New (Old) Mosrite Issues

[The AmpFibian]

I joined this forum to gain some info on Mosrite guitars and since becoming a new owner I have a few questions maybe someone will be able to help me out with.

I'm real excited about having a Mosrite Combo to make sweet music with and since I've only had this guitar for a month, there are a few quirks I could use some advice on correcting.

For the most part the guitar functions fine..However I broke 2 D strings in one day and after taking a closer look I noticed the D roller was narrower than the high E roller so I switched the posts. This solved that problem so far. While I was trying to intonate the string I then noticed the bridge actually had some play in it making me think it was missing some washer or nut to keep it firm. The bridge posts seem to be solid. From what I can tell the bridge sits on the posts...Is there something that holds the bridge solid on the posts? The movement didn't seem right!

I have had to keep retuning, which gets old..... is there anything that can be done about that issue?

I realized this guitar can be tempermental and I try to adjust the way I play to keep things good and I can live with that , but I want to make sure everythings right.

I'm open for thoughts and ideas from the masses.....Thanks

Dave The AmpFibian

[dubtrub]

Congratulations on your new Mosrite and welcome to the 'Mosrite family' forum.

The bridge base is not locked down and is suppose to move as the vibrato arm is depressed. If you simply tune all strings to pitch then depress the vibrato arm, nine times out of ten it will go out of tune. First tune all strings to pitch, then go through each string one at a time while depressing the vibrato and letting it return to pitch and retune that individual string. Go on to the next string and continue tuning each string in this manner until all six are in tune. It will tune more accurately and stay in tune using this method. I use this method on any guitar with a tremolo or vibrato such as a Fender Strat, Jazzmaster or Bigsby equipped guitar.

[Dennisthe Menace]

Dave, sometime in the 80s, Semie had corrected this problem with a set of Bridge posts that had threading on top of the screws as well. Another words, the Bridge would sit on top of the Screwposts like the originals, but also had a pair of Acorn Nuts which would tighten down the Bridge and keep it from rocking back and forth..............................
I wander if Andy Moseley (MosriteNo1) still has any of these...

[oipunkguy]

Hey Dave,

congrats on the new mosrite. I agree with Dub, the bridge is suppose to move with the use of the tremolo. if you very played any other surf type guitars (fender mustang, jazzmaster, and jaguar) these guitars have a similar setup.
my method of keeping my guitars in tune is I first tune to pitch, then stretch each string by moving the string around with one hand (in the same direction the the string vibrates) while holding the string down to the fretboard with my other hand, then tune back up to pitch and repeat until the string stays in tune. this can be done with tremolo or non-tremolo guitars, and has worked for me for 20 years of playing.
... just be mindful to not pull on the higher strings as hard. hope this helps.

[Veenture]

Hope you get your Combo working the way it should and the way you want it Dave.
Here’s something I hope might help to know too.

In the mid ninety’s I couldn’t find the Sunburst Jazzmaster I was looking for, didn’t want to wait too long so treated myself to a superb Japanese made one in sparkle red with matching headstock. Absolutely gorgeous and faultless…to a point…and you’ve guessed it, bridge and tuning woes also…and for a long time I just couldn’t figure it out.

Man, at one stage even, during a (small) performance I couldn’t get a decent sound anymore from it, especially from the G, B, and (first) E strings. Bummer, the Jazzmaster had let me down! Upon a closer inspection afterwards I noticed that all the strings were laying almost completely flat on the fingerboard accounting for practically zero action! Certainly not the way I had set it up.

Here we go…it appeared the bridge height adjustment screws on the bridge posts were gradually turning clockwise by themselves (!) causing in turn for the strings to be lowered, at random and over a length of time so’s you couldn’t notice, except that you had to keep on retuning all the time.

I reasoned the cause could only be all those vibrations going on during playing!! I did a quick fix myself by winding just enough plumbers’ tape on the screw threads to make a snug fit. It was now coping ok but eventually I traded it in anyway for a MIM 50’s Classic Strat

[Mr. Bill]

Did you check to see if the bridge rollers are free and rolling? They will get gummed up and rusted.

Have you cleaned and oiled the bearings in the vibrato? If the lube gets thick, it may not freely come back to the same at rest position. Bigsby's will do this also.

When you swapped the position of the saddles, did you notice if the heights were the same or different? I believe that they came in different heights to match the curve of the fretboard.

[The AmpFibian]

This is the kind of info I need.......thanks for the responses!!

The tuning method is new to me and I will give it a try.....it seems a little complicated but if it works I'm all for it.

The flexing bridge seems a little odd to me, it seems like it should be solid.

And cleaning and oiling the moving parts has got to help....I haven't done any of that just yet. I'm pretty sure the string posts are the same size..... I better look closer!

This guitar hung on the wall at my local Guitar Center for over 2 years....I always plotted a way to come up with the money to make the buy but never did.......my sweet sweet wife surprised me at Christmas with it! I was needless to say in a trance!!! I should have got her more than an OvGlove!!!

The might be a few more things I will have to check...tightening the truss might be next.

I think I came to the right place for this good information....you guys are the best!

I'll report back ....Dave

[oipunkguy]

hey dave,

just let us know if we can help. sorry about the tuning thing, it's actually really easy, but kinda hard to describe, ya know?