Need rosewood bridge from 60's in my es-175 guitar. Where can i buy?

[casa2301]

Hi everybody.

This is my first post.

I own a Gibson ES-175 from '66 with TOM nylon saddles. I'd like me buy a rosewood bridge to get a warmer sound..and a lower action.


I have some questions:

-Where can I purchase the best quality for the rosewood bridge to my 175? I've seen too many different prices, on the web.

- Would you recommended look for a vintage correct from 60's or a stock new bridge?

- Can I keep on my guitar the same rosewood TOM base, and replace compensated rosewood only ?

Thank you very much and sorry for my bad english

j m

[GNAPPI]

I replaced all of my TOM bridges on my archtops. Currently available rosewood and ebony bridges on EBAY have hole spacing to drop right onto the base you have.

At worst you may have to open the holes a bit to accommodate the slight curve of the top and cut the bridge for the string spacing.

[Paul B]

You can also check out the Sadowsky True-Tone bridge. It is designed to approximate the better intonation of the TOM, but all wood. Some aren't convinced, but I've been pleased with it. I have it on my Sadowsky Jim Hall and replaced the TOM on my L-4 with one. They come in both ebony and rosewood and can be dropped down on your existing base. They sell them off the Sadowsky website.


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[casa2301]

Thank to the both..

Gary, I found a rosewood compensating bridge, but it hasn't hole spacing correct onto my original base, and unopened upper holes .

I thought all rosewood bridges to the ES- 175 guitars from 60's had same size. Original bridge has 74 mm aprox from center of holes, and new bridge has 76-7 mm.

Some idea about origin of this unopened holes bridge? I always saw rosewood bridge with open holes..This bridge is normal?

[Hammertone]

Gary, I found a rosewood compensating bridge, but it hasn't hole spacing correct onto my original base, and unopened upper holes . I thought all rosewood bridges to the ES- 175 guitars from 60's had same size. Original bridge has 74 mm aprox from center of holes, and new bridge has 76-7 mm. Some idea about origin of this unopened holes bridge? I always saw rosewood bridge with open holes..This bridge is normal?

The bridge in your photo is the top half of a German-made bridge from Teller, who have been making bridges for over 100 years. These are high-quality bridges, but are not made as retrofits for Gibson products, hence the different post spacing. Guild used Teller bridges (as well as many other parts supplied by German makers) for years on their archtop guitars, along with many European makers, including Framus, Hofner, Hopf, Hoyer, Klira, Lang and more.
Josef Teller OHG - Manufacturer of bridges and accessories for stringed instruments and plucked instruments in Bubenreuth, Germany, since 1891

You can get a cheap standard replacement rosewood bridge that will fit from some of the typical guitar supply houses, like Allparts. Given the age of your guitar, I suggest seeking an original old Gibson part, which is easy to find and not particularly expensive. It was a very common Gibson part used on many Gibson archtops. Most older American guitar repair shops have drawers full of these as well - thousands of them were removed from Gibson guitars and replaced with tune-o-matic bridges over the years. They appear on ebay, reverb and so forth.

The complete Teller bridge will work fine, and will sound the same as an original Gibson bridge.
The base may need to be sanded to fit the curvature of the top of the ES-175. Or not.

[fws6]

German Guild bridge

[Greentone]

Yours can be a tall order. I moved a bridge over from my ES-125 to my 175, then decided to purchase a vintage bridge. This was years ago. I walked into John Sprung's shop in Wheaton, MD, and he had what I needed. (I miss Sprung's shop. Not only did he have maybe the best collection of old Fender instruments and amps on the East Coast, but he had boxes and boxes of just the right gizmo that you needed. Old Melita bridge for a Gretsch? No problem. Etc.)

Nowadays, it's the Internet. The first place I would try is archtop.com. Joe V. usually has bridges.

[casa2301]

Excellent Hammertone!!

Thank you very much for your assistance.

I own the base bridge also









My thinking was buy just a top half rosewood bridge, and put on my original gibson base, removing nylon saddles and ABR-1 .

Can I use the Josef Teller complete bridge centered on my 66' ES-175 , or not recommendable cause different post spacing? Difference is 2-3 mm

[Greentone]

That bridge would work, no? It has the compensated carve for a wound third--comes in handy if you are using TI Swing flat 13s or George Benson 12s...or D'Addario Chrome 12s. These are all good jazz sets. Did you try this bridge (as was pointed out, it's a Guild) and it didn't work? I should think that it _would_ work on a ES-175 body.

