honestly it just doesn’t get any better then videos like this. Man if you bought and sold modded offsets I buy 3! but im sure your repair/mod list is growing by the day. Puisheened offsets!!!
I recently purchased a brand new American Vintage II Jazzmaster and immediately purchased a mastery bridge along with their thimbles. To my surprise, the stock thimbles fit the mastery bridge perfectly and I decided not to replace them. Another huge surprise- the mastery bridge was delivered set up for a 7.25” radius and the intonation was dead perfect. I literally did nothing beyond adjust the action height after installation. Wow!
Mike, once again you’ve saved me. Yesterday I finally installed my Kinman pickups in my Jag, with MUCH guidance from a genius builder pal. But, the process whacked out the setup and intonation. Thus you helped me revive my ol pal! (Also, if anybody is scouring the interwebs to know the SIZES of the Mastery hex wrenches: * 1 .050″ allen wrench (small) * 1 5/64″ allen wrench (medium) * 1 3/32″ allen wrench (large) Godspeed errybody!
This is the video I've been waiting for. I have a mastery bridge on order and I've been scouring you tube for installation tutorials. There isn't one video that even comes close to this. Thank you! You are scholar and a gentleman!
Incredibly helpful, I considered installing my Mastery myself but I wasn't confident enough so I went to my local tech, but this video would have been absolutely perfect! Cheers Mike!
I've never even thought to lube the strings at the saddles... I've been playing for HOW LONG NOW?!?! Thank you as always for your wonderfully informative videos!
Super helpful! I’ve got a Mastery on my Jaguar and Jazzmaster and shimmed the neck bringing the string angle way to high. Resetting the shims and Mastery height makes for a much better playing experience! Thanks Mike!
Be sure and remove ground wire that is routed from pickup to bridge post. At 4:28, when you drill down, you will hit the ground wire if you don't move it. Heads up on that. When you install new post, then you can reconnect the ground wire.
Love your work, playing, & insight into all things Offset! Helping me get over, albeit slowly, my apprehension/hesitation in picking up a Jazzmaster! It's almost as though i won't buy an offset UNLESS i know you've worked on it! All the best 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
The shot at 6:14 helped me immensely in knowing where exactly I needed my bridge height. You said that 3mm is about perfect for the mastery. I've found that to be true! I'm working on a CV Jag right now and I wonder.. since you said the stock bridge is set higher. What is the proper height for the stock bridge? I'm guessing around 1/10 or 3.5/4mm. I can't seem to find anything else online with an answer. Thanks for doing everything you do!
Thank you for everything that you do, Mike. You're a treasure trove of knowledge and positivity for the online world. Also, you had me dying at "Sponsor Me You Cowards" 😂
Hey Mike, this video helped me set up my mastery bridge the way it should be set up. Thank you for all of your awesome offset wisdom and knowledge man, p.s. you should do another Mikes hot ones video hahah.
this was the video i needed to see! TY Puisheen! I have both Jag and Jazzmaster that ive been setting Mastery bridges on. Each instrument is different but you addressed the issues i was looking into. Once again, TY, and i appreciate all the effort you put into educating us on the offset world.
@@Puisheen ive been able to pull the original thimble's out but its not the same size as the mastery thimbles. that being said i have no problems currently so why fix whats not broken? the Jag is positioned super high though... maybe removing the neck shim.. Once again, youre amazing and kee[p up the good work!
Ooh, good timing Mike!! Just been looking into the mastery bridge & trem/vibrato for my 60th anny JM. Had a few things I wasn't sure of, now will go ahead for sure! Cheers!!
Just got mine in Sonic Blue! Obsession w the JM started thanks to Mike lol Always digged offsets (I am super partial to the offset teles) but after trying out a J Mascis squier & binge watching Mike's videos, I couldn't help but feel the enthusiasm seep into my bones for these lovely offset creatures. Cannot wait to deep dive with the new whip 🤠👌
Can I add to measure the depth of the thimble prior to drilling! It may seem like a no-brainer to not go super deep with the drill press, but I think we all know a story or two of a time where someone (sometimes even ourselves) should have measured before doing a mod.
that was amazingly precise, acute, and articulate - after all the precision and technical lowdown, however, i wanted some more kick ass play through. but good stuff. certainly reference grade!
I have a MIM road-worn Jazzmaster that I just bought new a couple months ago (my first offset). I bought the Mastery vibrato and it's absolutely killer but SO FAR the strings have stayed put on the stock bridge. I believe I read somewhere that at some point Fender moved the vibrato forward slightly (1/4"?) to allow for the same jig to be used to make multiple models. My bridge height is darn close to where you suggest with no neck shim and I think the break angle is just right. No issues so far. Excellent video!
I set my bridge at 3mm height and still feeling like my saddles are a little high. Certainly higher than Pancake's. I feel like this guitar could play better but not sure what more I can do. Neck relief looks on point and the neck is shimmed. It's a Troy Van Leeuwen JM. Any thoughts Mike?
You sir, are an absolute god! 😂😄❤️ I've honestly been in dire need of some of this more detailed information in regards to mastery setup for quite a great deal of time now, having not ever been able to find all of the answers on my own, despite my best efforts. So, needless to say, my Jazzmaster and I are greatly appreciative for this very fine contribution of yours to the community, and would sincerely like to thank you for all your hard work and effort you've put into making this video! Seriously can't wait to get her all set up properly now and see how she ends up sounding! Instantly subscribed! Seriously can't wait to see what other videos you end up dishing out! 😁
I’ve had my mastery bridge for 6 years and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t get rid of fret buzz. I knew I had to be missing something. Turns out I missed the Allen wrench key hole within the Allen wrench key hole to lift the whole bridge. Thank you for this video and blowing my mind.
