Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

daan

daan

New member
OK I don't know squat about these, all the Gibson-style guitars I've had either had a stop-tail (Jr-style, non adjustable) or if it did have a Tuna and a stoptail together, I never had it long enough to worry about it. I have a LP-style (in pieces) and a guy said he was interested in it, if I could include an "upgraded" bridge. I mean, my guitar is a 70's Hondo but when it was whole, I don't remember having any trouble with the bridge. It didn't rattle, it looked corroded and some of the screws didn't match but they all worked (I could intonate it) I realize I don't really know anything about these bridges, is it like any other guitar part where they all are as good as each other, but some guys like one better than the other? I'm sure I can just order up something from GFS/random web site, would that be fine, or not any better than what I already have? If one is clearly better (for a good reason, not just "name brand" or fashion or whatever) lemme know.

Thanks!
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Dan that loks like a Nashville bridge. Its a decent bridge but some of these due to the neck angle the strings can rest on the back of the bridge and can cause the strings to break. Personally I prefer the ABR style bridge (think vintage Gibson's) With the ABR to screws that adjust the bridge height go directly into the body of the guitar like the photo I posted. They also have an overall better tone, but there is really nothing wrong with a Nashville bridge, it just needs a bit of cleaning. What I would do is spray it down with WD 40 (which is an excellent cleaner) then hit it with a light bristled nylon or brass brush. Let the WD40 soak for a bit and it should work fine after that. It looks like the saddles are kind of chewed up but that is to be expected when you play it some. If you choose to replace the saddles consider string savers. They are graphite & will warm up the guitar a bit and should eliminate strings from breaking. I have these on almost all my electrics(a few I haven't changed yet) and I really can't remember the last time I broke a string..
DSC_4450.jpg
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

This is NOT a Gibson "Nashville" bridge. It is actually closer to the vintage-styled wired ABR-1 bridges common from the 1960's thru now. The original ABR-1 did not use a wire retainer, and modern Historics also do not use the retainer. My mid-90's LP 1960 Classics have a wired ABR-1 bridge. I also have a Hondo 335-clone with a similar bridge.

Being Japanese, it will almost certain have metric specs, rather than SAE specs of a USA-made piece.

What are the bridge posts like? Are they fairly big and round flat-head or hex-head screws?

Personally, I really think your potential buyer is messing with you on this, and I'd be reluctant to change it for him. I'd maybe give him a $5 or $10 credit, and let him deal with it. But if you feel you must, you may be able to find something at Stewart-MacDonald. Measure carefully.

Bill
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Not a Nashville...not even close. It is an ABR-1.

I wouldn't change it. Let the buyer get whatever he wants.
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

What Bludave, GuitarDoc, and BoggieBill said. Stew/Mac has what you need at reasonable prices, as does Amazon, if you have to go that way. Screw posts MUST go directly into the body and not into those horrible sleeves (total tone suckers) Had one of my guitars drilled out so I could put hard maple dowels in place of the sleeves, made a Huge difference.
I had 2 Hondo's in the late '70's and both were hardtail. Go figure. I put and old T-Top in the bridge, the only pickup slot it came with, and it was snow white, solid alder or ash, And I took it on the road for 4 years, it was smallish, strat like, Fender scale length, bolt on maple neck, sang like a banshee through my '67 blackface bassman W/1 celestion 12 and 1 JBL D120.
Left my L.P.'66 at my mom's house.
Sorry, a little off topic nostalgia.
Steve B.
 
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Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Boogie Bill said:
This is NOT a Gibson "Nashville" bridge. It is actually closer to the vintage-styled wired ABR-1 bridges common from the 1960's thru now. The original ABR-1 did not use a wire retainer, and modern Historics also do not use the retainer. My mid-90's LP 1960 Classics have a wired ABR-1 bridge. I also have a Hondo 335-clone with a similar bridge.

Being Japanese, it will almost certain have metric specs, rather than SAE specs of a USA-made piece.

What are the bridge posts like? Are they fairly big and round flat-head or hex-head screws?

Personally, I really think your potential buyer is messing with you on this, and I'd be reluctant to change it for him. I'd maybe give him a $5 or $10 credit, and let him deal with it. But if you feel you must, you may be able to find something at Stewart-MacDonald. Measure carefully.

Bill
Click to expand...

Bill the size of the holes that support the bridge threw me. ABR's usually have a smaller post hole then Nashville? so is it some form of hybrid? Not sure.
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Yes, a hybrid. The holes appear to be much bigger than either a Nashville or ABR-1 bridge, typical of many Japanese-made guitars of the '70s. Gibson started using the wire retainer on the ABR-1 bridge in the early '60s. The bridge does appear to have a larger amount of saddle travel, ala a Nashville, so a hybrid--and a funky one.

The Nashville bridge has different mounting studs than the ABR-1, and it is designed to have a wider range of string-length adjustment (for proper intonation). The Nashville is also engineered to eliminate the problem that the ABR-1 bridges have of slightly collapsing in the center, throwing off the correct curvature of the bridge and making the guitar difficult to play. One of the real secrets of getting a guitar to play great is getting the radius of the bridge saddles to match up with the fingerboard radius. It's easy to do with a Fender-style bridge, but on a Tune-O-Matic, the saddles have to be filed to get the best action. If the bridge collapses, it will be too flat in the center section, and it will be more difficult to bend the strings.

So this guitar bridge is neither an ABR-1 nor a Nashville, but a Japanese iteration. I really think it could be a really headache to replace without some major modifications to the guitar; and IMHO, probably not worth the effort. I would try to clean up the existing bridge as much as possible, and leave the guitar in its original condition.

Bill
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Of course it's a weird piece. I'd prefer something "drop in", but that would involve not buying $99 guitars, right? :rolleyes:

I will try to clean this one up instead of replacing it, then. THank you guys.
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Boogie Bill said:
Yes, a hybrid. The holes appear to be much bigger than either a Nashville or ABR-1 bridge, typical of many Japanese-made guitars of the '70s. Gibson started using the wire retainer on the ABR-1 bridge in the early '60s. The bridge does appear to have a larger amount of saddle travel, ala a Nashville, so a hybrid--and a funky one.Bill
Click to expand...

Not quite.

Yes, the holes are bigger than an ABR-1, but there is no more saddle travel than an ABR-1. Definitely not even close to a Nashville! The Nashville has about 50% more saddle travel.

I wouldn't call it a hybrid at all. It's just a typical Asian copy of an ABR-1 with larger holes.
 
Re: Gibson TUne-0-matic bridge Q

Yes, correct. At first I thought it had the narrower frame and the wider travel of the Nashville, but in looking at it again, it's definitely in the ABR-1 camp. And I double checked my Hondo 335 clone and it is the same as the one pictured.

Bill
 
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