Jazzmaster bridges...mastery/mustang etc..

[ChetMagongalo]

I personally think the mastery is too expensive to justify, I went for a staytrem on my jaguar. It's pretty much exactly the same as a mustang bridge. The locking arm collet for the vibrato bar they sell is a major improvement however.

[Holy Schnikes]

I forgot how sexy that guitar is. Makes me want to put a mint guard on my cij mustang bass.

Thanks! I love the mint guard. It's a lot darker than the standard shade of mint due to the light aging Fender did at the custom shop.

[skullservant]

I have had 2 Mastery Bridges in the past, both on Jazzmasters which I have sold... I have a 3rd Mastery Bridge coming along with the vibrato on Saturday.... I went with Mastery again because this neck that I have on my Jazzmaster has a 12" radius, so I figured by the time I was to order a special Staytrem I would probably be in the same ballpark as the Mastery bridge. Really stoked to try the vibrato out.

[agiant]

I have the Mastery in my AVRI JM and the staytrem in my Squier bass VI, which solves all the intonation issues.

Consensus will be Mastery from folks who can't set up the stock ones or don't want a Jazzmaster to be a Jazzmaster.

^not true.

First of all, the Mastery does not change the character of the JM that much.

Second, the JM was designed to use heavy gauge strings. If you use .012 or heavier strings, the stock bridge is OK. Nevertheless it doesn't work well with < .012 (what most people use btw) and it's impossible to set it up. The Mastery solves this problem. It's expensive, but a $2000 guitar deserves it, I am very happy with it and .010 strings.

Do you think that Nels Cline and Bill Frisell can't set up their JMs or want them to be something else?

Some history:

When Leo was rolled out the Jazzmaster, he intended to market the guitar to Jazz players, hence the addition of the darker preset rhythm circuit. Because of this, the guitar was also designed with heavy-gauge flat-wound strings in mind. Back in the day, light guitar strings weren’t readily available, especially when it came to flats. That’s why you so often hear older guitarists talking about using a banjo string on the high E and moving the rest of the set over one string! Jazz players were often using sets as heavy as .014”, and .011” sets were considered pretty measly by comparison.

When the Jazzmaster rolled out, the idea was that these jazzers would be using at least .012” flat sets on the guitar, which have much more tension than today’s slinkier round-wound strings. Heavier strings equals greater tension, get it? If you ever try to put flat-wound 12s on a Jazzmaster, they usually won’t go anywhere.

When you want to use light strings on a Jazzmaster or Jaguar, you’re going to have to compensate somehow. You’ll need to increase the break angle and adjust the bridge, but if you’re going lighter than .011” sets you might also consider swapping out the bridge for those found on Fender Mustang guitars, which have a single, deep groove for each string. Or, you could go for the ultimate upgrade, the Mastery Bridge, but I’d make that recommendation to anyone regardless of string gauge. The Mastery Bridge is hands-down the best upgrade you can make to your Fender Offset guitar in my opinion. With it, you may still need a bit of a neck angle adjustment, but your strings will definitely stay on their saddles.

Next time, we’ll take a brief look behind the bridge and how to work with the vibrato unit for greater tuning stability and control. Wanna go wild and return to pitch? We’ve got you covered!

http://mmguitarbar.com/2013/03/09/demys ... d-vibrato/

[Uncle Grandfather]

That's some great info, thanks

[finboy]

The correct answer is ALWAYS staytrem

Just ask this guy...

[Holy Schnikes]

although I have been thinking bout swapping the stock pups in my pawnshop bass vi to all single coils and might swap the bridge on that one

If it's a Bass VI bridge you're after, I'd def go with Staytrem as it employs the 1" width required to get proper intonation on those instruments.

[agiant]

The correct answer is ALWAYS staytrem

Just ask this guy...

Don't ask these guys then:

Elvis Costello
Wilco
Nels Cline
Peter Buck
Pearl Jam
Julian Lage
The National
Sonic Youth
Al Jardine
Tom Verlaine
Bill Frisell
Sean Lennon
Dave Wronski
Fleet Foxes
Troy Van Leeuwen
Best Coast
E Street Band
My Bloody Valentine
Warpaint
Foo Fighters
Paul Westerberg
Norah Jones Band
Blue Man Group
David Marks
Of Monsters and Men
Sharon Van Etten
Deerhunter
Peter Stroud
Dhani Harrison
David Gilmour

http://www.masterybridge.com/artists/

[Strange Tales]

lol

[rfurtkamp]

I have the Mastery in my AVRI JM and the staytrem in my Squier bass VI, which solves all the intonation issues.

Consensus will be Mastery from folks who can't set up the stock ones or don't want a Jazzmaster to be a Jazzmaster.

^not true.

First of all, the Mastery does not change the character of the JM that much.

Second, the JM was designed to use heavy gauge strings. If you use .012 or heavier strings, the stock bridge is OK. Nevertheless it doesn't work well with < .012 (what most people use btw) and it's impossible to set it up. The Mastery solves this problem. It's expensive, but a $2000 guitar deserves it, I am very happy with it and .010 strings.

