How should I upgrade my Jazzmaster?

[zeravla]

staytrem also sell a tremolo arm and collet set which is useful so the arm doesn't flop around and fall out all the time.

I've got a couple of the Squier offsets including the Mascis and the tremolo arms are pretty solid about staying where they are but you gotta REALLY press it in there all the way to the bend.

Here's mine standing at attention on its own

[backwardsvoyager]

the arm very rarely falls out on my Mascis, it spins around maybe a little more freely than i'd like and if i do jam it right in it comes loose quick enough, but it's never been a huge issue to me, always worked fine at gigs.
the only thing that pissed me off about the Mascis was the bridge, the whole point of the AOM and sharper break angle was to stop strings popping out and i would still regularly pop strings
i have a mastery vibrato on another guitar which is amazingly solid and has adjustable stiffness but i don't think it's the sort of thing worth paying for to put on a squier for the moderate difference it makes.
and i have mixed feelings about the mastery bridge too, i sort of want to compare it to a staytrem because i find the saddles a tiny bit uncomfortable to rest on and they seem to budge from side to side a little, which weirds me out.

[chillerthanmost]

I heard the Mastery bridge is not a direct drop in for the Mascis model. That's the only reason I didn't get one. The roller bridge, granted definitely not as nice as a mastery, was a straight drop in upgrade from stock. Only downside is my low string pops out of place when I strum hard. I gotta file the groove.

[The_Active_Conundrum]

I know little about off sets.

I do know that Stewmac.com has a replacement tremolo which offers the "stop" that usually is seen on higher dollar Fender Jazzmasters. I also agree with replacing the nut. If you felt like going crazy, locking tuners. Which guitarfetish.com has some for cheap, though I can't speak on their quality. They seem legit.

If you haven't already, for the love of god use strap locks.

Seems like bridge replacement is suggested, but were it I, I'd just go cheap and buy Graph Tech rplacement saddles.

[Sparrow]

BUMP

LOVE the feel of the body and neck.
i like the pickups and all the selections a lot.

will replace the Nut.
the Bridge and Trem are good. not great. i was playing it last night unplugged.
the trem isn't as stable or solid as i'd like it to be.

Has anyone replaced Tuners on their Jazzmasters? Squiers?
i think replacing the Nut will suffice .. but .. when i go from my Fenders to Squiers > i do notice the Tuning Head Quality difference.

are there good "Drop in" tuners for the Squier J Mascis Jazzy?
will vintage Fender heads fit..

[Sparrow]

The guitar is Fine the way it is.
nut and trem need some power.
and.. the bridge.

[Sparrow]

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=flAhhJm0UdE[/youtube]

a quick clip. no trem bar .. cause i gotta set it up. or "upgrade" it.
it clicks/ and goes out of tune otherwise.
the guitar is stock.

[Disarm D'arcy]

sounds good

Read through the bridge talk a couple posts up, Staytrem makes a drop in replacement for TOM equipped fenders now.

[Sparrow]

sounds good

Read through the bridge talk a couple posts up, Staytrem makes a drop in replacement for TOM equipped fenders now.

i'm deciding which Bridge to cross

[Disarm D'arcy]

Honestly, I've had that JM pretty much since it came out. Still rocking the TOM. Only upgraded the pickups for some vintage style jazzmaster pickups. Great guitar out of the box. No problem with the trem and arm yet, in spite of frequent abuse.

[Sparrow]

I Love this Guitar sooooo much
it's kinda unreal for the price.
price aside. it plays so well. Stock!

i don't even want to change anything .. cause it feels so Great. gah.
i'll probably leave the nut. and even the Bridge.

the only thing i may change is the trem.

[Disarm D'arcy]

I thought about changing the trem on my Squiers, but I really can't see why. They work great. I don't see the need for the lock. Might change them if the arm starts not holding tight in it's hole.

[Sparrow]

mine is still factory setup .. i just raised/adjusted the bridge.
the trem arm works and stays in place .. like the staytrem. but - it also clicks and makes things go out of tune.

when i put some fresh strings on and rub dat fret board > i will inspect the trem better

Happy Friday

[Disarm D'arcy]

Oh, both of mine did that as well stock. Rub a pencil in the grooves of the saddles and the nut. Will make the strings slip with way less friction. Mine stays 99% in tune unless I abuse the trem of course.

[Sparrow]

one trend i notice on the Squiers.. is that .. the tuners are hit or miss.
and. they're just ok. they don't hold with the same tension.
and. one or two of the set - always seem to have a slipping/loose feel.