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Post subject: Jazzmaster Issues
Posted: Wed Jan 13, 2010 5:29 pm
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I'm having problems with my Jazzmaster (Elvis Costello signature model, one of the last they made) that I've had for about a week. This just started today and I have no clue why.
The fifth and sixth strings have an insane amount of buzz, and immediately mute when I attempt to bend the strings (it gets more noticeable the higher the fret I play on). I made a brief video (sorry about the darkness of it) and a couple of pictures of the bridge.

Other info: I keep it in its case when I'm not playing, and no one else would have used it. Haven't dropped it, knocked it around, I'm very much babying it so it has gotten royal treatment.

I wanna figure this out because this really is the perfect guitar sound for my style (I'm a Nels Cline wannabe), not to mention this model is so beautiful. So if I can provide more info to help you help me, I will.

The video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cw7W5Fnre64
The pictures:
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/DustyDrB/Photoon2010-01-13at1904.jpg
http://i1019.photobucket.com/albums/af313/DustyDrB/Photoon2010-01-13at1903.jpg


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Posted: Thu Jan 14, 2010 11:38 am
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Did you change or otherwise remove the strings at some point? One common source of buzzing is the bridge posts. If you don't know any better and change strings, you may not realize that the bridge posts need to be centered within the wells that they fit into, otherwise they can vibrate against the side of the wells. This is a common problem for new Jazzmaster and Jaguar owners. In my case, it drove me crazy until I figured out what happened.


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Posted: Fri Jan 15, 2010 10:45 am
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Head on over here: www.offsetguitars.com

LOTS of helpful folks over there.


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Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 5:56 pm
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You can either adjust the action, or you can get a whole new bridge. My Jazzmaster originally came with that kind of bridge, but I replaced it with a Mustang bridge.

Which looks like this
Image

A tune-o-matic bridge would also work too
Image

Either of those would be a lot better than the style of bridge you have now. You can get one of those bridges off of eBay for about $25-40.


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Jan 19, 2010 7:28 pm
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Location: melbourne 'rock city' australia
Hi DustyDrB,

you are describing a common JM issue - basically your bridge has lowered itself a little.

It works like this, the strings hit the JM bridge at a comparitively shallow angle, giving very little downwards pressure at that point. This is part of the JM sound, and part of it's challenges too! First up it means you get less sustain, so the more 'boinky' attack is emphasized, and sounds quite 'vintage' and typically Jazzmaster-ish. Yay, we like that.

Secondly, because the bridge has less pressure on it several things happen. The strings are prone to jumping out of the fine threads on the saddle barrells when you play hard. There are lots of ways to fix that - heavier strings, a higher action, filing out the threads for a deeper groove... My favourite solution is just fitting a Mustang Bridge - Fender came up with a better design a few years later, so why not use their improved idea? It's a drop-in replacement. Mustang saddles have one smooth groove deep enough to hold the string, and are set at the correct heights to match the fingerboard radius curve. This is also removes the need for those little hex screws to adjust saddle height, which is a good thing. Really, you were gonna set the height of the saddles to match the fretboard anyway, the Mustang bridge does it for you. Cool. Stick your original bridge in a ziplock bag in case you ever sell the ax.

The other effect of low downwards pressure on the bridge is that it's more prone to vibration. Gradually those little hex screws setting the height of your saddles will vibrate out of the threads, lowering the saddles. When the saddles get low enough your strings start to buzz, and start to choke out on the frets when you bend them. Also the two hex screws that set the overall bridge height do the same thing, slowly vibrate out lowering the whole bridge. This gives the same effect, your action gets lower, you think you're losing your mind...

So putting on Mustang saddles, or the whole bridge assembly, will stop the saddles lowering, but the two bridge height screws still vibrate down. Personally I just live with it, I notice when it's lowered too far and then adjust it up again. You could also get it set exactly where you want it then put locktite on the screws. Or you could get an add-on part called a 'buzz stop' which screws onto the trem assembly (non destructive) and puts the strings under a metal bar to give more pressure at the bridge. It gives more sustain too if you want that.

The JM is a sensitive guitar and needs to be set up well, and regularly. The vintage neck radius means they're more prone to 'choking' on high string bends than a modern neck which has a flatter curve to it, so the setup has to be right. I'd recommend a Mustang bridge, learn how to crank the overall bridge height back up regularly with the two hex screws, and get a once yearly pro setup by your local guitar guru. It's worth it.

_________________
"...Compared to the flowers and the birds and the trees, I am an Apeman."


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Posted: Sat Mar 27, 2010 8:26 am
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Alot of times the saddles will work their way down and the strings will hit the bridge metal. Try raising them.


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Post subject: the jazzmaster bridge
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 3:16 pm
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Hello,
The data in this forum is very interesting. I have a Jazzmaster and have exactly the same problems that you all mention about the screw-style bridge. I guess that getting the Mustang bridge will be the best solution. However I just wanted to ask you what about the bridge that comes with the new jazzmasters... For what I´ve seen in the photos from this site, the new models come with a different bridge (please correcct me if I´m wrong). If this is so, do you know if it´s possible to purchase this new bridge? Maybe Fender decided to use Mustang bridges for the new jazzmasters??
Thank you all, bye!
Seb


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Post subject:
Posted: Mon Mar 29, 2010 7:49 pm
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put thicker strings on them
11's at least
start from there


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Post subject:
Posted: Tue Mar 30, 2010 5:18 am
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Hello brokenarrow3, I already did that, I´m using 012 strings


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