Need bridge advice for Jazzmaster

jimiha

Newbie
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hello all. i am building my first custom guitar through warmoth and i need advice on the bridge system. the guitar is a Jazzmaster-type guitar and i am trying to get the bridge system as accurate as possible. but i read on the Warmoth page that the Jazzmaster/Jaguar bridge is one of the worst designs in guitar history, and i should replace it with a Mustang bridge instead. so to be perfectly clear, i want to order the Mustang bridge and Jazzmaster tremolo, is that correct? i know this may sound silly but i am a complete newb at building guitars. any advice would be most appreciated
 
I would get a plain hardtail bridge if I were building a jazzmaster, speaking for myself. Or a strat-type trem if I were sure I wanted a trem. If you want to be true to the original you've got to stick to the original faultiness as well, but once you've left that idea behind you're free to take your design wherever you want to go. Check out willyk's black korina jazzmaster in the finished guitars section of the forum.

My dream jmaster:
3 lollar p90s in cream, callaham hardtail bridge, 24.75 scale cbs neck, and a sparkly finish to match the pearloid pickguard.

Probably not your idea of the best possible jmaster. That's the beauty of picking it yourself.

btw, I have heard from players that the jmaster design sucks balls but never heard that the mustang design was good. I think switching to the mustang bridge was what players did at that time. Depends on how much you value playability  versus looks /correctness. I would strongly advise getting ahold of the real thing and giving it a good hard test run.
 
The bridge that they mentionated was the tremolo...

Go for a Hardtail, if you need a "tremolo bridge" think about Wilkinson or Floyd rose, but they're much more hard to work... for much and mean MUCH... nothing beat a hardtail bridge in functionality...

If you REALLY needs a vintage looking Jazzmaster, get this tremolo, but don't use it never...  :icon_biggrin:
 
I saw there again, yes, so both should be bad...
Perhaps they can use a Tune-o-matic with the tremolo of Jazzmaster, this would be the best, although the Warmoth modified bridge might be very cool too...
 
I recently put together a Warmoth Jazzmaster and I have to agree with Tfarny, it may be a better idea to go hardtail or to get a strat type bridge. But, if you are like me, and you really want the whole jazzmaster package (so using the Jazzmaster trem) then you really have only three options in order to get a well playing guitar: the Warmoth modified Mustang bridge, a Gibson style TOM (Fender does this on the Mascis Jazzmaster), or buying a Jazzmaster bridge channel and getting graph tech saddles for it. I went for the latter and I'm quite happy with it (you can see pictures of it in the misc section under Swamp Ash Mary Kaye Jazzmaster). Of course, there's always the Bigsby option, but you'll have to get a local tech to do it for you as Warmoth doesn't drill  for it if I remember right. Hope this helps! -Octavian
 
The Fender J Mascis (Dinosaur Jr.) Signature Jazzmaster uses a TOM bridge with a Jazzmaster tremolo, so I don't see why you couldn't spec that.
 
the jazzmaster's bridge/tremolo is considered to be "floating". with the masics jm, with the TOM, is it still a floating bridge/tremolo?
 
I'd do a TOM bridge, but I might even go for the "roller" tunomatic that stew-mac sells.
 
I can't tel from your post what you really want to do....

If you aim is to build a pretty exact replica of a vintage Jazzmaster, you're pretty much stuck with using the original tremolo bridge design that Warmoth will route and sell you the parts for.

Unfortunately, the vintage Jazzmaster bridge design truly sucks, in my not so humble opinion; especially so if you actually you the tremolo a lot. You might be able to find one of the reissue Jazzmaster models that Fender has out now, but most places, even larger Guitar Centers don't tend to stock them. If you're someplace that has a Fender dealer that might have one in stock, go play it before making up your mind on what to use on your Jazzmaster build.

If you get past the vintage look deal, just order the body routed for whatever your favorite bridge is; there are a number of different examples in the galleries on this or the "official" Warmoth site.
 
Another issue that pops up with the bridge design of Jazzmasters and Jaguars, when building a Warmoth model, is the neck radius.

The original JMs,  Mustangs and Jags had pretty tight radiused necks (7.25" or 9.5" or the like), whereas the standard Warmoth neck has the compound radius from 10 -16".

With a bridge designed for the tighter radius necks, the JM/Jag bridge really doesn;t help, which is why Warmoth modified the Mustang bridge for greater flexibility in adjustment. The Mustang was already favoured by JM/Jag players who had original Fenders as a mod, and Warnoth modified the Mustang bridge.

Read about it here...

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/bridges/bridges.cfm?fuseaction=mustang_modified

I looked at this issue a while back and ended up going for an actual improvement upon Leo's original design (That JM/ Jag trem and bridge would have given me nightmares!) and went instead for a Wilkinson trem. But be aware if you choose that or a Strat-like trem, that the trem and bridge unit will sit quite forward - almost in the centre of the body.

 
>But be aware if you choose that or a Strat-like trem, that the trem and bridge unit will sit quite forward - almost in the centre of the body.

is this because the jm's body is longer in length than a strat?

anybody has the actual measurements of the body sizes of a strat and a jm - say from top strap pin to bottom strap pin?

appreciate the feedback.
 
I would consider getting a Graphtech saddled TOM, and the standard Jazzmaster trem.
Also spec the neck pocket with the larger of the two angles.
This will make the break angle over the TOM enough to stop the string flying off the saddles when you "go for it"  :party07:

Also have a think about locking tuners and a low friction (Graphtech or Slipstone) nut.

With this set up. you should get all the good things about the Jazzmaster (cool looks, fun behind the bridge stuff).
And none of the bad stuff (tuning instabilty, the bridge issues, the need to shim the neck, lack of sustain)

Actually feel like making a Jazzmaster myself now (what am I saying!!!)
 
>Also spec the neck pocket with the larger of the two angles.

not sure what is meant by this.
 
TOM bridges need an angled neck pocket. Warmoth know what to do and will ask you when you order. Non-issue. BTW, have you looked at all the various jazzmasters in the gallery and on this board? They've got all kinds of bridges, you can see how they look.
http://www.warmoth.com/gallery/gallery.cfm?fuseaction=include_miscguitar
http://www.unofficialwarmoth.com/index.php?action=search2
 
warmoth on their showcase have a jm body routed for the standard jm bridge and tremolo - can a TOM be installed on that along with the jm tremolo?

and speaking of tremolos i prefer tremolos being in a single piece - the springs being part of the unit. i think the jm is one such. likewise there seems to be a les trem - which is quite expensive on stewmac. any other alternatives?
 
vtpcnk, minor point of order - you've asked the same exact question on two threads, please no double posting if possible. Sounds like you should call Warmoth on that last question, if you are actually considering buying that particular body.
 
i know of the "buzz stop" - but i am already very wary of the jm's bridge/tremolo because of its relative heaviness - over other bridge/tremolos. so i don't want to add another extra piece of metal on top of that.
 
vtpcnk said:
i know of the "buzz stop" - but i am already very wary of the jm's bridge/tremolo because of its relative heaviness - over other bridge/tremolos. so i don't want to add another extra piece of metal on top of that.

I wasn't talking to you :redflag:
 
willyk said:
You might like to Google :- buzz stop jazzmaster..... :icon_thumright:

Jimiha....this looks like a way to stay true to the original guitar. It works pretty much like the tension bar on some bigsbys. :icon_thumright:
 
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