Xaviere bridge problem.

[Rickvent]

I have had my JT-40 for quite a while and never was able to get it set up right. The B string is buzzy, especially at the 2nd and 3rd frets. I can raise the high side of the bridge to where the B doesn't buzz, but then the action is much higher than I like, so that's not the answer. The neck relief looks OK. I figured it was maybe high frets further up the neck and wasn't ready to spend for a fret level on such an inexpensive guitar.

 

I finally broke down and took it to a very reputable tech and he said the frets were OK, but the B's roller saddle was actually a bit shorter in height than the high E's saddle. It looks like if the B's saddle was a hair higher, things would be OK. I emailed GFS about this, but did not get a response.

Any suggestions?

 

[BIGD]

Don't be too upset, I spent twice as much as on my Blacktop Jazzmaster and there were buzzes all over the place because of the bridge. The traditional Jazzmaster bridge is an absolute nightmare. Not sure exactly what they're putting on the Xaviere, but it can't be much worse.

[mike42]

Is there no way to shim, or adjust the height on individual saddles?

[Riggins]

these were designed for jazzmaster type bridges:

 

http://www.guitar-parts.com/products/764/Buzz-Stop.htm

 

 

I can't really see exactly how your bridge is but the low angle of the strings looks the same as my SX SJM62. if so this helped me tremendously.

[schoolie1]

Did the tech mean that the radius of the bridge is not correct for the neck?

[sk8centilli]

Swap the High E and B saddle.

[Rickvent]

 

Is there no way to shim, or adjust the height on individual saddles?

 

 

The only thing I see is to try putting something under the saddle base. I'm thinking about some sort of thin rubber mat cut into a real small square. I would rather not do that and I'd rather have the correct height saddle.

 

 

Riggins

Thanks for the link to that roller piece, but I don't think that would affect the saddle height. The B string buzzes because it's too low.

 

Schoolie

Yes, the tech said that the saddle heights follow the fret board radius OK, except for the B string.

 

Sk8t

I thought about switching the B and E saddles, but the height difference is so slight, I don't think it would help.

[mike42]

Yeah, that's the kind of thing I was wondering about. But, you wouldn't want to use rubber of anything soft I don't think, (don't know how that bridge is designed). If the saddles sit down on the bridge plate you need something that will transfer vibration from the saddle to the plate - almost has to be metal. K&S makes a line of small metal shim stock; about 12" long strips, in various widths and thicknesses, that you can probably find at a lot of hobby shops.

[Rickvent]

Today, I did get this reply to my email question to GFS.

 

"That is actually a roller bridge design flaw, but not one that is unique to us. You will find a number of Fender Jaguard that exhibit the same problem due to the gap between the roller and the saddle itself. I would recommend applying a bit of wax to te saddle, which should fill te gap enough to mute the buzzing."

 

DC

GuitarFetish.com

Customer Support

[blackheartsfan]

I've had the same problem with my SX SJM w/three P-90's where vibrations would cause the saddle height adjustment screws to loosen, in fact it was missing three of them when I purchased it used. A worthy upgrade would also be to install a Whizzo Buzz Stop as I did it increase tension on the bridge thus keeping a constant pressure on the strings. They are available on Ebay at times or can be ordered from a few retailers online just "google" it.

[vintage clubber]

I never liked those type of trems. I prefer the vintage strat type or even a bigsby over that kind.

[Bud M]

 

Today, I did get this reply to my email question to GFS. "That is actually a roller bridge design flaw, but not one that is unique to us. You will find a number of Fender Jaguard that exhibit the same problem due to the gap between the roller and the saddle itself. I would recommend applying a bit of wax to te saddle, which should fill te gap enough to mute the buzzing." DC GuitarFetish.com Customer Support

 

 

Not the answer I would have hoped for. They are acknowledging a fundamental design flaw on their "super-slick roller bridge" (as they describe it on their website) and passing it off as "the other guys are just as bad"? Sounds like the real problem is sloppy tolerances and they should be sending you a replacement bridge, checked out by the "rigorous Quality Control" also touted on their website.

[Whenboysetsfire]

 

Not the answer I would have hoped for. They are acknowledging a fundamental design flaw on their "super-slick roller bridge" (as they describe it on their website) and passing it off as "the other guys are just as bad"? Sounds like the real problem is sloppy tolerances and they should be sending you a replacement bridge, checked out by the "rigorous Quality Control" also touted on their website.

 

 

 

 

Yeah, no {censored}

[Rickvent]

The GFS response doesn't make much sense to me either. The problem seems to be that the B's saddle is not tall enough. That's what the tech said and that makes sense if you look at it. That after market roller bridge piece or the wax, might help if the string was loose in the saddle, but that doesn't seem to be the problem here.

 

If I set the action low to where I want to play it, and fret the B at the second or third fret, the string is dead because it is hitting the forth or fifth fret. I think a slightly taller saddle like the one on the D or G string might solve the problem, but I don't see where I can buy that part.

[bsman]

 

The GFS response doesn't make much sense to me either...

 

 

If you're familiar with Fender JMs and jags, it makes perfect sense. This is a known issue with this type of bridge, and is one reason why if I were to buy an offset I'd probably get the MIJ jaguar (with a stop-tail bridge.) The vintage-style JM bridge was an overly-complex nightmare... Many, many jaguar owners have replaced the engineer's wet dream of a bridge with the simpler (and more solid) Mustang bridge.

[Rickvent]

 

If you're familiar with Fender JMs and jags, it makes perfect sense. This is a known issue with this type of bridge, and is one reason why if I were to buy an offset I'd probably get the MIJ jaguar (with a stop-tail bridge.) The vintage-style JM bridge was an overly-complex nightmare... Many, many jaguar owners have replaced the engineer's wet dream of a bridge with the simpler (and more solid) Mustang bridge.

 

 

It doesn't make sense to me because it doesn't help me raise the height of the B string at the bridge.

[McCain]

 

Swap the High E and B saddle.

 

This.Swap B/E

 

It's hard to tell,fuzzy pic, but it looks like the roller itself in sitting lower in the saddle than the others, as the saddle height itself look? ok. Maybe the hole in the roller is too large?

 

For stopping buzz on those roller type bridges you could probably wrap a few turns of thin fishing line or sewing thread between the roller and saddle.(around the roller pin)

[Rickvent]

 

It's hard to tell,fuzzy pic, but it looks like the roller itself in sitting lower in the saddle than the others, as the saddle height itself look? ok. Maybe the hole in the roller is too large?

 

 

Bingo! I looked at it through a magnifying glass and it's clear that the B's roller is sitting much lower in the dome shaped post. I'll try again to take a better photo, but my camera isn't good on closeups.

[McCain]

 

Bingo! I looked at it through a magnifying glass and it's clear that the B's roller is sitting much lower in the dome shaped post. I'll try again to take a better photo, but my camera isn't good on closeups.

 

 

 

Place the magnifying lens against the camera lens for better close-ups.

[Shy24]

Thats because on the Xavier model they come stock with the bridge flipped upside down. The screws face the neck instead of the bottom of the guitar.