This mod brought to you by Mike Livesley
(Mike in the discussion forums)
The Jaguar/Jazzmaster stock bridge is notorious as one of the most poorly designed guitar parts of all time. There really isn’t much right with it, and almost all guitarists with the experience of playing one have some kind of gripe about it….
Common problems include:
- The bridge buzzes a lot
- The strings sometimes jump out of their saddles during playing
- The grub screws tend to work their way out of the bridge, lowering the action during playing
- The grub screws tend to fall out of the bridge, causing mid-gig frantic searches for a 2mm piece of metal
- The bridge creates a ringing sound due to the strings vibrating behind the bridge
Solutions:
There are many ways to solve the above problems. Many of the solutions will only affect one of the design faults with the bridge. For example, a buzz stop bar can be fitted behind the bridge to increase tension going over the bridge and reduce ringing behind the bridge. Also, a liquid product called “Lock-tite” can be purchased to stop the grub screws from working their way out. The strings jumping out of the saddles can be prevented by filing the slots deeper with a nailfile.
However the best solution, and most economical in terms of money, time and effort is simply to replace the bridge with the Fender Mustang style bridge.
This bridge will solve all of the previously described problems simply and quickly. The bridge has the same spacing as the stock bridge, so the pickups will still line up ok and the guitar will sound good.
Here is a picture of a Jazzmaster with the taped Mustang bridge in place. Simply apply electrical insulation tape around the bridge posts until the bridge will only just fit into the pots and then push it into the guitar firmly and you’re done! Please guys, if you do one thing for your Jaguar/Jazzmaster, let it be this!
To buy a Mustang bridge, visit:
http://www.stewmac.com
This mod brought to you by
Mike Livesley
On my Jag (2000 AVRI), I tried the Mustang bridge, and it spaced the high-E string way out almost off the fretboard. It was pretty much unplayable, and I went back to the stock bridge. Any ideas of what that’s about?
Thanks,
Austin
I was afraid of that spacing. That’s why I don’t try one.
Also if the bridge is jammed in the holes then no rocking. The rocking
bridge keeps the tremolo from getting it out of tune. Why is everyone
so adiment about making the bridge not rock? I consider
that the one good thing about it. Also clear fingernail polish works well.
My tele bridge buzzes and falls apart too. Mustang is also not height
individual adjustable. That majestic bridge out look stupid also not
single string height adjustable.
Doesn’t Warmoth.com offer a “modified” mustang bridge that is made to fit jaquars/jazzmasters? I believe that one has height adjustment for each string.
Warmoth does carry that bridge.
I merely bought a set of Mustang saddles and it solved all the issues I was having with the bridge of my ’62 RI Jazzmaster. I would love the ones from Warmoth, but the stock saddles work just fine and I haven’t had any intonation or spacing issues.
I must admit, if you use the tremolo (mine has been disengaged for years), the nail polish solution works well, as the tremolo for the Jazz just plain likes the stock bridge better. Also, after taping the bridge to kill the rattle, the tremolo (when I tried it out) did nothing less than drop my tuning on half the strings, so its a mod I would not recommend for anyone who uses the whammy.
Sometimes the (original) bridge buzz is one saddle buzzing against the next. Wedge in a little chip of card between each adjacent pair of saddles and it’ll fix.
This worked perfect with my CIJ Jaguar, I had a lot of problems with the little height screws in the saddles that kept falling out and the string jumping out of the saddles. I bought a Mustang bridge for 20 dollars and never had a problem with it again.
Thank you to you guys for mentioning Warmoth.com in these comments. I’ve had my Jazzmaster for a while now and fairly recently had the bridge switched to a regular Mustang bridge. But I can’t change the action for the top and bottom E strings which is a massive pain. But now I’ve ordered one of the warmoth modified mustang bridges which will solve all my problems. So thank you haha.
I have a stock mustang bridge on my ’94 MIJ jag and I’ve still been having issues with the 6th string popping out. I use a 12-56 string set and i think the string is too big for the saddle. Would there be any way to widen the saddle slightly to stop it popping out. When it comes out it goes out waaaaaaaaaay out of tune…
I bought one. The rails are too high and I get string buzz from that. Also, no individual elevation adjustment. My high E still pops out. Almost as unsatisfactory as the other one.
This subject seems to be of continuing interest to owners of vintage Jags and Jazzys, as well as new versions. I bought one of each; both recent model MIM’s. Each was plagued by some buzzing, ringing and in-saddle instability.
