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Post subject: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 2:22 pm
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I just picked up my new Classic Player Jaguar early this afternoon! Nice. But I do have one question for any of you folks who might have either this same guitar or the Classic Player Jazzmaster.

I notice that the tremolo arm threads into its receptacle pretty freely until it hits a firm resistance to stop at the end of the threading. This can put the arm at a location which is not the best when playing. The 1964 Jaguar I had did not thread in but rather was held in place by a spring clip. This offered some resistance to the arm so that it just didn't do as it wanted, and there was not slop or looseness with it.

When going over the owner's manual, I noticed the following sentence:

"You will need to place a small piece of tape over the armhole to insure that the spring remains in the receptacle hole and is not lost."

I see no spring nor do I detect any when using a magnifying glass and flashlight. I have to assume this spring fell out during setup or was not shipped. Can anyone shed some light on this for me?

Thanks.


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Fri Mar 25, 2011 5:33 pm
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If there was not a small round sticker over the hole for the arm when you recieved the guitar, it is highly likely it fell out and is lost. Springs are cheap. Also, check in the bag that contained the arm and the allen wrenches, the spring for my USA strat was in the bag with the arm!


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 2:37 am
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try this http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Tremolo-Arm-Tension-Springs-12?sku=420519

$5.99 for 12. Designed for American series trem on Strats but also fit the Classic player Jags.

Or if you have a favorite online supplier, search for tremelo spring and it should be in there with the larger spring that fit the back of the body. I don't have the Fender part number with me right now.

Art


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 5:24 am
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Steve-oh-no wrote:
If there was not a small round sticker over the hole for the arm when you recieved the guitar, it is highly likely it fell out and is lost. Springs are cheap. Also, check in the bag that contained the arm and the allen wrenches, the spring for my USA strat was in the bag with the arm!


No there wasn't such a small sticker over the opening. I took your suggestion and carefully checked the interior of the gig bag but found nothing. And the plastic pack that came in one of the gig bags pockets had nothing either, including no allen wrench. Curiously, the tag that was attached to one of the tuners on the headstock was for a "Strat".

It's quite possible the spring fell out when the owner of the shop pulled the guitar out and checked it out before I picked it up; I'll go by there tomorrow and ask him. I called Fender and they were no help at all. The guy with whom I spoke stumbled verbally and frankly, didn't have a clue what I was talking about. He finally told me the they were a dealer-oriented business and that I would have to go through my dealer with this. So much for customer support, eh?

Aside from the fact that this threaded tremolo setup is a horrible design, I suspect the spring is needed to apply some force to the arm so that it doesn't swing so freely when not completely tightened (which when it is tightened, some functionality is lost) and to reduce the rattle and looseness of the arm in its receptacle. If I knew the size and weight of the spring in question, I would just go by a Lowe's and see if they had something I could use. I think I'll try Fender's technique support number on Monday to see if I can get any satisfaction there as well as getting together with the store where I bought the guitar. The owner is more than willing to do what he can to work with his customer base. He even let me take home one of his small practice amps he had on his sales floor because my Super Champ XD won't be in for about two weeks and he wanted me to start enjoying the guitar right away.

I will say the Classic Player Jaguar I received it beautiful and sounds great. The strings they supplied (10's according to Fender's spec page) don't tune very well initially but that is to be expected to some degree with a completely new setup. The day I got my '64 Jaguar (a Friday in April of 1964), we had a gig that night and I had to take my Gibson Melody Maker II because my Jaguar had to "set". But still, I'm temped to get a set of GHS strings for it. The strings it came with are leaving dark smudges on my fingers.

Thanks for your input.


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:33 am
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It is a very still spring.

My CP Jag came with a great set up from the factory. Just had to tune it. I called Fender consumer relations about the Trem arm and they sent me a new one. This one pointed very close to where I wanted it when bottomed out, but was now in the way. The original pointed to the strap button on the bottom. So now I have two trem arms.

I think everyone was out of the springs so I ordered one pack from MF and one pack from SamASH and had them both in a week.

Decided It probably would not be a bad idea to get a few spare amp knobs and fuses as well. :lol:

But give Fender Consumer relations a call. They need to address the fact that this item (the spring) is missing.

