Search about neck shims in jaguars. The jaguar and jazzmasters we're made trying to be a jazz guitar, and that means using that style of bridge that needs a angled neck to do enough preasure against the bridge. For some reason they never left the factory with shimed neck, but works way better that way
this video helped a lot I've been playing gigs with my squier jag and had no idea how the mustang bridge worked I've had the guitar for years and only know have I realised that those holes on each side of the bridge is for an Allen key to change the action thank you so much for putting this video out.
Hi Mark! I have the Candy Apple Red VM Jaguar, love it for surf music. Had the same problem, wouldn't stay in tune, and couldn't even bend strings without popping out of place. I bought the StayTrem bridge. It was a little more expensive at about $80, but came with a set radius of 9.5". Works great now! They also sell a tremolo arm that pops into a teflon bushing and the arm stays wherever you place it (love that)!
Try putting your hand behind the object and blocking out the depth of field (distant) background. By filling the frame with only a close up object, most cameras will focus faster.
I almost bought one of these but I won't now that I see the bridge situation. I can barely change my strings, imagine the bridge Thank you vey much for sharing this info
Great video. I also enjoy making mods on the Squire and Epiphone guitars. I enjoy all your videos and rely on your reviews of these guitars as Gospel. I bought a Squire 60th Anniversary Aztec gold Strat and it plays and sounds as nice as my two Custom Shop Strats. Thank you so much.
Hi. Sorry I didn't respond before now. Thanks for the very kind note. I'm a big fan of some of the Squier lines. They make quality base guitars. You can mod them and really have something fantastic. Thanks again for the note!
LOL! That's great. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for watching and good luck. It's a really straightforward procedure, so I'm sure it will work out fine.
There is a radius difference . The Squiers are 9.5 and USAs are 7.25. The best solution I can imagine is go on Ebay and try and buy a Chinese Mustang bridge, these will almost certainly have the correct radius. I live in the UK and have seen suitable bridges for around 6 british pounds on Ebay. That is probably around 10 US dollars.
Yes, and there are a couple of options. The second bridge (1:52) I put on has saddle adjustments, so radius is not an issue. The third bridge (Mustang-knockoff at 3:11) doesn't have height adjustments, so in theory, radius should be an issue. But it wasn't ... probably because it's 9.5" as you suggest. The one I got was $15 US off of eBay. (searching Mustang bridge on eBay presents one with all the knockoffs) If you want the genuine Mustang bridge (for whatever reason), shimming the high and low E-strings with a credit card or business card would probably work fine.
Mark Zabel So Mark, now I’m wondering why you replaced the bridge that was already on the guitar since clearly that bridge I am sure solved the problem of buzzing and string slippage to begin with? Did this new bridge that you installed here add any additional benefit over the one that was on the guitar at the beginning?
At 1:51 your strings are all off the pole pieces of the pickups. This is because the mustang bridge spacing is wrong for the Jaguar neck. I suppose the strings are very close to the edge of the fretboard too?
I wouldn't know, as I haven't had that particular bridge (the one on the guitar at 1:51) on the guitar for 6 years. I think the view is a bit distorted by the camera angle at 1:51 as well. No problems whatsoever with the string spacing or being too close to the edge of the fretboard or not over the pole pieces using the bridge I put on in the video. Annoyingly, many of the "Mustang" bridges don't come with clear specs. So if you're ordering a knock off you won't always know the string spacings or the radius. If the radius is 7.25" you can always shim the E-strings. Or just leave the original bridge in there. It's perfectly usable.
Good upgrade. One thing, you should have, before installing the bridge, ran the post adjustment scews out the bottom, anf put some blus locktite one them. Jazzmaster/Jaguar bridges are well known to sink from string vibrations as you play. But using the loctite and letting it set up after you dail in the adjustmen (about 24 hours) well stop it from having this issue. you can still adjust the bridge if needed later on, but most time, its a set it and forget it.
+Gilbert Soria It may. I didn't have issues intonating the original bridge. You may need to adjust the saddle positions forward or backward. Good luck!
If you use the mustang bridge you need to wrap the saddles with electrical tape (I used painters tape because I had no electrical tape) about 2-2.5 times or to the point where the bridge can slightly rock back and forth instead of side to side. It’ll fit perfectly if you do this and the guitar will stay in tune if you use the whammy. And idk if it’s just me but I actually didn’t feel a difference in my neck even though the mustang bridge has a 7.25 inch radius.
I didn't need to use the electrical tape, though that's a good idea. Also, I found, like you that the 9.5" vs 7.25" radius didn't make much of a difference. If it's an issue, you can shim the 1st and 6th strings with a credit card or some thin plastic.
I found the different radius to be unusable. Unless you like really high action, bending the high E on frets ~18 and up causes it to bottom out. Unplayable if you do any kind of lead work.
I agree the Vintage Modified JM, Jaguar and Mustang are almost unplayable with the stock bridge. The only little problem is, that the Mustang bridge you got has a different radius than the fretboard of your Jaguar and the single posts are not adjustable.
You'll have trouble with the action of the strings on your guitar. If you really need a Mustang bridge that won't cause that issue, then I suggest you check out Staytrem bridges. Heard many good things about them. Ordered one myself lately.
TheLakitu The Staytrem bridges are very popular and are Out of Stock presently. I am going to order the Staytrem tremolo pieces as I have a Squire Jag and hate the "swinging arm" thingee !
I have a question for you along the lines of this bridge swap. I have a Squier Vintage modified HH Jaguar that I've had trouble with the original bridge (looks the same as the one you're showing) Would this also w ork for mine? Thanks
Accidentaly unliked your video, but corrected my mistake. Slippy Fingers haha Awesome video for changing over the bridge. Your video for the Jag convinced me to get the Surf Green Model. I cannot wait for it to be delivered. Thanks for the upload :)
Why did you replace the previous bridge with the Mustang bridge? Didn't it work fine? Isn't individual saddle replacements better than the Mustang where you can't do that? Thanks.
Ive got a vintage modified jag limited edition ive changed both mustang style bridge and jaguar bridge and my high e still has a ringing intonations been set tuned the whole 9 yards my opinion its garbage i threw it in the case and its collecting dust any suggestions im open to em
I know I'm a little late on this but it really is a great video :) But I wanted to add something that many people seem to forget, and that's to look out for which radius the bridge has. For me it was really tricky trying to find the right radius since these VM guitars are 9.5 scales, and most Mustang bridges out there are for 7.25 or something. The only real (and cheapest) option for me would be to get the Stay Trem bridge, because it solves the E string problem I've had with it always falling out of the fretboard. I got the Stay Trem for my Mustang and it's absolutely amazing, I'm gonna get it for my Jazzmaster as well :)
Good points! Since the saddles aren't height-adjustable on the Mustang, you need to match the radius, but ... it's difficult to find a new bridge where the radius is specified! Why? Who knows why manufacturers often don't provide it? In any event, that's probably a good reason *not* to go with genuine Fender, as the radius will probably be 7.25" on it. The "knock off" brand I used was probably made in the far east (don't remember), so perhaps I got lucky with it. One other thing you can do if you end up with a 7.25" bridge is to shim both E-strings. It's not a perfect solution, but it probably works well enough.
My Tremolo doesn't spring back, so the guitar is always out of tune if I try to use it... Do I need to tighten the spring on the tremolo???? I was going to ask for my money back but this one has 3-P-90 pickups on it, so it's sorta special to me.
Hi Daniel. I've never done any work on Jag tremolos, but what you said sounds like a good possibility if the tremolo seems loose. I would also look for friction on the nut. If it's bad, you may want to put in a bone or Tusq nut or maybe just lubricate it with a little graphite. Sounds like an otherwise cool guitar!
Mark thanks for the video but what does the LockTite do? I don't understand. My tech used clear nailpolish but he never explained why. I just said I heard bad things about Jazzmaster bridges and he said he put clear nail polish on it and he said it is fine now. I should have asked him what that does. Glad he didn't use hot pink nail polish! LOL. Thanks.
LOL about the hot pink polish! On the original bridge, once you set the saddle height you can fix it in place with superglue/locktite/nail polish. Even if you don't do that, the original bridge more or less works fine.
Hi. Do you mean the guitar has a 9.5" radius. That's the case here. The Mustang bridge has a 7.25" radius ... supposedly. That may or may not be problematic. I didn't find any issues whatsoever. However, if you find the action on the 1st and 6th strings are too high when the others are perfect, try shimming the 1st and 6th with a small plastic clipping ... like from a playing card or a credit card. That will do the trick.
hey so i just got this guitar. strings don't tune as nicely as my other guitars (tuner pedal flickers +/- a few cents), and the guitar goes out of tune after a song or two. would a different bridge fix this?
