All
images and text copyrighted and property of Greg Gagliano.
Leo Fender's first locking mechanism was
designed for the Fender Jaguar and Jazzmaster. It could be used to
prevent the vibrato tail from
moving backward (thus pulling the strings tight
and
making their pitch go
sharp) if a string broke. It didn't work well and nobody used it, but
it was a good idea. Enter Leo's second vibrato lock circa 1988. The
idea is
the same, but the
mechanism is stupidly simple. As shown in the photo, the
lock is a simple tab that is rotated so it sits under the bridge plate.
The problem is that it, too, doesn't work perfectly, though it is way
better
than the Jag/Jmaster gizmo. The Vibrato Bridge Lock, as it was
called, was a $20 option an any G&L with a Dual Fulcrum vibrato
tailpiece.
It is a simple cast zinc unit embossed with
"by Leo Fender" and "Pat. Pend."