Offset Counter Reformation bridge mod

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The devil and idle minds and hands as they say.

I have the folllwing on the way:

https://www.rockinger.com/en/parts/hardware/bridges-tailpieces/fender-style-bridges/436/excenter-bushings-for-jazzmaster-bridges-nickel

and https://reverb.com/item/77424704-advanced-plating-inc-api-3053n-abr-1-domed-thumbwheels-2-pack-nickel-fits-gibson

The plan is to give the Mastery on my JM a rest and bust out a Tuneomatic. 

The domed wheels will allow me to get some rocking action back in my life without going full offset bridge. 

stickyfiddle

That should work well. I've never been convinced by TOMs on JMs (especially in the Staytrem/Mastery era) but if you want one that seems like a good option

suspiciousminds

Would they fit a jagstang i wonder

Funkfingers

Those "thimble" replacement adapters look like a good idea. They should fit Mustang/Jag-Stangs too.

The problem that I have with Tune-o-Matic bridge conversions on Fender offset guitars is the fingerboard radius mismatch. The bridge is 12". The fingerboards are usually either 7¼ or 9½". Fender's compound radius is typically 14" at the dusty end.

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Funkfingers said:

Those "thimble" replacement adapters look like a good idea. They should fit Mustang/Jag-Stangs too.

The problem that I have with Tune-o-Matic bridge conversions on Fender offset guitars is the fingerboard radius mismatch. The bridge is 12". The fingerboards are usually either 7¼ or 9½". Fender's compound radius is typically 14" at the dusty end.

I have a 12” 12-string Tuneomatic-style bridge on my Rick and it isn’t an issue I notice with the 10” radius of the board. 12” with a 7.25” radius board might be a bridge too far …

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New bridge installed. 

I went with the 8mm bushings which fit into the standard thimbles, one I was able to push in by hand and the other required a little squeeze in the vice. I wouldn’t be confident about getting that one out again. 

I considered the 9mm bushings, which would fit into a standard thimble route (outer dimensions of .897 mm) but didn’t want risk widening the holes and making them that but took big should I decide to swap back. Also the 9mm bushings would be shorter than the stock thimbles, which may or may not have been an issue.

I used an old Japanese-made Tuneomatic and the accompanying hardware for the installation. Though the bushings are sitting solid there is a little bit of play with the M4 posts in the holes, just enough of a rock to ensure tuning stability with vibrato use. Not sure whether this is down to the tolerances on the bushings or on the posts.

Sound and feel are quite different from the Mastery, not necessarily better or worse but definitely nice to have as an option. The Mastery is more full range and even sounding while the Tuneomatic is tighter in the low end with more punch landing on the initial pick attack.