It might. It might not. It's probably part of the problem, if not the whole problem. The original bridge has issues with slippage and so can cause tuning issues. Having said that, you also might want to lubricate the nut and bridge with a little graphite to see if that helps solve the problem. Cheap plastic nuts are a pet peeve of mine. For just a few $ more, companies could solve the problem of having to change the nut.
Do you have any idea if there is a difference between the bridges you're showing here vs. the Mustang bridge fender is selling for $80 on their website?
I don't know, but ... my guess ... One is a Fender and one is not. Actually, both the original and the one I showed that I took out (the one I had trouble focusing on) can be adjusted individually for saddle height. So they can be changed to perfectly fit the neck radius. So that's an advantage. Thanks for watching!
Beware this won't work on most modern Jazzmasters because they have a flatter neck radius (9.5) than the mustang bridge (7.25) which results in the both E strings being too low. Not sure what neck radius Jaguars are. Some say you can shim those pieces with a small square of aluminium can.
It's more of a buying issue, as rarely do vendors show the bridge radius in the specs. As it turns out, it's not that critical and you might not even notice. But yes, it's easy to shim the E-strings if you have an issue. Credit card, business card, etc.
Good video - thank you! By the way, for the jazzmaster you actually want to use the first bridge that you showed rather than the one you installed, because the radius is different then a jaguar. So that first replacement bridge that you showed has the ability to raise and lower each saddle to line it up with the proper radius for a jazzmaster.
Thanks! I think it depends. Most of the places overseas will actually not have 7.25" radius bridges, but 9.5" like modern necks (and the VM Jag). I didn't notice any issues, so I left it. You can also shim the 1st and 6th strings if you want to and it will be quite close. Mostly I didn't like the look of the 2nd bridge, but it worked fine. The original was actually okay too. Thanks for the comment!
hi! i have the same guitar, i would like change the bridge of my guitar how you, but I don't know where i can buy the bridge, could you tell me where can buy? I live in Colombia, would be very useful, a seller in internet. thanks!
Good question. On the final bridge used, the saddles are fixed. So the only way I know how to move them up is by shimming them. On the first two bridges, the saddles are adjustable.
hello, i know is a little late bu is it worth it to buy the mustang bridge? ( the second one) i already have a replacement which is the first replace u had love from chile !!!!! 1000 HUGS
It looks like the new bridge naturally sits higher because of the bigger "barrels" the saddles are cut into. It also looks like you had to drop it right to the deck or close to it, at least on the treble side to set the action. That's a bit worrisome since the required height will vary a bit from guitar to guitar. Someone else may try this and find their action's high with no way to lower it. You could always shim the neck, but that's a bit extreme. I guess it's about whether or not you feel lucky.
TheNeonRabbit One always needs a bit of luck for getting a true "drop in" replacement. In my experience it rarely is that easy. I actually didn't have to drop it all the way, but I knew if something was horribly wrong I had two working bridges that I could drop back in. It was an $18 part, the cost of taking my son to Subway for lunch. But you're right, your mileage may vary.
Yup yup. I think I'll order a Squier Jag, do a setup and see where that puts the stock bridge. If it looks like there's some wiggle-room I'll do the bridge mod. It actually looked like the $15 special you had in there was pretty close in size to the factory bridge. I'll probably go with something like that if it looks tight. These sound amazing for the money, but that "classic" bridge has to go. Thanks for the video. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes UA-cam a good resource.
Out of the two mustang bridges you used do you prefer this one or the older one? I'm looking to replacing the bridge on my Jag but I'm in between both.
I like the one I ended up with better (the 2nd replacement - it's on the guitar today) because I found it was easier to intonate. However, the 1st replacement is potentially a little better because each saddle can be adjusted up or down. It's just that the one I bought was very cheap. If you're going for "the look" though, the 2nd replacement is closer.
Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean. I suppose you could try deepening the center groove on the original saddles so that it won't jump to adjacent grooves. That seems like it would work.
When I tried this, the radius of the Jaguar was on a larger arc than the Mustang bridge making the "E" strings too close compaired to the others. So, i shimmed the bridge to compensate only to find the problem of the strings moving from their grooves was worse than the origional bridge.
I'm sorry you find it's not working. I have had no problems at all with string movement on the barrel-style Mustang saddles. This is in contrast with the original bridge, where I did have issues with string movement. The single, deep groove on the Mustang style bridge definitely holds the string better than the multiple, shallow grooves. Maybe your new bridge is not correctly made.
@@MarkZabel Thanks for your reply. maybe if I try filing the grooves in the cheap bridge i bought. Did the bridge you purchased have a 9.5" radius? My neck is on a 9.5" I"m sure the replacement I bought was 7.25" which, kind of sucked. maybe I should try shopping one again.
@@miker252 Yes, mine was 9.5", so that could be the issue, but shimming the 1st and 6th should work okay. What pisses me off about these bridges is that they rarely even *give* the radius. You have to guess. I was lucky, which I didn't realize at the time I made the video. I'd give you the link I bought it from, but the eBay store I bought it from is gone now. Supposedly the Asian off-brands are usually 9.5", but it's still a gamble. Best of luck.
hey dude, i've got a squier jazzmaster vintage modified I've been thinking about getting chinese mustang bridge from aliexpress, but I not sure that would fit cos of its radius. Can you help me with it?
Hi. Sure, I can help a bit, though you might not like the answer, which is basically, just go ahead and order it. A few things could happen. 1) You get a bridge that's 9.5" radius ... no problem. 2) You get a bridge that's not 9.5" (it's probably 7.25") but when you put it in, it doesn't matter anyway. The guitar plays fine. 3) You get a 7.25" radius bridge, and it's bugging you. Cut 2 shims from a credit card (or something similar) and shim the saddles on the 6th and 1st strings. That will probably do the trick. Or you could order the 2nd bridge I put in - the one I took out in the video, because it has individual saddle adjustments. In each case, when I ordered, I just searched eBay. Searching Alibaba should be as reliable. Good luck!
I'd say it depends on your outlook and why you're buying the guitar. If you're buying to resell it some day, the Fender is a better choice. If you buy to play, I'd say find a GC or another store and see if you can play a Mustang. It's possible they'll have a VMJ, but unlikely. If you really like the guitar you're playing, buy it. I had the luxury of playing this particular guitar before I bought it.
Hey Mark would you be able to help me out? So like i have never gone about modifying a guitar, so I don't know which radius bridge I actually need to buy for this VM Jag. Is it the 7.5 or the 9.5?
9.5" is the one. Sadly, it's not always indicated in the product - believe it or not! Generally, (and this is a sweeping generalization here) Asian made bridges will be 9.5" and the classic Mustang bridge is 7.25". If by accident you end up with a 7.25" bridge you can put a thin piece of plastic (old credit card snippet for example) under the 1st and 6th strings and it will work fine. But yes, 9.5" is the one you should get!
anyone notice quite a big gap around the pins and sockets in the guitar when you drop in the new bridge? ? I heard insulation tape around the pins will pad it out a bit. or is it meant to have quite a bit of play for the trem
after researching I found out the gap is normal in the original bridges its just the way they are made. but people use tape to avoid any kinda slippage.
I think it's your imagination, but it could be. I set the action on this guitar very low, since I personally use it for jazz only. Maybe it was a bit extra low that day I made this video.
Mark since you like surf guitars and surf music just as I do, I was wondering do you like Mosrites? Not a common guitar in the US even though they originated from Bakersfield (CA, USA), but are big in Japan. I say not common because one can go through life in the US and not ever see one in a guitar shop, vintage or Japanese. If you have tried one before what do you think? It's probably my favorite guitar now and has surpassed my love for Jazzmasters although I still like them. I have three. One vintage 1966 Mark V, 1969 Japanese Mosrite Mark 1, and a circa 2007 Fillmore Mosrite Mark 1 which is Japanese. Fillmore is the main Japanese Mosrite maker.
Hi James. I have never played a Mosrite. I may have seen one or two in a shop, but I don't remember. I think it's maybe the styling of the body that turns people off - something that can be overcome, but the first time you look and see the bottom horn out past the top horn and the oddly turned neck pickup it's a bit jarring. I have come to like the style, but I've never had the chance to play one. You've got quite a cool collection of them!!
@@MarkZabelThanks Mark, you have a great collection too from the guitars I see in your videos. You are right Mosrites are hard to come by. Not often seen in stores. I love them. Ever hear of Hallmark Guitars? They are a lot less money and like Mosrites. New $1,000 plus shipping but case included. Used about $800.
