Tell me about Jazzmaster bridges

[hugbot]

I was looking at a blacktop jaguar, but the one I tried didnt have as much tonal variety between pickups as I like, so I'm considering hte jazzmaster instead. Also, the colour scheme is nicer.

 

All I hear about jazzmasters though is horror stories about the bridges. What are they like? How do they affect tone/maintainance?

[AndrewGG]

The original JMs were designed with the heavier strings commonly used at that time in mind, thus the barely evident break angle over the bridge with the consequence that light gauge strings (9s and 10s) would skip off the saddles if you so much as looked at them. Heavy strings exert more pressure and are less likely to fall off. The bridge also rocked with trem use, meaning that a less-than-perfect setup would create all kinds of tuning hassles.

There are after-market devices to help (like the Buzz Stop) but who needs the hassle?

 

Personally I'd stay away from any accurate reissue and stick with something like the Classic Player JM Special which has addressed these issues with a steeper break angle over a Tune-o-Matic type bridge. They also have a flatter neck profile and bigger frets. Very nice, modern-feeling guitars.

http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?imgurl=http://www.dv247.com/assets/products/54840_l.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.dv247.com/guitars/fender-classic-player-jazzmaster-special-electric-guitar-3-colour-sunburst--54840&usg=__W3rk1FcQ67GRInGv_ccNy6dinao=&h=1006&w=1006&sz=108&hl=en&start=2&zoom=1&um=1&itbs=1&tbnid=882Sw1CtAhAysM:&tbnh=150&tbnw=150&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dfender%2Bclassic%2Bplayer%2Bjazzmaster%2Bspecial%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dcom.microsoft:en-US%26rlz%3D1I7SMSN_en___GB335%26tbs%3Disch:1&ei=HbVjTcG-KdKEswbUv-y5CA

[Snambo]

Yah, the horror stories are true about original JM bridges. The saddles are grooved to hold the string in place but because of the break angle they skip around pretty regularly.

 

I found replacing the groved saddles with Mustang saddles was all it needed to make it right. It's a simple fix that works well and there's no need to add a buzzstop or anything.

 

When it's setup right it's one of the coolest bridges out there.

[honeyiscool]

The bridge is fine. The problem is that they do not work well for light strings. For most people replacing with Mustang saddles will retain the original character while allowing light gauge strings. There are other options as well, but Mustang bridge/saddles is the easiest fix. Another is the Buzz Stop which increases the break angle on the strings.

 

I have a Jaguar with Mustang bridge and even 9s will work with no issues. That said, I recommend at least 10s on a Jag/Jazz bridge and I do not recommend the Adjust-o-matic bridges used widely in Mexican renditions unless you want to Kurt Cobain. But yeah, I don't think you'll find much trouble with the Blacktop since they do not use the classic bridge.

[honeyiscool]

And one last thing. The traditional rocking bridge is a sustain killer. But that's part of the beauty of the tone IMO. Sustain is really really overrated.

[hugbot]

Yeah I tried one along with the Jaguar today and I noticed that so I guess my point is moot.

 

Played it through an orange thunderverb and a marshall MA which was awful. I mean it seems trendy to bag on these amps but holy {censored} it sucked.

[schoolie1]

I like the original bridge. Yes, it's quirky, but it's not really a sustain killer. The loss of sustain is caused by the low break angle off the saddles. I wrap the bridge posts in copper foil, so there are no intonation problems with the trem, and I play with .011 strings. Fortunately, if you don't like the bridge, there are many options, like the Mastery, replacing saddles, or tune-o-matic bridge. The problem with the mustang bridge is that the saddle heights are not adjustable (7.25" radius only), and the modified mustang bridge is not built very well.

[fiveoclockhero]

Jazzmaster fans and Gretsch fans should hang out... you're both constantly reminding people that they need to use heavier and heavier strings to stabilize the bridge. Go see what's up on the Gretsch pages some time... everyone is surprised that these young kids today aren't crazy about using 12 gauge strings.

[inu]

 

I was looking at a blacktop jaguar, but the one I tried didnt have as much tonal variety between pickups as I like, so I'm considering hte jazzmaster instead. Also, the colour scheme is nicer. All I hear about jazzmasters though is horror stories about the bridges. What are they like? How do they affect tone/maintainance?

