Difference between MIJ and MIA Jaguar tremolo??

TheBurbz · Post by **TheBurbz** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:14 pm

I bought one on ebay and I'm not sure which it is. It did have a cream coloured tip on the trem arm so I assumed it was MIA, are there any other differences though?

thanks.

Post by **Hurb** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:18 pm

There's lots of differences. but one of the easiest ways without getting pictures etc is try pulling the trem arm out. if it comes out easy its jap. if it feels like its gonna brake it before it comes out..it yank.

TheBurbz · Post by **TheBurbz** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:28 pm

It's very hard to even push it in to start with, is this a good sign?

Post by **Hurb** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:29 pm

yep.
if you have a picture or the auction. i can tell ya.

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:35 pm

What actually are the differences Hurb? Which is better?

Post by **Hurb** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 5:46 pm

The main thing that effects the performance is the spring and teh collet that the arm goes into. also the angle of the metal where it rocks is different.
The american has a stiffer spring, the collet is made of stronger stuff(japs have been know to snap with force) and it grips the arm(which is actually different to jap arm, it is grooved at the end so it locks into the collet. the vintage trem arms just get wider at the end). and it just rocks more smoothly and the stiffer spring feels better. there also made of different metal. the fender stamp is deeper in the american. and the trem lock has like grain rings to it(like if you cut a tree in half but uniform)
The american ones are better than the jap ones imo. but the vintage ones are better still, although when the jags were brought in the springs were changed for the shortscale guitar even on jazzmasters. so the older ones will feel different to the newer vintage ones.

TheBurbz · Post by **TheBurbz** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:27 pm

My camera isn't good enough to take a pic of the trem arm, but the end on mine has a recess going around it like this:

Post by **Hurb** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 6:45 pm

TheBurbz wrote:My camera isn't good enough to take a pic of the trem arm, but the end on mine has a recess going around it like this:

well the arm is at least american.
Look at the trem lock button(the bit that slides up and down) does it have visible rings/circles on the top?
also the metal should look wobbly.

TheBurbz · Post by **TheBurbz** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:05 pm

I don't understand what you mean about wobbly...but it does have the circles going round the trem lock, circles inside circles like a tree.

Post by **Hurb** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:12 pm

TheBurbz wrote:I don't understand what you mean about wobbly...but it does have the circles going round the trem lock, circles inside circles like a tree.

koolio. you gots an american made one.

JordanD · Post by **JordanD** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 7:33 pm

Might have to get myself one of the US made ones then.

Jagermeister · Post by **Jagermeister** » Mon Mar 10, 2008 8:45 pm

I put an AV trem on mine, really the spring tension wasn't that different at all, and the AV was a bit smoother all around, but ESPECIALLY for upbends, where the Jap trem would do this little catchy thing (that I tried to fix, destroying the trem in the process).

The dumb thing about Jap trems is the trem arm, yeah. Especially as the arms on Japs are cut too long and bottom out on the cavity, creating the illusion of less travel.