Never heard of Hallmark ... other than the greeting cards. Will check them out. Yes, my "collection" is getting out of hand. Need to thin out the herd a bit.
Please someone help me, I bought a squier jaguar, but with 10's the intonation is a little bit off with the stock bridge, and I know how to set up a guitar, will changing the bridge make any difference? Or is my guitar faulty? The G string doesn't stay in tune very well, but I think that's because they're new
Hi. The guitar should be able to intonate correctly with the stock bridge. I don't think either of the bridges I used as replacements would intonate any better. You should probably wait until somebody else chimes in, but my opinion is that a new guitar shouldn't have intonation issues. 10's should be okay on this guitar in spite of the 24" scale. I would ask for an exchange.
Its known for bridge problems thats why the new 70s vibe coming out next month has a mustang bridge. It looks so good im returning my brand new femder strat to GC to buy a Squier! Only thing I might buy original fender electronics idk how good these will be same with pickups but i do have faith in the fender alnicos it comes with also bone nut comes stock. We will see how it goes cant wait. Suppose to ship out march 3rd. Squier has a whole new vibe series that is seriously trying to hang with fenders
"Mustang Bridge". Just go to eBay and search "Mustang Bridge." You'll get stuff like this www.ebay.com/i/322517132674?chn=ps&dispItem=1 and this www.ebay.com/itm/Chrome-bridge-for-Fender-Mustang-Jazzmaster-Jaguar/322184593454?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D49641e1fbdb649a0b743b5db022c4fbc%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D49%26sd%3D322517132674
I loved it the whole time! (Just sold it earlier this year to someone who really wanted it.) I actually used it mostly for jazz. The "soft" circuit and small scale is perfect for jazz and R&B in my opinion.
I love this guitar! Already own a Fender Classic Player Jaguar and would like to buy this too The colour is beautiful I would get the mustang bridge but can I ask - would it be possible to change the neck for a real Fender neck? Great videos by the way 👊
Guys I need help, lm a big fan of Nirvana and Black Sabbath so should I get this jaguar or a epiphone G-400 pro its hard to choose between one guys any help or suggestions
Hi. I love this VM Jaguar, but IMHO, if you're into Black Sabbath you'll want pickups that are darker than these. I don't know about the Epiphone G-400, but it has humbuckers, so they're bound to be a bit darker than the pickups in the VM Jag. The VM Jag can do punk well.
Hi. I'm not sure the tune-o-matic bridge from the J Mascis Jazzmaster would fit. I would guess you'd have to mess with the posts. The Mustang Bridge is a drop in. The only adjustments are to shim the low and high saddles - only if you need to.
+brpbrpbrpbrp Hi. Just posted it here: ua-cam.com/video/VnRhGWXKS18/v-deo.html. You know, I actually played with Joe Messina once when I still lived in Detroit. Believe it or not he played jazz harmonica all night, which was fabulous. Super-nice guy!
+Hunter Massie Hmmm, I'm not sure. Do you mean the overall height adjustment or the saddle heights? If the overall height, aim for the height you like best. I don't set mine to "shred" so I didn't have a problem with buzzing. I use maybe 3/64" or 4/64" on the 1st string and 5/64" or 6/64" on the 6th. Honestly though, I don't usually measure anymore when I set mine up. If you mean the saddles ... I didn't mess with that. You shouldn't either unless the saddles are way off. My bridge was set for the 9.5" radius neck already when I got it. I don't have a radius gauge, so if the saddle heights were off, I'd take it to my tech. Hope this helps a little bit. Hang in there for the Mustang bridge!
My new vm jaguar rattles like crazy on G and A string no matter what i do, i ordered that second bridge ( strat/tele style) you swapped for a new one, because it has adjustable saddles, were you happy with it, and why you swapped it ?
Hi. I was happy with it in the sense that it worked well. I wanted "the right look" ... whatever that means. If you can, have the guitar looked at by a decent guitar tech. I have had rattles (not with my VM Jaguar), and they were due to stuff at and above the nut. It's not always the bridge.
thank you, i was really excited for this guitar but i just cant make it playable, today i encountered another problem, static/buzz sound when i touch anything metal on guitar, even strings...i returned it to the store, hopefully they will fix it ...
Hey Mark! Thanks for the review and also this video! I'm picking up my vm jag on Friday and am so stoked! Was there a particular reason you replaced the second bridge you installed to this guitar with the tog(sp?) bridge you installed in this vid? I'm just curious, because I have also ordered a new bridge, and it looks very similar to the one you have in at the beginning of this vid.
+Bradley Bebee Hi Bradley. Here's the scoop. - The original bridge is fine ... if after you set the heights and positions of the saddles you then set them with superglue. Not elegant, but it works. Some slippage with brand new strings. - The second bridge worked great. No problems whatsoever. Highly recommend it! - The last bridge ... put in because I wanted it to look "right". Also works great. So if you've ordered a bridge like the 2nd one you should be all set! Hope that helps.
Are you sure? I just looked on Sweetwater and Amazon and they all had the Jag bridge on them. I have actually come to like the original Jag bridge better, but both are fine.
Hi. Sorry, but the shop on eBay that I bought it from no longer exists, so I removed the link. I just Googled "mustang bridge buy" and came up with many good results where I could buy either of the replacement designs. Most were around $20 US. (04/15/2019)
Mark, you are like the renaissance man king of do it yourself, much like myself. Hey so does this change the height of the strings from the fret board? Because that would cause issues with ringing and such, right? Thanks for the great vid!! Rock on!!!
I don't know about that DIY moniker ... I'm just a hack who tries a few things! Here's the deal with the Mustang bridge ... 1. Yes, it will change the height, but it can be adjusted with the two posts on either end (much like a tune-o-matic bridge). So that shouldn't be an issue. 2. The individual saddles do not adjust, and the bridge is set up for a 7.25" radius. Since the neck on the Jaguar is supposed to be 9.5" (It's often not so exact!) you may notice that the 1st and 6th strings are a tiny bit high. (I didn't.) If so, you can shim the 1st and 6th strings with a tiny piece of plastic - a credit card or even something thinner. 3. Some people find that the bridge posts are not tight enough for their liking. Again, mine are fine once the strings are at playing tension. But if that's the case for you, just take some teflon tape (plumber's tape - cheap stuff at the hardware store) and wrap that around the posts a few times and it will be snug. Have fun with it!
I'm picking this guitar in days: is it unplayable with the original bridge? Do the strings move a lot playing normally (not shredding) ? Also: what string gauge do you recommend? 11? 9 is too light for this guitar, I suppose (?) Thanks a lot.
+Nicola S. Hi Nicola. It is perfectly playable with the original bridge. What I would recommend is that once you have the saddles set where you want them (i.e., have the guitar set up and intonated properly) you put a small drop of superglue on each saddle. Then you can adjust the overall string height by using the two posts on the side - just like a tuneomatic bridge on a Gibson style guitar. And your individual string saddles will stay in place. You can see where I put the superglue at 0:58. It is visible on a few of the saddle screws. But ... even if you don't do that, the guitar is okay. Just be patient after putting on new strings. Once the strings are well stretched they will stay in place OK. I have 11s on mine now. 9s are too light IMHO. I used to use 10s and they were okay. The beauty is that even with heavier gauge strings, the 24 in scale makes the guitar slinkier. So use at least 10s. Good luck! I bet you will love this guitar!
+Mark Zabel So yeah, I bought the Jaguar and it's fantastic, but I also picked an Adjusto-Matic bridge (the stock bridge on the classic player and kurt cobain jaguars) because the vintage stock one is too light and I pick really hard when I solo, expecially in the higher strings, I really like to play that very percussive *PLICK on the string and when I do that the string comes off the saddle.. Thanks again dude, this is a great guitar.
I don't have the link, but it was dead anyway. Here's one on Reverb. reverb.com/item/577132-neewer-bridge-for-fender Keep in mind I don't necessarily recommend it. It was fairly cheaply made. But it fit and intonated fine and the saddle heights could all be individually raised or lowered, so it fits whatever radius you need.
I never had guitars refreted, but I set the strings flat. Any radius feels weird for me. Well I don't play much. The normal radius requires technique, I know.
Hi. Not really, though it's not completely unrelated of course. The original bridge has other issues, but it's not that bad. The mini grooves allow the upper strings to "bounce" and that causes some tuning instability. Here's a complete review I did earlier. ua-cam.com/video/5q1oDb7CMis/v-deo.html
Works fine. Worst case scenario is that you need to shim the first and sixth strings. I didn't need to do that. You know though, the original was fine too, but it slipped off on the first string with bends.
