Floating wood/metal tune-O-Matic Bridge.

[RocketRick]

I saw a ES 165 for sale and it has a combo wood/metal TOM bridge on it. See pics.

 

 

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062121.jpg

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062120.jpg

 

I was hoping there is a place one can get one like that for my Gibson ES 140T 3/4.

 

I searched but didn't find one yet. I sent email to Stew/Mac but no reply yet.

 

Any ideas on getting one? Hope I don't have to make one.

[RocketRick]

Hmm I'll try again with images.

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062121.jpg

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062120.jpg

[RocketRick]

Well here's the links the;

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062120.jpg

 

http://s17.photobucket.com/albums/b79/RocketRick/?action=view&current=P5062121.jpg

[Caevan O’Shite]

Here ya go, Rocket; here's a link to what you want from them:

 

Tune-o-Matic Bridge for Archtop Guitar at Stewart-MacDonald

 

"Gibson-style T-o-M mounted on top of a rosewood base."

 

Looks like these:

_______________

http://www.stewmac.com/product_images/1lg/3958-G/Tune-o-matic_Bridge_For_Archtop_Guitar_Detail.jpg

 

Now, I'd say that such a cool old vintage guitar deserves to have the dual feet of the wooden bridge-base masterfully sanded to a contour that perfectly matches that of the arched-top of the guitar-

 

-and that you can do that yourself, with a jig, some adhesive-backed sandpaper, masking-tape, and a colored-pencil. In a nutshell, you put adhesive sandpaper on the arched-top, grit-side up, and sand the base (not the guitar's top) against its curved surface for a perfect match.

 

(I swear I'm not a sales-guy for Stew-Mac, I just know and love the "right tool for the job" when I see it!)

 

They've got a jig just for this job- priced lower than I would've guessed, too:

 

Archtop Bridge Fitting Jig at Stewart-MacDonald

 

(Good advice concerning using adhesive-backed sandpaper and/or masking-tape on an instrument's finish, from their posted directions on that 'page: "Reduce the strength of the adhesive by placing the sticky side against your T-shirt or other cloth apparel. As the tape picks up lint, the tack of the adhesive is reduced. This is essential to avoid removing finish from the top, especially on older instruments.")

 

Shown here being used on a mandolin

 

http://www.stewmac.com/freeinfo/i-5046/5046.jpg

[RocketRick]

Yeah I saw that sanding technique somewhere. I stink it was at another site. I stink it was at fret.com.

 

Check this out

 

http://www.frets.com/FRETSPages/Musician/Guitar/Setup/Saddle/saddle01.html

 

Read what he says about how the metal basically mutes the transfer of energy to the top etc. I believe that.

Maybe a wood carved one would be better for natural sound. Sounds like an experiment waiting to happen huh?

 

I can always try and remove ifn I don't like it.

 

Yeah I'm gonna see if i can set it up w/o it first. Hey the luthier I've dealt with here said I can come in and actually work and get his direction for $ 30/hr. Man that's great huh? I can learn all about his tools and stuff and get his direction and kinda let him be the supervisor and me do the work. Who knows, I might even do it for others someday.

 

Plus he says he recently carved a wood compensated bridge for another ES guitar. Funny how things work out huh?

 

Well CO's, gonna try and get a deal on a banjo soon?

[Caevan O’Shite]

Well, it's all in what you want.

 

It'll sound more old-school jazz box with the fully wooden bridge, warmer, darker, less (and rounder) attack, and with a tad less sustain. Not necessarily a bad thing at all; in fact, if you want it to have a more authentic old-school, trad jazz tone, you might like that better than what a T-o-M will bring to it.

 

It'll sound brighter and sustainier with the metal T-o-M on a wooden base, with more attack and bite, more like a 335 or kinda almost sorta Les Paul-ish, just with that hollowbody "air".

 

Lots of great, classic guitars- and recordings- with either kind of bridge.

 

Both are great sounds, just different.

 

Either way, if you put a new wooden base on there, you'll be better of sanding the bottom of its feet to closely match the guitar's top.

 

Oh, and no, I'm not shopping for a banjo!

 

I'd love to have one, but there are a LOT of things that I'd love to have, and very, very little money to have them with!

 

Priority #1 amongst my musical gear endeavors is covering the cost of the full refinishing/restoration of my fire-damaged LP Gem "Ruby"; the insurance weasel- I mean, insurance agent took full advantage of a snafu-technicality and has reneged on their promise to foot that bill...

[dead mike]

i hate tunomatic bridges on hollowbodys, let me tell you why. vibration transfer to the top of the guitar gets lost in the moving parts of the tom bridge. the old trick of using clear nail polish only works for a little while and then you have the annoying rattle and buzzing. In my experience of swapping out bridges i like an aluminum compensated bridge and base. the aluminum really brings out the midrange and brightens up the guitar. Thats the sound i like but everyone is different. Alot of Gretsch users have switched to bar bridges, you intonate both e strings and your in buisness. There is ALOT of information on the Gretschpages forum on bridges with sound clips if you look. A member named Proteus makes bar bridges (Tru-Arc) which also matches the radius of your board. Just food for thought.

[Caevan O’Shite]

i hate tunomatic bridges on hollowbodys, let me tell you why. vibration transfer to the top of the guitar gets lost in the moving parts of the tom bridge. the old trick of using clear nail polish only works for a little while and then you have the annoying rattle and buzzing. In my experience of swapping out bridges i like an aluminum compensated bridge and base. the aluminum really brings out the midrange and brightens up the guitar. Thats the sound i like but everyone is different. Alot of Gretsch users have switched to bar bridges, you intonate both e strings and your in buisness. There is ALOT of information on the Gretschpages forum on bridges with sound clips if you look. A member named Proteus makes bar bridges (Tru-Arc) which also matches the radius of your board. Just food for thought.

 

Very good stuff!!

 

I imagine that you could use a T-o-M to set-up for action and intonation, then take measurements and a skilled machinist could fabricate a one-piece bridge intonated exactly the same way out of solid aluminum (or steel or stainless or titanium or whatever you wanted)...

 

As for rattling T-o-M's, you can also apply a tiny bead of clear RTV compound at each offending point, once you're dead-certain of the intonation and action. It's a lot more durable than nail-polish, remains cushy-soft when it cures dry, but a pain to remove in full...

[RocketRick]

Aluminum? Never heard of such. Thanks for the input dm..

 

Now that I stink about it,...using diff materials should affect the sound. Makes since. Prob a very nuanced effect tho. Hmm..interesting.

 

I'll check out that Gretsch web site also.