NGD and Bizarre Setup Challenge!

darthed1981

Squier Vintage Modified Jazzmaster I picked up in PMT a couple of weeks ago.  After a bit of a haggle managed to get a deal on it as it was the colour I've been looking for...

https://i.postimg.cc/d036DGVc/20190317-103405.jpg

Now here is the odd challenge, pros of this guitar...

It wasn't very expensive, and it sounds really good, with lovely jangly rhytym tones and a sort of soft P-90ish lead.  The "Duncan Designed" pickups obviously are good.

It's well made, with no obvious defects in fit and finish, and it isn't too heavy.

Now the challenge...

It has been difficult to set up, to put it mildly.

No idea how long it had been in PMT for but it was filthy, so as soon as I got it home it got a full clean, fret polish and a nice new set of D'addario 10s.

But the bridge was a total pig.  It seemed to have either had zero factory effort to set up, or it had been out and returned to someone who was trying to get a really low action.

It buzzed all over and the intonation was way out, now I've managed to raise the action, change the height on the bridge saddles to more accurately match the radius of the fretboard, and intonate reasonably well.

Anyone else got one of these?  I can't argue that the fundamental bridge design is fairly lousy, but do I give up and swap for an aftermarket bridge, live with it (it's ok now except sometimes when tuning you have to check the string alignment over the saddles) or are there more things to try?

dazzajl

Perceived wisdom would seem be that you can fight with it and keep in in check. Or you can upgrade and never have this fuss again. 

Congratulations too.... looks gorgeous 

Bridgehouse

Upgrade the bridge. Worth every penny.

Funkfingers

darthed1981 said:

D'addario 10s ... really low action.

Recipe for disaster.

Shim the neck. Go up at least a gauge to 11-52.

darthed1981 said:

The "Duncan Designed" pickups obviously are good.

I cannot remember what these look like under the covers but I am pretty sure that they are hotter than vintage spec. 

darthed1981 said:

the bridge was a total pig. 

Let's be kind. The Squier VM series bridge and vibrato tailpiece are low budget renditions of an already eccentric design. The sharp edges in the string anchoring holes will nip off yer ball ends in no time. File 'em smooth immediately.

As the bridge saddles are raised above the edges of the baseplate, the intonation screws tilt up dangerously close to the strings. Your options are either to shorten the intonation screws or change to Mustang saddles of the correct fingerboard radius.

munckee

Lovely thing. Glad it's got you playing again Ed

stickyfiddle

Get a Staytrem, then do a full careful setup. Be aware that most people have no clue how to setup a JM, so a lot in shops get fucked about with and then they wonder why noone buys them

darthed1981

stickyfiddle said:

Get a Staytrem, then do a full careful setup. Be aware that most people have no clue how to setup a JM, so a lot in shops get fucked about with and then they wonder why noone buys them

This one seemed way worse than a standard factory job, I think "fucked about with" summed it up.

darthed1981

munckee said:

Lovely thing. Glad it's got you playing again Ed

Thanks mate.

meltedbuzzbox

You don't need to shim the neck and you will want a 9.5" radius bridge if you opt for a replacement. I can't remember if the pocket is angled on the vm.

A bit of patience, a heavier gauge of string and a liberal amount of loctite/clear nail varnish or even super glue will sort that bridge out.