Outstanding! It's time to choose a bridge for my Jag parts pile & was concerned about my Warmoth neck with the compound radius. I have the Mastery in the cart. But was also looking at the modified mustang bridge Warmoth sells.
Wow I really wish this video was around 6 months ago. I paid a "luthier" to install the mastery into an AM Pro JM and it looked like the guitar on the left at 7:42. He argued with me that it needed to be that way and it was a whole ordeal.
Oh noooo did you ever get it corrected? The original Pros have a two degree tilted pocket which is way, way too much. I often have to 'reverse shim' them (I think I mentioned that in the video) to reduce that angle for Mastery Bridges
@@Puisheen Sort of. After weeks of going back and forth with him I finally had him install the reverse shim despite his protest. He actually thought the correct break angle was significantly higher than the neck angle would have even forced him to go. It doesn't really stay in tune very well, he blames the shim and the low break angle for that and says its my fault for making him lower the bridge. I think the tone might be a little bit muddied but that might just be my ears playing tricks on me. I honestly think he was so offended that I questioned his expertise that he probably just threw the shim in and didn't even bother finishing the setup. I need to take it to a new luthier that knows Jazzmasters. Wish you lived in NY lol.
Thank you Mike for bringing all these points! Just a question considering that I have stock bridge which is looking exactly like 7:40 (left) - how to determinate if the break angle is too much? Or bridge height? I assume there is some maybe rule of thumb measurement or something to watch out. Also it's not clear to me what exactly is the downside(symptoms) caused by that bridge/angle too high. Tuning issues? rattle? Pickups that cant go enough high..I would be very thankful for the answer! Maybe also idea for a short video as I believe this is an critical aspect of offsets. Thank you very much in advance!
What a GREAT video and came at a great time for me too! Tomorrow I should receive my FENDER 1965 AMERICAN VINTAGE THIN SKIN JAGUAR REISSUE - WHITE, MATCHING HEADSTOCK, BOUND, LACQUER, AVR. I am going to try and make the stock bridge work for now and see what happens. I do recall one of your other videos showing that when set up right, the strings stay put and in tune. I did call Michael at Gryphon Music ( He says hello and said what a Great Guy and Friend you are) and that they have 2 skilled Luthier's that know the Jaggs and Jazzers' in case I need a set up and string change or a tune up from time to time. Nice beard by the way, looks good long.
How do you go about grounding the bridge/trem system? Do you have a ground wire soldered to the tremolo? I'm building a partscaster jazzmaster. I'm using a Jazzmaster bridge and trem. The body is predrilled with a hole to the bridge thimble hole, I was thinking about just running a bare wire through that hole and leading it to the thimble, so when the thimble goes in it will make contact with the bare wire. The other option might be to solder to the trem somehow, but I'm not sure that's possible for me to get enough heat into the trem to make that reliable.
Great video. And timely, since I'm in the process of building my own Warmoth JM. Question though, at 7:22, can't this be corrected by just lowering the pups, instead of shimming the neck pocket? Those pups look pretty high, compared to the 61.
The problem at that timestamp has nothing to do with the pickups. American Original Jazzmasters have a factory-angled neck pocket that in my opinion is pitched back a little too much, which is why the bridge had to be so high to achieve playable action.
Great video! Thank you very much! Will I need a M1 or M2 Mastery bridge for a Squier CV Jaguar ? And I was also wondering if a stewMac 0.5° would be enough pitch back with that bridge ? Anyway, thanks again for sharing your knowledge!!
@@Puisheen I assume you meant the mastery kit right ? With the tremolo plate ? And which stewMac shims degree would you suggest please ? Thanks again and keep up the great work !
Puisheen at the 7:18 mark you said that reverse shimming or shimming the neck pocket of an American Jazzmaster/ Jag Original can be beneficial. What degree of shim do you recommend if you are going full pocket reverse shim or shim the head stock side only? Would the "thick' side of the shim go towards the head stock side of the pocket? I've been trying to setup my JM American Original. Thanks!
If you're adding a Mastery, yes it can. I would recommend using a .25 or a .5 depending on your instrument's unique string geometry, and yes, the thick side would be pointing toward the headstock!
@@Puisheen Happy to report that the .25 shim in the pocket in the reverse configuration totally works! I was able to get more of a string break/pressure on the Mastery bridge and lower the action a bit. That coupled with the hammer trick on the vibrato bar, beaten lightly into submission, it has never played better.
Mike, can you do a sound demo of those Charlie Christian style blademasters? Double plus bonus extra if you can somehow include a demo of offsets and pot tapers.
Amazing vid- i was hoping you were going to address dialing in the string height with the master bridge. Im finding it tenuous, trying to exclude acoustic buzz but retain an ideal action. Its not happening. By the time i get rid of acoustic buzz (striving for cleanest tone possible) ive lost the edge on the action. Please help! My luthier has already done a 2nd neck adjustment. Im playing with the fine adjustments but the overall allowances just dont seem to be aligning 😢
Help me Puisheen! Tired of fighting with my MIJ Mascis Jazzmaster… how do I know if I just need a shim or a mastery bridge to really make the playing more enjoyable? I can’t seem to get the action low enough… is it the mismatched radius between the neck and TOM or neck angle?
Hi Mike, would I have have any problems fitting a Mastery bridge to my new Pro 2 Jazzmaster? Is it the same as your CME .Would I need an M1 kit? Thanks John.
