Workshop: Tremolo Bullet

What can I say? I like Jazzmaster whammies. Here's a new US-made Fender unit installed on my maple-necked Bullet. I had to shorten the arm a little and install a matching tip, but the install was nice and clean and this thing stays in tune dreamily.

I'd originally installed this a week ago for use with the existing Bullet Fender bridge (which worked swell, but like on a Jazzmaster bridge, the saddle adjuster screws rattled like mad), but the whammy came with a TOM bridge and I eventually knocked the neck angle back a bit further, jacked my pickups up, and installed the TOM bridge (no rattles) instead.

I kept the original bridge plate for aesthetic reasons by making a cutout for the TOM studs in it. I'm thinking I may use the little "ledge" behind it as a clip for holding a bit of after-length muting foam to cut down on overtones.