Hofner Jazzica: problem solved!

[jbucklin]

I remembered this morning that the Ibanez SJ300 I recently bought came with an extra, tuneomatic bridge in case you prefer it over the ebony bridge that's installed on it. I put it on the Jazzica, intonated it and voila! all notes on the guitar are clear as a bell. Of course it also changed the tone of the guitar, so I'm hoping someone can direct me to a website that sells high quality ebony bridges. Also, the strings are perfectly positioned over the polepieces. Still want the Zoller though, after listening to Jimmy Raney's albums where he played his Hofner with the Zoller pup.

Thanks to everyone who so graciously advised me on this problem.

[pubylakeg]

Good news !. Happy playing. Keep us posted on the Zoller installation please.

[vinlander]

In my opinion ebony bridge on electric arch top are overrated; unless you like to loose sustain and note definition, a TOM is the way to go for an electric Arch top
What super 400, L5, Tal and 175 are coming stock with ?

[jbucklin]

Yeah, you know, I went and found a pic of an L-5 because I thought I remembered that they came stock with a TOM, and of course they do. Note separation was pretty bad on the Jazzica with the ebony bridge. So, the TOM not only fixed my problem, the guitar just sounds much better overall; perfectly balanced and even-sounding. I think I'll stick with the TOM.

[goldenwave77]

Funny how this works.

I have a Benedetto-type acoustic archie that sounds better with the TOM that I took off the L4-CES.

The L4-CES was improved with an ebony bridge...the TOM was too jangly sounding.

Exactly contrary to what I would have predicted, or expected. Sometimes a little "crackpot empiricism" is the way to go.

[jbucklin]

It's interesting to note that the Ibanez SJ300 sounds great with the ebony bridge. Every guitar is different and can be quite fussy about strings, bridges, pickups, etc. Part of the fun I guess---they're surprisingly like women!

[avenir]

I recently installed a Zoller AZ48 on a D'Angelico EXL-1 (replaced the KA-licensed floater) -- can't say enough good about it! Got it through Amazon, come in 2 days.... Highly recommended! I also use an ebony bridge, preferred over the TOM on this guitar, brought out the best acoustic qualities. I also run roundwound 12's if that helps any. Best of luck in your tone search.

[neatomic]

nice avenir!! enjoy

keep tellin jb zoller thru celestion gold is gonna kill!!



cheers

[Watson]

I realize this thread is a bit old, but how did you fit the ToM to your Jazzica? Mine's bridge base won't accommodate a Gotoh ToM, and a standard Gibson-style bridge base needs a ridiculous amount of material removed to fit my Jazzica's top, and it's too long besides (it nearly touches the soundholes).

[neatomic]

I realize this thread is a bit old, but how did you fit the ToM to your Jazzica? Mine's bridge base won't accommodate a Gotoh ToM, and a standard Gibson-style bridge base needs a ridiculous amount of material removed to fit my Jazzica's top, and it's too long besides (it nearly touches the soundholes).

don't know if jb is still aboard regularly, so...

the problem is the gotoh is metric and the hofner base is imperial..as is a gibson..you need to get a usa imperial tom to fit your jazzica bridge

this applies to post spacing...if the tom sits too high, that's another issue...

[Watson]

Ah, thank you! Yes, post spacing is exactly the issue, rather than height. I'll look around at other bridges then, thanks for the help!

[joe2517]

Ah, thank you! Yes, post spacing is exactly the issue, rather than height. I'll look around at other bridges then, thanks for the help!

Hi Watson,

Did you manage to find a TOM bridge that fitted the posts? I'm after one myself for my Jazzica and can't seem to find an Ibanez one...

Cheers

[Watson]

Nope! I've contented myself with the original bridge and don't feel any more inclination to change it, but when I was looking for a TOM to try I never did find one that would fit without fabricating a new bridge base. Regardless of whether it was metric or imperial, the post spacing was much too wide for the jazzica.

[Hammertone]

Hi Watson, Did you manage to find a TOM bridge that fitted the posts? I'm after one myself for my Jazzica and can't seem to find an Ibanez one... Cheers

Joe:

Hofner uses two specific wood bridges supplied by Teller. One has an ebony piece on top, and is Hofner OEM. The other is the classic "bits of fretwire that can be sort of intonated by being moved into various slots" that Hofner has been using since it was introduced by Teller @1953. It has a nice extra bit of zing that I like. The tops and bases of these two styles of bridge are interchangeable because the post spacing is the same.

However, the posts on these are spaced wider than those of American tune-o-matic style bridges, so a standard tune-o-matic bridge will not fit unless one modifies the bridge base by relocating the threaded posts. The easiest way to do this kind of bridge swap is to replace the bridge base as well when trying out a tune-o-matic style bridge.

Later versions of the Chancellor (and maybe one or two Thin Presidents with floating bridges) do come with a modified all-ebony bridge, that has post spacing to accommodate a standard tune-o-matic (a Schaller, in this case). This is a custom bridge that also has brass inserts in the bridge base to add mass, which changes the sound of the guitar. Hofner does offer replacement bridges, through your local Hofner dealer, but this last bridge is not offered. I suppose one could ask - I'm sure it wouldn't take more than a year or two for them to respond. Here: http://www.hofner-guitars.com/guitars-basses/spare-parts/bridges.html

[joe2517]

I read from the first post by jbucklin that there's an Ibanez TOM that fits the posts ok.

Similarly, on this thread - ABR/TOM Bridge Suggestion: Hofner New President - the 'no name Korean' TOM must fit as well.

[whiskey02]

Maybe a TOM with nylons saddles would be a nice “happy in the middle” compromise?