Usually I do recommend the M1 Kit for modern Fenders as the body thimbles can vary a bit in size, but the Mastery fits tightly in mine. Do note that the Pro 2 has an angled pocket so you may need to reduce neck inclination for the Mastery to perform its best
It's a funny looking thing. I noticed it the other day on Shermy's Creature. To me a bridge is a bit of steel with a groove filed in it that the string sits in. But this thing looks like some bit off the T101. All those screws and bits and pieces and the strings fit between the posts not on top of them. And the guides aren't all the same, it could be 5 blocks with screws between the strings and then a little block at each end but this has 4 blocks with screws and four little blocks without and it looks like Mr Mastery ran out of bits when he was making it. It's just the kind of thing where it's own fokelore will develop. A master of the Mastery.
Great vid as usual! However I thought the point of the JM vibrato is the saddles rock with the strings, does the Mastery not do that, hence the need for lubricant?
They're fine. Middle of the road parts, nothing fancy. Surely would have needed loc tite on the bridge screws, and the vibrato felt just alright and was relatively noise-free
The mastery seemed to change the tone of the guitar and the feel of the vibrato a little bit on my A.O. 60s jaguar. Not good or bad. Just different. I thought the mastery was fuller and more balanced, the vintage style bridge a little plunky with more character and a different low-end (unhelpfully subjective I know). Mastery might have the slight edge if you want to make a Jaguar your main guitar, but the vintage bridge was maybe more interesting as another "color". I couldn't quite get the mastery to stay in tune, probably because I have always been somewhat mechanically challenged. When pulling up on the trem, the tuning would go WAY sharp while using the mastery. The mastery was definitely moving/rocking a little bit too. I'm sure it was user error, but I went back to the vintage bridge (works fine with Mastery thimbles) which seems a little more idiot proof, and is actually very tuning stable using 12-54 D'Addarios (actually using 11-52 now, perfect, made a small truss rod turn) I also managed to strip the screw head for the mastery bridge post. Oh well. If the luthier/tech I used to go to comes out of retirement, I might try to have the Mastery bridge professionally installed. Conclusion: mastery is cool, but wouldn't buy it ONLY for tuning stability. And if you REALLY suck at mechanical guitar stuff like me, make sure you know a guitar tech who understands offsets to help install it.
I always heard they (mastery) stayed in tune but at the same time I’ve heard people can keep fender offset trems be it jazzmaster or mustang in tune too.
@@CW0123 So I bought the mastery thimbles and everything, but when I pulled up on my jaguar trem the tension would almost pull the whole bridge and everything would be a little sharp. I was using 11 - 52 strings. I started to have issues with the stock bridge too (not tuning issues, but rattling) and now have a staytrem which is great. I still have hopes I can get the Mastery working eventually, and assume I just need to get a set up by someone who knows what they are doing as far as offsets, which unfortunately is not the case with a lot of otherwise competent guitar techs.
BTW, I love the Jaguar. Best tremolo and the scale is perfect for me. I want to get a nice archtop next (probably a few years of saving), but after that all jags from here on out lol. Very versatile tonally.
Is it really better than the Staytrem bridge ? The price difference is relatively big between Mastery and Staytrem and I'm really thinking to buy one of those for my new 40th anniversary squier jazzmaster. BTW thank you very very much for your channel and effort!!!!
If the mastery bridge works best if its between 2-4mm above the pickguard, then how do you set the string action (I'm used to set the height of the bridge as high or low as needed to get the best action)
Man I wish you could fix up all my GeEtArS but ah well gonna be a fun summer fixing all of em again. And picking back up learning how to set up my instruments.
Great install tutorial! I plan on installing a Mastery bridge on my AmerPro Jag (once I save up enough). But for now, I'm trying to lower the stock bridge height but it doesn't seem to be moving in either direction up or down when I turn the allen wrench. Any thoughts or tips? Thanks!!
Hi Mike, I can see that the bridge is rocking a bit in your video. Is this to be expected? I thought one of their main advertising points was that the bridge stays in place. I took my new Fender Japan Traditional 60s Jazzmaster to a luthier who installed a Mastery bridge and vibrato. Today I noticed that the bridge is rocking a bit when I use the vibrato (also some of the strings go a bit out of tune afterwards). I checked the parts box the luthier gave back to me and noticed that that he did not use the thimbles that went with the M1 Mastery kit. The bridge seems to rock inside whatever thimbles are there. Would it still be the case with the Mastery thimbles, or are they flush with the bridge feet? Is there any point in asking him to replace and install the Mastery thimbles? Thanks for your advice.
I've got a 97 blonde/gold LE jaguar and there was no way of using a mastery and have it sit low...had to use it extremely high, even without shimming. Ended up using it in a road worn JM. Wonder if anything could be done to make it work in that jaguar though
Just picked up one of the new Fender American Professional bridges for JM, and it does not fit my MIM JM. The posts are ever so slightly wider than the stock bridge. Any idea as to whether the Mastery MT thimbles will allow the American Professional bridge to fit without having to fill and re-drill thimble holes?
How about a CNZ AUDIO JM Style. I got myself a LEFTY for Christmas, but the Bridge and Vibrato gotta go - the Arm Falls out when you lean forward and the Bridge is just Horrible with Sharp Parts Everywhere. And the Bridge is Too High.
Hello Today I woke up with a crazy idea and I would like to know if it would be possible ( I know it already exists ) I would like to build a Jazz Strat using a squier do you think it would be possible ? Thanks
Great Video. I have a question I hope you will answer. I have a J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster. Now I can not afford a Mastery bridge for this guitar but can do a staytrem. With all the jazzmasters you have set up and played do you think the Staytrem bridge would make this guitar feel/play better? Thanks
The Staytrem bridge is great and still requires some height to do its job well. Normally I just install them in place of the stock bridge with a proper setup, so whatever works for the guitar.
