The Jazzmaster Tremolo: The Devil's Hardware

[bagman67]

Okay, so: I have a lovely mahogany Jazzmaster body and the standard tremolo that goes with it. But I really, really do not care for that tremolo system, and would prefer a hardtail. I happen to have the means in my garage workshop to make a solid plate to use as a fixed tailpiece. Heck, if I'm really feeling fancy, I could recess the dang thing.

Anyway:

I have a 4" x 4" 10-gauge (.098") brass plate on hand. Any reason I should not use this to make a tailpiece? Objections apart from the aesthetic of all my other parts being chrome-plated, I mean. I could always electroplate it in nickel to make it match more closely.

And of course, free associating here: If I do go with brass, I can also etch it with some iron chloride. Time to fire up the wife's Cricut machine for a vinyl mask!

 

[Rick]

No go for it! Ganbatte! as they say in Japan. Etching would be so cool. I'd leave it brass and etch my wife's name on it in fancy script or chinese characters. It would drive her nuts!

Apropos of nothing:
1)I've never looked under the hood on a jazzmaster, but I wonder if there would be a way to block it like a strat ...
2)There used to be a company in Buffalo that made these plates, though I think they went out of business during covid.