Mastery vs Staytrem vs Jaguar Mute

[LanugoMan]

I’m trying to decide between a Staytrem or a Mastery bridge for my AVRI 62 Jaguar. It has a mute installed, and is setup with a relatively high bridge to accommodate. (The bridge has to be high enough for the mute to rock back and forth without knocking into the bridge.)

My complaints about the vintage bridge are the same as everyone else’s. Mine is set up probably as good as one can be, and yet I still have recurring issues (mysterious rattles, screws that hit strings, intonation moving around). This is even with plenty of Loktite.

I am curious about the Mastery for the possible benefits to sound, but it seems like the Staytrem does everything I want it to, all without affecting the mute. The mastery is compelling, but I’m concerned that having to elevate the mastery high enough position to accommodate the mute might put it at a sub-optimal height for playability. In addition, I would have to purchase a new mute plate and foam strip (which adds up, considering the already steep price tag of the mastery), because I don’t want to drill into the original one to widen the post holes, which is required for the mastery.

I’m operating with limited information though, having never owned a Mastery or Staytrem, so I was wondering what you all think?

[javier-san]

The Staytrem bridge seems to be simplest solution for the problem you are looking to fix. They are really great bridges, especially for the price.
The mastery bridges are very nice (I have a few), but seems to complicate what you are trying to achieve.

[andy_tchp]

Mastery Bridge does not work with the mute installed, it has to be removed.

https://masterybridge.com/which-to-buy/

Bridge covers and mutes are not compatible with the Mastery Bridge

[LanugoMan]

Mastery Bridge does not work with the mute installed, it has to be removed.

https://masterybridge.com/which-to-buy/

Bridge covers and mutes are not compatible with the Mastery Bridge

Right, and I assume that is because the post holes on the mute plate are too small for the mastery’s larger posts. The part I’m concerned about is more the bridge height that would be required to use a mute. This article from Mike Adams / Puisheen shows how he installed a mastery with a mute. But then in other articles he says the ideal mastery height is 3mm above the pickguard. Obviously this is quite a bit more than that.

https://guitar.com/guides/diy-workshop/ ... th-a-mute/

[andy_tchp]

The ‘ideal’ bridge height varies from guitar to guitar, so that’s nonsense.

[LanugoMan]

The ‘ideal’ bridge height varies from guitar to guitar, so that’s nonsense.

Yeah I really wasn’t sure what he meant by that, which is why I came here.

[andy_tchp]

Just buy a Staytrem.

I am not a fan of the changes a Mastery Bridge makes to offsets sound wise (I actually reverted to regular old AVRI bridges on my offsets after using Masterys for 5+ years).

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Hey there:
I always wondered what a mute would sound/feel like. But they are quite difficult to get in the EU...so I still don‘t have one.
But I once stumbled across Mike Adams/Puisheen installed one with a Mastery. Here is his guide to make it work:

https://guitar.com/guides/diy-workshop/ ... th-a-mute/

I‘m still waiting for the video - or at least I didn‘t find it... but below his post he also mentioned that he needed to mod it a little to make it work with the Staytrem!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0P9CzvIQM ... MyMTA2M2Y=

So it has be done. In both ways! But there are mods involved!
I hope this doesn‘t overcomplicate things/keeps you from doing it... as I‘m really interested in the results and what you are going to have to say about it.

[LanugoMan]

Hey there:
I always wondered what a mute would sound/feel like. But they are quite difficult to get in the EU...so I still don‘t have one.
But I once stumbled across Mike Adams/Puisheen installed one with a Mastery. Here is his guide to make it work:

https://guitar.com/guides/diy-workshop/ ... th-a-mute/

I‘m still waiting for the video - or at least I didn‘t find it... but below his post he also mentioned that he needed to mod it a little to make it work with the Staytrem!
https://www.instagram.com/p/Ca0P9CzvIQM ... MyMTA2M2Y=

So it has be done. In both ways! But there are mods involved!
I hope this doesn‘t overcomplicate things/keeps you from doing it... as I‘m really interested in the results and what you are going to have to say about it.

Thanks for sharing that instagram - I had not seen that yet. I keep going around and around on Staytrem vs Mastery. Right now I’m thinking people are almost certainly right, that the Staytrem is the simple option and all I really need. BUT…… if I dont try the mastery to fully understand what I might be missing, I will probably always wonder about it. So, that’s where I’m leaning right now. If I’m not impressed, I’ll just sell it on Reverb and use that money to buy a Staytrem. I’d be happy to report back my findings, but it will of course be a few weeks to purchase, ship, install, and test. Remind me on this thread if I forget!

[MayTheFuzzBeWithYou]

Sounds like a plan!

[GreenKnee]

You can have a working mute with a Mastery but there a couple of things you need to do to get it working.

The holes in the mute need to be opened up with a dremel or similar to accommodate the larger bridge posts.
The neck shim needs to be perfect to get the height of the Mastery up enough but not taking it too high out of reach of the mute. This can be a bit fiddly and frustrating.
If the bridge isn't high enough the treble side of the Mastery will sit on switch part of the mute and prevent it from being turned on and off.

Good luck! It takes quite a bit of trial, error and educational guesses to get it up and working. And just as you get it right it'll start pushing the notes sharp and so everything comes off again just for a quarter turn on the mute screw.

Make sure you have a capo for holding the strings to the neck when detuned, you'll be doing it a lot!


Edit: the mute works no problem with a staytrem, I have that setup on my '62.
Staytrem keeps the feel and sound more traditional, Mastery stiffens and brightens things up.
I like the Mastery for my main gigging guitar, no chance of knocking the intonation off by forcing the bridge to the edge of the thimbles. I can get as carried away and as over-excites as I like and not have to worry about the guitar. Staytrem I wouldn't be as confident with, but it does what it is designed to do flawlessly.
They're 2 different bridges and so no one will know other than you which you prefer.

[LanugoMan]

You can have a working mute with a Mastery but there a couple of things you need to do to get it working.

The holes in the mute need to be opened up with a dremel or similar to accommodate the larger bridge posts.
The neck shim needs to be perfect to get the height of the Mastery up enough but not taking it too high out of reach of the mute. This can be a bit fiddly and frustrating.
If the bridge isn't high enough the treble side of the Mastery will sit on switch part of the mute and prevent it from being turned on and off.

Good luck! It takes quite a bit of trial, error and educational guesses to get it up and working. And just as you get it right it'll start pushing the notes sharp and so everything comes off again just for a quarter turn on the mute screw.

Make sure you have a capo for holding the strings to the neck when detuned, you'll be doing it a lot!


Edit: the mute works no problem with a staytrem, I have that setup on my '62.
Staytrem keeps the feel and sound more traditional, Mastery stiffens and brightens things up.
I like the Mastery for my main gigging guitar, no chance of knocking the intonation off by forcing the bridge to the edge of the thimbles. I can get as carried away and as over-excites as I like and not have to worry about the guitar. Staytrem I wouldn't be as confident with, but it does what it is designed to do flawlessly.
They're 2 different bridges and so no one will know other than you which you prefer.

Thanks for this description! So you have not noticed any tuning stability issues, or potential vibrato issues due to having the bridge positioned higher for the mute? Beautiful guitar!! Nice mods

[GreenKnee]

Thanks for this description! So you have not noticed any tuning stability issues, or potential vibrato issues due to having the bridge positioned higher for the mute? Beautiful guitar!! Nice mods

Thanks

No issues whatsoever, it's the most stable guitar I own. I can go full Floyd Rose style with the vibrato and it always returns to pitch perfectly.