I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

[Artie]

The guitar in question is this: Strange-new-project-MIJ-Vantage-VP795

When I got this, the bridge pup, (a DiMarzio Super D), had one coil open. Forum bro Zhangliqun rewound it for me. I was just putting this thing back together when I noticed the the bridge is missing two intonation screws. The bridge is a MIJ LS. (Top) I have a cheap Chinese roller bridge that's a drop-in replacement. (Bottom)



On one hand, I'd like to keep this as original as possible. On the other hand, so much has already been changed that I'm not sure it's worth the effort. So, what I'm asking is, should I try to find these two counter-sunk saddle screws, or just drop the roller bridge in there and call it a day?

Artie

 

[kramersteen]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Roller Bridge.

 

[AlexR]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

I can't see any advantage to originality.......see what I did there.

Its not a burst or 50's Fender. The only thing you'll only lose by putting on a new bridge is unplayability or lack of adjustment

 

[Lazarus1140]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

What he said

 

[Artie]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Cool. That's what I was hoping you all would say.

Roller bridge it is. Film@11.

Artie

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Tone gets lost with roller bridges (yes, I know I recently ran a thread about finding new roller saddles for my custom headless guitar, but for instruments with the tuners behind the bridge, rollers are a must). For any instrument that doesn't need roller saddles, don't use them.

And my experiences are with Schaller roller bridges. Tone was lost with those, so I certainly wouldn't expect any better from cheaper Chinese variations.

There will be plenty of affordable non-roller Tune-O-Matics that will fit. No doubt some people will post about their experiences and how they couldn't hear the loss of tone with roller bridges. I can't help people who can't hear properly, this is posted by someone who can hear ... if you don't need roller saddles, don't use them unless you enjoy compromising the sound quality of your instrument. For the sake of a few dollars, the savings are not worth the losses.

 

[Rand-O-Monium]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Do the other bridge screws fit?
Assuming not,I'd just get something from GFS probably.

Mebbe daan's got some,tho!
Or a whole 'nother bridge for that matter.


:wave:

edit:
Nice woodgrain!

 

[Artie]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Ok guys . . . when you say "tone" will be lost, what, exactly do you mean? Treble, sustain, harmonics, mojo . . . ? What?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Artie

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Ok guys . . . when you say "tone" will be lost, what, exactly do you mean? Treble, sustain, harmonics, mojo . . . ? What?

Inquiring minds want to know.

Artie

The overriding effect will most likely be lack of strength of tone, if that makes sense (similar to the top two or three strings on a Strat with no string trees). A normal TOM bridge saddle is a solid piece of metal ... the equivalent roller saddle is a smaller amount of metal with some kind of pin inserted as an 'axle', and upon that axle spins a small roller. The tolerances involved are not accurate in such a saddle, which is actually three separate pieces with two extra areas of 'play' (between the saddle and the axle pin, and between the pin and the roller).

But you are in an ideal situation to find out for yourself. If the cheap roller bridge you have already fits the guitar, you could fit it and use it whilst seeking out another bridge with solid saddles (i.e. 'non-roller'). Then swap out the roller bridge for the non-roller version and compare what you hear.

You might feel the guitar sounds fine with the roller bridge, but I almost guarantee it will give up a stronger, more solid (and probably more resonant) tone with a solid-saddle bridge. In terms of the balance of frequencies (i.e. what frequencies may be lost or emphasised at the expense of something else), I can't say, and that will probably vary from bridge to bridge, and installation to installation.

And of course there's the possibility of the 'sitar sound' creeping in on particularly sloppy or poorly-machined/ fitted rollers ... that slight 'zing-iness' accompanying the weakened note, (or even dominating it in severe instances). Now that's a loss of proper tone almost anyones' ears should detect.

 

[EDX]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

if you want the softer feel of non square-y roller saddles and the solid tone of solid saddles you should look at graphtech saddles, either string savers or tusq saddles, personally i like their tusqxl nuts better than common graphite, corian and bone (actually i cannot tell the tone difference between tusq xl and bone but tusq is way easier to work)

 

[Artie]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

But you are in an ideal situation to find out for yourself. If the cheap roller bridge you have already fits the guitar, you could fit it and use it whilst seeking out another bridge with solid saddles (i.e. 'non-roller'). Then swap out the roller bridge for the non-roller version and compare what you hear.

That's a great idea. And, it will get me up and running, so to speak, immediately.

 

[daan]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

One of my Arias has a roller bridge, and it sounded "tinny" and cheap, and one of the strings was almost banjo-like. I got a cheap chinese TOM to replace it and it sounds WAY better, even though I paid, like, $5 for the bridge...
As far as which one to use, I'd say, the new one, unless the spacing/height etc. is different enough that you need to plug and re-drill the bushing holes. I'm still in the middle of 2 different bridge relocation projects, the original bridges LOOKED like TOM's, but every measurement was off enough that it wasn't a "drop in" replacement.
And if you're still worried about originality (I wouldn't be, but take that for what it's worth) you can always chuck the original bridge into the case to keep it around, assuming you don't have to mod the guitar too much to use a new one.

 

[Artie]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Thanks for the feedback guys. I'm definitely going to do a combination of all your thoughts. I'll do the roller bridge for now. That way, in the future, I can speak somewhat intelligently on the tonal affect of a roller bridge. And in the mean time, I keep forgetting that my luthier buddy has a "30-year" box of forgotten guitar parts. I'll bet dollars-to-doughnuts that he's got a saddle and screw or two.

 

[kramersteen]

Re: I need your thoughts on replacing my Vantage bridge.

Before you install the bridge can you do my diagram? :deal: