Recommend me a bridge for a Jazzmaster (JAP)

Trotter

Hi all,

already aware of ( & want) the Mastery bridge but would like to know of any other recomendations for a jap Jazzmaster. I'm aware of the Warmoth modified mustang bridge but ideally looking for something a bit more "robust" in the engineering department. The Mastery would also be approaching the cost of the actually guitar at new prices. If someone has a secondhand one that would be grand by the way.

thanking you all muchly.

guitargeek62

http://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/6483/jazzmaster-bridge-is-the-staytrem-worth-it

They're relocating atm, but;

http://staytrem.com

ThePrettyDamned

+1.  The mastery is really, really ugly, too.

JookyChap

+2 Mastery is BMXtastic..

Trotter

As ever thank you kind gents Mark

impmann

As I've owned both a Mastery and a Staytrem...

The Staytrem is superb - very well made and zero rattles. In conjunction with an AVRI trem (Staytrem arm fitted) it kept tune beautifully.

The Mastery bridge is a work of art. As a (failed) engineer, I can truly appreciate the craftsmanship of it. Some don't like the look - well, when you see it in the metal rather than a picture you get a different perspective. It also feels nicer to play with - damping etc and the harmonics/string vibration transfer is incredible.

I have kept my Mastery and will be fitting it to my new CP Jazzmaster, which involves a bit of fiddling/woodworking but it will be worth it.

The Mastery is known as being 'the ultimate' for a reason - traditionalists can stick to their shims, nail varnish and big strings. I'll enjoy playing my guitar. :-)

ThePrettyDamned

You'll still need a shim with the mastery if the neck needs angle

I can't abide the looks on a traditional finish, but I think it would suit a jooky brilliantly. And as you say, no need for nail varnish! My mustang bridge needs some now...

I don't think the mastery fixes anything more than the staytrem bridge, but I don't know whether one sounds better than the other. If impmann is right, maybe it's worth shelling out...

meltedbuzzbox

I have never played on either but it is all in debate over on offsetguitar

Some people prefer the straytrem for its no hassle and go setup and its rock like stability.

Others state the mastery adds much more sustain and emphasis on harmonics. Some have even said it produces a more piano like tone.

I personally use the standard JM bridge at the moment on my JM and on one of my jags.

For the Classic players I would strongly recommend the WIlkinson Roller Bridge. The difference it has made over the adjut o matic is staggering and its only £25.

impmann

Well, I fitted the Mastery to my CP today... and it is NIGHT and DAY difference. It was a nice guitar previously, with an annoyingly rattly bridge. Now its an incredible sounding guitar... and it feels more solid too. The sustain and harmonics *are* improved beyond anything I could of expected on this guitar.

I'll do a belated NGD on this guitar later...

Niallmo

I fitted a buzz stop to my old one. Made it MUCH better.

dogload

Oooh! 'Buzzstop' is a naughty word in some circles. However, I have one on a Jazzmaster and a Squier Jag and they do make a marked difference.

ThePrettyDamned

dogload said:

Oooh! 'Buzzstop' is a naughty word in some circles. However, I have one on a Jazzmaster and a Squier Jag and they do make a marked difference.

They do.  

They stop it sounding like a jazzmaster or jag, and make it more stratty sounding not a bad thing, if that's what you want, but I tried one on mine and immediately hated it.  Which wasted a good few hours of set up time... But functionally, they do work well.  I just didn't like losing those glorious noises, and it didn't fix the rattling (thread lock did, though).

I shim the neck and raise the bridge to get good break angle for strumming, picking and bends but it still lets those strings vibrate behind the bridge, which you can definitely hear through an amp.  Actually, it can get a bit uncontrollable if you've got loads of distortion or fuzz, but you can strum behind the bridge and get some really cool sounds from it. Fret a chord and strum behind the bridge hard, and you get a dissonant noise - but you can still hear the chord underneath it all.  

That's why the Mastery and the Staytrem bridges are great - they fix the rattly bits, while still letting you keep those crazy overtones.  

@impmann, nice one! If it's that much better sounding than a staytrem bridge, I might save up.  I hate how they look, though  

dogload

The Jazzmaster in question is my dodgy Partsmaster which has a P90 and a dearmond Gold Tone, so not sounding like a Jazzmaster isn't an issue! 

The Jaguar is a Squier which is shimmed, heavily strung and perfectly set up, but until I get some non-squeal Jag pickups, the Buzzstop makes it vastly more playable at high volume with tons of fuzz.