Hello! Just found your channel. I just got a TVL jazzmaster with a mastery bridge. I’m a bit new to mastery and adjusting my own guitars in general. It plays great. The radius looks perfect and there’s no buzzing. The neck looks very straight, but the action is slightly high on the higher frets. Should I tighten the two screws just a hair to bring it down ever so slightly?
First I'd take some neck relief measurements and see how much you've got in the neck. Lower the bridge via the screws embedded in the posts (loosen) and re-evaluate!
I have a VC Squier Jaguar. Thinking of getting the Mastery bridge. Worried about having to replace the thimbles with this mode. Typically are the Squier thimbles replaced with the larger Mastery bridge thimbles? You show how to do this, however how do you do the “the fill and drill” procedure discussed in this video? Maybe you have a video on this process and I haven’t seen it. I am retired and I am tired of paying my local guitar tech for stuff thanks for the guidance, your transfer of knowledge is greatly appreciated.
For fill-and-drill, you get some dowel the same diameter as the original holes, put them in the bridge holes with a bit of wood glue and cut them off flush with the top of the body. You now have wood to drill new holes into. This is common for converting from a tuneomatic style bridge. For CV Jag, the bridge specs are nominally the same/similar to American/vintage specs so a fill-and-drill shouldn't be required. At most, you may need to slightly enlarge the holes, but you can do a satisfactory job of that with a hand drill or drill press running in reverse.
I wanted to paint my pickup covers, but they are stuck onto the pickups pretty tightly. I’m hesitant to use too much force, thereby causing something to break. Do you know how to get the covers off? Thank you.
Hey, great video! I have an American Original Jazzmaster and I have a few questions. Do I need to replace the thimbles to fit a Mastery bridge? If so, will I need to drill the holes again? Also, what Stew Mac shim do I need for the neck?
Fender thimble manufacturing can vary, so it can be a good idea to get the M1-KIT with thimbles. As for the holes, I've gotten away without in some cases, but it's a good idea to keep the drill handy just in case. Shimming itself depends entirely on the guitar, and with the AO you'll have to reduce neck angle to get the best experience from the Mastery. Grab the three shim set and experiment
Hi Mike, thanks for all the great and entertaining videos. I've really been enjoying them. I have a question. I have a MIJ Jazzmaster, probably from about 1994, or so. I don't remember exactly what year it was I bought it. If I purchase the M2 Mastery kit will I have to do any drilling to install it? I'm trying to avoid that if possible. I'm a little confused by the description on the web site and am not clear from your comments in this video. Thanks
The M2 has a second set of wider posts which should fit whichever thimbles your Jag happens to have. The interior diameters can vary a bit but you should not have to drill anything
honestly it just doesn’t get any better then videos like this. Man if you bought and sold modded offsets I buy 3! but im sure your repair/mod list is growing by the day. Puisheened offsets!!!
I would ABSOLUTELY sign up for that!
I recently purchased a brand new American Vintage II Jazzmaster and immediately purchased a mastery bridge along with their thimbles. To my surprise, the stock thimbles fit the mastery bridge perfectly and I decided not to replace them. Another huge surprise- the mastery bridge was delivered set up for a 7.25” radius and the intonation was dead perfect. I literally did nothing beyond adjust the action height after installation. Wow!
Mike, once again you’ve saved me. Yesterday I finally installed my Kinman pickups in my Jag, with MUCH guidance from a genius builder pal. But, the process whacked out the setup and intonation. Thus you helped me revive my ol pal! (Also, if anybody is scouring the interwebs to know the SIZES of the Mastery hex wrenches:
* 1 .050″ allen wrench (small)
* 1 5/64″ allen wrench (medium)
* 1 3/32″ allen wrench (large)
Godspeed errybody!
This is the video I've been waiting for. I have a mastery bridge on order and I've been scouring you tube for installation tutorials. There isn't one video that even comes close to this. Thank you! You are scholar and a gentleman!
Incredibly helpful, I considered installing my Mastery myself but I wasn't confident enough so I went to my local tech, but this video would have been absolutely perfect! Cheers Mike!
Mike, I hope you're happy, healthy and safe. These are some of the best videos ever made. Thank you.
I’d love to see your full review of this model. The CME player JM seems like one of the best options for getting into offsets, and offset moding.
I've never even thought to lube the strings at the saddles... I've been playing for HOW LONG NOW?!?! Thank you as always for your wonderfully informative videos!
Super helpful! I’ve got a Mastery on my Jaguar and Jazzmaster and shimmed the neck bringing the string angle way to high. Resetting the shims and Mastery height makes for a much better playing experience! Thanks Mike!
This is great news!!!
Would love to see an On The Bench with that Player Jazzmaster!
Be sure and remove ground wire that is routed from pickup to bridge post. At 4:28, when you drill down, you will hit the ground wire if you don't move it. Heads up on that. When you install new post, then you can reconnect the ground wire.
Love your work, playing, & insight into all things Offset! Helping me get over, albeit slowly, my apprehension/hesitation in picking up a Jazzmaster! It's almost as though i won't buy an offset UNLESS i know you've worked on it! All the best 🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
This is a great video! I was having trouble getting the stock thimbles out. Got out the soldering iron and 5 mins later, presto!
I got a Mastery String Tree. That's all I could do since I have a strat XD. Good string tree though, and cool looking!
HA!
Perfect timing, I'm about to work on my JM build this weekend! You're the best, man!
The shot at 6:14 helped me immensely in knowing where exactly I needed my bridge height.
You said that 3mm is about perfect for the mastery.
I've found that to be true!
I'm working on a CV Jag right now and I wonder.. since you said the stock bridge is set higher.
