Anyone got a pinned bridge? Why not?

**mr. beaumont** · 07-17-2012, 08:06 PM

Originally Posted by ruger9

Nice... so your political stripes come out... I'm not going there...

A Ruger 9mm is a SEMI-automatic handgun, for those less learned. A LEGAL weapon. But I'm not here to discuss political issues.

there's absolutely nothing political about that post.

**ruger9** · 07-17-2012, 08:12 PM

Originally Posted by mr. beaumont

there's absolutely nothing political about that post.

uh-huh. Keep telling yourself that, and maybe it'll come true.

I'm surprised I expected anything less from "ARTISTS" tho... classically, very liberal.

**mr. beaumont** · 07-17-2012, 08:27 PM

He thought it was an automatic weapon so he equated it with you liking things fast.

that's political?

**pingu** · 07-17-2012, 08:40 PM

Whats going on in this forum now ?

Everyones on a hair trigger ! (fnarrr)

**mr. beaumont** · 07-17-2012, 08:45 PM

boom!

pingu's here all week kids...try the veal, and remember to tip your servers.

**ruger9** · 07-17-2012, 08:46 PM

Originally Posted by pingu

Whats going on in this forum now ?

Everyones on a hair trigger ! (fnarrr)

Yeah, I'm done with that. I keep my politics separate from my "art"... I don't come to music forums for that.

So- pinned bridge: YAY for anyone with a bigsby or plays aggressively, and NAY for all you jazz fogies (I kiiid, I kiiid)

**PTChristopher** · 07-17-2012, 08:49 PM

>>> Everyones on a hair trigger !

Har-har.

But yeah, while I have views on handguns, they were not part of my post. If a member was named "Flintlock" or "Muzzle Loader" I would have similarly speculated they would be fine with one-string at a time.

**ruger9** · 07-17-2012, 08:56 PM

Originally Posted by PTChristopher

>>> Everyones on a hair trigger !

Har-har.

But yeah, while I have views on handguns, they were not part of my post. If a member was named "Flintlock" or "Muzzle Loader" I would have similarly speculated they would be fine with one-string at a time.

If I misunderstood your post, I do apologize... but it wouldn't be the first time someone on a forum "went there" based solely on my username.

Not that I care what anybody thinks, the world can kiss my #ss, but if I misunderstood you, apologies. I'd like to think in music forums, we're all on the "same team", just looking to discuss & gain knowledge. In here, I'd like to think we're politics-free. Heck, If I only listened to people who thought the way I do politically, my ipod would probably be pretty light... so I like to keep the worlds separate. One shouldn't influence the other. "Shut up and sing" (or play)...as they say.

**jasonc** · 07-17-2012, 10:01 PM

Originally Posted by ruger9

"patently useless"? Don't get carried away. As stated, it sets intonation for a set gauge of strings and bridge. That's a very good thing in a gigging guitar that has it's strings changed frequently. Especially if those string changes have to be done in a hurry. It's quicker, easier, and faster than taping down the bridge. And if the guitar has a bigsby, your "patently useless" charge becomes absurd.

Oh yeah- and it saves tape.

BTW- no need to get in a huff over the use of the word "tradition"... just because some people lean "traditional" and some lean "modern" (Martin vs Taylor comes to mind), neither is "wrong." And I did know the Bigsby was the reason for the pinned bridge on the Gretsches- I had just forgotten, living with the Grestch for so long. So don't think I'm passing judgement- and neither should you. If you or anyone else wants to stick with tradition for traditions sake, be my guest. And I'll go modern for function. Everybody wins.

In my opinion.

I wouldn't go so far as to say it's "tradition for traditions sake". It's just that most players don't see a need to do it. If it bothers you to have a floating bridge then pin it if not then don't. For what it's worth, I always change strings by leaving the E's and changing everything else then go back and change the two E strings. This includes my unpinned 6120 with a bigsby.

**hot ford coupe** · 07-17-2012, 11:13 PM

At least we haven't gotten to the point of insulting the hell out of each other yet. To each his own I always say.

Since I play fingerstyle and rather lightly at that, I don't tend to move my bridge. I'm not crazy about a pinned bridge because I used to collect vintage archtops and the pinning reduces the value of a high end instrument. Years ago, I bought a 1976 Guild Award artist which was supposed to be a really good guitar. When I got it, I waited too long to change the strings and realized the bridge was pinned and some moron cut into a good carved top instrument. It was too late to return it but the guitar still sounded pretty good once I unpinned it. Fortunately, it was pinned with a thin wood dowel whch I was able to trim down. I'll never be able to senll it to another collector for any significant cash.

When it comes to a new Gretsch guitar, particularly the laminated ones, I don't think it makes a difference to the value since the guitar is not vintage and most likely will never be a collectible. Is it one of the less or more expensive Gretsch guitars?

**Jabberwocky** · 07-18-2012, 02:33 AM

Is there something in the water? Time to call in the EPA or Homeland Security?

Yeah, the veal tastes funny.

**Space Pickle** · 07-18-2012, 02:45 AM

i think i will be changing my name to 'muzzle loader'

MUSKETS AHOY

**PTChristopher** · 07-18-2012, 05:42 AM

Must be something in the water. Geez, I was not expecting another round of this,...

**oldane** · 07-18-2012, 06:07 AM

Originally Posted by ruger9

Except when you change the strings, unless you change them one at a time, I guess.

Sometimes I think jazzers are simply too hung up on tradition?

Usually I do change them one or two at a time. But even when changing them all at once, I don't find it difficult to find the right placement for the bridge afterwards. Another poster said it took him less than 2 minutes. I'd venture to say I can do it faster than that.

Yes, we jazzers are hung up on tradition. Just check the heated discussions about the merits - or the lack thereoff - of carved vs. laminated tops for amplifed plying. But for me it's not about that in this case. It's just, why would I put pins in the guitar top when I have no need for it whatsoever. I don't have any problem it would solve.

I can see the benefit with a Bigsby, though. But with a Bigsby, bridges with a rocking saddle and/or roller saddles can come in handy. Whatever, I don't like Bigsbys on an archtop, but that's just me.

Originally Posted by PTChristopher

.... maybe stop the Townshend-style windmill strumming during "Stella by Starlght" and all of the sudden a pinned bridge seems limited in value.

In Pete Townshends case it would hardly have been worth the hassle to mount pins - considering what he would do to the guitar right after he had finished those windmill strums. For my part, the only windmills in my playing are those in the lyrics of "The Windmills of your Mind".

**ruger9** · 07-18-2012, 06:14 AM

Originally Posted by oldane

Yes, we jazzers are hung up on tradition. Just check the heated discussions about the merits - or the lack thereoff - of carved vs. laminated tops for amplifed plying. But for me it's not about that in this case. It's just, why would I put pins in the guitar top when I have no need for it whatsoever. I don't have any problem it would solve.

That's a topic I'm still learning about, with regards to the vintage instruments, since so many amazing vintage ones were laminate, I didn't realize it was a heated debate for amplified playing. Acoustic playing, of course solid wins... but amplified? (not to change the topic) But that's why I come here... to read & learn.

**oldane** · 07-18-2012, 07:01 AM

Originally Posted by ruger9

That's a topic I'm still learning about, with regards to the vintage instruments, since so many amazing vintage ones were laminate, I didn't realize it was a heated debate for amplified playing. Acoustic playing, of course solid wins... but amplified? (not to change the topic) But that's why I come here... to read & learn.

You and I are on the same page with that subject - but a lot of other forum participients will beg to differ.

**hot ford coupe** · 07-18-2012, 01:51 PM

I remember a gig I played where one of the guests was supposed to be some hot shot guitarist from Nashville. At the time I was playing one of the Vestax D'As and he asked to play it. I figured he's a pro so I didn't think it was going to be a problem. (BTW, it's because of this guy that I don't let anyone play my guitars anymore). He started to strum on that thing with a pick like a gorilla trying to break bricks. I tried to get my guitar back but he wouldn't let go of it. Finally I got it out of his hands and looked at the instrument. In one song, he moved my bridge 1/4 inch down out of position. In a case like this guy, get a cheap laminate and pin it away or better yet, if you're going to wang on it, get a flat top with a glued down bridge. Relevance to the topic? Not much, but it does make sense with that kind of use. As for pinning it strictly for restringing purpose, I wouldn't. It's pretty easy to learn how to intonate an archtop if you like to take all the strings off at one time. When I change strings, I reintonate the guitar no matter how I restring.

