Squier VM Jazzmaster fretting out

For help with setups and other technical issues.
Post Reply
User avatar
onnipuustinen
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 2
Joined: Sat Feb 21, 2015 12:34 pm

Squier VM Jazzmaster fretting out

Post by onnipuustinen » Sun Feb 22, 2015 11:43 am

Hey all!

I have a problem with fretting out on my Squier VM Jazzmaster. It's set up perfectly for .11's with a slight relief in the neck and action at 2mm (5/64") for the low E string on the 12th fret and 1,5mm (4/64") for the high E string on the 12th fret. I also have about 1mm thick piece of plywood as a shim to increase the break angle at the bridge and I have set the radius at 9.5" (VM Jazzmasters have a flatter radius compared to the original) with a radius gauge I printed out. I have almost no buzz up until the 12th fret, apart from the normal buzz and rattle that occurs when you really dig in and play!

At the 12th fret and up, the strings buzz and do not sound clear, high E string being the worst. The biggest problem I'm having is that when I bend my high E a whole step at the 15th fret, the note frets out compeletely. Other frets on the same string are having the same problem, but you can still hear them when you bend them. I have tried raising the action on the treble side with the overall bridge height adjustment screws to the same 2mm I have for the low E but it doesn't do much, the notes still fret out.

After a bit of googling around I took an old credit card and started to look for high frets. I had a massive moment of clarity when I found 3 high spots; one in the middle of the 12th fret, one in the middle-ish of the 17th fret and the 20th fret felt like it was a little bit high overall. I watched a couple of high quality tutorials on YouTube about how to level a high fret and had a go at it. I took the neck off, masked the fretboard around the frets I was going to work on, and started to file the frets with a three-sided file. Obviously I checked it after every few strokes with the credit card so I wouldn't take too much off. After that I marked the tops of the frets with a marker and re-crowned the frets and polished them with fine steel wool.

So, I pop the neck back in, tune up and try playing; nothing's changed. I fall into a massive pit of despair and get so depressed that I can't even look at the guitar without getting angry at all that's living and breathing in this world.

After testing my skills as a luthier I'll throw this oddball to you, fellow guitar tinkerers. Did I do something wrong? If I did then what exactly? I'm worried that I took too much off and now I have to pay an actual luthier tons of that sweet sweet cash for a fret level. By the way, I use, cherish and love the original bridge.

User avatar
Danley
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 2103
Joined: Sun Dec 16, 2012 11:46 am
Location: California Republic

Re: Squier VM Jazzmaster fretting out

Post by Danley » Sun Feb 22, 2015 9:17 pm

Your comment about loving and using the original bridge caused me to sympathize and want to comment :D Filing frets down is pretty much where I draw the line in luthiery attempts (banging a guitar's neck against my knee multiple times does not fall outside of that line however.)

I have a VM Squier Jazz Bass which is great to me, but has a couple fretwork peculiarities I can think of off the top of my head, that don't bother me because A.) It's cheap. And B.) I've had such fret issues on guitars that were not cheap, as well.

My suggestion is to take it to a luthier; and make sure this luthier knows EXACTLY what you want. Just do it. The guitar will play twice as well in every other way when you're done too. And if they say what you want is not possible (as can occasionally happen when luthiers are biased against/have not worked with "our" guitars), find a new guy. Do not take no for an answer or let a luthier steer you differently; in my experience they can be worse than mechanics in that respect.
King Buzzo: I love when people come up to me and say “Your guitar sound was better on Stoner Witch, when you used a Les Paul. “...I used a Fender Mustang reissue on that, dumbass!

User avatar
rustyteisco
PAT PEND
PAT PEND
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2015 5:18 pm

Re: Squier VM Jazzmaster fretting out

Post by rustyteisco » Mon Feb 23, 2015 4:31 am

I have a VMJM that was a PITA to setup, but I like where it's at now. If you don't mind having your top side action a wee bit higher, this setup allows bending all over the place, and every note will sing like a bird. It's a beautiful sounding guitar.

Image

Like you, I shimmed the neck to give me more of a break angle. I used a business card in the heel that extends to just cover the first screw holes.

While everything was unstrung, I also flipped the outer screws in my vibrato so it wouldn't rub the high E string and break it. (the bastard screw got one when I restrung it the day it arrived, but never again)

Image

Then, I strung it up and 'kinda' tuned, raised the bridge accommodate for the shim, and made sure the treble and bass sides were equal height. For this guitar, i used a wrench as a guide for setting the bridge height before i did the saddles.

Image

There is hella tension and the strings won't slip from their grooves. Lots of twinkle behind the bridge.

Then, I used my favorite guitar setup tool, a nickel, to get the strings a nickel away from the 15th fret. I set all strings height this way using the saddles, not the bridge posts. Now you got your radius.

Image


Then make sure the relief is good(.010ish), it should be (Indonesian steel)

From here I would adjust action for feel by moving the bridge posts and then intonate.

On this guitar, the high E string nut slot required a piece of paper to get rid of a sitar sound, and it works fine

I'm using stock bridge and Ernie Ball regular slinkys. I have no problem with strings coming out of bridge and I play with passion sometimes.
Last edited by rustyteisco on Mon Feb 23, 2015 12:25 pm, edited 3 times in total.

User avatar
Big tuna
PAT. # 2.972.923
PAT. # 2.972.923
Posts: 98
Joined: Sat May 03, 2014 11:28 am

Re: Squier VM Jazzmaster fretting out

Post by Big tuna » Mon Feb 23, 2015 7:55 am

Omni I had the same problem with one I bought a second hand vm jazzmaster a couple a weeks ago. I saw a crimson guitar vid on utube where the guy mask off 12th fret and took more tops of frets from that point to end of neck . I did the same after leveling all frets and made the guitar action and performance much better . I may go back and take a little more down after I play it a week but for now its fine at least for me. I like my strings a little higher but not J Mascis height.

Post Reply