Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

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Ljos
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Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by Ljos » Sat Oct 31, 2020 2:55 am

Hi there, I found myself a great deal on a Squier jazzmaster, and got one second hand. After buying it I realized that the previous owner probably sold it cheap due to a horrible setup.

After having adjusted the bridge, changed strings (12s), and tried to fix the trem, it now plays and sound beautiful. The guitar stays perfectly in tune, but something still seems off. I can't get enough tension on the bridge to use the tremolo and have it return to its original position. I have to pull the tremolo arm backwards to get my guitar back in tune, after having depressed it.

I tried using this guide, tried all sorts of different positions, but the problem persists.
https://offset.guitars/the-goodies/sett ... lo-system/

The tension seems really low on the jazzmaster, even with 12s on this jazzmaster it feels much lighter than my AVRI Jaguar with 11s.

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andy_tchp
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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by andy_tchp » Sat Oct 31, 2020 3:01 am

You'll want to turn your attention to the other end of the guitar; specifically the nut slots.

These symptoms are (almost) never the bridge or vibrato, particularly when heavier gauge strings have been installed.
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Ljos
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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by Ljos » Sat Oct 31, 2020 3:15 am

Thank you! I'll try to change the nut to a Graph Tech one. It's a shame really that the setup was so bad, the guitar sound amazing.

Do you know where i can find excact measurements of the nut? I've measured it myself, but it would be great to have the official numbers, to minimize the margin of error.

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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by alexpigment » Sat Oct 31, 2020 6:41 am

I don’t think this is safe to call this a nut problem. If the guitar goes back in tune when pulling the trem up, that implies to me that the bridge or trem may be the issue. A nut issue *usually* is obvious when playing the guitar even without the trem - like after bending a note up and the string is now flat. Do you have any pics? I’m wondering if we can spot a visual clue here.

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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by alexpigment » Sat Oct 31, 2020 5:36 pm

Just to further diagnose this issue and either confirm or rule out the nut being a problem, do the following:

1) Tune the strings
2) Press down on one of the strings between the nut and the tuner (you're effectively bending the string after the nut) and release.
3) Check the tuning of that string again. Is it sharp, flat, or still in tune?
4) Repeat for the other strings.

If the nut is binding, you will find one or more strings that go sharp (to be clear, stay sharp) after pressing down on the string and releasing it.

Lastly, I know I said that the problem you described doesn't seem like a tell-tale sign of a nut issue, but putting 12s on a guitar that was initially configured for 9s or 10s will almost certainly require some filing/lubrication/both at the nut. I just suspect that there's also another factor at play in this particular case.

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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by bodhi » Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:19 am

Can you provide some pictures, perhaps there's something that could be resolved with those? Particularly general string height, the height of the bridge itself, nuts, any contact point along the string length. Is the neck at any angle to the body, or should you perhaps try to increase the bridge height and shim the neck?
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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by alexpigment » Sun Nov 01, 2020 4:39 pm

bodhi wrote:
Sun Nov 01, 2020 5:19 am
Is the neck at any angle to the body, or should you perhaps try to increase the bridge height and shim the neck?
The Squier Deluxe is essentially a J Mascis Jazzmaster in Candy Apple Red. The neck pocket is angled, the AOM bridge is inherently high, and the trem spacing is closer to the bridge. Unless you want an archtop guitar, I see no need whatsoever to further shim the neck and raise the bridge ;)

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Re: Squier Deluxe Jazzmaster Tremolo setup

Post by Lost In Autumn » Wed Nov 04, 2020 2:33 am

have you tried tightening the screw for the tremolo spring?

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