@@MarkZabel Hey man. I've been doing some research in the last two days. I really want to buy a mustang bridge to replace the VM jaguar bridge. Which model should i buy that fits the radius and the string spacing? Thanks :)
Thank you for the video, I know you probably been asked 10 million times but do you have the link to the second bridge that you had in? Or at least the correct name? Thanks
Hi. I honestly don't remember the name. But here's a link to a few bridges of the 2nd type on eBay. www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xjaguar+replacement+bridge.TRS0&_nkw=jaguar+replacement+bridge&_sacat=0 I think I may actually have the 2nd bridge, so if none of those strike your fancy I may be able to send you the one I have. (Not 100% sure I have it, but I'm 95% sure.)
@@MarkZabel You really can't though. They're backordered almost everywhere, so the used market has inflated the price to almost what a new one costs currently.
@@kyleboggs1966 Here you go. (reverb.com/item/16135320-squier-vintage-modified-jaguar-electric-guitar) I know with shipping it's more than $299, but if you're patient and vigilant you'll find a deal. You could offer the seller $299 with shipping included and he/she might accept. If not, then you'd need to decide whether it's right for you.
No need to scream. :) It works just fine for me. The action is medium-low and the 1st string doesn't fret out on bends. If not, however, it's a simple matter to shim the 1st and 6th string saddles with a piece of plastic. The first 2 bridges were fine for me too, I just wanted the look of the third.
I haven't noticed a tone drop, but thanks. I didn't mind the old bridge. Set it up, put the loctite in and it was good to go. But still the strings jumped for a few days after changing them. Used 11's. Appreciate the comments!
WOW! Look at how EASY that was! Wonder why the FACTORY DIDN'T JUST DO IT! The real Mustang bridge is cheaper to make, so why does it cost more? And why do squire guitars that need stuff replaced cost more than Squires like tele's and Strats that work right out of the box? And WHY does a Fender decal cost HUNDREDS of dollar$ MORE!? SMDH
I think the whole deal with VM jags and jazz master were that they were supposed to be the most accurate to the vintage models than some of the newer, modern, models. That means getting those shit saddles lol
Mark Zabel I think it is a huge problem to pay $300 for a less than $200 guitar and it isn't even playable out of the box or after a $50 setup without putting labor and/or parts into something that's just supposed to be right! FENDER, SHAME ON YOU! Make an honest living! After all, You just are NOT REALLY FENDER ANYWAY! I think I'll change my name to Jimi Hendrix! Would it mean more if it cost me MILLION$ to buy it? Leo's turning in his grave!
Leo left Fender during his lifetime - presumably for similar reasons. They will price the guitar based upon how it will sell in the marketplace. I don't own Fenders (largely because I think there's better guitars for the money), but Gibson is even worse. Put a 1/4" binding on the guitar and charge an extra $1000 for it? Well, that's the capitalist system we have in the US - if they can charge more they market will bear. Whether we like it or not, Fender is a strong brand, Squier is not as strong. To my knowledge Fender has never put much work into delivering playability right out of the box. Ibanez does best in that regard (IMHO). Go into a local Guitar Center ... play the Fenders ... then play the Gibsons and the the Ibanezes ... chances are the Ibanezes will play *much* better. Having said the above, I would *gladly* pay an extra $30 for them to put in a bone or tusq nut. It would probably cost $5 parts and labor to do it instead of using a cheap plastic one, so they'd turn a profit. Everyone wins. And spend an extra hour of labor (go ahead and put it into the price ... that's okay) dressing the frets. Those are definitely my biggest pet peeves with inexpensive guitars. The bridge on this one? Yeah, the original sucks, but one could argue (before it was released as a product) that the market wouldn't want anything but the vintage, because people either will buy this to modify or buy it for the vintage look and feel. I'm not saying I agree with the logic, but I don't think it's nefarious.
Bah! "Guar" is an odd combination of consonants and vowels. Let's see, does one say "gWARantee" or "g-U-arantee"? "LifegWARd" or "Lifeg-U-ard"? In Portuguese, which is closer to origin, the word is pretty much smack dab in the middle of the two pronunciations. Americans say the final UAR more like Spanish/French. The real butchering of the word is in the hard pronunciation of the J, which we both do. I'm afraid that butchering was not introduced by Americans.
Get the new Classic Vibe Jaguar here: imp.i114863.net/q1EyL
Mustang Bridge: amzn.to/3m0INoo
Fender Adjustable Bridge: amzn.to/3dL7YZo
Search about neck shims in jaguars. The jaguar and jazzmasters we're made trying to be a jazz guitar, and that means using that style of bridge that needs a angled neck to do enough preasure against the bridge. For some reason they never left the factory with shimed neck, but works way better that way
Just did my vintage modified jaguar . Very impressed
this video helped a lot I've been playing gigs with my squier jag and had no idea how the mustang bridge worked I've had the guitar for years and only know have I realised that those holes on each side of the bridge is for an Allen key to change the action thank you so much for putting this video out.
angrymancarpark My pleasure. Thanks for watching!
Hi Mark! I have the Candy Apple Red VM Jaguar, love it for surf music. Had the same problem, wouldn't stay in tune, and couldn't even bend strings without popping out of place. I bought the StayTrem bridge. It was a little more expensive at about $80, but came with a set radius of 9.5". Works great now! They also sell a tremolo arm that pops into a teflon bushing and the arm stays wherever you place it (love that)!
Awesome! I might try those items - thanks!! Absolutely great guitar for surf.
Oh hai mark
Try putting your hand behind the object and blocking out the depth of field (distant) background. By filling the frame with only a close up object, most cameras will focus faster.
OK, thanks.
Well done. I’ve got a Fender Vintera 60’s jazzmaster with the 7.25” radius neck so the Mustang bridge will work just fine
Great!
Great video Mark. I have just done the same to my SJ and finally got rid off that awful buzz on the 6th E string. Thanks for that!! Keep rocking! 💪👍😀
Awesome! Glad to hear you got rid of the buzz!
Why do you have 6 E strings?
@@judehanley9980 Oh yeah, that thing...just to see who is the first dumbass asking 😆
I almost bought one of these but I won't now that I see the bridge situation. I can barely change my strings, imagine the bridge
Thank you vey much for sharing this info
Glad it was helpful to you.
Great video. I also enjoy making mods on the Squire and Epiphone guitars. I enjoy all your videos and rely on your reviews of these guitars as Gospel. I bought a Squire 60th Anniversary Aztec gold Strat and it plays and sounds as nice as my two Custom Shop Strats. Thank you so much.
Hi. Sorry I didn't respond before now. Thanks for the very kind note. I'm a big fan of some of the Squier lines. They make quality base guitars. You can mod them and really have something fantastic. Thanks again for the note!
Good information Mark as always... Great Guitar Too! :-)
+Buddy Martin Yeah, I really like this guitar. Great bang for the buck!
play at 1.25 speed and you sound like Jeff Goldblum.
Informative video btw. thinking of doing the same on my Fender CP Jazzmaster
LOL! That's great. I'll have to check it out. Thanks for watching and good luck. It's a really straightforward procedure, so I'm sure it will work out fine.
There is a radius difference . The Squiers are 9.5 and USAs are 7.25. The best solution I can imagine is go on Ebay and try and buy a Chinese Mustang bridge, these will almost certainly have the correct radius. I live in the UK and have seen suitable bridges for around 6 british pounds on Ebay. That is probably around 10 US dollars.
Yes, and there are a couple of options. The second bridge (1:52) I put on has saddle adjustments, so radius is not an issue. The third bridge (Mustang-knockoff at 3:11) doesn't have height adjustments, so in theory, radius should be an issue. But it wasn't ... probably because it's 9.5" as you suggest. The one I got was $15 US off of eBay. (searching Mustang bridge on eBay presents one with all the knockoffs)
If you want the genuine Mustang bridge (for whatever reason), shimming the high and low E-strings with a credit card or business card would probably work fine.
Mark Zabel So Mark, now I’m wondering why you replaced the bridge that was already on the guitar since clearly that bridge I am sure solved the problem of buzzing and string slippage to begin with? Did this new bridge that you installed here add any additional benefit over the one that was on the guitar at the beginning?
Great Vid! I bought a Classic Vibe Jag with the mustang bridge. I am having it set up, will see how it turns out!
Thanks! Hope it turns out great!
At 1:51 your strings are all off the pole pieces of the pickups. This is because the mustang bridge spacing is wrong for the Jaguar neck. I suppose the strings are very close to the edge of the fretboard too?
