Offset trem on a non offset guitar?

[Jabroni Iommi]

I'm thinking of starting a partscaster guitar project.

Has anyone here had any experience with installing a offset style trem and bridge on a non offset style guitar body?

I'll be repainting, so I'm not too worried about screw holes, I just want to keep major excavation and redrilling to a minimum.

I have 2 potential starting points:

A) a squier '51 - They just have that short, L shaped bridge with saddles. that's the closest I can get to starting with a fresh body.

B) Any slab body with tune-a-matic and stop tail. The Squier J Mascis JM has a tune-a-matic, but it DOES float back and forth. Can a body with a standard fixed bridge be modded to move like an offset bridge?

I suppose a third option would be the tune-a-matic, and just slap a Stetsbar on it, which brings up a second question- how does a Stetsbar stack up against a Jazzmaster trem action and feel?

All things being equal, I'll have someone who knows what they're doing handle the trem install. How much U$D should I set aside for labor?

[Nudger]

Slapped a mustang trem on a hardtail strat.
Has a modified Staytrem bridge on T.O.M (non rocking) posts.
Works a treat and stays in tune forever!
I have various trem equipped guitars inc Jazzmaster and convert them all to non rocking.
I think if your tuners are solid non rocking or T.O.M Bridges are fine.

[gdayj]

Slapped a mustang trem on a hardtail strat.

This is a thing of beauty!

[jvin248]

.

Look up all the 'Paranormal Series' and 'Alternate Reality Series' guitars for Fender produced options switching trems around.

+1 that Mustang-ized Strat is pretty cool. I like that detail where you put the switch block in the Strat jack cutout.

.

[kdanie]

JM trems on strats & tele's is not that uncommon.

ken

[fuzzjunkie]

Saul Koll has added JM and Mastery trems to a number of his guitars.

This one he built for Mary Timony is quite nice: