Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
- Thread starter Mr 9finger
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Axl H
Blowthebloodydoorsoffologist
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
+1. Have a Gotoh bridge on my ESP. Its heavy as hell, think it is steel but not sure. Quality stuff for sure
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
The simple answer is "it costs more". Machining a piece of hard metal takes much longer than casting or extruding, requires expensive tools, puts a great deal of wear and tear on said tools, and produces more waste.
The simple answer is "it costs more". Machining a piece of hard metal takes much longer than casting or extruding, requires expensive tools, puts a great deal of wear and tear on said tools, and produces more waste.
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
GFS make this TOM type bridge which they say is solid brass. It seems to have metric measurements so I'm not sure if it would fit a USA Gibson though.
Also Duesenberg bridges have steel saddles, but I don't know what the base of the bridge is made of. I would guess some kind of alloy as they don't specify that it's steel.
GFS make this TOM type bridge which they say is solid brass. It seems to have metric measurements so I'm not sure if it would fit a USA Gibson though.
Also Duesenberg bridges have steel saddles, but I don't know what the base of the bridge is made of. I would guess some kind of alloy as they don't specify that it's steel.
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
Yeah... emphasis on the name GIBSON here though. These guys never quite recovered from the Norlin Era, and now seem to be diving headlong into a new & improved (even more grotesque) perversion. Before the fanbois start making bombing runs, I have in my garage next to each other (among other things):
*1x Gibson LP Studio 50s Tribute, $800ish (optimistic list price half again that)
*1x Post-Soviet Russian-built 1990s Acoustic, bought for $40 (msrp likely half that, Russian retailers upmark something vicious & it was purchased in a city centre tourist spot on a whim). note here it's a prime example of "axe-hewn Soviet industrialism"... not at all a "fine masterpiece by an unknown starving third-world artisan". The neck is bolted - with *one* bolt - albeit it is a rather tricky system of allowing neck angle/action adjustment in theory, it's executed as cheaply as possible.
...and you know what? The action, the textures, the not-quite-blatantly offensive but still noticeably protruding frets, and most of all A) THE COLOURS, THE FEEL, AND THE OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE FINISH, and B) THE FRETBOARD - TO TOUCH, SIGHT, AND CLOSER INSPECTION, and even C) ON LOOKING INSIDE - THE WORKSMANSHIP "OUT OF SIGHT" ---- were, you guessed it, EERILY SIMILAR/DOWNRIGHT IDENTICAL.
The worst that the Land of the Free and the Evil Empire had to offer always did seem strikingly similar and disconcerting when first spotted. But this is something else. This here is the sign of the Post-Cold War stagnation OF BOTH. Some people just lost sight of their past ideals, most visible in the good ol' CCCP where it came instantly and en masse, but unfortunately, much of what used to be #1 about the USA followed suit... Something about no longer being locked in an ideological struggle for being The Best about everything to prove their point (oh yeah trust me them Soviets reaaaally tried, they just had a far weaker starting hand & crap management to boot), no longer viewing point position as the only clear choice and even number two as downright shameful, no longer being on a mission to prove something to the whole world - it screws people up if that's what they've lived for, for a loooong time. The very most iconic stuff fell first - yes, NASA & the space program, Detroit & the car industry, and so on - the ones that very all about showing the world & sticking it to them Reds public-like. BUT, with them went the very best ideals of American industry, and people instead started fighting the likes of China for every penny saved... Gibson was (unfortunately for them) never about sticking it to anyone in particular, so they'd already been in a bit of a rut from financial hard times, but once the overall doom and gloom of American industrial attitudes reached them, they really lost it. As my experience shows, in traditional Post-Soviet-style degradation.
COMPARISON PICS TO COME SOON. (just so no one can go and call bull-sh*t)
P.S. that's just gibson. what I love about the Japanese is that - forget a lil thing like the economy - no amount of quakes, nukes, or rising billion-strong belligerent neighbours is ever gonna get em down. their work ethic is a matter of PRINCIPLE, not sticking it to some ephemeral ideological competitor, but about coming home proud of how you spent your day, being proud about telling people what you do, and certainly not cringing if your toddler tells everyone they're gonna grow up just like dad. this kinda thing doesn't just evaporate when your main competition goes bust, when some vindictive feds impounds your woodshed, or when someone half the world away starts making knockoffs with your name misspelled on the headstock. japan'll do it well regardless, cause they don't need a reason - doing it well IS the reason. which is what I admire them for... much moreso than the two countries I grew up in.
P.P.S. the Gibby wasn't bought in Russia, from Russians, or with any hint of Russians having anything to do with it - made in America, bought in America, lays around ignobly ignored and unloved in America... not that there ever was much of a Made in Russia knockoff market. Just one luthier that I know of that would let people order Fender custom shop decals on his builds back in the days of wild 90s lawless capitalism, but his stuff convincingly rivaled custom shop stuff, and his stuff was for pros... the decals were for the new owners' vanity, not to fool anyone but their audiences.
Yeah... emphasis on the name GIBSON here though. These guys never quite recovered from the Norlin Era, and now seem to be diving headlong into a new & improved (even more grotesque) perversion. Before the fanbois start making bombing runs, I have in my garage next to each other (among other things):
*1x Gibson LP Studio 50s Tribute, $800ish (optimistic list price half again that)
*1x Post-Soviet Russian-built 1990s Acoustic, bought for $40 (msrp likely half that, Russian retailers upmark something vicious & it was purchased in a city centre tourist spot on a whim). note here it's a prime example of "axe-hewn Soviet industrialism"... not at all a "fine masterpiece by an unknown starving third-world artisan". The neck is bolted - with *one* bolt - albeit it is a rather tricky system of allowing neck angle/action adjustment in theory, it's executed as cheaply as possible.