I wouldn't know, as I haven't had that particular bridge (the one on the guitar at 1:51) on the guitar for 6 years. I think the view is a bit distorted by the camera angle at 1:51 as well. No problems whatsoever with the string spacing or being too close to the edge of the fretboard or not over the pole pieces using the bridge I put on in the video. Annoyingly, many of the "Mustang" bridges don't come with clear specs. So if you're ordering a knock off you won't always know the string spacings or the radius. If the radius is 7.25" you can always shim the E-strings.
Or just leave the original bridge in there. It's perfectly usable.
can you upload the links to the bridges please!!!! thank you:)
Good upgrade. One thing, you should have, before installing the bridge, ran the post adjustment scews out the bottom, anf put some blus locktite one them. Jazzmaster/Jaguar bridges are well known to sink from string vibrations as you play. But using the loctite and letting it set up after you dail in the adjustmen (about 24 hours) well stop it from having this issue. you can still adjust the bridge if needed later on, but most time, its a set it and forget it.
Thanks. Good to know.
thank you...got one for my birthday but had problems with the intonation. looks like switching the bridge will fix the problem. thanks.
+Gilbert Soria It may. I didn't have issues intonating the original bridge. You may need to adjust the saddle positions forward or backward. Good luck!
If you use the mustang bridge you need to wrap the saddles with electrical tape (I used painters tape because I had no electrical tape) about 2-2.5 times or to the point where the bridge can slightly rock back and forth instead of side to side. It’ll fit perfectly if you do this and the guitar will stay in tune if you use the whammy.
And idk if it’s just me but I actually didn’t feel a difference in my neck even though the mustang bridge has a 7.25 inch radius.
I didn't need to use the electrical tape, though that's a good idea. Also, I found, like you that the 9.5" vs 7.25" radius didn't make much of a difference. If it's an issue, you can shim the 1st and 6th strings with a credit card or some thin plastic.
I found the different radius to be unusable. Unless you like really high action, bending the high E on frets ~18 and up causes it to bottom out. Unplayable if you do any kind of lead work.
I agree the Vintage Modified JM, Jaguar and Mustang are almost unplayable with the stock bridge. The only little problem is, that the Mustang bridge you got has a different radius than the fretboard of your Jaguar and the single posts are not adjustable.
that's the thing, radius seems different. Even tho, I not sure if it really makes difference
You'll have trouble with the action of the strings on your guitar. If you really need a Mustang bridge that won't cause that issue, then I suggest you check out Staytrem bridges. Heard many good things about them. Ordered one myself lately.
TheLakitu The Staytrem bridges are very popular and are Out of Stock presently. I am going to order the Staytrem tremolo pieces as I have a Squire Jag and hate the "swinging arm" thingee !
Hi Sir, was that 7.25 radius mustang bridge on your 9.5 radius jaguar? I never thought it will work
Good question. I used the 9.5" radius to match the radius of the fretboard of this Squier version.
I have a question for you along the lines of this bridge swap. I have a Squier Vintage modified HH Jaguar that I've had trouble with the original bridge (looks the same as the one you're showing) Would this also w
ork for mine?
Thanks
I'd bet it would work. I don't know for sure.
Accidentaly unliked your video, but corrected my mistake. Slippy Fingers haha
Awesome video for changing over the bridge. Your video for the Jag convinced me to get the Surf Green Model. I cannot wait for it to be delivered.
Thanks for the upload :)
+TheCloudsandTheSkies Ha! Yes, I dig the surf green. Fits the sound. But I also liked the sunburst ... felt sort of 60's to me. Have fun with it!
Why did you replace the previous bridge with the Mustang bridge? Didn't it work fine? Isn't individual saddle replacements better than the Mustang where you can't do that? Thanks.
Hi James. All the bridges are fine. The second, honestly, probably worked the best. The Mustang bridge was for aesthetics.
@@MarkZabel Thanks Mark. I may get a Mustang Bridge for my AV62 Jazzmaster. So far the original is fine but maybe I'll try the Mustang.
Thank you so much as always!
You're welcome. Thanks for watching!
Ive got a vintage modified jag limited edition ive changed both mustang style bridge and jaguar bridge and my high e still has a ringing intonations been set tuned the whole 9 yards my opinion its garbage i threw it in the case and its collecting dust any suggestions im open to em
I know I'm a little late on this but it really is a great video :)
But I wanted to add something that many people seem to forget, and that's to look out for which radius the bridge has.
For me it was really tricky trying to find the right radius since these VM guitars are 9.5 scales, and most Mustang bridges out there are for 7.25 or something.
The only real (and cheapest) option for me would be to get the Stay Trem bridge, because it solves the E string problem I've had with it always falling out of the fretboard.
I got the Stay Trem for my Mustang and it's absolutely amazing, I'm gonna get it for my Jazzmaster as well :)
Good points! Since the saddles aren't height-adjustable on the Mustang, you need to match the radius, but ... it's difficult to find a new bridge where the radius is specified! Why? Who knows why manufacturers often don't provide it? In any event, that's probably a good reason *not* to go with genuine Fender, as the radius will probably be 7.25" on it. The "knock off" brand I used was probably made in the far east (don't remember), so perhaps I got lucky with it. One other thing you can do if you end up with a 7.25" bridge is to shim both E-strings. It's not a perfect solution, but it probably works well enough.
unfortunately, Stay Trem no longer ships to the US :(
Hi, did you just place the bridge and that’s it? So it’s hanging there loose but the strings don’t let it fall out?
Yes, tension keeps it in place just fine. There's not a lot of play in the posts though.
Thanks Mark. Great video.
My pleasure Robert. Thanks for watching!
My Tremolo doesn't spring back, so the guitar is always out of tune if I try to use it... Do I need to tighten the spring on the tremolo???? I was going to ask for my money back but this one has 3-P-90 pickups on it, so it's sorta special to me.
Hi Daniel. I've never done any work on Jag tremolos, but what you said sounds like a good possibility if the tremolo seems loose. I would also look for friction on the nut. If it's bad, you may want to put in a bone or Tusq nut or maybe just lubricate it with a little graphite. Sounds like an otherwise cool guitar!
Mark thanks for the video but what does the LockTite do? I don't understand. My tech used clear nailpolish but he never explained why. I just said I heard bad things about Jazzmaster bridges and he said he put clear nail polish on it and he said it is fine now. I should have asked him what that does. Glad he didn't use hot pink nail polish! LOL. Thanks.
LOL about the hot pink polish! On the original bridge, once you set the saddle height you can fix it in place with superglue/locktite/nail polish. Even if you don't do that, the original bridge more or less works fine.
Hello, will fit a mustang bridge with a radius of 7.25? On this guitar, the radius of the overlay is 9.5
Hi. Do you mean the guitar has a 9.5" radius. That's the case here. The Mustang bridge has a 7.25" radius ... supposedly. That may or may not be problematic. I didn't find any issues whatsoever. However, if you find the action on the 1st and 6th strings are too high when the others are perfect, try shimming the 1st and 6th with a small plastic clipping ... like from a playing card or a credit card. That will do the trick.
tnahk you
Thank you so much! Great vid
Thanks for watching!
hey so i just got this guitar. strings don't tune as nicely as my other guitars (tuner pedal flickers +/- a few cents), and the guitar goes out of tune after a song or two. would a different bridge fix this?
It might. It might not. It's probably part of the problem, if not the whole problem. The original bridge has issues with slippage and so can cause tuning issues. Having said that, you also might want to lubricate the nut and bridge with a little graphite to see if that helps solve the problem. Cheap plastic nuts are a pet peeve of mine. For just a few $ more, companies could solve the problem of having to change the nut.
Do you have any idea if there is a difference between the bridges you're showing here vs. the Mustang bridge fender is selling for $80 on their website?
I don't know, but ... my guess ... One is a Fender and one is not. Actually, both the original and the one I showed that I took out (the one I had trouble focusing on) can be adjusted individually for saddle height. So they can be changed to perfectly fit the neck radius. So that's an advantage. Thanks for watching!
Beware this won't work on most modern Jazzmasters because they have a flatter neck radius (9.5) than the mustang bridge (7.25) which results in the both E strings being too low. Not sure what neck radius Jaguars are. Some say you can shim those pieces with a small square of aluminium can.
It's more of a buying issue, as rarely do vendors show the bridge radius in the specs. As it turns out, it's not that critical and you might not even notice. But yes, it's easy to shim the E-strings if you have an issue. Credit card, business card, etc.
Good video - thank you! By the way, for the jazzmaster you actually want to use the first bridge that you showed rather than the one you installed, because the radius is different then a jaguar. So that first replacement bridge that you showed has the ability to raise and lower each saddle to line it up with the proper radius for a jazzmaster.
