Neilybob's Reclied Jazzmaster Partscaster Build. Which tremolo arm?

Neilybob

So I had reliced Jazzmaster GAS for a while now but most of it I blame on seeing Chris Buck playing one several times live following an impressive build from @GoldenEraGuitars and of course all of the tFB users that supported my GAS via my thread - https://www.thefretboard.co.uk/discussion/294615/i-have-jazzmaster-gas-show-me-how-awful-they-look

So when my £ bonus landed nicely in my pay packet last month I had a sit down and thought about it, followed by a Glenfiddich and when I'd got to the bottom of the glass the whiskey I'd made to massive steps forward on Evilbay to curing my JM GAS.  

First purchase (aided by someone on here and thank you for that!) was a used reliced MJT Jazzmaster body with a nitro finish and with a original 65/66 guard which unfortunately has seen better days as the guard is cracked in places and I'm sure has shrunk to expose some of the cavity which should be hidden below. I may grab some acetone and see if I can fix it or abandon it altogether! Only time will tell.  Really pleased with this body though.  

Next up at almost the same time on evilbay was this lovely Warmoth V shaped compound radius reliced neck with Kluson aged locking tuners and roller nut which was in driving distance from me. Offer made and accepted, boom and it was on my passenger seat heading home with me. 

Then via an anonymous tFB user I realised Marc at @Mojopickups ;;;;;; was having a workshop sale and had one set of his Jazzmaster '65 pickups Heavy Formvar left at the reduced price. Quickly jumped on that. Was delivered to me almost the next day and with Haribo! 

Then I was able to snag a Mojo half JM harness which will be perfect for me.  I may look at the full circuit in the future.  

This payday has boomeranged in and out of my account but left me enough to snag a used Staytrem bridge from evilbay.  I couldn't face the 28 weeks lead time for a new one! 

So I'm still shopping for 

Nowt 

impmann

Do you need a buzz bar?

No.

Unless you use 9 gauge strings and don't get a decent string angle over the bridge - Jazzmasters need shims.

Jonathangus

Massive donation I know, but I'm sure I've got a string tree in my parts box I can let you have!

stickyfiddle

Def no need for a buzz stop. Cludgy solution that should have been left to history the moment umpteen better bridges were invented. 

There are no tangible benefits but they look shot and add extra friction which hurts tuning 

Neilybob

impmann said:

Do you need a buzz bar?

No.

Unless you use 9 gauge strings and don't get a decent string angle over the bridge - Jazzmasters need shims.

Probably slapping 11s on here tbh. 

Neilybob

stickyfiddle said:

Def no need for a buzz stop. Cludgy solution that should have been left to history the moment umpteen better bridges were invented. 

There are no tangible benefits but they look shot and add extra friction which hurts tuning 

Thanks for the advice. 

Buzz bar removed. 

Neilybob

Jonathangus said:

Massive donation I know, but I'm sure I've got a string tree in my parts box I can let you have!

You are too kind and thank you. 

Gagaryn

My JM came with a factory fitted Buzz Stop! Fender must think they are cool. (Removed!)

Neilybob

I'm tempted to buy this as it's will go with the look of the body. 

https://www.haarguitars.com/product/jazzmaster-tremelo-heavy-aged/

stickyfiddle

Just to add as I was on mobile earlier... a decent shim is standard, and even a chunky one is usually a good thing. I've never met an offset that didn't sound better with a good shim and a high bridge 

Neilybob

Neilybob said:

I'm tempted to buy this as it's will go with the look of the body. 

https://www.haarguitars.com/product/jazzmaster-tremelo-heavy-aged/

Any suggestions on tremolo's? Does this one look good? 

impmann

Ref trems: looks are less important than performance for me. The AVRI trem is fab, but I always need to change the collet and arm to the Staytrem one as I can’t bear slop. The Mastery Trem is nice, and very smooth - and the Matt (unpolished) finish doesn’t look that out of place on a relic finish guitar (refer Nels Cline’s instruments).