What is the proper height for the stock bridge?
I'm guessing around 1/10 or 3.5/4mm.
I can't seem to find anything else online with an answer.
Thanks for doing everything you do!
Thank you for everything that you do, Mike. You're a treasure trove of knowledge and positivity for the online world. Also, you had me dying at "Sponsor Me You Cowards" 😂
I am very proud of my joke but also COME ON LOC TITE I HAD TO BUY SOME YESTERDAY
Hey Mike, this video helped me set up my mastery bridge the way it should be set up. Thank you for all of your awesome offset wisdom and knowledge man, p.s. you should do another Mikes hot ones video hahah.
Brysen! You're the best, glad it helped
I just got a Halon aftermarket bridge to replace the TOM on my classic player jag. Stainless steel with chrome plated brass saddles
this was the video i needed to see! TY Puisheen! I have both Jag and Jazzmaster that ive been setting Mastery bridges on. Each instrument is different but you addressed the issues i was looking into. Once again, TY, and i appreciate all the effort you put into educating us on the offset world.
ive not drilled my guitars but have the mastery posts... im afraid of doing so. i dont experience any rattle issues currenetly... is that ok? lmao.
Some models don't need drilling, it really depends on the model
@@Puisheen ive been able to pull the original thimble's out but its not the same size as the mastery thimbles. that being said i have no problems currently so why fix whats not broken? the Jag is positioned super high though... maybe removing the neck shim.. Once again, youre amazing and kee[p up the good work!
Killer content as always….. I don’t know if I’ll ever get on the mastery train, but your knowledge on the matter os going to help tons of folks out!
Ooh, good timing Mike!! Just been looking into the mastery bridge & trem/vibrato for my 60th anny JM. Had a few things I wasn't sure of, now will go ahead for sure! Cheers!!
Just got mine in Sonic Blue! Obsession w the JM started thanks to Mike lol Always digged offsets (I am super partial to the offset teles) but after trying out a J Mascis squier & binge watching Mike's videos, I couldn't help but feel the enthusiasm seep into my bones for these lovely offset creatures. Cannot wait to deep dive with the new whip 🤠👌
i have that shell pink jazzy and having been a telecaster user for the last 20 years i didnt know what a bad bridge was until i bought a jazz
Can I add to measure the depth of the thimble prior to drilling! It may seem like a no-brainer to not go super deep with the drill press, but I think we all know a story or two of a time where someone (sometimes even ourselves) should have measured before doing a mod.
that was amazingly precise, acute, and articulate - after all the precision and technical lowdown, however, i wanted some more kick ass play through. but good stuff. certainly reference grade!
I have a MIM road-worn Jazzmaster that I just bought new a couple months ago (my first offset). I bought the Mastery vibrato and it's absolutely killer but SO FAR the strings have stayed put on the stock bridge. I believe I read somewhere that at some point Fender moved the vibrato forward slightly (1/4"?) to allow for the same jig to be used to make multiple models. My bridge height is darn close to where you suggest with no neck shim and I think the break angle is just right. No issues so far. Excellent video!
Mike made a video about vibrato position! th-cam.com/video/gwSRG4COM9M/w-d-xo.html
I do enjoy the stock bridge, and if it's working you're good to go!
The video I've been waiting for! Thanks!!!
I set my bridge at 3mm height and still feeling like my saddles are a little high. Certainly higher than Pancake's. I feel like this guitar could play better but not sure what more I can do. Neck relief looks on point and the neck is shimmed. It's a Troy Van Leeuwen JM. Any thoughts Mike?
Wow! Thay lip balm tip is smart 🙌🏼
Have been using one for over 10 years now, and they are fantastic! 👍🏻
You sir, are an absolute god! 😂😄❤️ I've honestly been in dire need of some of this more detailed information in regards to mastery setup for quite a great deal of time now, having not ever been able to find all of the answers on my own, despite my best efforts. So, needless to say, my Jazzmaster and I are greatly appreciative for this very fine contribution of yours to the community, and would sincerely like to thank you for all your hard work and effort you've put into making this video! Seriously can't wait to get her all set up properly now and see how she ends up sounding! Instantly subscribed! Seriously can't wait to see what other videos you end up dishing out! 😁
I’ve had my mastery bridge for 6 years and couldn’t figure out why I couldn’t get rid of fret buzz. I knew I had to be missing something. Turns out I missed the Allen wrench key hole within the Allen wrench key hole to lift the whole bridge. Thank you for this video and blowing my mind.
Beautiful CME jazzmaster. Thanks for the informative video. Hoping i get to own one.
Outstanding! It's time to choose a bridge for my Jag parts pile & was concerned about my Warmoth neck with the compound radius. I have the Mastery in the cart. But was also looking at the modified mustang bridge Warmoth sells.
Wow I really wish this video was around 6 months ago. I paid a "luthier" to install the mastery into an AM Pro JM and it looked like the guitar on the left at 7:42. He argued with me that it needed to be that way and it was a whole ordeal.
Oh noooo did you ever get it corrected? The original Pros have a two degree tilted pocket which is way, way too much. I often have to 'reverse shim' them (I think I mentioned that in the video) to reduce that angle for Mastery Bridges
@@Puisheen Sort of. After weeks of going back and forth with him I finally had him install the reverse shim despite his protest. He actually thought the correct break angle was significantly higher than the neck angle would have even forced him to go. It doesn't really stay in tune very well, he blames the shim and the low break angle for that and says its my fault for making him lower the bridge. I think the tone might be a little bit muddied but that might just be my ears playing tricks on me. I honestly think he was so offended that I questioned his expertise that he probably just threw the shim in and didn't even bother finishing the setup. I need to take it to a new luthier that knows Jazzmasters. Wish you lived in NY lol.
