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Jazzmaster Bridge
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 10:56 pm
by SGJarrod
so I have the Blacktop Jazzmaster and have been fighting the bridge... It seems the height adjustment screws on the Saddles keep loosening and dropping the saddles..... so I am thinking of doig a tune-o-matic to fix the issue....
I see you can pick up a Fender TOM that they use on the Classic player JM or the TOM Fender uses on the J Masics JM for $40.....
Lank
Which is right for my axe?... or is there a better affordable option?.....
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:04 pm
by stewart
set the heights and stick a spot of clear nail varnish or loctite glue on the screws. it's a bit of a daft-sounding fix but it does work, and the bond's easily breakable if you want to readjust..
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:14 pm
by SGJarrod
stewart wrote:set the heights and stick a spot of clear nail varnish or loctite glue on the screws. it's a bit of a daft-sounding fix but it does work, and the bond's easily breakable if you want to readjust..
I thought of this or even using a bit of teflon tape on the threads but wanted a more permanent fix so I do not have to mess with it again..... thanx thou
also, will sweat eat away the glue?
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:16 pm
by benecol
Yep - exactly what Stewart says (or buy some Loctite if you want to use the proper gear) - don't switch the bridge out; I'd never have believed it 'til I tried it (in fact, I took the piss out of Hurb for it a while back - sorry Hurb) but the Jazzmaster bridge is a considerable part of the sound.
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:21 pm
by endsjustifymeans
benecol wrote:Yep - exactly what Stewart says (or buy some Loctite if you want to use the proper gear) - don't switch the bridge out; I'd never have believed it 'til I tried it (in fact, I took the piss out of Hurb for it a while back - sorry Hurb) but the Jazzmaster bridge is a considerable part of the sound.
This bridge is definitely not your standard jazzmaster bridge, wonder if it changes the sound much.
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:25 pm
by hotrodperlmutter
yeah, do what stew said.
personally, i wouldn't bother with an adjust-o-matic, especially the Mascis item, which may be a real tune-o-matic. i don't even think you can use your original post cup holes for it, since the spacing is different. you'd probably have to dowel the holes, and drill new ones like a 1/16th out from those.
just get a fuckin' mustang bridge if it's bothering you that much.
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:29 pm
by SGJarrod
hotrodperlmutter wrote:yeah, do what stew said.
personally, i wouldn't bother with an adjust-o-matic, especially the Mascis item, which may be a real tune-o-matic. i don't even think you can use your original post cup holes for it, since the spacing is different. you'd probably have to dowel the holes, and drill new ones like a 1/16th out from those.
just get a fuckin' mustang bridge if it's bothering you that much.
this is more the info I was looking for....so they are different spacing and I cannot use the same holes?
I was hoping I could use the stock holes with the Classic player one
It is not a huge deal for me but the gash on my hand from one popping up last night says different.... I do not like that my guitar can kick my arse during a Weezer song.....
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:36 pm
by hotrodperlmutter
it is your guitar fighting your sense of taste. happens all the time when i'm playing the likes of weezer, creed, or Harvey Danger.
the CP one may work, but i have no clue. the mascis one will not work out the box, i can 99.9% guarantee that.
Posted: Tue Jan 11, 2011 11:41 pm
by SGJarrod
hotrodperlmutter wrote:it is your guitar fighting your sense of taste. happens all the time when i'm playing the likes of weezer, creed, or Harvey Danger.
the CP one may work, but i have no clue. the mascis one will not work out the box, i can 99.9% guarantee that.
Creed is not allowed within 3 blocks of my house...FACT
Weezer Blue Album kicked tons of arse....FACT
J Masics bridge will not work...FACT
Classic Player will work
without modification.....? Need fact checker
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 10:08 am
by johnnyseven
The tune-o-matic I had on my old Classic Player JM made the string spacing closer together than a regular JM bridge - I didn't like it.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:22 pm
by stewart
hotrodperlmutter wrote:just get a fuckin' mustang bridge if it's bothering you that much.
this is an option.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:32 pm
by benecol
See, I didn't like the Mustang bridge on my Jazzmaster - stick with the stock.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:32 pm
by Mike
Maybe with the original Jazz bridge, as even if you locked the grubs then you have to file the slots deeper to stop string slipping.
These blacktop ones seem to have a single deeper groove in each saddle though which is nice.
Also:
Blacktop Jazzmaster = 9.5" radius
Mustang bridge = 7.25" radius.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 12:34 pm
by stewart
benecol wrote:See, I didn't like the Mustang bridge on my Jazzmaster - stick with the stock.
same here with my jag, i must admit. switched it back a day later.
Mike wrote:Blacktop Jazzmaster = 9.5" radius
Mustang bridge = 7.25" radius.
ah, forgot about the radius difference, well spotted miguel.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:51 pm
by Mike
I stuck with the 70s Mustang bridge I bought from vincel on my Jaguar. I likes it. Maybe I'll try to "fix up" the original bridge at some point though.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 1:56 pm
by stewart
mine was a CIJ jobby and was a bit crappy, i think the vintage ones are a bit more solid generally.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:00 pm
by Mike
It's true - there is no saddle-to-saddle jiggle on this old one, nor the Compstang for that matter.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 2:49 pm
by johnnyseven
benecol wrote:See, I didn't like the Mustang bridge on my Jazzmaster - stick with the stock.
I have Mustang saddles on both my JM's, they were set up with some little plastic shims under a couple of the saddles and i've never had issue with them.
Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 4:13 pm
by SGJarrod
at this point I am just gonna locktite it like Stewart suggested.....I do not currently have time to mess with all of this nor could I find anything on the interwebs about an adjustomatic fitting normal JM spacing...... thnx for the info guys
JAZZMASTERS RULE!!!

Posted: Wed Jan 12, 2011 5:04 pm
by hotrodperlmutter
Mike wrote:Also:
Blacktop Jazzmaster = 9.5" radius
Mustang bridge = 7.25" radius.
FUUUUUUUUUUU
DO IT ANYWAY