As for the one pictured, I’d be interested to know more about its *origin* before the relic treatment as to the quality of the castings used. I can’t see if it mentions the collet/arm but that for me is a dealbreaker if it’s not got a nylon insert à la Staytrem.

YMMV. Hope that helps 

stickyfiddle

I'm an AVRI+Staytrem guy. Mastery will be great but I don't like the look as much, though google tells me they now do a nickel plated one which should relic up nicely so that might be worth a look

GoldenEraGuitars

Neilybob said:

Neilybob said:

I'm tempted to buy this as it's will go with the look of the body. 

https://www.haarguitars.com/product/jazzmaster-tremelo-heavy-aged/

Any suggestions on tremolo's? Does this one look good? 

I don’t like to comment against this sorta thing, but that is not a good looking bridge, imo. I don’t think I’ve seen one that looks like it sank with the titanic. You can literally see the “tide marks” from where the acid has corroded the plating. Get yourself a stock fender or Hosco one.

WezV

Neilybob said:

Neilybob said:

I'm tempted to buy this as it's will go with the look of the body. 

https://www.haarguitars.com/product/jazzmaster-tremelo-heavy-aged/

Any suggestions on tremolo's? Does this one look good? 

That looks very much like a cheap chinese trem that has been quickly reliced in some solution.   No attempt at replicating wear you would see on old parts, unless they have been submerged for years

Likely perfectly fine for the money, but cheap JM jazz/jag trems are the reason so many choose to upgrade

Very few vinatage Jazzmasters left Fender with Nickel trem's, so slightly dulled down chrome will look right on this, not overlay aged like nickel can be.  i'd keep it more subtle 

WezV

heavily worn  1960  JM with a rather shiny, but worn and pitted, trem as an example 
 


VS how most of them look - almost no wear

Neilybob

See this is why I come here! 

Amazing sound advise from @impmann ; @stickyfiddle ; @Wez @GoldenEraGuitars ;

Thank you.  I'll probably look at ordering a Fender AVRI one then. 

WezV

If you do find it stands out as too shiny just remember that it is easily solved with a bit of a rub down with very fine abrasive.

You don't always need it to look genuinely old, just not stand out as brand new next to aged paintwork

These work well for softening a glossy chrome part, and are fine enough to not look intentional
https://northwestguitars.co.uk/products/2000-non-woven-abrasive-finishing-pads-scotch-brite-style

I'd match that with lightly some aged mounting screws ( i dip the heads in some ferric chloride for a few seconds before washing it off).  You can see in the genuine examples I posted there is a difference in shine between screws and the plates - that is what i would be after

Neilybob

WezV said:

Neilybob said:

Neilybob said:

I'm tempted to buy this as it's will go with the look of the body. 

https://www.haarguitars.com/product/jazzmaster-tremelo-heavy-aged/

Any suggestions on tremolo's? Does this one look good? 

That looks very much like a cheap chinese trem that has been quickly reliced in some solution.   No attempt at replicating wear you would see on old parts, unless they have been submerged for years

Likely perfectly fine for the money, but cheap JM jazz/jag trems are the reason so many choose to upgrade

Very few vinatage Jazzmasters left Fender with Nickel trem's, so slightly dulled down chrome will look right on this, not overlay aged like nickel can be.  i'd keep it more subtle 

I can only find the Fender AVRI Jazzmaster Tremolo in nickel. They may have stopped doing it in chrome then. 

https://uk.fender.com/products/american-vintage-jaguar-jazzmaster-tremolo-assembly-nickel

WezV

nickel has the advantage of dulling all by itself - it won't look out of place.  I wouldn't bother ageing it, just let it do it's thing

edit = although following the link you can see the colour difference between plate and screws, and the description says

• Vintage-style chrome-plated tremolo assembly

Neilybob

WezV said:

nickel has the advantage of dulling all by itself - it won't look out of place.  I wouldn't bother ageing it, just let it do it's thing

edit = although following the link you can see the colour difference between plate and screws, and the description says

• Vintage-style chrome-plated tremolo assembly

See your more awake than I am. I better head to the coffee machine lol