Rosewood compensated bridge from India

[garybaldy]

Thought I'd share this ebay purchase. Took 10 days to the UK. Total cost $16.66. Seems a really nice product. Packed well. Just checked, it's now out of stock.

[garybaldy]

Thanks for the few likes I've had.
Thought there may have been a bit more response to this thread!
I've posted about this on a couple of fb archtop groups and have been inundated with responses - some pretty colourful!
May be it's because I suggested that I would be trying it out on my 1963 ES175!

[jazzshrink]

Thanks for the few likes I've had.
Thought there may have been a bit more response to this thread!
I've posted about this on a couple of fb archtop groups and have been inundated with responses - some pretty colourful!
May be it's because I suggested that I would be trying it out on my 1963 ES175!

Perhaps you'd get more responses if you provided a link to the item (even if it's sold out).

[Oscar67]

I’m also interested in where you got it from.

[sgosnell]

There are hundreds of those on ebay.

[garybaldy]

Perhaps you'd get more responses if you provided a link to the item (even if it's sold out).

Since you ask Guitar Bridge Rosewood Archtop model with Golden hardware GRETSCH GIBSON GUILD | eBay
I think they still have the Ebony.

[garybaldy]

I’m also interested in where you got it from.

Guitar Bridge Rosewood Archtop model with Golden hardware GRETSCH GIBSON GUILD | eBay
It seems to be of better quality than a similar looking one that is plentiful from China via Ebay and may be Amazon.

[garybaldy]

There are hundreds of those on ebay.

The Chinese one's, yes but I haven't seen so many of these slightly better (looking) ones from India.
I can't find any repros without the cut outs for the thumbwheels. Even Stewmac, Allparts, Teller, Thomann ones have the cut outs.
The makers need to stop doing the cut outs and also add the small metal bushes in the saddles a la Gibson.

[jazzshrink]

...I can't find any repros without the cut outs for the thumbwheels...

Don't the cut outs give you a little more room when lowering the bridge?

[garybaldy]

Don't the cut outs give you a little more room when lowering the bridge?

Yes, I guess so. It will also depend on the height of the saddle itself. The point I'm making though is that it's become apparent that a lot of people (not necessarily me included) don't like these repros as they are not like the original Gibsons. I thought I'd find at least one maker/supplier that did a true facsimile.

[RJVB]

Thought there may have been a bit more response to this thread!

Sorry, but I thought I'd better not state how I prefer full-contact bases and ebony for the saddle and that this one seems much too high for my guitar (plus I just put on a new bridge)

[garybaldy]

Sorry, but I thought I'd better not state how I prefer full-contact bases and ebony for the saddle and that this one seems much too high for my guitar (plus I just put on a new bridge)

Ok, you are excused. I guess you don't have a 175 with a footed bridge then. ps can I see your new bridge please?
And BTW the bridge I bought will have some height reduction from sanding the feet to the correct arch and possibly some off the saddle to match the f/b radius. Better to have too much than too little which aslo helps if you need to tweak the intonation.

[sgosnell]

I haven't looked lately, but the bridges from India used to be common. Maybe the Chinese have taken over in the past couple of years.

[RJVB]

ps can I see your new bridge please?

This is the saddle discussed here: Bone-insert saddles & AllParts/Foley bone-top adjustable bridge





I have the matching ebony saddle too but it doesn't have a sufficient radius and for now the bone insert saddle suits me. And the ebony/EIRW mix doesn't look half as bad as I had thought.

I had to take a considerable amount of wood off the base (it's still about 1/3 heavier than the original despite now having the same footprint) and also about 1.5mm (should have been more!) off the bottom of the bone insert, just to get the action low enough.

[StefanoGhirardo]

Garybaldy,
following your experience I've ordered the ebony bridge from the same vendor. I've bought other ebony bridges before: none were as well made and of fine grained heavy ebony as this one. Fair price and protective packaging complete the picture.
Thank you!

[garybaldy]

Garybaldy,
following your experience I've ordered the ebony bridge from the same vendor. I've bought other ebony bridges before: none were as well made and of fine grained heavy ebony as this one. Fair price and protective packaging complete the picture.
Thank you!

Glad my post helped you. I posted it in a fb group as well and a lot of people were dismissive of it (which I ignored!). The ebony one looks great. I have yet to put mine to good use. The plan was to fit it to my 63 175 which has a replacement wooden base which I can't identify with a Gibson TOM saddle. The guitar is fine as is apart from the slightly different look. What guitar are you putting the ebony one on.

[StefanoGhirardo]

I'll put it on this Epiphone Emperor Regent. I just have to overcome my laziness, because, in addition to adapting it to the curvature of the guitar, lowering it a bit and making the slots, I'll take advantage of it to put a new pup: following advice, hopefully as good as yours ;-) I took the Kent Armstrong 12 pole U.S.A.

[garybaldy]

I'll put it on this Epiphone Emperor Regent. I just have to overcome my laziness, because, in addition to adapting it to the curvature of the guitar, lowering it a bit and making the slots, I'll take advantage of it to put a new pup: following advice, hopefully as good as yours ;-) I took the Kent Armstrong 12 pole U.S.A.

That's very similar to my Fenix. I took the Zoller off it and put in a cheap used Ibanez mini hb. It's a great guitar and probably could do with a better pickup.

[RJVB]

Looks good!

Can I ask for the dimensions? (Footprint wxl, min. height and approx. radius if you have gauges for that.)

[StefanoGhirardo]

[RJVB]

Thanks!

[garybaldy]

There are hundreds of those on ebay.

There are 100s of bridges on ebay. I have purchased one of the "100s" but the one I've posted here is of better quality than all those "100s".