Love my Mastery's! Great overview and Im gonna try the lip balm vs nut sauce
Come on Mike! You are definitely a national monument, a Jazzmastery pusher! Thank you for existing!
Thanks mate, just about to install mine and this was very helpful!
Thanks god I found your video. I was unable to pull the old bridge suport out. I heat them and they came out easily 👌
Awesome content, as always.Would love to see a video on the Mastery M1 Ric bridge as well!
Thank you Mike for bringing all these points! Just a question considering that I have stock bridge which is looking exactly like 7:40 (left) - how to determinate if the break angle is too much? Or bridge height? I assume there is some maybe rule of thumb measurement or something to watch out. Also it's not clear to me what exactly is the downside(symptoms) caused by that bridge/angle too high. Tuning issues? rattle? Pickups that cant go enough high..I would be very thankful for the answer! Maybe also idea for a short video as I believe this is an critical aspect of offsets. Thank you very much in advance!
The stock bridge does require a healthy amount of neck pitch to work as designed. If your bridge is working, it probably has enough angle.
I need this. Also, I need that trem arm. Awesome vid! Thanks!
I also have a shell pink JM from CME. Waiting for my time to change the bridge out. I just might try the CuNiFe pickups too.
Anyone know what string brand is visible at 06:43? The coloured string winds look great!
What a GREAT video and came at a great time for me too! Tomorrow I should receive my FENDER 1965 AMERICAN VINTAGE THIN SKIN JAGUAR REISSUE - WHITE, MATCHING HEADSTOCK, BOUND, LACQUER, AVR. I am going to try and make the stock bridge work for now and see what happens. I do recall one of your other videos showing that when set up right, the strings stay put and in tune. I did call Michael at Gryphon Music ( He says hello and said what a Great Guy and Friend you are) and that they have 2 skilled Luthier's that know the Jaggs and Jazzers' in case I need a set up and string change or a tune up from time to time. Nice beard by the way, looks good long.
Michael is the best!
Thank you for this information. A fan.
How do you go about grounding the bridge/trem system? Do you have a ground wire soldered to the tremolo? I'm building a partscaster jazzmaster. I'm using a Jazzmaster bridge and trem. The body is predrilled with a hole to the bridge thimble hole, I was thinking about just running a bare wire through that hole and leading it to the thimble, so when the thimble goes in it will make contact with the bare wire. The other option might be to solder to the trem somehow, but I'm not sure that's possible for me to get enough heat into the trem to make that reliable.
First, love that Jazzmaster. Second, I assumed a Mastery was a drop-in, like other replacement bridges. Good to know. Thank you, Sir!
It is on US-made, vintage spec guitars. Certain other models like those mentioned will require some extra steps
@@Puisheen that's right. I watched it last night, commented this morning. Forgot about that.
Great video. And timely, since I'm in the process of building my own Warmoth JM. Question though, at 7:22, can't this be corrected by just lowering the pups, instead of shimming the neck pocket? Those pups look pretty high, compared to the 61.
The problem at that timestamp has nothing to do with the pickups. American Original Jazzmasters have a factory-angled neck pocket that in my opinion is pitched back a little too much, which is why the bridge had to be so high to achieve playable action.
Great video! Thank you very much! Will I need a M1 or M2 Mastery bridge for a Squier CV Jaguar ? And I was also wondering if a stewMac 0.5° would be enough pitch back with that bridge ?
Anyway, thanks again for sharing your knowledge!!
I would go for the KIT!
@@Puisheen thanks a lot for your answer !
@@Puisheen I assume you meant the mastery kit right ? With the tremolo plate ? And which stewMac shims degree would you suggest please ? Thanks again and keep up the great work !
Wow, the saddles on mine were slammed to the front and bridge was really high up. Thank you!
PS - is the pinky Jazz getting a gold guard?
I really want one of these bodies for exactly that purpose, but sadly no!
Great work! Can you do a mastery trem install and setup video?
Puisheen at the 7:18 mark you said that reverse shimming or shimming the neck pocket of an American Jazzmaster/ Jag Original can be beneficial. What degree of shim do you recommend if you are going full pocket reverse shim or shim the head stock side only? Would the "thick' side of the shim go towards the head stock side of the pocket? I've been trying to setup my JM American Original. Thanks!
If you're adding a Mastery, yes it can. I would recommend using a .25 or a .5 depending on your instrument's unique string geometry, and yes, the thick side would be pointing toward the headstock!
@@Puisheen Happy to report that the .25 shim in the pocket in the reverse configuration totally works! I was able to get more of a string break/pressure on the Mastery bridge and lower the action a bit. That coupled with the hammer trick on the vibrato bar, beaten lightly into submission, it has never played better.
I have a troy van leeuwen jazzmaster. I've always wondered if I'd need to do and drilling for the thimble holes
I wish Mastery would offer the brass saddles they use on some of their tele bridges for their offset models.
Put a Staytrem bridge and tremolo in my Squier VM Jag, best money I ever spent. And it was drop in.
So is the Mastery
Mike, can you do a sound demo of those Charlie Christian style blademasters? Double plus bonus extra if you can somehow include a demo of offsets and pot tapers.
Hi Mike,
How much should we shim the neck? I see stew mac sells shims pre-made, is there a particular thickness you recommend?
Thanks!
Amazing vid- i was hoping you were going to address dialing in the string height with the master bridge.
Im finding it tenuous, trying to exclude acoustic buzz but retain an ideal action.
Its not happening.
By the time i get rid of acoustic buzz (striving for cleanest tone possible) ive lost the edge on the action.
