Jazzmaster build

[BigSteve22]

Yeah, 10-4 on the short scale intonation problems. I have a travel guitar, a gift form the family MANY years ago, that simply WILL NOT intonate with anything even close to comfortable gauge strings. In my younger days I played Guild M-450's, (13-56), on my Gibson JG-0, but my left hand can't handle that anymore. I find the EB Hybrid gauge very comfortable. Interestingly enough, I tried a set of RotoSound Jumbo King JK9s on my Epiphone SST, (24.75" scale), and it intonates just fine with the standard compensated bridge. Go figure....

I have a pretty well equipped wood shop, including a full sized drill press, but I might still send the inserts to Warmoth anyway. I didn't have any problems with the inserts on my Strat, but I was worried about screwing up the finish when I did the job. Letting Warmoth do it leaves me one less thing to worry about.

 

[Verne Bunsen]

All that said, I'd wager you're right. Too many string wraps on the pegs or a sticky nut. Actually, I'm surprised. I'd expect it to come up flat, due to that fever dream vibrato tailpiece...

Yeah, logically, I would assume the same. Maybe Verne can explain.

And BTW Verne: what's up with your JM project?

At first glance, the guitar going out of tune sharp will make you scratch your head because it seems like something has to be adding tension to the strings. Unless you've got a clever roommate or mischevious children in the house, it's more likely that something is simply causing the existing tension to be unevenly redistributed.

In the case of the string wraps on the tuning machines, if they slack off when the tremolo is lowered and don't return to their exact position when it's released, then the wraps end up consuming a bit more of the string than they did initially and therefore hold less of the original tension. The excess is taken up by the string itself and it rings sharper. The more wraps there are on the tuning machine, the more room there is for this to happen.

In the case of binding at the nut, it's a very similar story. When you lower the trem, the string physically slides through the nut towards the tuning machines. For the sake of the illustration, let's use the winds on the low E as an observable reference. Say the low E moves 6 winds through the nut when you lower the trem. Then say that when the trem is released the string comes back 4 winds and then hangs up in the slot. The trem continues returning to it's zero point but the string has stopped moving with it. You've left 2 winds worth of string on the other side of the nut, which has the effect of reducing the tension a bit between the nut and the tuning machine and increasing it by that same amount between the nut and the bridge. And so it rings sharper. A well cut nut and anything to reduce friction are your friends there.

It's a more confusticating thing to try and describe than I initially thought, hope that clears the concept up a bit!

As far as the Trans Red Black Korina project, still awaiting a couple of critical parts. Warmoth is making the neck and Tone Guard is making the pickguard. I think the pickguard might take longer than the neck... I'm going to wind pickups for it, so I still need to do that as well. Soon.....

 

[Logrinn]

It's a more confusticating thing to try and describe than I initially thought, hope that clears the concept up a bit!

You have managed to explain it better than any explanation I've ever heard.  :icon_thumright:

 

[rgand]

It's a more confusticating thing to try and describe than I initially thought, hope that clears the concept up a bit!

You have managed to explain it better than any explanation I've ever heard.  :icon_thumright:

I know absolutely nothing about this and I understood your explanation. Well done, Verne.

 

[Glimmer]

It's a more confusticating thing to try and describe than I initially thought, hope that clears the concept up a bit!

Very clear, helpful explanation. Many thanks to you.

As far as the Trans Red Black Korina project, still awaiting a couple of critical parts. Warmoth is making the neck and Tone Guard is making the pickguard. I think the pickguard might take longer than the neck... I'm going to wind pickups for it, so I still need to do that as well. Soon.....

Sounds interesting. Look forward to learning more about it when the time comes. (Am now going to check out the Tone Guard website...)

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Sounds interesting. Look forward to learning more about it when the time comes. (Am now going to check out the Tone Guard website...)

They're making me an anodized gold guard to Warmoth spec with the traditional control layout. I'm pretty stoked about it. It's my first experience with them. The general consensus from my initial internet research seemed to be that they make a top notch product, are rather expensive, have long lead times and are not very good about communicating. I can vouch at this point for the expense, lead time and communication (lack thereof); hopefully the product quality part holds true as well!

 

[Ace Flibble]

Tone Guard definitely make a good product. I've never cared to use them for my own guitars—I find metal pickguards add far too much treble, especially since I never use tone controls—but I've installed many on clients' & friends' instruments, and they're cut well and I've yet to hear any complaints or been asked to replace one with a normal plastic/vinyl guard. Wind the pickups warm and you should be very happy.

 

[Glimmer]

Well now, then....are you aware of this?

http://www.coltranechurch.org/

I went to a service once, it was quite an experience!
If you find yourself in the Bay Area, you may want to check it out.

FWIW, this in the news today: St John Coltrane Church faces eviction, a sign of San Francisco's lost jazz history.

 

[bagman67]

Yep, the San Francisco Jazz District is going the way of so many lower-income, largely black neighborhoods in the Bay Area - gentrification is pushing out culture.  Sigh.

 

[Glimmer]

... What I meant was your impressions of the [Mastery] system as time goes bye. I'd be interested in hearing how it meets with your expectations in a month or two....

Returning to this thread to give a bit of a follow-up, as per BigSteve22's questions above and for another issue: the guitar going sharp in the case (which Verne Bunsen addressed here).

I've had the guitar three months now, have played it quite a bit, tried a number of different strings, etc., and I must say that I'm really happy with the Mastery gear: the bridge has been stable (I'd read some reports of the saddles slipping down and the guitar going out of tune as a result) and has given me no cause to think let alone worry about it. As this is my first Jazzmaster I have nothing to compare it to, though I've read quite a bit about the problems with Fender JM bridges and this has exhibited none of them. Not surprising since it was designed to overcome those issues.   The vibrato, too, is wonderful: feels really solid, smooth; it's a pleasure to use. After one string change I did start to get some creaking due to the string plate not being centered in its slot when I restrung. Centered it at the next string change and the creaking stopped. Happy camper. So, BigSteve22, I'd give the Mastery gear high marks and hope it continues to perform as it has up til now.

Re the guitar going sharp rather than flat over time: Verne gave a very plausible explanation of the issue in the comment I linked to above, though I wonder if string tension, and tension of the vibrato arm, may also have something to do with it. As I mentioned, I've tried a number of different strings from a few different companies, either 12s or 11s, and have found that in some cases the guitar holds tune, sometimes some strings go a bit flat, sometimes a bit sharp, and though it's less extreme than it was during first weeks it still occurs. (Let me add that I'm keeping the guitar in its case with the vibrato arm on when I'm not playing it, so it's being depressed and the tension slackened during this time.) It can't be the number or tightness of the winds on the tuners since I'm using locking ones, and this happens with or without a bit of nut lube. It's more a matter of curiosity than anything else; I must say I do find it a bit puzzling.

So, that's my three-month report.

 

[BigSteve22]

Thanks for the update Bro. Good to hear you're enjoying your new JM, and have no problems with the Mastery bridge.  :guitaristgif:

 

[Verne Bunsen]

Thanks for the follow-up, Glimmer! Seeing as I've got two Mastery bridges and trems ready to be (eventually) installed, I'm likewise glad to hear they're performing for you.