 

 

The Blacktop serie JM, as well as the Classic Player one have tune-o-matic style bridges and a steeper break angle to the bridge (trem system is closer to the bridge). All this solve the tuning and set-up problems of the original JMs... some would say that it kills also some of the tonal character of a "real" JM

[fiveoclockhero]

 

The Blacktop serie JM, as well as the Classic Player one have tune-o-matic style bridges and a steeper break angle to the bridge (trem system is closer to the bridge). All this solve the tuning and set-up problems of the original JMs... some would say that it kills also some of the tonal character of a "real" JM

 

 

Innovation based on pragmatism is a good thing. Purists want everything to stay the same, including awful problems that everyone else seems to want solved.

 

As much as I love Fenders, you gotta hand it to Gibson... the tune-o-matic plus stopbar system never fails.

[inu]

 

Innovation based on pragmatism is a good thing. Purists want everything to stay the same, including awful problems that everyone else seems to want solved.

 

 

I agree with you. I have a japanese JM with a Mustang bridge and it works without any problem (bought it 2d hand like that). I also tried a Classic player JM some times ago and I thought it was just great.

[honeyiscool]

 

As much as I love Fenders, you gotta hand it to Gibson... the tune-o-matic plus stopbar system never fails.

Yeah but Fender hardtails work fine, too. At least Leo Fender cared about vibrato enough to design four interesting and usable different vibrato designs, and Fender has kept adding more designs to that pile.

 

Gibson's all about sitting back on a lineup that could have come out of the 60s.

[ten56gibby]

Don't even worry about those bridge issues. Get you a buzz stop and enjoy your Jazzmaster Fixes the break angle situation, and thus the bridge issue.

 

[honeyiscool]

I totally have one of those buzz stops that I thought I'd need but really, with a Mustang bridge, my buzz stop sits unused.

[Preacher]

 

I like the original bridge. Yes, it's quirky, but it's not really a sustain killer. The loss of sustain is caused by the low break angle off the saddles. I wrap the bridge posts in copper foil, so there are no intonation problems with the trem, and I play with .011 strings. Fortunately, if you don't like the bridge, there are many options, like the Mastery , replacing saddles, or tune-o-matic bridge. The problem with the mustang bridge is that the saddle heights are not adjustable (7.25" radius only), and the modified mustang bridge is not built very well.

 

 

Not cheap but seems like folks using it swear by it.

[schoolie1]

Buzzstop is to offseters as top-wrapping is to Les Paulers;) Not to start another buzzstop jihad, but they really do change the character of the JM and Jag sound. They cut those cool harmonics that I love...but they are one solution to the problem.

[Monkeybot]

 

Buzzstop is to offseters as top-wrapping is to Les Paulers;) Not to start another buzzstop jihad, but they really do change the character of the JM and Jag sound. They cut those cool harmonics that I love...but they are one solution to the problem.

 

 

I agree with this totally - The Buzzstop pretty much solves most bridge problems (especially if yr using .11s or heavier) but it does change the character or the guitar - especially in terms of sustain. That's what got me to 1) try it and 2) ultimately abandon it. My JM stopped sounding like a JM. It still sounded cool, just different. I think that everyone with a rattling bridge should at least try a Buzzstop, though. They actually work - but the guitar that you started with won't be the same thing afterward. Good - but different.

 

The thing about the JM (and Jag) bridge is that with a good set-up (by someone who knows how to work with it), heavier strings (I use .11 flats), and a bit of age will cure most of the problems. A little corrosion kind of tighten-ups the wandering screws - combined with the good set-up - the bridge quiets down. It seems like a lot of the people who complain (reasonably) about the wonky bridge are players new to the JM and Jag and want a quick fix. I'm not sure that there really is one other than letting the whole thing settle into itself. I used to clean all the crud and corrosion off my bridge, and once I stopped and let the thing age a bit, the rattling stopped.

 

The JM bridge is a poorly engineered thing - but with some time (and some patience + a solid set-up), it seems to work out.

