Mastery vs Staytrem

impmann · February 2017

Oh no he won't... he's bailed on the FB

jonnygreentrees · February 2017

another fix for the strings catching on the screws problem with the Staytrem is just tilt the bridge back slightly, the strings hold it there and problem solved

bbill335 · February 2017

stickyfiddle said:

Hey guys, let's do this again!

I have a Staytrem on my MJT and I have to admit I'm not loving it. It sounds good in general, but gives a pingy sounding high e string and the strings touch the back of the screws/baseplate.

This actually isn't a huge problem. I have a staytrem on my mustang (I like the narrower spacing) and every string fouls against thing back of the bridge, but I don't notice much in the way of adverse effects. The bridge rests at an angle, against the back of the thimbles like @jonnygreentrees describes, so it's actually rock solid until I grab the arm to dive with it.

Intonation with Masterys can be a compromise, there are instances where you just won't get every string bang-on like you can with 6 individual saddles. This won't bother everyone (vintage-style tele players, for instance!) but it is a dealbreaker for some people with some guitars.

thermionic · February 2017

UnclePsychosis said:

Sad to say it but the fact that this question is a regular occurrence is what puts me off Jags and Jazzies. Big style. I just can't be faffed.

The Staytrem bridge fixes several problems that arise from the design of the original bridge. All I had to when I installed mine was set the intonation and the bridge post heights - haven't had to touch it since. No more faff than a tuneomatic on a Gibson. Actually, it's probably marginally less faff than a tuneomatic on a Gibson.

The Mastery always looks far too overengineered to me, trying to create solutions to problems that don't really exist.

svejk · February 2017

I have a mustang bridge on my Jag and I also had the problem with the pinging top E, and no height adjustment. I was looking at an expensive bridge purchase but I had a session coming up and no time. I fixed it with a small piece of tin foil under the E saddle - perfect and no choking out! I believe this will be a long term and permanent solution, along with my Johnny Marr trem arm bushing made from a bit of parcel tape. I can sell you your own kit for £45

impmann · March 2017

I've tried both (on the same guitar) and I prefer the Mastery - the sound of the guitar is more 'direct', has more dynamics and the feel is more 'solid'. Thats not to say that the Staytrem is bad - far from it, its superb and a massive step up from a Mustang or the original threaded bar bridge. I do and will accept that the styling of the bridge is a bit Marmite but in use, its pretty damn near perfect. Oh and intonation? I've never had a problem setting it on my Jazzmasters or Jaguars - and I've had a few now - and playing alongside synths I have to have it right.

The only bridge that I feel is *bad* is the tune-o-matic. It robs the guitar of the trem feel - even on the Mastery, the strings are designed to glide over the saddles... that doesn't happen on the tune-o-matic. Plus the radius is all wrong - yes, J Mascis uses it as a badge of honour along with his ridiculous high action, but for normal players its a problem. At one time, all the big offset guitar players (Kevin Shields aside) lobbed tune-o-matics on their guitars to overcome the string pinging issue - now, most of them have been converted to different solutions, and it has to be said in most cases they've gone for the Mastery.

Folks make a big song and dance about the bridge on a Jazzmaster - some find that they prefer one more than another and get a bit 'territorial' about it. The trouble the internet and the typed/printed word is you don't hear the inflection in some of the arguments - it becomes *all or nothing*. Hence there have been some 'heated' discussions on here about it in the past - what I will say is there is no 'right or wrong' or 'better or worse', just what fits for you.

Personally speaking, for my playing style I couldn't make the original bridge work for me - therefore fitting a different one was the only option if I wanted to play a Jazzmaster or Jaguar. However, I respect that others have had a different experience.

olafgarten · March 2017

You also need to remember that the Mastery is £185 and the Staytrem is only £65. The Mastery should be significantly better, but it isn't.

impmann · March 2017

olafgarten said:

You also need to remember that the Mastery is £185 and the Staytrem is only £65. The Mastery should be significantly better, but it isn't.

I think it is. :-)

GavRichList · March 2017

I'm really pro both. I do think that it's a case of which works best on any given individual guitar for me though.

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