...and you know what? The action, the textures, the not-quite-blatantly offensive but still noticeably protruding frets, and most of all A) THE COLOURS, THE FEEL, AND THE OVERALL IMPRESSION OF THE FINISH, and B) THE FRETBOARD - TO TOUCH, SIGHT, AND CLOSER INSPECTION, and even C) ON LOOKING INSIDE - THE WORKSMANSHIP "OUT OF SIGHT" ---- were, you guessed it, EERILY SIMILAR/DOWNRIGHT IDENTICAL.
The worst that the Land of the Free and the Evil Empire had to offer always did seem strikingly similar and disconcerting when first spotted. But this is something else. This here is the sign of the Post-Cold War stagnation OF BOTH. Some people just lost sight of their past ideals, most visible in the good ol' CCCP where it came instantly and en masse, but unfortunately, much of what used to be #1 about the USA followed suit... Something about no longer being locked in an ideological struggle for being The Best about everything to prove their point (oh yeah trust me them Soviets reaaaally tried, they just had a far weaker starting hand & crap management to boot), no longer viewing point position as the only clear choice and even number two as downright shameful, no longer being on a mission to prove something to the whole world - it screws people up if that's what they've lived for, for a loooong time. The very most iconic stuff fell first - yes, NASA & the space program, Detroit & the car industry, and so on - the ones that very all about showing the world & sticking it to them Reds public-like. BUT, with them went the very best ideals of American industry, and people instead started fighting the likes of China for every penny saved... Gibson was (unfortunately for them) never about sticking it to anyone in particular, so they'd already been in a bit of a rut from financial hard times, but once the overall doom and gloom of American industrial attitudes reached them, they really lost it. As my experience shows, in traditional Post-Soviet-style degradation.
COMPARISON PICS TO COME SOON. (just so no one can go and call bull-sh*t)
P.S. that's just gibson. what I love about the Japanese is that - forget a lil thing like the economy - no amount of quakes, nukes, or rising billion-strong belligerent neighbours is ever gonna get em down. their work ethic is a matter of PRINCIPLE, not sticking it to some ephemeral ideological competitor, but about coming home proud of how you spent your day, being proud about telling people what you do, and certainly not cringing if your toddler tells everyone they're gonna grow up just like dad. this kinda thing doesn't just evaporate when your main competition goes bust, when some vindictive feds impounds your woodshed, or when someone half the world away starts making knockoffs with your name misspelled on the headstock. japan'll do it well regardless, cause they don't need a reason - doing it well IS the reason. which is what I admire them for... much moreso than the two countries I grew up in.
P.P.S. the Gibby wasn't bought in Russia, from Russians, or with any hint of Russians having anything to do with it - made in America, bought in America, lays around ignobly ignored and unloved in America... not that there ever was much of a Made in Russia knockoff market. Just one luthier that I know of that would let people order Fender custom shop decals on his builds back in the days of wild 90s lawless capitalism, but his stuff convincingly rivaled custom shop stuff, and his stuff was for pros... the decals were for the new owners' vanity, not to fool anyone but their audiences.
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ginormous
Understatmentologist
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
It's the most abundant metal on earth... literally.
We drive over it, throw it away, and kick it down the street. It's everywhere.
It's easier to extrude aluminum, easier to machine it, and easier to recycle.
Shavings and scrapings are sold back as scrap, melted down and used again.
Aluminum alloys can be tough enough to stand up to a great deal of bashing around.
I disagree. It costs less to recycle aluminum than just about any other metal available.
It's the most abundant metal on earth... literally.
We drive over it, throw it away, and kick it down the street. It's everywhere.
It's easier to extrude aluminum, easier to machine it, and easier to recycle.
Shavings and scrapings are sold back as scrap, melted down and used again.
Aluminum alloys can be tough enough to stand up to a great deal of bashing around.
Empty Pockets
BadHairDayologist
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
Oh man. If I could get hardware that I knew for a fact was made of 100% melted Mountain Dew cans... MY TONE WOULD BE TOTALLY X-TREEEEEEEEEME
Oh man. If I could get hardware that I knew for a fact was made of 100% melted Mountain Dew cans... MY TONE WOULD BE TOTALLY X-TREEEEEEEEEME
ratherdashing
Kablamminator
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
You're mostly right, but you completely missed my point. I'm not saying aluminum itself isn't cheap. I'm saying it's cheaper to cast or extrude zinc alloy (or any soft metal) than it is to machine an aluminum (or any hard metal) billet, unless you're only making a few pieces.
You're mostly right, but you completely missed my point. I'm not saying aluminum itself isn't cheap. I'm saying it's cheaper to cast or extrude zinc alloy (or any soft metal) than it is to machine an aluminum (or any hard metal) billet, unless you're only making a few pieces.
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
Wilkinson makes brass bridges in black (and every other color).
Locking studs, too.
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Wilkinson-Brass-Roller-Bridge-Locking-Studs-in-Black_p_867.html
But Hunter, that's a Guitarfetish link - aren't they crappy importy stuff?
You could find the same bridge at StewMac for $10 more, but they don't stock black ones.
Wilkinson makes brass bridges in black (and every other color).
Locking studs, too.
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Wilkinson-Brass-Roller-Bridge-Locking-Studs-in-Black_p_867.html
But Hunter, that's a Guitarfetish link - aren't they crappy importy stuff?
You could find the same bridge at StewMac for $10 more, but they don't stock black ones.
ImmortalSix
John Mayer's Mankini
Re: Does anyone make a tune o matic bridge for an LP that isn't pot metal?
You guys (and I) missed it - Jeremiah solved the thread 4 days ago.
You guys (and I) missed it - Jeremiah solved the thread 4 days ago.