Please help!
My luthier has already done a 2nd neck adjustment.
Im playing with the fine adjustments but the overall allowances just dont seem to be aligning 😢
really nice video dude, thanks for sharing! :D
Do you have any guides for the different bridge upgrade options? I have a fender pawn shop series offset special that came stock with an AOM
Help me Puisheen! Tired of fighting with my MIJ Mascis Jazzmaster… how do I know if I just need a shim or a mastery bridge to really make the playing more enjoyable?
I can’t seem to get the action low enough… is it the mismatched radius between the neck and TOM or neck angle?
Another great video! Have you ever explained how to reshape the vibrato arm like you seem to like doing?
I have, I just use my forearms to bend them
@@Puisheen Ok! I watched a lot of your vids and didn't find it. Thanks Mike
Where did you get that wonderful blue tortoise pick guard ??
Hi Mike, would I have have any problems fitting a Mastery bridge to my new Pro 2 Jazzmaster? Is it the same as your CME .Would I need an M1 kit? Thanks John.
Usually I do recommend the M1 Kit for modern Fenders as the body thimbles can vary a bit in size, but the Mastery fits tightly in mine. Do note that the Pro 2 has an angled pocket so you may need to reduce neck inclination for the Mastery to perform its best
@@Puisheen Thanks Mike, very helpful.
It's a funny looking thing. I noticed it the other day on Shermy's Creature.
To me a bridge is a bit of steel with a groove filed in it that the string sits in.
But this thing looks like some bit off the T101. All those screws and bits and pieces and the strings fit between the posts not on top of them. And the guides aren't all the same, it could be 5 blocks with screws between the strings and then a little block at each end but this has 4 blocks with screws and four little blocks without and it looks like Mr Mastery ran out of bits when he was making it.
It's just the kind of thing where it's own fokelore will develop.
A master of the Mastery.
Great vid as usual! However I thought the point of the JM vibrato is the saddles rock with the strings, does the Mastery not do that, hence the need for lubricant?
The Mastery is a fixed (non-rocking) bridge by design, so lubrication does help
What do you think about the original vibrato and the bridge of this JM model?
They're fine. Middle of the road parts, nothing fancy. Surely would have needed loc tite on the bridge screws, and the vibrato felt just alright and was relatively noise-free
The mastery seemed to change the tone of the guitar and the feel of the vibrato a little bit on my A.O. 60s jaguar. Not good or bad. Just different. I thought the mastery was fuller and more balanced, the vintage style bridge a little plunky with more character and a different low-end (unhelpfully subjective I know). Mastery might have the slight edge if you want to make a Jaguar your main guitar, but the vintage bridge was maybe more interesting as another "color".
I couldn't quite get the mastery to stay in tune, probably because I have always been somewhat mechanically challenged. When pulling up on the trem, the tuning would go WAY sharp while using the mastery. The mastery was definitely moving/rocking a little bit too. I'm sure it was user error, but I went back to the vintage bridge (works fine with Mastery thimbles) which seems a little more idiot proof, and is actually very tuning stable using 12-54 D'Addarios (actually using 11-52 now, perfect, made a small truss rod turn)
I also managed to strip the screw head for the mastery bridge post. Oh well. If the luthier/tech I used to go to comes out of retirement, I might try to have the Mastery bridge professionally installed.
Conclusion: mastery is cool, but wouldn't buy it ONLY for tuning stability. And if you REALLY suck at mechanical guitar stuff like me, make sure you know a guitar tech who understands offsets to help install it.
I always heard they (mastery) stayed in tune but at the same time I’ve heard people can keep fender offset trems be it jazzmaster or mustang in tune too.
@@CW0123 So I bought the mastery thimbles and everything, but when I pulled up on my jaguar trem the tension would almost pull the whole bridge and everything would be a little sharp. I was using 11 - 52 strings. I started to have issues with the stock bridge too (not tuning issues, but rattling) and now have a staytrem which is great. I still have hopes I can get the Mastery working eventually, and assume I just need to get a set up by someone who knows what they are doing as far as offsets, which unfortunately is not the case with a lot of otherwise competent guitar techs.
BTW, I love the Jaguar. Best tremolo and the scale is perfect for me. I want to get a nice archtop next (probably a few years of saving), but after that all jags from here on out lol. Very versatile tonally.
This..was an amazing video chock full of great info and content! I learned so much (more) about neck shims. Thanks!
Is it really better than the Staytrem bridge ? The price difference is relatively big between Mastery and Staytrem and I'm really thinking to buy one of those for my new 40th anniversary squier jazzmaster. BTW thank you very very much for your channel and effort!!!!
...is that some Klon pedal-goop in the body cavity? That thing's gotta be a tone-monster.
Do you have a review of this CME jazzmaster?
If the mastery bridge works best if its between 2-4mm above the pickguard, then how do you set the string action (I'm used to set the height of the bridge as high or low as needed to get the best action)
Man I wish you could fix up all my GeEtArS but ah well gonna be a fun summer fixing all of em again. And picking back up learning how to set up my instruments.
Great install tutorial! I plan on installing a Mastery bridge on my AmerPro Jag (once I save up enough). But for now, I'm trying to lower the stock bridge height but it doesn't seem to be moving in either direction up or down when I turn the allen wrench. Any thoughts or tips? Thanks!!
Hi Mike, I can see that the bridge is rocking a bit in your video. Is this to be expected? I thought one of their main advertising points was that the bridge stays in place.
I took my new Fender Japan Traditional 60s Jazzmaster to a luthier who installed a Mastery bridge and vibrato.
