1994-1995 MIJ jazzmaster string spacing issues

[Severed Hand]

Hey guys

So I’ve tried a couple different replacement bridges (original, all parts mustang bridge, New Johnny Marr jaguar bridge with correct spacing 53/52mm)

While the Johnny Marr is near perfect! I feel like the string spacing is still a hair off. I’m using Earnie ball beefy slinky’s and still have low and high e strings slipping off the fretboard.

Where should I be looking next? I was thinking of replacing the mij trem plate? Would an avri be a drop in replacement? Don’t really wanna replace it if unnecessary.

Thanks for the help in advance!

I

[601210]

What was wrong with the stock bridge?

[Severed Hand]

Typical issues.. strings don’t stay in saddles, posts gradually sink after playing for a while, buzzy, frustrating to adjust action.

[marqueemoon]

I use the stock bridge on mine. I’m using 11-49 strings (unwound G).

It helps to have the saddles level (no arch). This spreads the load more evenly and helps discourage rattling.

I haven’t had any issues with saddles settling, but if so I’d try blue Loctite on the threads.

Every once in a while the low E will slip, but this has been pretty stable for me.

[Severed Hand]

Thanks for the reply! I’m pretty set on making the Marr bridge work or finding a replacement. Is it normal to have the low e and high e close to the edges of the fret boards? It’s definitely not as bad spacing wise as when I had the all parts mustang bridge installed. Darren Riley said the bridge is the updated 53mm bridge. Is it safe to assume this is just another MIJ jazzmaster quirk?

Thanks

[marqueemoon]

Thanks for the reply! I’m pretty set on making the Marr bridge work or finding a replacement. Is it normal to have the low e and high e close to the edges of the fret boards? It’s definitely not as bad spacing wise as when I had the all parts mustang bridge installed. Darren Riley said the bridge is the updated 53mm bridge. Is it safe to assume this is just another MIJ jazzmaster quirk?

Thanks

If it were me I’d take a measurement with the Marr bridge on, then put the stock bridge on, get your string spacing where it needs to be, and compare.

On mine with the stock bridge the strings don’t fall dead center on the saddles

[Severed Hand]

Yeah I totally don’t plan on using the original bridge. I’d rather have the string spacing be a little uncomfortable-but reliable with the Marr bridge than have the bridge sink or pop strings loose in the middle of a gig with the stock bridge.

Would replacing the stock tremolo with an avri help at all with spacing?

[marqueemoon]

Yeah I totally don’t plan on using the original bridge. I’d rather have the string spacing be a little uncomfortable-but reliable with the Marr bridge than have the bridge sink or pop strings loose in the middle of a gig with the stock bridge.

Would replacing the stock tremolo with an avri help at all with spacing?

I don’t see how replacing the trem would help with the spacing on a bridge like the Marr where you have grooves. It could have an effect with a traditional-style bridge I suppose, but that’s not what you want to use.

That said I really hate the creaky-ass MIJ trem most of the time. It’s charming for certain things, but yeah.

[alexpigment]

I like the trem to have a similar string spacing as the bridge, and if that's not the case, I think it's worth replacing (e.g. with an AVRI trem). Your mileage will vary, but having both a lateral and vertical string angle from the trem to the bridge probably isn't going to be the best for tuning stability (source: anything made by Gibson and has a headstock). That said, the trem has nothing to do with the strings being too far off the neck.

A) Does this problem mainly occur on the higher frets (close to where the neck and body meet), or does it occur near the nut too?

B) Have you measured the string spacing from the middle of the low E to the middle of the high E on the stock bridge and compared that to the other bridges? It would be good to know that the problem is 100% related to the bridge string spacing rather than, say, a neck that's shaped too narrow.

[601210]

I like the trem to have a similar string spacing as the bridge, and if that's not the case, I think it's worth replacing (e.g. with an AVRI trem).

the AVRI trem has a little over 55mm spacing. An MIJ trem is 50mm, so if you're using a 52mm bridge then the MIJ is closer, strictly speaking.

You probably want it to taper inwards slightly, since the whole string tapers inwards towards the nut.

But in the grand scheme of things, it really probably doesn't matter as much as we think it does, and certainly not for spacing issues down the neck.

[alexpigment]

Yep you’re right. I just measured and my AVRI trem is 55mm and my Staytrem bridge is ~53mm even though it looks like pretty much a straight shot. I very briefly had some combination where the strings fanned out from the trem - possibly a cheap mustang style adjustable bridge with the stock JMJM trem. The JMJM trem is probably 50mm like the MIJ and that bridge was probably 55mm.

At any rate, you may very well be right that it doesn’t matter too much. As long as the downward force at the saddles is not being compromised by the lateral force, it should be fine.

[Severed Hand]

I threw the stock bridge on last night tried making it work(with advice from earlier post) but gave up on it after a couple hours. I didn’t have measuring tape around but from what I can tell from A/B’ing the stock bridge vs the Marr bridge. The spacing at its best isn’t much of a improvement over the Marr bridge. My problem occurs after first fret any kind of finger vibrato or upward bends on low or high E runs close or off the edge of fretboard (even worse with a capo).

Last attempt at solving the string spacing issue is getting an after market staytrem. From what I gathered it has the correct 7.5 radius and true 52mm spacing. The bridge I got from Darren Riley is listed as 2-2/32 or 53mm on his site and other sellers such as reverb have it listed as a 2-2/16 or 52mm bridge. Before I go ahead and spend way too much money on a bridge. I want to ask if anyone’s experienced string spacing issues on a MIJ Jazzmaster with a stay trem replacement?

Thanks

[alexpigment]

Ok, if it occurs on anything after the first fret, I suspect you’re either looking at a nut problem, a fret problem, or a neck problem. Does it look like the nut was replaced? You can usually tell if there’s no lacquer/finish on the sides of the nut. Alternatively, does it seem like the frets have a pretty extreme amount of tapering on either side? Lastly, it may be worth trying to assess the width of the fretboard and see if it’s the correct size (I have no idea what the correct width is for an MIJ Jag from that era).

Oh and just another thing to either confirm or rule out the nut - does the problem occur as much on the 12th - 21st frets?

P.S. a picture is worth a thousand words

[601210]

My problem occurs after first fret any kind of finger vibrato or upward bends on low or high E runs close or off the edge of fretboard (even worse with a capo).

Of course everyone's different, but to be honest I just don't ever bend down on the high e or bend up on the low e. I might misunderstand what you're doing, but I don't think there's any guitar where there's enough space above the low e that you can bend up enough to get any discernible difference, and similarly with the high e. I could be proven wrong, and I don't mean any offense by this.

I have one of those Am-pro bridge that everyone hates so much on my partscaster, and it does feel a little different, but tbh after a while playing it you do get used to not letting the strings slip out and it's not that big a deal.

[Severed Hand]

Yeah it was more effecting open chords and finger vibrato stuff. I play kinda more aggressive and was having trouble getting the spacing to work with my playing. I ended selling the Johnny Marr bridge on reverb within a couple hours. I also bought a staytrem (7.25) hopefully this will be the fix or it’s time to see the tech.