Recessed TOM vs Fender Am. flatmount for Jazzmaster??

[johnzah]

Hey guys,

New member here. I'm building a hardtail jazzmaster and I'm really torn on which bridge to get. I have Am. Fenders with the flat mounts which are nice, but I also like TOMs.

I have also heard great things about the Hipshot hard tails but Warmoth doesn't offer it.

Do you guys have any advice on the subject?

 

[rockskate4x]

if you are recessing the TOM i'd stick with the Am. flatmount. The TOM cannot have the individual string heights adjusted (except with filing) and will have roughly the same height recessed into the body as the Am. flatmount.

 

[johnzah]

ok. I also forgot to mention that IF i went with the TOM I would order a 12" radius fretboard to match and if I get the flat mount I will get a 9.5" radius.

 

[Cagey]

Do the Hipshot and get a compound radius neck. Best of both worlds.

 

[johnzah]

I really do like the look of the hipshot but I've never used one. Any other recommendations for the hipshot?

I don't think I'm on the "compound radius" train though.

 

[Cagey]

Compound radius lets you stretch the strings to the breaking point without them fretting out, which comes in handy sometimes if you're feeling rambunctious. Unlike different neck thicknesses or widths, it's not something you can feel while playing if that's what you're worried about. It just gives you a tight radius down at the nut where you chord a lot, and a wider one up near the heel where you pick out individual notes. Get a bridge that's properly adjustable, and you can get some wicked tight action without compromise.

 

[johnzah]

really? that's very intriguing because I bend quite a bit and I play 11's. I would just be worried that I wouldn't be able to set the string action correctly with the compound radius.

 

[Cagey]

Nah, you're worried about nothing. String action sets the same as with any other bridge, but you're allowed to go lower if you've got a good fret setup. The Tele I set up before the last one I forgot to put any relief in the neck, and set it up flat. That's how good that scheme works. I actually ended up raising the action to satisfy what I thought the guy wanted. But, point is, strings didn't fret out.

 

[rockskate4x]

ok. I also forgot to mention that IF i went with the TOM I would order a 12" radius fretboard to match and if I get the flat mount I will get a 9.5" radius.

Even if the radius of the TOM and the radius of the neck match, i still prefer a bridge that can have the height of each saddle individual adjusted because this allows better setup capabilities no matter what gauges or tunings you are using. I do not trust a fixed radius bridge.

I will also back of cagey's pushing for the compound radius neck. Do you're fingers and your ears a favor...

 

[Cagey]

ok. I also forgot to mention that IF i went with the TOM I would order a 12" radius fretboard to match and if I get the flat mount I will get a 9.5" radius.

Even if the radius of the TOM and the radius of the neck match, i still prefer a bridge that can have the height of each saddle individual adjusted because this allows better setup capabilities no matter what gauges or tunings you are using. I do not trust a fixed radius bridge.

I will also back of cagey's pushing for the compound radius neck. Do you're fingers and your ears a favor...

Right. With a fixed radius bridge you have to adjust the whole bridge for the worst string if your neck/fretwork isn't ideal, or customize your bridge to that particular neck. That's NFG. Fixed bridge radii suck.

 

[Steve_Karl]

I agree with the 2 previous posts. For a hard tail a flat mount with 2 screws per saddle can't be beat.

 

[johnzah]

Awesome, thanks for the help guys. I'll look into the hipshot (which I really like the look of) and the Am. Fender flat mount.

 

[stubhead]

i still prefer a bridge that can have the height of each saddle individual adjusted because this allows better setup capabilities no matter what gauges or tunings you are using. I do not trust a fixed radius bridge.

I'm on board with this too, one of the things I'm fairly sure of is that every guitars ends up with a size and perhaps even type of string that it works best with - some guitars just don't come alive until you've set them up with 12 - 56s and downtuned a whole step, for other guitars it's other setups. If you have enough guitars, it's great to have one set up with a somewhat higher nut and heavy strings for slide, and another with "jazz" flatwounds and super-low action. This stuff just makes you play differently.

I have a few guitars with tunematics, and even after filing the bridge, it's still irritating to have one string that you'd like to raise just a bit because of buzzing, and you can't. I'm kind of a fanatic for setups, though.... if a guitar isn't comfortable. you tend to play less. It's woth it to me to put a lot of time into the fretwork and adjustments and all, because the payback = more music.

 

[stubhead]

Also for hardtail the Gotoh is one to consider: it's specifically got chrome-plated brass parts, which will have a somewhat-mellowing effect compared to steel plates and saddles. Here's one, but there might be cheaper around with some looking:

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_non-trem_bridges/Gotoh_Hardtail_Bridge.html