Trouble after setting the bridge

FiestaRed

Hello Jagstang.com

Some days ago I wanted to restring my 96/97 Jagstang for the second time ever. I forgot to hold the bridge in its position and it moved backwards; was unmoveable then. I used some kind of washers which i put between tailpiece(bridge?) and plate. It fits pretty good now and everything, but after stringing my guitar again the tone sucks..kind of metalic sound. Playing some strings, especially fat E - string, the string is vibrating pretty much and buzzes around etc.. Does this come from the Tremolo? If so, how can i turn it off without removing my setup which i have now? I don't need the tremolo anyway..

Thanks for help.

nirvana23freak

play the strings, new strings always sound like that

FiestaRed

What you say sounds right, but the tone on my guitar just sounds like #### still....whats wrong..the strings are swinging like I'd use tremolo. I changed the spring tension now several times does not change anything on tone though. Help.

Loco

First of all, have you restrung the guitar correctly? Make sure the strings go underneath the bridge bar and not over the top - an easy ####-up to make...The bridge should have moved back into place once the strings were tensioned correctly. Your bodge job with the washers might be messing up the sound too!? 😕

FiestaRed

Loco said: First of all, have you restrung the guitar correctly? Make sure the strings go underneath the bridge bar and not over the top - an easy ####-up to make...The bridge should have moved back into place once the strings were tensioned correctly. Your bodge job with the washers might be messing up the sound too!? 😕

Thanks for your answer. I have strung the guitar correctly. I put the washers under the piece which holds the ball ends of the strings ( I call that bridge or maybe it is called tailpiece or whatever).This thing is solid now and in the position like it was before (stock position of bridge). I fixed the washers in a way that the strings won't touch them. The other piece where the strings are lying on is solid too and does not move either. I have no clue where this sound is coming from and why..

Loco

Not changed string gauge, or moved the bridge height adjustment screws... ? 😕

FiestaRed

Loco said: Not changed string gauge, or moved the bridge height adjustment screws... ? 😕

Do you mean if I should change it or if i have changed it? I did not change my string gauge..using the ones I used before, which were fine and like i mentioned above, the bridge height is like it was before when it was fine.. 😕

Loco

Hmmm... 😕 I'm just trying to throw around some suggestions for you, but am running out of ideas fast...

By chance I re-strung my own JS this AM: had to cos the guitar has been lying around for months completely unused with an old set of 12s on, and I'd failed to slacken them off... Took them off completely to lemon oil the fretboard and adjust the bridge height. That's been done with the low E side set slightly higher (just check yours again and make sure the screws are okay). Like a fool, I nearly put the new set of 11's on upside down (that's why I asked if that's what you'd done). The bridge needed slackening off (it gets an occasional wobble) - intonation is as near as dammit. The guitar sounds great plugged in, but as the other guy says - Jag-Stangs do sound rattly when un-amplified.

Just going to wait a while for the neck to settle down with the new strings on, then check the truss rod adjustment using a capo and feeler gauges. Good luck!!

If you've done all of the above and still have problems, then hopefully someone else will chime in with better ideas!

FiestaRed

Well, I think I have tried some things. The reason for the problem can only be the bridge/tailpiece position, although it's in the standard normal position like i said. There are just 2 things i can do now :

- Going to a music shop and hand them over my guitar ( I'm not sure if they have knowledge about the bridge etc.. to do this?)

- Setting my Bridge in a different position ( what position? and are my new strings i have put on the guitar now useless if i have to take them off?)

Loco

How did you get on - is it sorted yet? 😀

FiestaRed

Hey thanks for your attention,

I brought my Jagstang to a music shop here. First they did not really see the problem which caused the tuning problems and bad tone. I told them they should let the strings height, bridge etc..but look for the spring tension and everything. They said the intonation was not set properly and also the neck(curve) has to be set up. Some days later they called me and told me they had to file the frets, because the height is different from fret to fret it seems. Well, the guitar should be ready in a few days. I'll see...

robertoriginal

uneven frets, it happens.

was it played heavily before you got it?

otherwise fret leveling should only take a matter of minutes.

its weird how music stores make you wait for stuff when it does not take that long, and 9 times out of 10 they have time to do it, but instead they just let it sit in the corner and complain about " yeah, i gotta get around to doing that sooner or later, o well"

FiestaRed

They actually told me on the phone it would be a hard work and will take even longer than one week. (That was 1 week and a half ago). And yes i think the heavy metal freak who sold me the guitar messed the frets up with his playing^^.

Fran

Hahah... them bassstard heavy metal dudes... 😠

If you can i would take it to a guitar tech, they will sort the whole thing out and tell them your preference of gauge strings.

FiestaRed

I got my guitar today. Clean it sounds still ####ty. With Distortion etc. the tone is really good now and sounds pretty nice, i guess that is because of the neck curve, the filed frets and the intonation which they set up. Clean it sounds metallic, must be because of the strings brand...before i had Ernie Ball Regular Slinky, since the problem D'addario. Also I could try 12's rather than 11's, but i don't know if it would be too fat or not.

AnotherTool

You have to wear the strings in a little, they sound like that new. Big time bands who change strings every night have their guitar techs play them for a few hours before they go up and do their thing.

Loco

I'd avoid 12's if I were you. Put those heavy muthas on and you'll probably find the truss rod will need another tweak? Personally I find 11's are the best compromise on a JS.

nirvana23freak

i use tens on my guitars. i love the feeling of them.