Today I noticed that the bridge is rocking a bit when I use the vibrato (also some of the strings go a bit out of tune afterwards). I checked the parts box the luthier gave back to me and noticed that that he did not use the thimbles that went with the M1 Mastery kit.
The bridge seems to rock inside whatever thimbles are there. Would it still be the case with the Mastery thimbles, or are they flush with the bridge feet?
Is there any point in asking him to replace and install the Mastery thimbles?
Thanks for your advice.
Will made in Mexico Jazz need the body insterts removed?? Or will the stock ones fit?
The fretboard on that pink Jazzmaster is beautiful! 😍Is that pau ferro?
Yeah, a really nice example too!
would a staytrem drop straight in?
Saved for when I upgrade my Jag woot
Did you find the need to shim the CME Jazzmaster? I just ordered one!
Would it be too much of a hassle to put one on a guitar that has a strat style trem?
I've got a 97 blonde/gold LE jaguar and there was no way of using a mastery and have it sit low...had to use it extremely high, even without shimming. Ended up using it in a road worn JM. Wonder if anything could be done to make it work in that jaguar though
thanks, my main question is: which jazzmaster models have the bridge problems and need/benefit from bridge replacement?
Just picked up one of the new Fender American Professional bridges for JM, and it does not fit my MIM JM. The posts are ever so slightly wider than the stock bridge. Any idea as to whether the Mastery MT thimbles will allow the American Professional bridge to fit without having to fill and re-drill thimble holes?
How about a CNZ AUDIO JM Style. I got myself a LEFTY for Christmas, but the Bridge and Vibrato gotta go - the Arm Falls out when you lean forward and the Bridge is just Horrible with Sharp Parts Everywhere. And the Bridge is Too High.
Hello
Today I woke up with a crazy idea and I would like to know if it would be possible ( I know it already exists ) I would like to build a Jazz Strat using a squier do you think it would be possible ? Thanks
Great Video. I have a question I hope you will answer. I have a J Mascis Squire Jazzmaster. Now I can not afford a Mastery bridge for this guitar but can do a staytrem. With all the jazzmasters you have set up and played do you think the Staytrem bridge would make this guitar feel/play better? Thanks
If I have a 2023 mij jaguar, should I still get the M2, or should I get the M1 kit instead?
Hi Mike, what height (mm) above the pick guard would you recommend for a Staytrem bridge? Think mines far too high
The Staytrem bridge is great and still requires some height to do its job well. Normally I just install them in place of the stock bridge with a proper setup, so whatever works for the guitar.
I have same concern..how to determine too much 🙃
Hello! Just found your channel. I just got a TVL jazzmaster with a mastery bridge. I’m a bit new to mastery and adjusting my own guitars in general. It plays great. The radius looks perfect and there’s no buzzing. The neck looks very straight, but the action is slightly high on the higher frets. Should I tighten the two screws just a hair to bring it down ever so slightly?
First I'd take some neck relief measurements and see how much you've got in the neck. Lower the bridge via the screws embedded in the posts (loosen) and re-evaluate!
I have a VC Squier Jaguar. Thinking of getting the Mastery bridge. Worried about having to replace the thimbles with this mode. Typically are the Squier thimbles replaced with the larger Mastery bridge thimbles? You show how to do this, however how do you do the “the fill and drill” procedure discussed in this video? Maybe you have a video on this process and I haven’t seen it. I am retired and I am tired of paying my local guitar tech for stuff thanks for the guidance, your transfer of knowledge is greatly appreciated.
For fill-and-drill, you get some dowel the same diameter as the original holes, put them in the bridge holes with a bit of wood glue and cut them off flush with the top of the body. You now have wood to drill new holes into. This is common for converting from a tuneomatic style bridge. For CV Jag, the bridge specs are nominally the same/similar to American/vintage specs so a fill-and-drill shouldn't be required. At most, you may need to slightly enlarge the holes, but you can do a satisfactory job of that with a hand drill or drill press running in reverse.
CV, you shouldn't have to fill and drill.
Mike, I’m building a Jaguar.
Do you think a 10”-16” compound radius neck will be an issue with string buzz and intonation?
You changed pickups which were PV65 if I am right to which type buddy? Thanks
I wanted to paint my pickup covers, but they are stuck onto the pickups pretty tightly. I’m hesitant to use too much force, thereby causing something to break. Do you know how to get the covers off? Thank you.
Hey, great video! I have an American Original Jazzmaster and I have a few questions. Do I need to replace the thimbles to fit a Mastery bridge? If so, will I need to drill the holes again? Also, what Stew Mac shim do I need for the neck?
Fender thimble manufacturing can vary, so it can be a good idea to get the M1-KIT with thimbles. As for the holes, I've gotten away without in some cases, but it's a good idea to keep the drill handy just in case. Shimming itself depends entirely on the guitar, and with the AO you'll have to reduce neck angle to get the best experience from the Mastery. Grab the three shim set and experiment
What set do you recommend for a squier classic vibe?
I don't usually recommend below 11-50 for Jazzmasters, but 10-46 or -52 can work
Hi Mike, thanks for all the great and entertaining videos. I've really been enjoying them. I have a question. I have a MIJ Jazzmaster, probably from about 1994, or so. I don't remember exactly what year it was I bought it.
If I purchase the M2 Mastery kit will I have to do any drilling to install it? I'm trying to avoid that if possible. I'm a little confused by the description on the web site and am not clear from your comments in this video. Thanks
The M2 has a second set of wider posts which should fit whichever thimbles your Jag happens to have. The interior diameters can vary a bit but you should not have to drill anything
@@Puisheen Great! Thank you for the reply and the information. Cheers!
Should I not use a neck shim or set my bridge low? Seems one or the other.