Thanks! I think it depends. Most of the places overseas will actually not have 7.25" radius bridges, but 9.5" like modern necks (and the VM Jag). I didn't notice any issues, so I left it. You can also shim the 1st and 6th strings if you want to and it will be quite close. Mostly I didn't like the look of the 2nd bridge, but it worked fine. The original was actually okay too. Thanks for the comment!
hi! i have the same guitar, i would like change the bridge of my guitar how you, but I don't know where i can buy the bridge, could you tell me where can buy? I live in Colombia, would be very useful, a seller in internet.
thanks!
Hi. I bought mine off of eBay. I would guess that both Amazon and Alibaba also have sellers that carry it. Good luck in your search!
Is it possible to lift up-and-down the individual parts of this bridge like the old one?
Good question. On the final bridge used, the saddles are fixed. So the only way I know how to move them up is by shimming them. On the first two bridges, the saddles are adjustable.
Mark Zabel Thank you!
Is it possible if we swap Fender Mustangs neck with a Stratocaster one?
I'm not 100% sure. I'm thinking the answer is yes, but I don't really know, as I haven't tried it and haven't done the research.
hello, i know is a little late bu is it worth it to buy the mustang bridge? ( the second one) i already have a replacement which is the first replace u had
love from chile !!!!! 1000 HUGS
I would say "no". Keep the first replacement unless you really want the look of the mustang bridge.
It looks like the new bridge naturally sits higher because of the bigger "barrels" the saddles are cut into. It also looks like you had to drop it right to the deck or close to it, at least on the treble side to set the action. That's a bit worrisome since the required height will vary a bit from guitar to guitar. Someone else may try this and find their action's high with no way to lower it. You could always shim the neck, but that's a bit extreme. I guess it's about whether or not you feel lucky.
TheNeonRabbit One always needs a bit of luck for getting a true "drop in" replacement. In my experience it rarely is that easy.
I actually didn't have to drop it all the way, but I knew if something was horribly wrong I had two working bridges that I could drop back in. It was an $18 part, the cost of taking my son to Subway for lunch.
But you're right, your mileage may vary.
Yup yup. I think I'll order a Squier Jag, do a setup and see where that puts the stock bridge. If it looks like there's some wiggle-room I'll do the bridge mod. It actually looked like the $15 special you had in there was pretty close in size to the factory bridge.
I'll probably go with something like that if it looks tight. These sound amazing for the money, but that "classic" bridge has to go. Thanks for the video. This is exactly the kind of thing that makes UA-cam a good resource.
Out of the two mustang bridges you used do you prefer this one or the older one? I'm looking to replacing the bridge on my Jag but I'm in between both.
I like the one I ended up with better (the 2nd replacement - it's on the guitar today) because I found it was easier to intonate. However, the 1st replacement is potentially a little better because each saddle can be adjusted up or down. It's just that the one I bought was very cheap. If you're going for "the look" though, the 2nd replacement is closer.
Can you take the saddles from the mustang bridge and but them in the jaguar?
can't you just file the saddles it to let the string go through it?
Hmm, I'm not sure what you mean. I suppose you could try deepening the center groove on the original saddles so that it won't jump to adjacent grooves. That seems like it would work.
When I tried this, the radius of the Jaguar was on a larger arc than the Mustang bridge making the "E" strings too close compaired to the others. So, i shimmed the bridge to compensate only to find the problem of the strings moving from their grooves was worse than the origional bridge.
I'm sorry you find it's not working. I have had no problems at all with string movement on the barrel-style Mustang saddles. This is in contrast with the original bridge, where I did have issues with string movement. The single, deep groove on the Mustang style bridge definitely holds the string better than the multiple, shallow grooves. Maybe your new bridge is not correctly made.
@@MarkZabel Thanks for your reply. maybe if I try filing the grooves in the cheap bridge i bought. Did the bridge you purchased have a 9.5" radius? My neck is on a 9.5" I"m sure the replacement I bought was 7.25" which, kind of sucked. maybe I should try shopping one again.
@@miker252 Yes, mine was 9.5", so that could be the issue, but shimming the 1st and 6th should work okay. What pisses me off about these bridges is that they rarely even *give* the radius. You have to guess. I was lucky, which I didn't realize at the time I made the video. I'd give you the link I bought it from, but the eBay store I bought it from is gone now. Supposedly the Asian off-brands are usually 9.5", but it's still a gamble. Best of luck.
hey dude, i've got a squier jazzmaster vintage modified I've been thinking about getting chinese mustang bridge from aliexpress, but I not sure that would fit cos of its radius. Can you help me with it?
Hi. Sure, I can help a bit, though you might not like the answer, which is basically, just go ahead and order it. A few things could happen. 1) You get a bridge that's 9.5" radius ... no problem. 2) You get a bridge that's not 9.5" (it's probably 7.25") but when you put it in, it doesn't matter anyway. The guitar plays fine. 3) You get a 7.25" radius bridge, and it's bugging you. Cut 2 shims from a credit card (or something similar) and shim the saddles on the 6th and 1st strings. That will probably do the trick. Or you could order the 2nd bridge I put in - the one I took out in the video, because it has individual saddle adjustments.
In each case, when I ordered, I just searched eBay. Searching Alibaba should be as reliable. Good luck!
Wondering if I should just get a Fender mustang. Thought?
I'd say it depends on your outlook and why you're buying the guitar. If you're buying to resell it some day, the Fender is a better choice. If you buy to play, I'd say find a GC or another store and see if you can play a Mustang. It's possible they'll have a VMJ, but unlikely. If you really like the guitar you're playing, buy it. I had the luxury of playing this particular guitar before I bought it.
Mark Zabel thanks! Awesome videos btw 👍🏼
Staytrem bridge is a good alternative for the Mastery Bridges.
Looks like their Website is down and they've suspended business until January. Hope that's the case and they'll be back.
put your camera on manual focus , set a distance of focusing and you will have focus every time you keep that distance
Thanks.
Hey Mark would you be able to help me out? So like i have never gone about modifying a guitar, so I don't know which radius bridge I actually need to buy for this VM Jag. Is it the 7.5 or the 9.5?
9.5" is the one. Sadly, it's not always indicated in the product - believe it or not! Generally, (and this is a sweeping generalization here) Asian made bridges will be 9.5" and the classic Mustang bridge is 7.25". If by accident you end up with a 7.25" bridge you can put a thin piece of plastic (old credit card snippet for example) under the 1st and 6th strings and it will work fine. But yes, 9.5" is the one you should get!
@@MarkZabel Thank you so much for your help :)
@@knightsolaire3404 My pleasure. Glad it was helpful to you.
anyone notice quite a big gap around the pins and sockets in the guitar when you drop in the new bridge? ? I heard insulation tape around the pins will pad it out a bit. or is it meant to have quite a bit of play for the trem
+Rebel & The Hearts I didn't notice a huge gap ... but it IS looser fitting than other bridges. Your tape idea might work exceedingly well!
after researching I found out the gap is normal in the original bridges its just the way they are made. but people use tape to avoid any kinda slippage.
Makes sense
The fret at 12th fret sounds like it’s buzzing or is it just my imagination?
I think it's your imagination, but it could be. I set the action on this guitar very low, since I personally use it for jazz only. Maybe it was a bit extra low that day I made this video.
Do you which size hex key to adjust the bridge?
I think it's 1/16th of an inch. Seems like it should be metric though. I used the one that came with the bridge.
Mark since you like surf guitars and surf music just as I do, I was wondering do you like Mosrites? Not a common guitar in the US even though they originated from Bakersfield (CA, USA), but are big in Japan. I say not common because one can go through life in the US and not ever see one in a guitar shop, vintage or Japanese. If you have tried one before what do you think? It's probably my favorite guitar now and has surpassed my love for Jazzmasters although I still like them.
I have three. One vintage 1966 Mark V, 1969 Japanese Mosrite Mark 1, and a circa 2007 Fillmore Mosrite Mark 1 which is Japanese. Fillmore is the main Japanese Mosrite maker.
Hi James. I have never played a Mosrite. I may have seen one or two in a shop, but I don't remember. I think it's maybe the styling of the body that turns people off - something that can be overcome, but the first time you look and see the bottom horn out past the top horn and the oddly turned neck pickup it's a bit jarring. I have come to like the style, but I've never had the chance to play one. You've got quite a cool collection of them!!
@@MarkZabelThanks Mark, you have a great collection too from the guitars I see in your videos. You are right Mosrites are hard to come by. Not often seen in stores. I love them. Ever hear of Hallmark Guitars? They are a lot less money and like Mosrites. New $1,000 plus shipping but case included. Used about $800.
Never heard of Hallmark ... other than the greeting cards. Will check them out. Yes, my "collection" is getting out of hand. Need to thin out the herd a bit.