 

I've been playing the same JM for 13 years now. It took a long while to get the bridge to be 100% (and I keep my guitars stock - ) - Heavy strings, time, and someone who understands the bridge work. Other than a Buzzstop, I don't think that there's a quick fix - if you want to keep everything pretty much stock.

[honeyiscool]

I think more players should look toward a Mustang. It's just a better performing guitar stock, while retaining a lot of the feel of what it means to play these guitars.

 

Vintage-style Jaguars and Jazzmasters usually require people to adopt a certain approach to them, or end up modding.

 

And MIM Jags and Jazzmasters go too far the other way IMO. The bridge redesign is not a bad thing, perhaps, but the neck needed no modification. It was perfect.

[honeyiscool]

I've been playing the same JM for 13 years now. It took a long while to get the bridge to be 100% (and I keep my guitars stock - ) - Heavy strings, time, and someone who understands the bridge work. Other than a Buzzstop, I don't think that there's a quick fix - if you want to keep everything pretty much stock.

The saddle screw issue can be solved somewhat by using a bit of glue on the saddles, and also setting the saddles high while keeping the bridge plate height low. Better than waiting for corrosion IMO. If you're not going to use the trem, tape up the posts so they don't move. A little bit of Vaseline here and there can help out as well. In any case, I don't know of anyone who can use a set of your standard EXL 110s on a Jazz or a Jag without "some" modification of some sort.

[Snambo]

Can we all agree that Jazzmasters are AWESOME??? I think they are even with the stock bridge. Everyone I know (2) that has a Jazzmaster has adapted or overcome the original bridge short comings. My solution was the Mustang saddles - didn't change the sound or feel at all - but only works on 7.25" radius necks. Some can actually use the stock bridge as long as they maintain a light strum. It's kind of like the adapting to the Strat's volume knob placement only worse. You can adapt your playing style but there's plenty of solutions out there for the average chord shucker.

[Alex_SF]

 

If you're not going to use the trem, tape up the posts so they don't move. A little bit of Vaseline here and there can help out as well. In any case, I don't know of anyone who can use a set of your standard EXL 110s on a Jazz or a Jag without "some" modification of some sort.

 

 

A bit of heat-shrink tubing on the bridge posts makes them nice & snug. And the Mustang bridge is the way to go.

 

Don't know about a Jazz, but a 10-46 set on a Jaguar is way too small for a 24" scale length. I used to put 9s on mine when I was a teenager & didn't know any better, but they were like rubber bands. The !radical! bending you could do with such floppy strings was pointless anyway, given that a whole-note-plus bend would fret out above about fret 10. For a short-scale guitar like that, I use at least a Blues/Jazz-Rock (11-49) set for standard tuning. Been meaning to try a heavier flatwound set for a while, but don't bust the Jag out of its case too often anyway these days.

[honeyiscool]

 

Don't know about a Jazz, but a 10-46 set on a Jaguar is way too small for a 24" scale length. I used to put 9s on mine when I was a teenager & didn't know any better, but they were like rubber bands. The !radical! bending you could do with such floppy strings was pointless anyway, given that a whole-note-plus bend would fret out above about fret 10. For a short-scale guitar like that, I use at least a Blues/Jazz-Rock (11-49) set for standard tuning. Been meaning to try a heavier flatwound set for a while, but don't bust the Jag out of its case too often anyway these days.

Not all 10s are the same. Certain ones are more rigid than others. The D'Addario strings do have a rep for being stiff.

 

Anyway, 10s work fine at 24". I like to repeat this over and over again, but 24" is not so different from a 24.75", which is not so different from a 25.5". The string tension on a 24" guitar is no looser than a 25.5" tuned half step down (and capo'd at the first fret, I suppose). Given that plenty of people do this with 10s (and 9s), the string tension of 24" is fine at most string gauges. It's the string break of a Jag that doesn't work with light strings, it's not the scale.

 

If you want a bit more bending action, you can definitely work with the neck relief and action to get it where you need it to be. A little higher action goes a long way, but the looser strings allow you to enjoy having a higher action. Most people set up their necks way too straight. Combine that with the vintage radius and low action and nothing happens at the higher frets. Give the neck a bit of relief, get the bridge 1/8" of a turn higher, and there ya go, beautiful action.