MIM Player Jazzmaster - correct tremolo arm

[marcainley]

I bought a new MIM Player Jazzmaster back in March - now that it's been set up with a new Mustang bridge and a set-up, I'm very happy with it.

However, the guitar came straight from the factory and there wasn't a tremolo arm in the box.

I've been back and forth with Fender customer service for a little while, they've sent me two arms and neither is correct.

1. The first they sent was a very short threaded arm that I believe would be for a Strat. I tried it anyway, but the thread was smaller than my JM trem's.

2. I've just received another, part no. 008-2060-049. This is labelled as 'PLAYER JAZZ/JAG ARM W/BLK & WHT KNOBS'. Upon receiving it, I figured 'Great, sounds right!' but the arm isn't threaded and will not stay in the tremolo system.

Shining a torch into the hole confirms the tremolo system on the guitar is threaded.

So... which part no. am I looking for here?!

[timtam]

Curious that you didn't get an arm with a new guitar. And we're talking Player Jazzmaster, not Classic Player, or Modern Player (or something odd like the CME-exclusive Player JM), right ?

The Player JM supposedly uses the no-lock 'blacktop' trem (0081138000; made in Korea), which I believe uses a push-in arm.
https://www.fmicassets.com/Damroot/Orig ... _Rev_A.pdf
https://reverb.com/au/item/1599505-genu ... 0081138000

It sounds like Fender sent you a same-thread strat equivalent of the the Korean-made Classic Player (lock) trem's screw-in arm (0077422000/0076232049). And you're sure your trem definitely needs a threaded arm .. the strat one threaded OK but was too short, right ?

The arm part number for the Player JM is not specified in the Fender parts list above. Riley sells the 0082060049 blacktop trem arm, but as you found it's not threaded.
https://darrenriley.com/product-categor ... molo-arms/

So it's confusing, but my best guess is that if your trem requires a screw-in arm then you need a Classic Player threaded arm (which has the same 10-32 thread as strat arms) ..
https://darrenriley.com/store/fender-cl ... 076232049/
The American Pro arm is also threaded and should also fit.

If by chance your trem has a lock (unlike the original Player JM) then Fender or someone has changed it from the original Player trem. Which would explain the mystery.

[marcainley]

Definitely a Player JM, this one, to be exact:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/fender-play ... r-sunburst

The Strat arm didn't thread OK, but that may be because the arm didn't go down far enough.

I've since ordered part number 007-7422-049 which has the aged-white tip to match the rest of the guitar. It sounds like that is the correct 'Classic Player' arm you have mentioned.

Hopefully that will set me straight.

Curious that you didn't get an arm with a new guitar.

There were a set of straplocks included with the guitar. I think somebody threw the wrong part into the box.

[Snowmonkey]

Definitely a Player JM, this one, to be exact:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/fender-play ... r-sunburst

I have this model, my trem arm isn't threaded...it just pushes in. However, it is slightly too long as on this model the trem unit has been moved closer to the bridge. I keep meaning to get my hack saw to it...

[marcainley]

Definitely a Player JM, this one, to be exact:
https://www.pmtonline.co.uk/fender-play ... r-sunburst

I have this model, my trem arm isn't threaded...it just pushes in. However, it is slightly too long as on this model the trem unit has been moved closer to the bridge. I keep meaning to get my hack saw to it...

Thanks for your reply - you may be able to finally help settle this for me.

Fender are agreeing with you, that the arm should not be threaded and so they believe the correct arm is the second one I recieved (008-2060-049).

Here's a video I sent to Fender demonstrating the arms sent to me: https://youtu.be/kf2uD87XSnk

They said I simply didn't push it in far enough - so I have tried pushing further, but the arm doesn't 'click' in or anything - there is a little play in it, and with a little use, it does eventually wobble free again.

I also found, as you say, that the tip of the arm comes very, very close to the pickup selector switch, and is also perpendicular to the scratchplate, making it quite difficult to get my hand underneath.

This is in direct contrast to this video from YouTube where the tremolo arm lifts up and away from the guitar, as I believe it should.

[marcainley]

Thank you for all the responses, guys.

FINALLY I'm happy that I have the right trem arm - and it was the second that Fender sent me. I just didn't push it in far enough.

I ordered an aged tip to match the rest of the guitar, and now it looks and plays as it should - complete with Mustang bridge.

HAPPY

[Snowmonkey]

Just watched your vid, certainly arm number 2 looks like the one I have. It is never 100% secure, but I haven't had it fall out yet!

Problem as I mentioned earlier is that it is too long, but a few minutes with a hack saw should sort that out! Yours looks the right length...