Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

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digitalzombie
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Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by digitalzombie » Mon May 21, 2018 5:30 pm

Hi everyone. I'm long overdue in joining this forum. I've owned my J. Mascis Jazzmaster for a few years now, and finally joined a band where the music involves heavy trem use. After a lot of online research decided to upgrade to an AVRI trem (part# 0054466049) since that seemed to be the popular mod. I got it installed last night and tried to setup the Trem-Lock using this guide, but no matter how much I loosened the adjustment screw the lock wouldn't slide into place. I could even feel the trem-spring base coming loose from the screw.

I took the trem assembly off the guitar with the strings still attached and set it up that way. When putting the plate back on the guitar I had to force the plate down while screwing it into place because the spring was pushing it up. The result is (as far as I can tell) a properly functioning trem-lock, but the adjustment screw is sitting about 5mm out of the assembly plate because the base is pushing it up. It's still out of the way of the strings going up to the bridge saddles, but it looks sloppy.

Is the cavity for the tremolo on the JMJM not as deep as the AVRI guitars? Of course now that I look, every picture I see online of a Mascis JM with an AVRI trem installed clearly doesn't have the lock engaged. Did anyone else run into this problem? Is there a smaller spring I should order (The spring in the original assembly looked to be about the same size)? Do I need to get the body cavity routed out?

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601210
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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by 601210 » Tue May 22, 2018 12:32 am

What gauge are you using?

It works completely fine for me. I had a slight issue with the vibrato bar itself bottoming out inside, but that doesn't sound like the problem you're having. It seems there's a problem with the tension balance between the strings and the spring, so I'm thinking you need a different spring, strength or length. Have you tried using the old spring?

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by digitalzombie » Tue May 22, 2018 10:30 am

Maybe this will help better illustrate what I think is going on.

This diagram shows how the adjustment screw is too loose, so the lock can slide over but since the plate is too far away the lock has nothing to grab on to. This is what I cannot achieve no matter how much I loosen the adjustment screw.
Image

Here is an image I edited to represent what I think is happening: Notice the raised floor, which causes the spring to bottom out. Without having an AVRI JM to measure and compare, and the depth of the trem cavity not being a published spec, I'm hypothesizing that the cavity for the J. Mascis Jazzmaster is more shallow than a JM with a trem-lock setup, like an AVRI.

Image

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by 601210 » Wed May 23, 2018 12:23 am

I have actually theorized that it might be more shallow, because of the problems I had with the arm. If you look at the AVRI and the Squier trem side by side, the AVRI comes out a couple of MM deeper.

However, my trem lock set up perfectly fine on the JMJM, so I'm thinking the problem is somehow with the balance between your strings and spring. It could be cause you're using lighter than usual strings so there's less pulling the trem forward, or your spring is unusually heavy (I don't think they're known to be particularly consistent?).

I think Japanese trem springs are supposed to be lighter and will still fit. Or you could try the one that came with the Squier? Or you could cut the spring so that there's less tension at a given length. Personally, routing the body would be the nuclear option.

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by digitalzombie » Wed May 23, 2018 10:01 am

601210 wrote:
Wed May 23, 2018 12:23 am

However, my trem lock set up perfectly fine on the JMJM, so I'm thinking the problem is somehow with the balance between your strings and spring. It could be cause you're using lighter than usual strings so there's less pulling the trem forward, or your spring is unusually heavy (I don't think they're known to be particularly consistent?).

I think Japanese trem springs are supposed to be lighter and will still fit. Or you could try the one that came with the Squier? Or you could cut the spring so that there's less tension at a given length. Personally, routing the body would be the nuclear option.
Thanks for entertaining my theory 601210. I'm trying to avoid sinking significant $$ into modding this guitar since it would defeat the purpose of owning an inexpensive guitar.

I'm using DR 46-10 strings tuned to standard. I have a show coming up in a week so I'm not going to mess with the guitar too much until after that. The only immediate problem I need to figure out is why my 1st string keeps threading apart at the tail piece. The first one went out at rehearsal last week before I tried setting up the trem-lock. The second one went out at rehearsal last night. I'm hoping it's because in both instances I'd tuned the strings to pitch, then loosened them to take off the trem plate, then tuned them back up after reinstalling the trem plate. The only alternative I can see is that the tail piece with the through-holes is somehow cutting up the string. I don't seem to have any problems with my other strings.

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by Tree's » Sun May 27, 2018 12:15 am

Try some 11's ,and put a drop of solder on the winding of your first string.

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by digitalzombie » Sun May 27, 2018 7:09 am

Tree's wrote:
Sun May 27, 2018 12:15 am
Try some 11's ,and put a drop of solder on the winding of your first string.
I just broke another 10.5 string yesterday in rehearsal. Put it on in the morning, tuned to E. Stretched at rehearsal, drops down to D, tune back up to E, stretch, repeat about 3 times then popped right out of the tail piece. I’m guessing a drop of solder would help, but this shouldn’t be happening.

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by jeff m. » Sun May 27, 2018 2:36 pm

DZ,
Look closely at where the top E string comes out of the anchor plate..does it appear to be touching/rubbing against the screw directly in front of the plate ( one of the 3 screws that hold the anchor to the tailpiece plate) ?.

If so, the trick is to remove the whole assembly and turn that bolt 'upside-down' i.e; the bolt-head on the underside of the plate w/the threads coming out of the plate.

Check out the little tutorial on Mike & Mikes Guitar Bar blog on this very problem..I had a VM Jag with the very same unraveling/breaking issue, this little 'trick' cured it..have a read, see what you think.

Best,
Jeff.

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Re: Help setting up AVRI Trem-Lock on Squire Mascis JM

Post by timtam » Sun May 27, 2018 4:25 pm

jeff m. wrote:
Sun May 27, 2018 2:36 pm
DZ,
Look closely at where the top E string comes out of the anchor plate..does it appear to be touching/rubbing against the screw directly in front of the plate ( one of the 3 screws that hold the anchor to the tailpiece plate) ?.

If so, the trick is to remove the whole assembly and turn that bolt 'upside-down' i.e; the bolt-head on the underside of the plate w/the threads coming out of the plate.

Check out the little tutorial on Mike & Mikes Guitar Bar blog on this very problem..I had a VM Jag with the very same unraveling/breaking issue, this little 'trick' cured it..have a read, see what you think.

Best,
Jeff.
As Jeff says, the 'flip the outer screws' fix ....
https://mmguitarbar.com/2013/05/10/demy ... ll-follow/

Or countersink flathead screws more like the originals ....
http://offset.guitars/the-goodies/parts ... s-vintage/
http://darrenriley.com/store/fender-jag ... 015883049/

Filing down the dome screws also possible ....
http://www.offsetguitars.com/forums/vie ... hp?t=79916
Bridge height/added shim/string angle may also play into it.
"I just knew I wanted to make a sound that was the complete opposite of a Les Paul, and that’s pretty much a Jaguar." Rowland S. Howard.

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