[casa2301]

Thank you Hammertoe and greentone..

I'll try but unopened holes on top half bridge not allow for to take down too much rosewood height..

[Hammertone]

Thank you Hammertoe and greentone..
I'll try but unopened holes on top half bridge not allow for to take down too much rosewood height..

If you are handy and careful, you can drill open the holes in the rosewood to allow for additional adjustment.
These particular bridges are high-quality but not rare or valuable, and can easily be modified. Stew-Mac sells them:
Archtop Guitar Bridge | stewmac.com

[Doctor Jeff]

+1 on the Stew Mac bridges.

I'm just gonna throw this out there:

Archtop Bridge with Bone Saddle | stewmac.com

What effect do you think this would have?

[whiskey02]

I would guess that a TOM with nylon saddles would be a nice compromise; accurate intonation and less bright than nickel covered brass?

[casa2301]

Seeking an original Gibson bridge, the cheapest cost 95 US (eBay vintagecorrect)...just the top half

Do you think that is correct price?


Vintage 1959 Gibson Archtop Rosewood Bridge Top ES 175 L 5 Super 400 Saddle L5 | eBay

[Hammertone]

Vintage Correct is useful as an indicator of the high end of the price range for vintage Gibson replacement parts. If you are not in a hurry, you will be able find the same part for less money elsewhere.

[Little Jay]

I may be wrong, but that bridge of Vintage Correct parts might not even be Gibson. To the best of my knowledge it should have brass inserts for the studs. All Gibson bridges from that period I have seen had those.

[laservampire]

Do the vintage Gibson rosewood bridges have the same post spacing as an ABR-1?

[casa2301]

I may be wrong, but that bridge of Vintage Correct parts might not even be Gibson. To the best of my knowledge it should have brass inserts for the studs. All Gibson bridges from that period I have seen had those.

Like this ?

[Hammertone]

I may be wrong, but that bridge of Vintage Correct parts might not even be Gibson. To the best of my knowledge it should have brass inserts for the studs. All Gibson bridges from that period I have seen had those.

The little brass inserts often go missing.
Removing them is also the easiest way to buy a little more adjustment room when lowering the action at the bridge. I think Gibson eventually decided that they were unnecessary.

Do the vintage Gibson rosewood bridges have the same post spacing as an ABR-1?

Yes.

[Little Jay]

Like this ?

Yes I meant those. But of course Hammertone can be right that they fell out.
(but hey, then it's even a defective part!)

[laservampire]

Yes.

Fantastic, thankyou so much!

Does anyone know of someone who makes reproductions of the original ES-175 bridges? Can't afford an original!

[Little Jay]

If you do a search on ebay for 'archtop bridge rosewood' you will find lots of them, even at prices from as low as $13. Most are pretty exact copies of the bridges Gibson uses as well (I don't think the design is exlusively Gibson), and I'm pretty sure any of those top parts will fit your bridge base (but why not just use the bridge base that comes with it?).


archtop bridge rosewood | eBay

I bought one of these for $29 my '48 ES-125: Rosewood Archtop Jazz Guitar Bridge Gold Posts Wheels Comp Saddle Archtop Guitar | eBay and the quality is very good, nice solid piece of rosewood (although shaped a little thicker and more robust than the originals). But this one has the solid bridge base, not the two-footed base that would be 'historically correct' for your guitar (but it is historically correct for early ES-125s :-)

I do notice that modern rosewood is darker than the rosewood used for the vintage bridges, most likely because it's no longer harvested in Brasil and Honduras, but in India (I think?). But if you want that you will pay big bucks (and it can't be shipped from USA to Europe anymore).

Oh, and since I am a freak, I sanded the sharp edges of the bridge I bought a little smoother, added some little scratches and greased the corners of it, simulating skin-contact with that part of the bridge and now it looks like it has been used for 60 years, like the rest of the guitar.....

[Little Jay]

Her you go, for $5 plus $5 shipping you can be done:

Archtop Jazz Guitar Rosewood Bridge Adjustable Height Chrome Hardware B09 | eBay

(although I must admit, that on this example the compensation looks a bit under-pronounced)



Personally I would spend a little more and I'd go for this one:

Self Adjusting Archtop Guitar Bridge in Rosewood German Made 107P | eBay

[casa2301]

Little Jay, thank very much for your recommendations and pics.!!

[Little Jay]

You're welcome casa2301!

(It's monday morning in the office and I don't feel like working yet )