Try "Dillion" guitars. They make an excellent copy of the Mosrite, and they play and sound great too!
Please someone help me, I bought a squier jaguar, but with 10's the intonation is a little bit off with the stock bridge, and I know how to set up a guitar, will changing the bridge make any difference? Or is my guitar faulty? The G string doesn't stay in tune very well, but I think that's because they're new
Hi. The guitar should be able to intonate correctly with the stock bridge. I don't think either of the bridges I used as replacements would intonate any better.
You should probably wait until somebody else chimes in, but my opinion is that a new guitar shouldn't have intonation issues. 10's should be okay on this guitar in spite of the 24" scale. I would ask for an exchange.
Its known for bridge problems thats why the new 70s vibe coming out next month has a mustang bridge. It looks so good im returning my brand new femder strat to GC to buy a Squier! Only thing I might buy original fender electronics idk how good these will be same with pickups but i do have faith in the fender alnicos it comes with also bone nut comes stock. We will see how it goes cant wait. Suppose to ship out march 3rd. Squier has a whole new vibe series that is seriously trying to hang with fenders
So... Were you happy with the bridge after playing on it awhile? Any complaints or wishes?
Quite happy. I did end up shimming the two E strings to match the radius, but it works great. So I guess having it be a 9.5" radius would be perfect.
Was the previous bridge posts as small as this new one? Were the new plugs the same dimensions?
What is the name of the bridge you used?
"Mustang Bridge". Just go to eBay and search "Mustang Bridge." You'll get stuff like this www.ebay.com/i/322517132674?chn=ps&dispItem=1 and this www.ebay.com/itm/Chrome-bridge-for-Fender-Mustang-Jazzmaster-Jaguar/322184593454?_trksid=p2385738.c100677.m4598&_trkparms=aid%3D222007%26algo%3DSIC.MBE%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908110712%26meid%3D49641e1fbdb649a0b743b5db022c4fbc%26pid%3D100677%26rk%3D2%26rkt%3D49%26sd%3D322517132674
Mark Zabel nice one
Thanks!
great video! how does the guitar feel alfter 6 years? would you still recommend it?
I loved it the whole time! (Just sold it earlier this year to someone who really wanted it.) I actually used it mostly for jazz. The "soft" circuit and small scale is perfect for jazz and R&B in my opinion.
Thank you for the reponse! I am in between this beauty and a HSH Mim strat. Any opinions about that? I m just worried about the difference of quality
I love this guitar!
Already own a Fender Classic Player Jaguar and would like to buy this too
The colour is beautiful
I would get the mustang bridge but can I ask - would it be possible to change the neck for a real Fender neck?
Great videos by the way 👊
+SafeEuropeanHome I'm sure you could swap in a Fender neck. You'll need to get a 24" scale Jaguar/Mustang neck. I don't see why it wouldn't work.
+Mark Zabel thanks! I'll call Fender too and speak to a tech. Cheers👊
Guys I need help, lm a big fan of Nirvana and Black Sabbath so should I get this jaguar or a epiphone G-400 pro its hard to choose between one guys any help or suggestions
Hi. I love this VM Jaguar, but IMHO, if you're into Black Sabbath you'll want pickups that are darker than these. I don't know about the Epiphone G-400, but it has humbuckers, so they're bound to be a bit darker than the pickups in the VM Jag. The VM Jag can do punk well.
Would you recommend a tune o matic bridge from a j mascis jazzmaster or a mustang bridge on a vm jazzmaster?
Hi. I'm not sure the tune-o-matic bridge from the J Mascis Jazzmaster would fit. I would guess you'd have to mess with the posts. The Mustang Bridge is a drop in. The only adjustments are to shim the low and high saddles - only if you need to.
Mark Zabel okay, thanks for the response!
Great guitar!!
Hey Mark....Are you working on "You Keep Me Hangin On"??
+brpbrpbrpbrp Hey! I've got roughly 150 songs on my "list", so I wasn't working on it. I'll move it up. That's the Supreme's, right?
+brpbrpbrpbrp Hi. Just posted it here: ua-cam.com/video/VnRhGWXKS18/v-deo.html. You know, I actually played with Joe Messina once when I still lived in Detroit. Believe it or not he played jazz harmonica all night, which was fabulous. Super-nice guy!
Hey mark just picked this guitar up and i love it but until i get the mustang bridge what are the proper heights for the stock bridge?
+Hunter Massie Hmmm, I'm not sure. Do you mean the overall height adjustment or the saddle heights? If the overall height, aim for the height you like best. I don't set mine to "shred" so I didn't have a problem with buzzing. I use maybe 3/64" or 4/64" on the 1st string and 5/64" or 6/64" on the 6th. Honestly though, I don't usually measure anymore when I set mine up.
If you mean the saddles ... I didn't mess with that. You shouldn't either unless the saddles are way off. My bridge was set for the 9.5" radius neck already when I got it. I don't have a radius gauge, so if the saddle heights were off, I'd take it to my tech.
Hope this helps a little bit. Hang in there for the Mustang bridge!
My new vm jaguar rattles like crazy on G and A string no matter what i do, i ordered that second bridge ( strat/tele style) you swapped for a new one, because it has adjustable saddles, were you happy with it, and why you swapped it ?
Hi. I was happy with it in the sense that it worked well. I wanted "the right look" ... whatever that means. If you can, have the guitar looked at by a decent guitar tech. I have had rattles (not with my VM Jaguar), and they were due to stuff at and above the nut. It's not always the bridge.
I hope the bridge will fix the problem, i hear the buzz coming from the bridge and even behind the bridge, its really wierd.
I hope you're right. I'll keep my fingers crossed for you and hope the bridge works its magic!
thank you, i was really excited for this guitar but i just cant make it playable, today i encountered another problem, static/buzz sound when i touch anything metal on guitar, even strings...i returned it to the store, hopefully they will fix it ...
TheGreatDrawingMaster Bummer ... but, it sounds like the right call to send it back.
Hey Mark! Thanks for the review and also this video! I'm picking up my vm jag on Friday and am so stoked! Was there a particular reason you replaced the second bridge you installed to this guitar with the tog(sp?) bridge you installed in this vid? I'm just curious, because I have also ordered a new bridge, and it looks very similar to the one you have in at the beginning of this vid.
+Bradley Bebee Hi Bradley. Here's the scoop.
- The original bridge is fine ... if after you set the heights and positions of the saddles you then set them with superglue. Not elegant, but it works. Some slippage with brand new strings.
- The second bridge worked great. No problems whatsoever. Highly recommend it!
- The last bridge ... put in because I wanted it to look "right". Also works great.
So if you've ordered a bridge like the 2nd one you should be all set! Hope that helps.
Sweet guitar!
+glassslide Agree!
Now they come with a mustang bridge.
Are you sure? I just looked on Sweetwater and Amazon and they all had the Jag bridge on them. I have actually come to like the original Jag bridge better, but both are fine.
Would be nice to have more information about the bridge in the decription and where to buy
Hi. Sorry, but the shop on eBay that I bought it from no longer exists, so I removed the link. I just Googled "mustang bridge buy" and came up with many good results where I could buy either of the replacement designs. Most were around $20 US. (04/15/2019)
Will the string stay in line of the pole pieces
+Christopher Sitten Seems to line up fine for me.
Great vid!
Thanks!
Mark, you are like the renaissance man king of do it yourself, much like myself. Hey so does this change the height of the strings from the fret board? Because that would cause issues with ringing and such, right? Thanks for the great vid!! Rock on!!!
I don't know about that DIY moniker ... I'm just a hack who tries a few things! Here's the deal with the Mustang bridge ...
1. Yes, it will change the height, but it can be adjusted with the two posts on either end (much like a tune-o-matic bridge). So that shouldn't be an issue.
2. The individual saddles do not adjust, and the bridge is set up for a 7.25" radius. Since the neck on the Jaguar is supposed to be 9.5" (It's often not so exact!) you may notice that the 1st and 6th strings are a tiny bit high. (I didn't.) If so, you can shim the 1st and 6th strings with a tiny piece of plastic - a credit card or even something thinner.
3. Some people find that the bridge posts are not tight enough for their liking. Again, mine are fine once the strings are at playing tension. But if that's the case for you, just take some teflon tape (plumber's tape - cheap stuff at the hardware store) and wrap that around the posts a few times and it will be snug.
Have fun with it!
I'm picking this guitar in days: is it unplayable with the original bridge? Do the strings move a lot playing normally (not shredding) ?
Also: what string gauge do you recommend? 11? 9 is too light for this guitar, I suppose (?)
Thanks a lot.
