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Anyone know of any decent guides on how to get the vibrato set up well. Shimming, setting bridge and cigar height, what post section to use for 10s etc?

There’s obviously the pruishen one for the Jag Stang but it isn’t massively detailed in parts.

I have successfully setup up two different Mustang Vibratos. One was my Vintage Partscaster, Sunbreather and my Squier Classic Vibe Mustang.

I run .11s on my Mustangs but I can hopefully get you started and you tweak it for the .10s.

I shimmed both necks to get the proper break angle.

Here is kinda what you want it to look like in terms of action, bridge height and cigar tube height. Ideally, you want the cigar tube to be perfectly vertical so it will come back to equilibrium in the middle.


For the my Partscaster in the picture above, I have the springs here on the highest setting with the least tension.The guitar stays in tune and the tension is light and very responsive when using the vibrato.


For my Squier Classic Vibe Mustang, I replaced the stock vibrato with a Fender one and it came with the springs on the lowest posts.



This setup also stayed in tune but there is a lot more tension when using the vibrato.

Where are your springs currently set on your Mustang Vibrato? Puisheen recommending leaving them on the first setting like my Partscaster for .10s.

That is an interesting subject, and I have no real anwsers.

I've tried them all: lower break angle, higher break angle, less tension, more tension. A lower break angle would theoretically keep in tune better, the problem being the strings can pop off, but that would be more of a problem with another bridge. And the tension is lower, which may also affect the return to pitch.

The system works in the opposite way from a Bigsby (in my opinion better), you're putting more tension when not at rest and the springs are going the other way. There is the strat system which works in a similar way to the 'stang, but you have 3 or more springs there.

I've tried them all, and at least one string will go out of tune if you use the reverb handle to lower the pitch two semitones about 10 times.

Really I'm beginning to think the problem is that stupid bridge. I'd love to try a Schaller roller bridge, but I don't have any left that I haven't put on something else, although I could try taking one off another guitar temporarily at one point. Not sure the fingerboard radius matters that much.

taylornutt wrote: ↑Mon Dec 11, 2023 5:20 am Where are your springs currently set on your Mustang Vibrato? Puisheen recommending leaving them on the first setting like my Partscaster for .10s.

I've tried the middle and lowest tensions, but still don't get much stability with 10s, and the cigar is definitely leaning back still. I've actually shimmed with a 1 degree one so I can raise the bridge more and try and get more string tension to counter and its not helped.

I might just lock it back off for now and wait until its restring time and try again with 11s

What Mustang guitar do you have? Is it a Fender Vibrato?

Early 2000s CIJ Mustang, so aye a Fender one.

euan wrote: ↑Tue Dec 19, 2023 9:52 pm Early 2000s CIJ Mustang, so aye a Fender one.

Good. I had to replace my Squier vibrato because the springs were weak.

Post some pics and we can definitely offer some ideas to help.