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I was changing strings the other day and noticed that the bridge on my Gibson 775 ( a 175 with a bit of bling) was actually held in place by 2 steel pins.
I can still lift the entire bridge off but there are 2 pins fitted into the top of the guitar.
I was a little surprised although I admit that I'm not that knowledgable regarding the finer build details of various models.
I wonder if this is factory spec.
Have any of you 175 owners noticed that the bridge has 2 pins holding it in place?
Perhaps this has been done after manufacturer by a repairer?
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01-20-2012 09:34 PM
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I'd love to see pictures of the pins. If you have the strings off of it again, if you could lift the bridge base offf an get a picture of it, I'd really love to see it. I'm assuming there must be some kind of a floating block glued to the underside of the top. If you get a chance, stick a mirror in one of the F holes and see if there is a block under the pins.
Originally Posted by Philco
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Ok I'll do that but the guitar is at the Luthiers right now getting a fret dress and a general going over. The pins certainly look like they were done at the factory........I mean it's a pro job.
But......you're right.....what are the pins secured into?
Is there normally a block under the bridge of a 175 style guitar?
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No, there is not. As you indicated, it might have been some sort of repair. Or, it could be something that Gibson is doing unique to the 775. I'm visualizing 2 very short pins protruding through the top of the guitar and fitting into 2 holes in the bottom of the bridge base. Is that correct? Originally Posted by Philco
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Correct and the pins are gold.........in keeping with the rest of the hardware.
I'll post a picture when I get the instrument back.
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I always wondered on the ES125T how they used screws without a baseplate... thoughts? Originally Posted by Patrick2
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I'm sure that the picture will clear things up for me. But, now I'm thinking my original concept of what you're describing was wrong. Are you saying that the pins are visable even when the bridge base and the bridge saddle are on the guitar and the guitar is strung? If not, why else would it matter what color they are? I thought that maybe the pins were only for positioning the bridge base. I'm sure somewhere along the line here some guitar tech with more knowledge of the ES 775 will jump in and clarify this for us. Originally Posted by Philco
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I have no idea how the 775 ended up with pins. I have never worked on a 775. But regarding any baseplate:
>>>I always wondered on the ES125T how they used screws without a baseplate... thoughts?
Maple play, or even maple/poplar ply is more than strong enough to hold pins or screws against the shear force that is in play when securing a bridge base.
I would want something under a solid or laminated spruce top, but for a laminated maple top, or a maple and poplar top, I would not worry about putting pins or screws right into the top with no additional support.
This all assumes the typical thickness one sees in most harwood ply tops. If someone went extra thin for resonance, then a backing plate of some sort might make sense.
All in my opinion.
Chris
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Without knowing for sure, I find it hard to believe that Gibson has made a fixed bridge on the 775, which after all is "just" a fancy 175 with a few functional differencies (the neck PU position closer to the neck than on the 175, giving a mellower and more spread tone, may be the most noteworthy). I have seen no mention anywhere that the 775 should have a center block. When Gibson uses a center block they use to put on the bridge with studs like on the 335 or the Les Paul. So FWIW, I find it likely that this is a modification made after the guitar left Gibson.
Whatever, I don't like the idea of fixing the bridge position with pins. The floating archtop bridge is a wonderful thing as it permits the overall intonation to be corrected when raising or lowering the string action or changing string gauges, thus allowing a wider range of setup options than is possible on guitars with fixed bridges. Someone may say that it could be taken care of with a TOM bridge, but often the saddles for the two E strings are set to or close to the rearmost and frontmost postition respectively, thus leaving no option for overall front-back correction. Besides, many people prefer a wood bridge top to a TOM.
I would never let such a detail get between me and an otherwise fine guitar, if the price was right, but I wouldn't hesitate to pull out the pins or cut them level with the top if they prevented me to set up the guitar to my liking. Here I assume the bridge has a traditional archtop bridge base (the 775 in original Gibson specs had).Last edited by oldane; 01-21-2012 at 11:08 AM.
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OK Philco, I went back and reviewed your original post #1. You said that removing the bridge base revealed 2 steel posts holding the bridge in place. Then, in your post #5, you said the pins were gold to match the rest of the hardware??? Are we confusing what might be "positioning pins" with bridge base posts that might be screwed into or through the top and anchored in a floating block glued to the underside of the sound board? If so, then the bridge base and the saddle would just slide down the anchored posts and remain in position.
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I like that we can have a complex speculative discussion with no idea what the actual situation is.
Let's head to South Carolina and debate,...
We'll have the host start with a question about derivative, yet slightly odd headstock shapes, then Patrick2 can call it nearly-despicable,...
This could work.
Chris
Apologies to non-US based members for this awkward reference to this week in domestic politics.
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Hey man . . . don't chu be talkin' 'bout my head stocks. Originally Posted by PTChristopher
By the by . . . nothing at all awkward about your reference. These debates are turning into better entertainment than what the networks are offering with their goofy sit/coms
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No need to apologize. Apart from the subject, what we are doing here is actually not too far from what political commentators are doing - but hey, that's great fun (I hope the political commentators has just as much fun Originally Posted by PTChristopher
).
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Well, at least this time John King didn't grunt all the way through each of the candidates answers like he did last time he moderated. Originally Posted by oldane
No need to apologize. Apart from the subject, what we are doing here is actually not too far from what political commentators are doing - but hey, that's great fun (I hope the political commentators has just as much fun).
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My slightly serious agenda is something like:
All of this is in fun, and if it happens to improve my views, or help someone along the way, that's great. But this is not the same as a luthier working with the guitar and player in-person.
So many small details that can be missed in writing but might be obvious and important in person.
Chris
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Let me clear things up. You can't see the pins until you take the wood base of the bridge off. In fact I thought someone had glued the thing on so I was using a little force and the base plate slid up and off and then I could see the pins. Originally Posted by Patrick2
This guitar does not have a totally wooden bridge. It has a wood base with a tuneomatic.
I dislike the wire retainer on the Tunomatic and am thinking of replacing that bridge with a Callaham.
Oh I see what you are saying......NO the 2 pins are separate from the thumb screw posts. They come up through the body and are in tight.........ok I did try to unscrew one with a pair of pliers and it was stuck like a rock so I backed off.
Anyway the pins are in the top of the guitar and the bridge base slides on to them. The bridge base has 2 holes on its underside going only part way in.
I'm afraid I can't take the picture of the pins for some time as the guitar is being worked on. I'll ask the luthier to take a shot though.Last edited by Philco; 01-22-2012 at 02:48 AM.
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