
#1
On replacing the bridge on a Jazzmaster / Jaguar
In a word: don’t.
I recently bought a MIA Jazzmaster from a kid who’d swapped out the original bridge for a Mustang bridge, because, you know, that’s what everyone tells you to do on the forums.
The need to swap out the original bridge, however, is a (very persistent) myth. Even guitarists who have never even played a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster will know that, for some reason, it’s impossible to play these types of guitar with the stock bridge.
Before explaining why it’s a bad idea to replace it with a Mustang bridge, first let’s take a look at the three main reasons why people don’t like the Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge:
1. It rattles.
True, a lot of models – even the higher end MIA ones – have noise problems (rattles and buzzes). However, doing a proper setup usually will get rid of these problems. It’s important to note here that a proper setup includes the Trem-lock system.
Many people find this feature completely useless so they don’t bother to set it up properly, but guess what? If you don’t set it up, its parts will rattle. So even if you’re never ever going use it, take the 15 minutes’ time to set it up anyway. At the least it will eliminate a potential noise source.
2. People knock the strings out off the saddles.
If this is a problem for you, simply deepen the center groove of the problematic saddle with a nail file. It’s a lot cheaper and a lot less work than buying and installing a Mustang bridge.
3. It’s too complicated.
The Jaguar/Jazzmaster is indeed less straightforward than your average Strat, Tele or Mustang bridge. It is also a lot more versatile and allows you to perfectly set up a Jaguar/Jazzmaster without much hassle, if only you’d sit down and RTFM for 5 minutes.
If there's one reason against installing a stock Mustang bridge on a Jaguar/Jazzmaster, it's that the Mustang's saddles cannot be individually lowered or raised, which impedes a proper setup.
In conclusion, I hope you'll see why most experts advise against replacing the bridge and you'll understand why you should only do this if all else has failed.
I’m not going to give you a detailed editorial on how to set up a Jaguar or Jazzmaster guitar, but make sure to check out Webrocker’s excellent website on the subject (consult the Goodies section). Pretty much everything you need to know is there.
Take it easy.
I recently bought a MIA Jazzmaster from a kid who’d swapped out the original bridge for a Mustang bridge, because, you know, that’s what everyone tells you to do on the forums.
The need to swap out the original bridge, however, is a (very persistent) myth. Even guitarists who have never even played a Jaguar or a Jazzmaster will know that, for some reason, it’s impossible to play these types of guitar with the stock bridge.
Before explaining why it’s a bad idea to replace it with a Mustang bridge, first let’s take a look at the three main reasons why people don’t like the Jaguar/Jazzmaster bridge:
1. It rattles.
True, a lot of models – even the higher end MIA ones – have noise problems (rattles and buzzes). However, doing a proper setup usually will get rid of these problems. It’s important to note here that a proper setup includes the Trem-lock system.
Many people find this feature completely useless so they don’t bother to set it up properly, but guess what? If you don’t set it up, its parts will rattle. So even if you’re never ever going use it, take the 15 minutes’ time to set it up anyway. At the least it will eliminate a potential noise source.
2. People knock the strings out off the saddles.
If this is a problem for you, simply deepen the center groove of the problematic saddle with a nail file. It’s a lot cheaper and a lot less work than buying and installing a Mustang bridge.
3. It’s too complicated.
The Jaguar/Jazzmaster is indeed less straightforward than your average Strat, Tele or Mustang bridge. It is also a lot more versatile and allows you to perfectly set up a Jaguar/Jazzmaster without much hassle, if only you’d sit down and RTFM for 5 minutes.
If there's one reason against installing a stock Mustang bridge on a Jaguar/Jazzmaster, it's that the Mustang's saddles cannot be individually lowered or raised, which impedes a proper setup.
In conclusion, I hope you'll see why most experts advise against replacing the bridge and you'll understand why you should only do this if all else has failed.
I’m not going to give you a detailed editorial on how to set up a Jaguar or Jazzmaster guitar, but make sure to check out Webrocker’s excellent website on the subject (consult the Goodies section). Pretty much everything you need to know is there.
Take it easy.