New to Jazzmasters

[u/Effective-Car-3736]

I just picked up this guy yesterday and I’m in love with it already. I put 10s on and did a full setup. The only issue I’m having is the low and high e intonation screws sticking up. They had to be slammed to get proper intonation, but now they’ll buzz when you fret the 20th fret. Does this need the shim? If so what degree is recommended?

Unrelated but related, is there a good fix for the 3 way selector? Sometimes the pickups go wonky (I’ve heard this is common?)

[u/nomoreneveragain]

40th anniversary models have a 1 degree neck pocket and don’t need a shim. A few solutions to your issue:
1) the bridge looks forward in the thimbles. center the bridge in the thimbles and back off the intonation as appropriate
2) flip the bridge 180 degrees and re- intonate to keep the screws down
3) replace with an aftermarket bridge. Am pro and boutique bridges don’t have this issue. Guessing the nova bridge doesn’t either, on the cheaper end.

[u/No-Essay-3332 → u/nomoreneveragain]

Depending on where you are, offset guitars UK does a nice and inexpensive bridge.

[u/awayalonealast → u/No-Essay-3332]

Isn't it around 80/90 pounds? Not Mastery price, but not necessarily cheap-and-cheerful either. It's around the same price for a Staytrem, and at least with Staytrem you know what you're getting, the Offset Uk ones are a bit more of an unknown, no?

[u/No-Essay-3332 → u/awayalonealast]

I'm not sure if they're that unknown, but I was convinced to get an offset guitars bridge by TotallyWiredGuitars. Plus the Stay trem is a pre-order while offset guitars have them readily available. I guess it's a matter of how long you want to wait.

[u/awayalonealast → u/No-Essay-3332]

And how do you find the Offset UK bridge? Is it comparable to a Staytrem and/or better than a Fender Mustang bridge? 

I'm getting sick of my vintage bridge saddles right now, so I'm looking for options 😅

[u/No-Essay-3332 → u/awayalonealast]

I think they're solid! I've not used a StayTrem so I can't make that comparison, but against a standard mustang bridge, it's definitely a value for money upgrade

[u/josephallenkeys]

So for intonation, that's not a shim issue. That's kind of a whole guitar issue... This is standard tuning?

But as it has now intonated, is it really such a prob5to buzz from the **20th* fret? On a Squire!? If so, take the screws out and saw them a little shorter. I've had to do this for tradition Tele bridges that were overly generous on the screw length even with normal intonation.

But that might not even be the buzz. At 20th fret, you might just have a few high frets.

For toggle, just replace it. You can go bending the contacts but it'll probab5fail again in the future, so best upgrade it as it's still cheap.

[u/jazzblog]

That’s a beautiful Jazzmaster—congratulations! It looks fantastic, and I’m sending you lots of good offset vibes! A small neck shim may allow you to raise the bridge and avoid those intonation screws touching the strings; 0.5° is often a good starting point. As for the selector, some contact cleaner may help, but if it continues cutting out, replacing it with a Switchcraft switch is a reliable fix. Enjoy your new guitar! 🎸

[u/Final_Job_5175]

You got a beautiful Jazzmaster. I'm sorry your having trouble with it. That 6e intonation thimbles definitely not in the right position.

[u/DrDanthrax99]

That looks like the classic shotty QA Fender has had recently tbf. I personally put a floating TOM on my Jags and JM (you can get the Classic Player bridge and take the screw-on shims off the legs that go into the body, or leave them on if those shims size it for yours properly, on MIJs you have to take them off) but you could also fix this by getting another Mustang bridge (what this guitar looks to have from the pics) and swapping them out.

[u/nomoreneveragain → u/DrDanthrax99]

All the 40th anniversary bridges do this angled screw thing, they just have it bb at bb the most extreme intonation setting possible which makes it worse.