Best tremolo arm substitute for Bronco?

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:00 pm

Hello,

what's the best tremolo arm substitute for the Fender Bronco?

Thanks,

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 5:55 pm

never owned a bronco, so I don't actually know, but I don't think there is one?

people alway seemed to be pretty excited when they get one w/ the original trem arm.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:08 pm

SKC Willie wrote:never owned a bronco, so I don't actually know, but I don't think there is one?

people alway seemed to be pretty excited when they get one w/ the original trem arm.

I would think that a nonthreaded Jaguar/Jazzmaster or Mustang tremolo arm would work. The Bronco arm is nonthreaded and held in place by a set screw, this probably contributed to the loss of so many Bronco tremolo arms. I understand that the Mustang arm is also held in place by a set screw. Does the Mustang arm have a route or indention in the arm that the set screw threads slip into?

Thanks,

robroe · Post by **robroe** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 6:20 pm

nope and no

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 7:52 pm

Could someone be kind enough to post a pic of your Bronco's arm as well as measurements of it's length and diameter?

Thanks,

Addam · Post by **Addam** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 8:19 pm

I've compared the Bronco and Japanese Mustang arms before, they're pretty similar, but the Japanese arm is a tiny bit larger in diameter.
I would be tempted to use a Japanese Mustang arm and drill out the trem to suit.

IIRC the measurements are 1/4" and 6mm (I'll check and edit when I find my vernier)

The white tipped arm is the one attatched to the Bronco, the black tipped one is a Japanese Mustang arm.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 9:28 pm

AddamInsane wrote:I would be tempted to use a Japanese Mustang arm and drill out the trem to suit.

Or file down the arm? I did this on a Strat arm for my Jag-Stang.

honeyiscool · Post by **honeyiscool** » Tue Feb 14, 2012 10:30 pm

I thought vintage USA arms are smaller diameter. Will an AVRI Jag arm work? A vintage USA Mustang arm?

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 12:49 am

AddamInsane wrote:I've compared the Bronco and Japanese Mustang arms before, they're pretty similar, but the Japanese arm is a tiny bit larger in diameter.
I would be tempted to use a Japanese Mustang arm and drill out the trem to suit.

IIRC the measurements are 1/4" and 6mm (I'll check and edit when I find my vernier)

The white tipped arm is the one attatched to the Bronco, the black tipped one is a Japanese Mustang arm.

Thanks! Greatly appreciated.

Johnny Noir · Post by **Johnny Noir** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 8:30 am

i bought a bronco (without the trem arm) a couple of years ago. Then I went to a second hand guitar shop, the guy have a case of parts "you don't where it comes from". I tried all the arms, i was lucky and i found the perfect size.

ploppy · Post by **ploppy** » Wed Feb 15, 2012 10:58 am

honeyiscool wrote:I thought vintage USA arms are smaller diameter. Will an AVRI Jag arm work? A vintage USA Mustang arm?

Pretty sure i've been told the vintage usa type will fit my bronco too - might be wrong but 5mm dia rings a bell.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Mon Feb 20, 2012 2:46 pm

I ending up purchasing a vintage reissue USA Mustang tremolo off of ebay. Fits perfectly in both my 1967 and 1978 Broncos.

DGNR8 · Post by **DGNR8** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 2:56 am

There must be boxes of Bronco arms all over the place. Strat? No. Strat? No. Strat? No. Put it in the box.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:16 am

speedfish wrote:I ending up purchasing a vintage reissue USA Mustang tremolo off of ebay.

I simply don't believe that story. There was never a vintage RI mustang.

paul_ · Post by **paul_** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 7:28 am

I think he means a repro arm for a vintage American mustang.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 10:36 am

SKC Willie wrote:
speedfish wrote:I ending up purchasing a vintage reissue USA Mustang tremolo off of ebay.

I simply don't believe that story. There was never a vintage RI mustang.

Wow! You are one tough critic.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TREMOLO-VIBRATO ... 337230c9de

What Paul said it's just "a repro arm for a vintage American Mustang" vs the Japanese original or repro that is larger in diameter and will not fit. There are vintage offerings on ebay, but $129.00 for a 1966 Mustang tremolo arm is too rich for my blood.

SKC Willie · Post by **SKC Willie** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 3:14 pm

I wasn't being super serious. I was just confused if it was one of those, or AVRI Jag trem arm.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Tue Feb 21, 2012 5:57 pm

SKC Willie wrote:I wasn't being super serious. I was just confused if it was one of those, or AVRI Jag trem arm.

Me neither, and certainly nothing wrong with a healthy amount of skepticism. Definitely too much fiction and mythology floating around the internet being passed off as fact and gospel.

speedfish · Post by **speedfish** » Sun Mar 11, 2012 9:40 pm

Hello,

want to pass this tip along. If you lose the set screw that holds the Bronco's tremolo arm on you can use the tremolo set screw for a vintage mustang instead. The only difference is that you will have to use a hex wrench instead of a flat-head screwdriver. There is a seller on ebay who sells these in black or chrome. His packaging is shoddy, but the product is good. here's a link:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Tremolo-Arm-Scr ... 415b1387fd

Lucamo · Post by **Lucamo** » Thu Apr 12, 2012 5:35 am

speedfish wrote:
SKC Willie wrote:
speedfish wrote:I ending up purchasing a vintage reissue USA Mustang tremolo off of ebay.

I simply don't believe that story. There was never a vintage RI mustang.

Wow! You are one tough critic.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/TREMOLO-VIBRATO ... 337230c9de

What Paul said it's just "a repro arm for a vintage American Mustang" vs the Japanese original or repro that is larger in diameter and will not fit. There are vintage offerings on ebay, but $129.00 for a 1966 Mustang tremolo arm is too rich for my blood.

So if I buy one of these, it should just fit right in?