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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:32 pm
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You will want to make certain you can fit a buzzstop on your JM. My experience is based on 70s JMs and my current AVRI.

Someone mentioned that they didn't think a buzzstop would fit on a blacktop or a classic player JMs. I can believe this given how close the bridges are to the tail. The string break on these models is much greater anyway.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 2:57 pm
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What about just ripping the entire bridge right out and putting something else in there?

Would it be possible to put a strat bridge in its place?


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2011 4:19 pm
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A strat bridge would probably be a major operation.

I can't speak for the blacktops but you can pretty easily swap in a jaguar or a mustang bridge on a standard jm. That is a very common jazzmaster mod.

Take a look at the Lee Ranaldo model on the fender site to see what a jaguar bridge on a jazzmaster looks like.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Mon May 09, 2011 9:36 pm
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jaguar and jazzmasters both have the same bridge.

you need to either return the guitar or have other setup/hardware options looked at. the jazz/jag bridge vintage style bridge has been discussed thoroughly over the decades and its just how it is by design. you can replace with it a mustang bridge (which is different) and will pop right in or go for a more expensive solution with the mastery bridge (masterybridge.com), install a tune-o-matic bridge (will require mods to the body) or have a tech setup the guitar for you properly (but in my opinion the problems will come back after a short time again)...but i wonder why are you letting this deter you away from playing? All guitars arent for every player so find one that you are comfortable with playing and then go from there...


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 5:45 am
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Ah, you are right, mixed up my jaguars and my mustangs.

The mastery bridge looks really nice but it might be overkill for the Ops blacktop. The bridge is half the price of the original guitar.

A proper setup would probably help the OP a lot.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Tue May 10, 2011 6:10 pm
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Professional Musician
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drad wrote:
I'm sending the Jazzmaster back, and taking a serious break, possibly permanently, from guitar. I'm so frustrated, I can't believe how many problems guitars can have, it's unbelievable.. I'm just so frustrated.


Whoa there! Before throwing out the bath water, check it for babies..

I appreciate your frustration, but the Jazzmaster had this problem from day one, when it was first rolled out of the Fender factory. It's very well known, as you have become aware. Shame you didn't know before hand. Add in the stupidly complex electrical control system and you can see why the instrument has had lengthy periods out of production. I've no idea why Fender didn't solve these basic problems this time around. Perhaps they're part of the quirky appeal that the guitar has to some players and Fender didn't want to mess with the vibe..

Whatever, take the damn thing back and look for a modern Jaguar (if it's that offset waist style guitar you're after). Maybe even a Toronado if you can find one. Both of them are infinitely better 'sorted' instruments than the troublesome Jazzmaster.

To be fair, Leo and his team designed the instrument for jazz players, as an alternative to the big hollow box Gibsons and Gretschs, and people forget this. (The clue is in the name). Jazzers dont - as a rule - hit strings hard or bend the strings against the bridge. Fender had the Strat and the Tele for that sort of 'radical' playing..

I expect to be flamed by Jazzmaster fans, but such is life.

Don't despair, move on..

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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Tue May 17, 2011 10:09 am
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adey wrote:
Perhaps they're part of the quirky appeal that the guitar has to some players and Fender didn't want to mess with the vibe..



+1 on that !!


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Wed May 18, 2011 10:16 pm
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I have never had any problems with strings jumping out of the bridge but I have always had 12s on my Jazzmaster. I have wondered why a person couldn’t take a file and just file the grove a little deeper in the saddle. Wouldn’t that solve the problem?


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 12:26 pm
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I have .009s on my jazzmaster and they don't pop out.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Thu May 19, 2011 4:20 pm
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I will vouch for the Classic Player Jazzmaster. This is a great playing and sounding guitar. They have been on the market a few years now, and you can find good deals on used ones. I picked up this this one for $550.
Image

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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Sat May 21, 2011 9:09 pm
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+1 the redesigned bridge on this version is a great improvement.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Sun Jun 12, 2011 3:22 pm
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When I first got my Blacktop Jazzmaster it came strung with 9s, I never had the string pop out issue but it buzzed like mad and the saddle screws were working their way out everytime I played it, I strung it with 12s and this has virtually eliminated the buzz and the saddle screws dont move as much..kinda reluctant to glue them in though. I Would love to put a tune o matic style bridge in it but im not sure if its possible.

But besides that issue I love the guitar, its sound suits my/my bands style I also own a Japanese 62 reissue Jag which I switched the bridge for a mustang one to cure the buzzing

I agree with whats been said above I don't think you should let the bad experience put you off playing the guitar in general of you are after the offset body style try a Jaguar maybe :)

_________________
1997 Fender Jaguar 62 MIJ Reissue
1996 Fender Duo Sonic MIM Reissue
2010 Fender Blacktop MIM Jazzmaster
Unknown Epiphone SG 310 (restore project)
Unknown Tokai Breezysound Tele (restore project)
1996 Fender Deluxe 112 plus


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Tue Jun 21, 2011 9:13 am
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Guys,
I just pulled the string on a new Jazzmaster Blacktop. It played great in the store but when I got it home, the high E had popped out of its saddle and tipped the saddle over. I then spent about a fruitless hour trying to set intonation and ran into the problem of the intonation screw banging into the string ahead of the saddle on the B string. I was sort of able to get intonation set for the other 5, but not the B.

So last night I pulled the whole bridge apart and put it back together. All the strings came off and I pulled every saddle out.
I then backed the two main post screws until they were flush at the bottom and then screwed them out exactly 12 turns each.
I set the two E string saddles so their hex screws were flush with the top of their saddles and re-installed them in the bridge so they were just barely touching the neck side of the bridge.
I then set the 4 middle saddles to be the same height as the two E saddles. Since the four in the middle have much longer height screws, it meant they stuck up 'way over the saddle, which is OK. I then installed them in the bridge, again in the full neck position.

The idea was to start from a good, simple even base position.

I figured this was a good place to start. After I re-installed the strings I started setting intonation again. WHAT A DIFFERENCE! I raised the low E side post screw about 1 more turn, and the high E side post about 2 turns. Not only was I able to set intonation fairly quickly, the post height meant I didn't have to raise the individual saddles much, so the screw pushing the B string didn't happen. No buzzing. No slipping. And the action feels much closer to the fret board (which defies logic, but...) and much faster.


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Thu Jun 23, 2011 7:43 am
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Update:
While I like the action this "new" guitar was in worse shape than my used Strat. Plus it has a grounding hum, so...I traded it in against a Jazzmaster Classic Player. Now I have to wait for it to be delivered...

I tried an SG with dual coil taps and while I liked the sound the paint job on it (Black edges with silver interior) was just too ugly to bring home. Plus it was $500 more than the CP....Since I didn't LOVE the guitar, I went for the Jazzmaster!


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Post subject: Re: HATE the Jazzmaster bridge, unplayable guitar.
Posted: Sat Jul 09, 2011 6:40 pm
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Joined: Thu Mar 20, 2008 7:59 pm
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In order for you to be so unhappy with this guitar, it is either set up very badly or else it is a very bad match for you. I have never had strings pop out of the bridge on my Jazzmaster, and I pick pretty hard at times. Mine is an AVRI, which has the original bridge design and no Buzzstop or relocated tailpiece. I use .010 guage strings, which I feel is the lightest you should go on a Jazzmaster.

I don't know what you consider to be good/bad action, but I find mine very comfortable to play. If you're giving up this easily, there's something else going on here.


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