Originally, I thought I’d try the Mastery bridge, having heard of its near-miraculous properties. I found this ‘solution’ disappointing, especially considering the cost of a single unit – about $300. I returned it.
For almost exactly 1/2 the cost of a (single) Mastery, I equipped both of the guitars:
1) With a “Buzz Stop” – http://whizzobuzzstop.com/
2) A new roller saddle bridge from this vendor on eBay: http://stores.ebay.ca/GuitarHeads?_trksid=p2047675.l2563
This is a TOTAL solution as far as I’m concerned. I can use ANY gauge of strings I want (I use .010’s); the vibrato (i.e. trem) works great and there’s much better vibration transfer (to my ear, a nice ‘stinging’ tone from the Jag.).
Nothing here modifies the guitar in any way that can’t be undone in 5 minutes if you have a mind to; I doubt I’ll ever go back.
Hope this helps.
I bought a Buzz Stop. £34.00, easy to fit and it does the job fine.
The simplest solution is to change to 12s for your strings.
This bridge was designed for jazz players, who use heavier strings.
I run Thomastik Jazz Swing .012 to .050 flatwounds on my standard Jaguar bridge, and I have none of the described problems with jumping or buzzing. I’ve never seen a grub screw work loose, and I hammer mine.
I also have excellent classic Jaguar tone, thanks to the flatwounds. (There are plenty of brands so you can try a few out, I run D’Addario XL Chrome .011 to .050 flatwounds on my Maton Mastersound, which is like a Les Paul/Tele hybrid).
One pack is the same price as the Mustang bridge and they last for ages, being flatwounds.
The stock bridge gives these guitars (JM/Jaguar) their signature tone (that cool plinky sound). There’s a bit of crunchy breakup to the tone of the lower strings with the stock bridge. I’ve tried the Mastery bridge, it’s beautifully made and a cinch to install but it’s not a JM or Jaguar any more. Yuk! Very cold and metallic sounding. I went back to the original bridge and used Lock-Tite on the bridge height screws and saddle screws after I got the set up perfect to my liking. Use the blue or non-permanent lock-tight. No probs since. More than two years and I play these instruments a lot! This is on both my Jazzmaster and Jaguar. I use 10’s and no buzz stop either. If you use nut sauce or similar type lube on the nut try putting some on the bridge saddles. Hope this helps…
Has anyone seen a jaguar with a dynamic vibrato and jagstang type bridge? I’m thinking of doing this to my jaguar. (it currently has a tuneomatic type style bridge.) The only thing is the jagstang dynamic vibrato bridge looks too short. Any tips?
So I’m new the jazzmaster game . My main problem is my strings pop out of the threads on the bridge throws it out of tune and all sorts . Looked at the mastery bridge a others . I even switched to a lighter gauge strings to maybe help .
Hello! Sorry for my english
this is in spanish but it is totally understandable.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s5HltkmmrIc
Greetings from Argentina.
I think in the end I just replaced the saddles with the Mustang ones, kept the original bridge where it was. It certainly stopped the stings popping out!
This is not a real solution. The mustang bridge is 7.25 radius but the jazzmaster is 9.5. I just found out the hard way. I did not find out about this mod from here I must add. I bought the mustang bridge by allparts. I may think about putting some folded foil under some of the saddles to change the radius or I may sent the bridge back if they will allow me too.
I’ve had a les Paul bridge in my jag for about 20 years now and it just works
If you want to immobilize the bridge using tape is a poor idea. Much better is to buy a piece of 5/16″ OD copper tubing,0.032 wall thickness. a 3 foot piece is about 9 bucks from McMaster Carr. Item # 8967K59. Cut a piece just under 3/4″ long using a hacksaw, not a tube cutter. The tube cutter will actually shrink the tube diameter just enough to be useless. The dress the ends with an emory cloth. This will make an exact fit sleeve and will completely immobilize the bridge.
Gotoh tune-o-matic. You might have to do an ever slightest modification. It fit my Jagstang like it was made for it. The 2012 Cobain series mustangs come with it. That, my friends, is a great way to solve all the bridge problems. Also, there are mustang and jaguar bridge replacements out there that have intonation adjustments. However, the tune-o-matic keeps guitars in tune better. And they also have intonation adjustments. Hope this helps.
Surely shimming back the neck
even slightly will cure a LOT re: Bridge