+Nicola S. Hi Nicola. It is perfectly playable with the original bridge. What I would recommend is that once you have the saddles set where you want them (i.e., have the guitar set up and intonated properly) you put a small drop of superglue on each saddle. Then you can adjust the overall string height by using the two posts on the side - just like a tuneomatic bridge on a Gibson style guitar. And your individual string saddles will stay in place. You can see where I put the superglue at 0:58. It is visible on a few of the saddle screws.
But ... even if you don't do that, the guitar is okay. Just be patient after putting on new strings. Once the strings are well stretched they will stay in place OK.
I have 11s on mine now. 9s are too light IMHO. I used to use 10s and they were okay. The beauty is that even with heavier gauge strings, the 24 in scale makes the guitar slinkier. So use at least 10s.
Good luck! I bet you will love this guitar!
+Mark Zabel So yeah, I bought the Jaguar and it's fantastic, but I also picked an Adjusto-Matic bridge (the stock bridge on the classic player and kurt cobain jaguars) because the vintage stock one is too light and I pick really hard when I solo, expecially in the higher strings, I really like to play that very percussive *PLICK on the string and when I do that the string comes off the saddle.. Thanks again dude, this is a great guitar.
Nicola S. Awesome!!!
did swicthing briges change the sound at all ? of the jaguar because I like the sound of it.
+danny c (Monster man) I didn't find any significant change to the sound of the guitar. So I think it's okay to make the switch based on that.
Awesome video
Thanks!
Do you by any chance still have the link to that Nuer bridge? I guess I'm spelling it wrong, but I can't find one.
I don't have the link, but it was dead anyway. Here's one on Reverb. reverb.com/item/577132-neewer-bridge-for-fender Keep in mind I don't necessarily recommend it. It was fairly cheaply made. But it fit and intonated fine and the saddle heights could all be individually raised or lowered, so it fits whatever radius you need.
I like my strings set straight lined, no neck radius, but that is personal.
Interesting. Do you give it a flat radius when you re-fret the neck? The only infinite radius guitars I know of are classical guitars.
I never had guitars refreted, but I set the strings flat. Any radius feels weird for me. Well I don't play much. The normal radius requires technique, I know.
is the reason you're changing the bridge because of the whammy bar? (im new to guitar)
Hi. Not really, though it's not completely unrelated of course. The original bridge has other issues, but it's not that bad. The mini grooves allow the upper strings to "bounce" and that causes some tuning instability. Here's a complete review I did earlier.
ua-cam.com/video/5q1oDb7CMis/v-deo.html
ok thanks
The mustang bridge works well on your squier jaguar?
Works fine. Worst case scenario is that you need to shim the first and sixth strings. I didn't need to do that. You know though, the original was fine too, but it slipped off on the first string with bends.
why didn't you buy another jaguar bridge?
You mean a third one? All 3 did the job well enough. I'm not following what your thinking is here.
@@MarkZabel Hey man. I've been doing some research in the last two days. I really want to buy a mustang bridge to replace the VM jaguar bridge. Which model should i buy that fits the radius and the string spacing? Thanks :)
Thank you for the video, I know you probably been asked 10 million times but do you have the link to the second bridge that you had in? Or at least the correct name? Thanks
Hi. I honestly don't remember the name. But here's a link to a few bridges of the 2nd type on eBay. www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xjaguar+replacement+bridge.TRS0&_nkw=jaguar+replacement+bridge&_sacat=0
I think I may actually have the 2nd bridge, so if none of those strike your fancy I may be able to send you the one I have. (Not 100% sure I have it, but I'm 95% sure.)
Mark Zabel thanks
I'm fairly certain they will fit. I've tried 2 different replacements. They both fit in my Squier VM Jaguar perfectly.
Cheers and Happy New Year!
thanks for the video, my english is not the best but I understood perfectly, regards (I'm not sure if I'm using the right word xD) from Chile!
Thank you. Your English is very good - I understood you perfectly too!
Nice Guitar.!
+Mark Collins Yes, it's a great guitar for the money and not too many people use them. Thanks for listening!
$299! I guess I missed the window. These are now $400!
Yep, you missed it. They've been $399 new for a few years now. You can find one used for $250 or so, which is a good price.
@@MarkZabel You really can't though. They're backordered almost everywhere, so the used market has inflated the price to almost what a new one costs currently.
@@kyleboggs1966 Here you go. (reverb.com/item/16135320-squier-vintage-modified-jaguar-electric-guitar) I know with shipping it's more than $299, but if you're patient and vigilant you'll find a deal. You could offer the seller $299 with shipping included and he/she might accept. If not, then you'd need to decide whether it's right for you.
@@MarkZabel for sure I saw this as well! Thanks for the reply. Just trying to weigh the options with upgrades, etc.
I brought one new in Australia. Here they retail around 750 dollars, l think l got it for about 550.
Put your hand behind it and it will focus
That 3rd bridge has a radius of 7.25" and will not work with the Squier 9.5" radius !!!!!!
No need to scream. :) It works just fine for me. The action is medium-low and the 1st string doesn't fret out on bends. If not, however, it's a simple matter to shim the 1st and 6th string saddles with a piece of plastic. The first 2 bridges were fine for me too, I just wanted the look of the third.
Im not screaming lol ...ah yes...shimming sounds like a great idea !!!
@@MarkZabeland l hope it will work on me too, we have the same scenarios😊
tried it...tone killers is them there mustang bridges....take time with original bridge...done right theyre great
I haven't noticed a tone drop, but thanks. I didn't mind the old bridge. Set it up, put the loctite in and it was good to go. But still the strings jumped for a few days after changing them. Used 11's. Appreciate the comments!
LOL! You have it laying on towels to protect the guitar...not the kitchen table.
Hmm, isn't that what I said? I have never played a kitchen table, so I don't know if they sound differently when they've been scratched.
Ha ha! Love it!
WOW! Look at how EASY that was! Wonder why the FACTORY DIDN'T JUST DO IT! The real Mustang bridge is cheaper to make, so why does it cost more? And why do squire guitars that need stuff replaced cost more than Squires like tele's and Strats that work right out of the box? And WHY does a Fender decal cost HUNDREDS of dollar$ MORE!? SMDH
I think the whole deal with VM jags and jazz master were that they were supposed to be the most accurate to the vintage models than some of the newer, modern, models. That means getting those shit saddles lol
I think you're right. While I didn't think it was a huge problem, I definitely would have rather just had better saddles to begin with.
Mark Zabel
I think it is a huge problem to pay $300 for a less than $200 guitar and it isn't even playable out of the box or after a $50 setup without putting labor and/or parts into something that's just supposed to be right! FENDER, SHAME ON YOU! Make an honest living! After all, You just are NOT REALLY FENDER ANYWAY! I think I'll change my name to Jimi Hendrix! Would it mean more if it cost me MILLION$ to buy it? Leo's turning in his grave!
Leo left Fender during his lifetime - presumably for similar reasons. They will price the guitar based upon how it will sell in the marketplace. I don't own Fenders (largely because I think there's better guitars for the money), but Gibson is even worse. Put a 1/4" binding on the guitar and charge an extra $1000 for it? Well, that's the capitalist system we have in the US - if they can charge more they market will bear. Whether we like it or not, Fender is a strong brand, Squier is not as strong. To my knowledge Fender has never put much work into delivering playability right out of the box. Ibanez does best in that regard (IMHO). Go into a local Guitar Center ... play the Fenders ... then play the Gibsons and the the Ibanezes ... chances are the Ibanezes will play *much* better.
Having said the above, I would *gladly* pay an extra $30 for them to put in a bone or tusq nut. It would probably cost $5 parts and labor to do it instead of using a cheap plastic one, so they'd turn a profit. Everyone wins. And spend an extra hour of labor (go ahead and put it into the price ... that's okay) dressing the frets. Those are definitely my biggest pet peeves with inexpensive guitars.
The bridge on this one? Yeah, the original sucks, but one could argue (before it was released as a product) that the market wouldn't want anything but the vintage, because people either will buy this to modify or buy it for the vintage look and feel. I'm not saying I agree with the logic, but I don't think it's nefarious.
What is it with Americans calling it a Jagwar? Jag-U-ar!
Bah! "Guar" is an odd combination of consonants and vowels. Let's see, does one say "gWARantee" or "g-U-arantee"? "LifegWARd" or "Lifeg-U-ard"?
In Portuguese, which is closer to origin, the word is pretty much smack dab in the middle of the two pronunciations. Americans say the final UAR more like Spanish/French. The real butchering of the word is in the hard pronunciation of the J, which we both do. I'm afraid that butchering was not introduced by Americans.