Help, wrap around issue, what to use?

paulnb57

Guys I'm getting myself more and more confused and don't want to buy the wrong part...
LPJr style guitar with wrap around bridge..offset studs, the bridge I have is obviously wrong.....look how the strings pass over it, I had to file notches in the compensation ridges to make it work....but what to replace it with? Compensated or plain? I am uttely lost, online shops dont say if the bridges are for offset studs or not.....

http://i.imgur.com/m2cknS9.jpg

Rox

@streethawk will be able to help I reckon.  I got a great compensated bridge from him, highly recommended!

ICBM

I think the problem there is that although the studs *are* offset, they're positioned as if they were straight - the lateral spacing is symmetrical, if you look at where the posts are relative to the corners of the pickup cover.

To fix this you will need a bridge where the overall position and the individual saddles can be adjusted separately, like the old Leo Quan Badass or the PRS adjustable stoptail. Then you can set the bridge straight, and still intonate each string.

Neil

If offset studs - a plain one surely?

Alternatively get a Badass type.

*Edit* Oops ICBM beat me to it. 

WezV

Don't ever get a badass.  There are so many better adjustable wrarounds these days.  PRS, Pigtail and Tonepros all do brilliant adjustable wraparounds with plenty of saddle adjustment

ICBM

WezV said:

Don't ever get a badass.  There are so many better adjustable wrarounds these days.  PRS, Pigtail and Tonepros all do brilliant adjustable wraparounds with plenty of saddle adjustment

I loved the Badass I had on my original '57 LP Junior. It sounded much better than the original tailpiece. [/heresy]

For a guitar like this where you need a significant adjustment range on the main post slots, it's actually still hard to beat - most of the modern ones are too narrow.

mike_l

The only reasonable action is a new guitar.

victorludorum

Aren't lightning bolt bridges supposed to be straight? I have one and I filled the original TOM stud holes and re-drilled them to be horizontal for a lightning bolt bridge. To be honest I haven't set it up yet, so it may be completely wrong...

Funkfingers

It is obvious from the photograph that the OP guitar is constructed with an intonation compensation angle factored in to the stud placement. With this, it is normal practice to use a plain-topped bridge/tailpiece. 

The Gibson scale length is nominally 24.75" but variances mean that the actual length can be a quarter of an inch or so less. As the scale length varies, so should the intonation compensation correction angle. (Hence, the adjustment grub screws.)

The string path issue is best illustrated by a photograph that ICBM posted in your other thread on this topic. The path taken by the strings through the bridge is perpendicular to the centre line along the bar. The path taken by each string from the bridge node to the nut is the shortest straight line. This line deviates from the perpendicular path through the bridge. Therefore, it is necessary to reverse engineer that deviation into the position of the studs. 

Judging by the path that the strings take around your compensated bridge, that deviation from the centre line of the guitar body has not been factored in. Thus, even if you change to a plain topped bar, your strings are not going to align perfectly with the polepieces of your P90.

amarok1971

I have a tonepros bridge for sale if you want it

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

Judging by the path that the strings take around your compensated bridge, that deviation from the centre line of the guitar body has not been factored in. Thus, even if you change to a plain topped bar, your strings are not going to align perfectly with the polepieces of your P90.

Exactly - so what you need is a bridge with enough adjustment range on the main slots to set the bridge itself straight, and then enough adjustment range on the saddles to intonate it correctly.

amarok1971 said:

I have a tonepros bridge for sale if you want it

That looks like a good option. Although the slot adjustment is slightly less than the Badass, the saddle adjustment is greater so it should work even if you can't set the bridge exactly straight.

paulnb57

Thanks folks, from previous replies I was beginning to think there may be an issue with the stud placement

paulnb57

I think I have a couple of options before attacking the body
Option one is to buy a Badass copy and see if it will mount at right angles to the strings (straight rather than offset) and intonate..
Second is to mount the current bridge in a drill press and relieve the string exit holes to allow a straighter route over the bridge and into the existing filed notches to tidy the aesthetics up as it intonates ok, just looks odd....

Failing that plug and redrill......

Funkfingers

Additional woodworking is going to look fugly.

ICBM said:
a bridge with enough adjustment range on the main slots to set the bridge itself straight, and then enough adjustment range on the saddles to intonate it correctly.

^
This.

Pigtail, Stew-Mac BadAss clone or the Gotoh 510 series wraparound. 

paulnb57

Ive ordered a cheap badass knock off to try and will go from there.......

Funkfingers

Good idea. Filing string guide notches into replaceable metal saddles has to be wiser than mangling wood.

Purists might argue that the absence of moving parts contributes to the vibration transmission of a basic wraparound bridge. This viewpoint is of little help for your guitar issue. 

For some reason, I imagined that Schaller used to make a BadAss-alike but with roller saddles for side-to-side adjustment. That would have been ideal.

ICBM

Funkfingers said:

For some reason, I imagined that Schaller used to make a BadAss-alike but with roller saddles for side-to-side adjustment. That would have been ideal.

I didn't think you were imagining it, but I've looked and I can't find it...

They did them with plain brass saddles, with and without fine tuners, and a bass version which definitely has roller saddles, but it looks like they may have never done a guitar one with rollers, even though they also did a standard tune-o-matic with them.

In any case it's a rather clunky design which looks even worse than the Badass!

sawyer

Plain vintage spec aluminium wraparound Faber bridge available from Amber guitars. Streethawk on here. Holes are correct you've just got the wrong bridge. Check out my avatar with GSPBASSES Junior with angled bridge. Intonation isn't too far out. 

WezV

ICBM said:

WezV said:

Don't ever get a badass.  There are so many better adjustable wrarounds these days.  PRS, Pigtail and Tonepros all do brilliant adjustable wraparounds with plenty of saddle adjustment

I loved the Badass I had on my original '57 LP Junior. It sounded much better than the original tailpiece. [/heresy]

For a guitar like this where you need a significant adjustment range on the main post slots, it's actually still hard to beat - most of the modern ones are too narrow.

 They may not have as much adjustment at the posts, but if you need that much then  I would rather plug and re-drill than use a badass.  We can see from the pic we have that it does not need that and a wrapround with the same footprint will work fine.    The ones I recommended all have more individual saddle adjustment than the  badass, but most importantly they feel a lot more solid. 

I have about 5 broken or rattly old baddass bridges in a drawer somewhere 2 have snapped at the big screws.

sawyer

Honestly just try a vintage style Faber plain wraparound 

paulnb57

Cheers @sawyer any chance of a photo of yours from the front to confirm mine is drilled the same as yours, before I shell out on another bridge please?