Do you think that Nels Cline and Bill Frisell can't set up their JMs or want them to be something else?

To be honest, I'm not sure, or they're trusting techs who have no experience with the offsets. Even good shops that was often true.

I've set up Jazzmasters and Jaguars for 25ish years, lowest I think I've ever dialed in in gauge was 8s or 9s. I use 10s personally (on everything).

Zero issues getting any of them ever running right providing the hardware was even vaguely in spec.

Also a case of both those dudes love an excuse to boutique or geek out on gear.



Some history:

When Leo was rolled out the Jazzmaster, he intended to market the guitar to Jazz players, hence the addition of the darker preset rhythm circuit. Because of this, the guitar was also designed with heavy-gauge flat-wound strings in mind. Back in the day, light guitar strings weren’t readily available, especially when it came to flats. That’s why you so often hear older guitarists talking about using a banjo string on the high E and moving the rest of the set over one string! Jazz players were often using sets as heavy as .014”, and .011” sets were considered pretty measly by comparison.

Yea, I'm well aware. Been playing offsets since the cheap days and the majority of the "left under a bed and forgotten" came into the shop with 12ish flats.

We used to replace the missing bridges or defective ones (latter being rare, but happend) with the Mustang bridges left in the parts drawer that had been gathering dust since the stone age.

When you want to use light strings on a Jazzmaster or Jaguar, you’re going to have to compensate somehow. You’ll need to increase the break angle and adjust the bridge, but if you’re going lighter than .011” sets you might also consider swapping out the bridge for those found on Fender Mustang guitars, which have a single, deep groove for each string. Or, you could go for the ultimate upgrade, the Mastery Bridge, but I’d make that recommendation to anyone regardless of string gauge. The Mastery Bridge is hands-down the best upgrade you can make to your Fender Offset guitar in my opinion. With it, you may still need a bit of a neck angle adjustment, but your strings will definitely stay on their saddles.

I can set up the junky bridge on a Squier VM Jag/Jazz to fly with 9s (done it twice now for friends). Didn't need a Mastery. Haven't needed many shims either.

The problem I've seen on the Mastery-equipped stuff is the resonance of the thing changed totally - it becomes much more like a hardtail no trem modern build.

[Disarm D'arcy]

Here's what I can say about my experience with offset bridges.

On modern offsets that come stock with them, the Tune-O-Matic bridge that comes stock is fine and there's really no reason to upgrade as these are pretty ok (Squier Mascis, Classic Players...).

On my VM VI, the stock bridge was okay. It's pretty much a Mustang bridge. No worries there. No gap between the saddles that allows them to rock as you strum. No strings jumping out of their grooves. However, the saddle height adjustment screws kept moving and I had to re set up quite often. I've tried the nail polish trick that did fine for me in the past on cheap hard tails and strat like trem systems to no result. I've heard blue loctite did the trick for some but it's banned over here. I decided to change the stock bridge for a Staytrem Wide bridge because there's proper room to intonate those instruments. I didn't notice that much change in sound, and that could honestly be the fresh set of strings from a different manufacturer. I'm really happy with it and I'm glad I went that route.

On other offsets, it's a different story. I dislike the stock saddles and prefer Mustang style saddles. They just work better. Depending on the strings you use and the condition/quirks of your particular guitar, it could just workthat's the case of my bandmate's Jaguar, but he plays 11s in some form of open C tuning he created. But, if I was using an offset as one of my main guitars, I'd change for a Staytrem or maybe a Mastery (I haven't tried the latter on my own guitars, though). I like playing offsets. Not constantly setting up offsets.

The stock old school bridges are also often not that great quality and will deteriorate fast. I've witnessed it more than once and replacing the unit fixed the magical sudden going out of tune or impossible intonation. That very problem happened on the aforementioned bandmate's CIJ Jaguar. Putting a new Mustang bridge and it was all sorted with a quick and effortless setup.

[ancientbones]

I dig Staytrem. Not as pricey as Mastery and definitely great quality. Solved the issues of bridge saddles sliding out and rattling that I had on my MIM.

[DarkAxel]

Next time, we’ll take a brief look behind the bridge and how to work with the vibrato unit for greater tuning stability and control. Wanna go wild and return to pitch? We’ve got you covered!

what is this "returning to pitch" he's talking about? don't know about that on my Jazzmaster

ps: I got Graphtech saddles. Can intonate well with 011s except for the low E, stays in the saddles as well

[Uncle Grandfather]

although I have been thinking bout swapping the stock pups in my pawnshop bass vi to all single coils and might swap the bridge on that one

If it's a Bass VI bridge you're after, I'd def go with Staytrem as it employs the 1" width required to get proper intonation on those instruments.

That's good to know. I just ordered a staytrem 9.5 radius so I can try it on my bass vi or 50th anniversary jaguar. And I'll have a mastery to try out too along with the mastery tremolo that I'm not sure what I'm going to out on. Much excited

[Holy Schnikes]

The normal Staytrem won't be that wide but he makes a Bass VI version as well. Either way, you'll be able to get Bass VI intonation real close.