers, leaving a small gap for the strings to fit through. Then on the bottom side of the baseplate put the nuts and another washer and screw em tight. Solid as a wedding prick.

And make sure you use heavier strings.
I've got a set of Cobalts on my Cobain Mustang. The "power slinky" ones. I had the "beefy slinky" but those ended up killing my fingers.
So to shamelessly plug ernie ball cobalts, which are the best sounding strings I've ever heard.
Cobalts for the Cobain. how can you go wrong?

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:02 pm

Any of you guys hear of Kurt Mangan strings? That's what I use and love them. They are a small company. I think they are even located here in PA.

goldengurls · Post by **goldengurls** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 4:23 pm

i just screw them all the way down as close as I can, shit barley moves then and no operations are needed, then i can also grab the barrel if i want to on some songs which i am known to do. If you don't want the trem go get a musicmaster.

Awstin · Post by **Awstin** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 6:16 pm

I have no problem with a mustang vibrato. I just prefer them hard tailed. If I were to use a whammy it would be on my jaguar or bigsby guitar. Musicmaster bridges are definitely my favorite though by far. So simple and flusg but the looks of a mustang vibrato is the shit. That's why I have so many mustang vibrato guitars. All of them are set up to use the trem but recently I have been having problems with them. So I wanted a better way of locking it other then drilling for a stop bar like my les Paul Stang haha. But the washers work wonders. Ill probably let the strings wrap around.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 7:49 pm

My Mustang w/ Mastery never goes out of tune. And I do use the whammy. But I don't exactly Van Halen on it, either. I prefer my Mustang vibrato over anything else because how easy it is to use without an arm.

iCEByTes · Post by **iCEByTes** » Mon Nov 12, 2012 11:42 pm

jag-stang + mad-mike setup = never goes out tune

What's the best way to lock a mustang vibrato?

What's the best way to lock a mustang vibrato?

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