Minimum Break Angle for Jazzmaster Trem (Static Bridge)?
Posted: Tue Apr 02, 2024 6:50 am
I'd like to install a Jazzmaster tremolo on a guitar with a Tele bridge (Wilkinson three saddle compensated).
Has anyone ever got this to work with decent tuning stability? I'm planning to polish the saddles and use a low a break angle to reduce friction. I don't need to dive bomb.
The other question is what break angle should I be aiming for?
The guitar is neck-through with 0 neck angle. This geometry means it'll be a struggle even to create a low break angle. I'll have to bring the trem unit as close to the bridge as possible and rout out a recess. Something like a 10mm rout should give me 7 or 8 degrees.
I've included a diagram in case the break angle equation is useful to anyone else. Normally folks would have recess depth R=0. The break angle A references a line parallel to the guitar top so add your neck angle to that to get your true break angle. You can also use it to calculate the trem unit's distance from the bridge for a chosen break angle.
Has anyone ever got this to work with decent tuning stability? I'm planning to polish the saddles and use a low a break angle to reduce friction. I don't need to dive bomb.
The other question is what break angle should I be aiming for?
The guitar is neck-through with 0 neck angle. This geometry means it'll be a struggle even to create a low break angle. I'll have to bring the trem unit as close to the bridge as possible and rout out a recess. Something like a 10mm rout should give me 7 or 8 degrees.
I've included a diagram in case the break angle equation is useful to anyone else. Normally folks would have recess depth R=0. The break angle A references a line parallel to the guitar top so add your neck angle to that to get your true break angle. You can also use it to calculate the trem unit's distance from the bridge for a chosen break angle.