Art


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 8:15 pm
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Art1 wrote:
try this http://accessories.musiciansfriend.com/product/Fender-Tremolo-Arm-Tension-Springs-12?sku=420519

$5.99 for 12. Designed for American series trem on Strats but also fit the Classic player Jags.

Or if you have a favorite online supplier, search for tremelo spring and it should be in there with the larger spring that fit the back of the body. I don't have the Fender part number with me right now.

Art


Thanks so much for the link! That is a great help. If the store doesn't have what I need then at least I know I have a fallback.


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Mar 26, 2011 11:24 pm
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If those springs are the same as what's supplied for the vintage-spec Strat trem, I have a few of those laying around unused. Yours for the asking.

Arjay

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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 10:41 am
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Mighty good of Arjay to jump in with his offer! :!:

But ... The Fender Company does need to work on it's QC.
It shouldn't be that much work, since the products are so great already!

And ... just to voice my opinion :wink: .... They SHOULD have used the tremolo from the reissue Jag/Jazzmasters! There is no better tremolo - IMHO!! :mrgreen:

And ... thanks to Arjay for taking up the slake.

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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Thu Apr 07, 2011 2:11 pm
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Well, it is almost the same Tremolo system. The arm obviously screws in. It mounts closer to the bridge which is a good thing. But still not an ideal break angle. I saw someone on-line (maybe Angela) that had a sleeve for vintage US Tremolo which would allow the vintage arm to press in.

Art


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Fri Apr 08, 2011 1:13 pm
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I know what some of the concerns are with the re-issue/vintage tremolo design, but I must say, I like it a lot better than the CP Jaguar. I never banged the heck out of my '64 Jag so I never had any of the problems with the strings jumping the valleys in the bridge barrels. That guitar's tremolo was smooth as silk and never seemed to alter the pitch of the strings.

As for the springs I ordered from Musician's Friend, thank you Art1, they work perfectly. And to make it even better, I bought a half dozen 10x32 1" screws (bolts?) with nuts. When I do remove the tremolo arm, I install one of these screws, with nut for finger purchase, and the spring stays in place. Much better than a rubber tip or a piece of tape. The one I am using at any given time has its nut run up tight against the head which gives you something to grab it with when using it. Problem solved.

I am getting a lot of enjoyment out of my new CP Jaguar, however. The action is fairly light and never a stress on my finger tips. The only thing I have a problem with, besides it staying in tune - which is getting better, is my fingers muting strings... as in "the fat finger syndrome". I do not have fat hands (I am not fat), but I will chalk this one up to a loss of dexterity and proper hold.... and an aging hand.

For anyone on the fence for a decent amp, the Super Champ XD is a heck of unit. It has a nice rich sound, if you use those settings, and really does an admirable job. Makes the CP Jaguar really sound quite good.


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sat Nov 05, 2011 6:35 pm
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Just had the same thing happen to me last night. I picked up my '10 Strat Standard and removed the little silver dot over the tremolo hole. Thing fell out. No biggie. It's in a zip lock bag with the tremolo bar in the event that I ever need it, however unlikely that may be.

As for the Super Champ XD...that's my current amp. I play clean and the first channel Blackface does the trick in all its warm tube glory.


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Sun Nov 13, 2011 6:06 pm
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If you like the way the vintage arm worked, you could always just buy an AVRI arm and collet, I have one on my CP, works a treat.

Cheers, Steve


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 11:14 am
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LosLocos wrote:
If you like the way the vintage arm worked, you could always just buy an AVRI arm and collet, I have one on my CP, works a treat.

Cheers, Steve


That's what I mentioned before. Doesn't Angela carry those?


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Post subject: Re: Mechanical question about Jaguar/Jazzmaster
Posted: Mon Nov 14, 2011 12:50 pm
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I have a min strat same problem. No spring. Yes qc needs to be improved. I just rube golberged a solution. Teflon tape around the threads. Put the arm where I want for now. You could always go back once you have the spring.

On my 62' avri jazzmaster I had the same loose problem. Had to disassemble the tremo to tighten up the term arm lock. Wasn't too. Happy about the system as it relies on friction of metal parts flexing. There will be fatigue in those meal bits at some time. Then it's a Ned term part.

It's all a compromise at some level.


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