**Jabberwocky** · 07-18-2012, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

... (BTW, it's because of this guy that I don't let anyone play my guitars anymore). He started to strum on that thing with a pick like a gorilla trying to break bricks. ...

That's got to hurt. Nobody but nobody touches my guitars anymore because I had a similar experience with another not-so-hotshot guitarist and other bits of gear. I lent free of charge, my brand-new Gitzo camera tripod and Arca-Swiss ball-head to a fellow photographer once. Came back with bent handles, paint chips and scratches all over. Not even an apology. He looked at me as if I was out of my mind to dare ask him why my erstwhile brand-new tripod and ball-head came back this way.

A classical guitarist friend of mine had an expensive classical guitar which was finally delivered to him after a very long wait. Eager to show it off, he brought it to a classical guitar society meeting. Generous to a fault, he handed it out to a new face who was attending the meeting the first time. The fellow starting doing flamenco taps on the soundboard and furious rasgueados on it. When he handed it back, there were dents in the top and grooves in the French polished top from his long nails. It was a classical guitar (and a very expensive one at that) for F^^k's sake. No golpe attached.

Next time someone wants to wang on my guitars or borrow my gear, I tell him to go to a rental house and pay to RENT! No more being a free showroom.

You wanna know what a Gibson Super 400CES sounds like. Buy one or rent.

A tepid "Sorry" won't cut it anymore with me. Pay for the damage, weasel.

Sorry for the off-topic rant.

**Spook410** · 07-18-2012, 02:34 PM

In for future thread: 'Gunsmith vs Luthier Tools for DIY'

**PTChristopher** · 07-18-2012, 04:18 PM

In for future "non-political" member names:

- Prius4All
- SinglePayer
- NoBailout
- Tec 9
- Betsy

**hot ford coupe** · 07-18-2012, 08:58 PM

Originally Posted by Jabberwocky

Sorry for the off-topic rant.

You don't need to apologize for that one. As I see it and as you pointed out, it can become a very serious thing. We pay alot for our guitars (no matter what the price point) and we take care of them like they were our kids. We don't need some moron coming along doing windmills with a metal washer he had in his pocket on your custom made guitar. BTW, if I do on some rare occasion let someone play my cheapest guitar and he plays the intro to Stairway to Heaven (the Led Zep one) to show me he can "really play", I won't be responsible for my actions.

**Jabberwocky** · 07-19-2012, 01:14 AM

Originally Posted by hot ford coupe

You don't need to apologize for that one. As I see it and as you pointed out, it can become a very serious thing. We pay alot for our guitars (no matter what the price point) and we take care of them like they were our kids. We don't need some moron coming along doing windmills with a metal washer he had in his pocket on your custom made guitar. BTW, if I do on some rare occasion let someone play my cheapest guitar and he plays the intro to Stairway to Heaven (the Led Zep one) to show me he can "really play", I won't be responsible for my actions.

Stairway to Heaven...a song so good that it became bad (as in execrably bad, not Ebonics BaaaaaD).

**LtKojak** · 08-03-2012, 11:04 AM

I must be a very bad boy because I've changed the bridge in my Gibson L-5 CES copy from a rosewood one to a TOM and I've GLUED the rosewood support (with Super Glue) to the top.

It still sounds wonderful, it intonates wonderfully and I can change strings as I please, cleaning the fretboard everytime.

Life is good...

**oldane** · 08-03-2012, 11:19 AM

Originally Posted by LtKojak

I must be a very bad boy because I've changed the bridge in my Gibson L-5 CES copy from a rosewood one to a TOM and I've GLUED the rosewood support (with Super Glue) to the top.

To each his own. But that's a thing I would never ever do. If I was searching a guitar an came by one with the bridge base glued on like that, I'd not buy it, its other virtues nonwithstanding.