-
This doesn't look right...One of my students turned up with this. He has had it for a few months, and bought it online, The seller said it was "normal".
My student would rather not confront the seller, so we are wondering if there is a replacement available?
-
08-27-2014 01:31 PM
-
StewMac or one of those individual luthiers who makes bridges (can't remenber names but others may chime on). (BTW, John Moriarty in Ireland no longer sell separate bridges due to a busy schedule.)
-
Anywhere in the UK?
-
Guitar Bridges from Highly Strung
Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Archtop - Bridges
Ebony Archtop Bridge
These are just a few, I have found WDmusic very reliable.
-
Can't you just loosen the strings and pull it back? Rick
-
The screws are bent.
Thanks for the links, Finn.
-
If it's just the metal posts which are bent and the threads in the holes for the posts in the bridge base are intact, one can get posts from shops who cater to luthiers. That may be a better solution because the bridge base in question is likely custom fitted to the guitar top and thus worth keeping if possible.
WD music: Gotoh Tune-O-Matic Post and Wheel two posts and two wheels
AllPartsUK doesn't seem to have them.
Not in UK, but anyway: STEWMAC.COM - Archtop Bridge Post and Thumbwheel Set
At that low cost it may likely pass under the Customs/VAT threshold, but of course there's shipping costs from US.
I have bought from StewMac many times and they have never disappointed me.
-
Many thanks for that, oldane. Could be the most appropriate solution.
-
With 5 archtops I always keep 2 or 3 complete spare bridges. Unless you use a bridge with a full contact base the fitting shouldn't be a problem, I've never had bridge base with feet that didn't fit.
-
just cause the screws are bent doesn't mean they can't be un-bent more or less. A little gentle elbow grease would sure be worth a try to straighten up, if you are mechanically minded.
-
Well, it's not my guitar, but I'll mention it to him. Cheers.
-
Only problem with that is once they are bent and then straightened you have a weak spot that will probably go again and perhaps break, unless you have the spare ones ready you then have a guitar thats unusable until you get new parts. Looking at that picture the action looks on the high side, if it's intentional to have that high an action if you have spare thumb wheels you can put an extra one on down flush on the wood base that should stop any tendency for the post to bend. Originally Posted by Longways to Go
Last edited by Finn; 08-28-2014 at 05:15 AM.
-
Originally Posted by Finn
+1 !
Not to mention that when you un-bend, it is very likely that you get the screw not exactly straight, maybe not enough for the wheel to work properly
Rob,
How is the action like on this guitar with this ?
Do you have an idea on how did it happen ? Is there any other damage on the guitar ?
Just curious
-
The strings are almost sitting on the frets, it's so low. It buzzes in the higher region. I looked for the cause, and the bridge definitely seemed the culprit. The student says it was like this when he bought it a few months back. He asked the guy he bought it from, who said it was normal. The poor student didn't know any better.
No other damage. In fact, I'm impressed with the guitar otherwise. Could do with a pickup upgrade, but apart from that and this bridge problem, it looks a very good guitar indeed. Has some of that thunk we talked about on another thread.
-
The original bridge on my EmpRegent was slowly starting to look like that before I swapped it with a Stewmac TOM.
I could however tightly screw back the post very straight and keep it as a backup if I need it in the future.
It seems there is a lot of post threads showing up, bridge sitting high on the posts because of that acute angle.
The less threads inside the base the more that can happen.
The TOMs from Stewmac I got for my 2 Epis were also not really straight.
I had to give them 2 or 3 more tightening turns to their posts and put them reverse so the slight angle face the TP instead: now they are both dead straight.Last edited by Dirk; 11-19-2019 at 08:51 AM.
-
Hmm. OK. What a drag. Thanks for the info.
-
Looking at the photo above, it seems to me that if the posts need be unscrewed that much to avoid the strings to buzz, then I would consider to replace that part of the bridge which sits on the archtop and use a thicker one. This could thus allow for more thread being tightly kept inside that part, and thus make the post less sensitive to the forward push from the strings.
Another possibility is to get an extra piece of metal or hardwood made with two threaded holes which could sit on top of the original sitting part, in order to reduce the amount of visible thread. That might be cheaper than replacing the sitting part.
Or may be the neck also needs some work ? hard to say from remote.
What is the gauge of these strings ? May be it could be useful to use a lighter one.Last edited by mhch; 08-28-2014 at 07:51 AM.
-
I'm suggesting he gives it to a reputable guitar tech, which, thankfully, we have in Edinurgh. Maybe the whole neck angle needs attention. Thanks for all your comments.
-
I'd get a new bridge (with a wooden saddle, preferably) and have it fitted to the top. Luthimate {Ultimate source for lutherie}: Chevalet Archtop Ebène
-
This thread got me curious about the bridges on my own guitars, so I did a quick look and none of them is actually straight! Go figure: 3 different brands (one an AR371) and each has a little angle to it. Not as extreme as the one pictured at the beginning of this post, but none are really straight! Interestingly, my AR371 bridge is much lower than the one pictured-- fairly close to bottomed out in fact. But they all play great, so at this point I can't say they really have a problem. Next time I do a string change I might check things out . . . but that won't be for a year or so . . . But if they were leaning as much as the one in the photo, I'd have to mess with it for sure!
BTW, I'm not saying unbending the screws is a perfect risk-free solution, but it is free!
-
I think it's safe to say that even during the days when Eastman was producing some pretty poor quality guitars, this guitar didn't leave the factory like that. There are quite a few suggestions for replacing the bridge or some of its components. However, there is obviously an underlying reason that the bridge saddle pulled the screw studs forward forcefully enough to cause them to bend or tilt within the base that radically. On-line diagnosis by anyone other than those with the tech skills of guys like PTChris and some of the other luthiers here, is valueless. This guitar needs to go to a competent "guitarfixerupologist".
-
Maybe some already mentioned this above. How about removing the thread posts then fill in the holes, put new set of posts and voila!
-
As Patrick posted there must be an underlying reason for it to happen so it would just happen again, the best route is get it looked at by a competent tech, without actually examining it we are just guessing. Originally Posted by jads57
-
Isn't it likely to just be a case of the screws being made of that soft metal that plagues so many products originating from a certain part of the world ?
-
Originally Posted by Rob MacKillop
Yeah I bought this bridge. The seller said it was "normal".
I took his word. Then he sold me a bigger one in Brooklyn.
Yup
David
Reply With Quote
Video: The Harmonic Minor Scale in Jazz
Today, 10:47 AM in Improvisation