Rattlin' Bridge Blues

KidColtII

Oh me, oh my. It's been awhile since I've owned a Jag. Just bought a brand new American thin skin, and decided to change the stock round wound 10s to flat wound 11s, since I had been reading everywhere that the Jaguar bridge was designed with them in mind.

Well, Changed each individual string, adjusted the intonation for the wound G string, and once she was all tuned up the bridge now made a horrible rattle when I strummed her.

Since I don't have a mustang bridge or buzzstop on hand, I said **** it, and threw the 10's back on. Welly well, the rattle is still really bad.

I've only owned this $1600 guitar 1 day, and it's already in an unplayable state. What gives? Since I'm still in "honeymoon mode" with my new Jag, I was super careful changing the strings, I don't see how I could have knocked anything out of place.

Without dipping my bridge in wax, taping up screws, or gluing things in place...how do I set up my guitar like it was when it arrived yesterday afternoon?

KidColtII

Ehh, I guess the bridge just shifted position. Still doesn't sound 100% buzz free, but it's much better now.

*$%#@*&' Stupid bridge made for a tremelo.

nirvana23freak

bridge and neck adjustments are the way to do it. and your guitar is beautiful. if you cant stand the buzz you can send it to me

SmutVendetta

Or me. I love the Jag tremolo. Fun stuff.

KidColtII

I thought I had it goin' well again, but the rattle came back. So I loosened all the strings enough so there was still some tention and lifted the bridge straight up, and allowed the tention to lower it in a centered position. Tuned her back up, played fine for 5 minutes...started buzzing again.

How do you guys keep your bridge in a stable position??

I'm about to give up and go the mustang bridge/buzzstop route like I did with my 1964 Jag when I had it.

SmutVendetta

Did you read the Jaguar section to find out how to set up the guitar properly? Should help you a considerable bit.

KidColtII

My 1964 Jag had a Mustang bridge when I got it, and I still had to add a buzzstop. I was kind of hoping that Fender would have fixed the guitar by now so that "1 day" into ownership it wouldn't sound like crap. I just don't understand why I need tape, glue, grease, and 3rd party parts to make a $1600 instrument FINALLY functionally work better than a $200 squire.

Since my guitar was already $1600 to begin with, I might as well send it back and buy a 1-off Custom shop without the tremelo and defective bridge design for less than 1k more. There is a reason they discontinued the Jaguar in 75, I hoped that when they brought it back the well known issues would have been taken care of, or at least lessened.

What I have here is a beautiful Jag, a wonderful hand picked limited edition that was the pick of the litter IMO. It's just such a frustrating beast. I wanted an all original special guitar, never been one for mods or devalued hot-rods. I know I sound bitchy, but as of right now, I'm not a satisfied customer even though I love the sound and feel of "working" jags. I hope I can rig something up and rid myself of this buyer's remorse. :/

Blindingsun

stop worrying about a little buzz!!

you wont hear it at volume 10 with the distortion on FULL!!!!!!

KidColtII

Blindingsun said: stop worrying about a little buzz!!
you wont hear it at volume 10 with the distortion on FULL!!!!!!

I mostly play clean through dirty sounding old amps, but don't do the the whole distortion pedal/ overdrive thing. If I was going to mod up a Jag, I would have just bought a nice MIJ with matching headstock like you got, and add some American pickups, mustang bridge, and a buzzstop.... and saved quite a lot of money.

I'm a little surprised, it's not a little buzz, it's a MAJOR rattle. My last Jag had a "little buzz", but it was over 40 years old and had a Mustang bridge when I got it. I would give my left nut to have my pre-CBS 1964 again.

I wish it wasn't so, but money is an issue. I forked out what is a lot of cash to me, but I wanted a sweet American Jag.

The guitar sounded great when I took it out of the shipping box. There was some barely noticeable buzz on the low E if I strummed hard, but nothing I couldn't live with. My nerves are all messed up now because I did something as simple as change strings, and everyone is telling me I need all these crazy mods just to get it working again. They must be right, because setting the action, intonation, having the neck straight, correct flat wound 11 strings, and proper tuning is clearly not enough to make a stock Jaguar a playable instrument.

tragictravisty

american jags=overpriced. sell it and get warmoth body/neck or custom or some ####. or a strat might be better.

ChrisK018

American Jags= awesome. Don't be discouraged.

I put the buzz-stop roller on my Jags. That works well-- but I also like thimbles. Keeps the bridge locked down.

http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Fender-BODY-THIMBLES-For-Mustang-Jaguar-Jazzmaster_W0QQitemZ150296196735QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150296196735&_trkparms=72:1205|39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14

Neither the buzz stop roller nor the thimbles are permanent. They won't damage the guitar at all.

KidColtII

ChrisK018 said: American Jags= awesome. Don't be discouraged.
I put the buzz-stop roller on my Jags. That works well-- but I also like thimbles. Keeps the bridge locked down.
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-Fender-BODY-THIMBLES-For-Mustang-Jaguar-Jazzmaster_W0QQitemZ150296196735QQcmdZViewItem?hash=item150296196735&trkparms=72:1205|39:1|66:2|65:12|240:1318&trksid=p3286.c0.m14
Neither the buzz stop roller nor the thimbles are permanent. They won't damage the guitar at all.

I thought those thimbles were already supposed to be there, they were definitely in my 1964. Interesting.

I'm less upset now that I've had time to sleep on it, but I'm a little surprised that there was somebody that set up my guitar in the first place that knew some magic trick to avoid these problems.

Fran

Have you tried lubricating all the parts on the bridge? Like the saddle grub screws for instance?

The old Jag bridges dont rattle coz theres 30 years of gunk on the bridge and everythings sealed with it. I have a '64 myself.

Purplehaze19x

Usually the rattle is a saddle height screw 'loosening' and rattling against the actuall bridge.

For me thats what it always was. just ajust it back down, and as fran said try using some lube to keep the screw in place.

SmutVendetta

Yeah thing about guitars is. They're a lot of work. So set the thing up properly and you won't have a problem. My Jag was used and I don't have this problem what so ever. Why? 'Cos I set it up. So get to it instead of complaining how it didn't come set up already.

It's a reissue, they're not going to change things up on it, they try to make it as close to the original year as possible. So don't expect 3rd party parts.

KidColtII

I figured I'd try the 11 flat wounds again, since I was looking at the little packet of goodies that includes the manual, hex tool, tremelo bar etc, and noticed the included pack of strings is 11 flat wounds.

The first time I put them on, remember the bridge had slipped down causing me trouble. This time, I made sure to push up on the bridge before I changed each individual string, and things turned out quite well. There is definitely less buzz with the flat wounds. What type of strings are you guys using?

Been jammin' for the past hour or so, I'm really happy things are goin' smoothly again. I'll lube up the screws this week.

Forgive my panic attack I had, but you should have heard the horrible noises coming out of my guitar last night. 😲

tragictravisty

two valid points by smut + colt:

you shouldnt have to pay a ####load of money for a guitar that doesnt work.

when you buy a guitar like the jag, you should know what youre getting into.

Purplehaze19x

Kid Colt II said: What type of strings are you guys using?

Truthfully? i use D'adddario 10's on everything. even on Jags and Mustangs.

KidColtII

Kid Colt II said: What type of strings are you guys using?

Out of curiosity, does your Jag still have a Jag bridge?

Purplehaze19x

Kid Colt II said: What type of strings are you guys using?

Yes. one of my jags has the original bridge, but it has a buzzstop, not because it rattled,

but to keep the strings in one place. My other jag has a Mustang bridge, it came with it when i bought it, and does not have a buzzstop.