Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

[MetalManiac]

Since this beauty has premium pickups( Imperials-with RS guitarworks wiring) , sounds killer, plays great, why keep the Monkey Metal bridge?

I replaced the Zemac with a solid billet Brass Philidelphia Luthiers tailpiece, and last night the spirit moved me, and so I switched out the stock cheap Zemac (Zinc and Aluminum) TOM ABR-1bridge for a Wilkinson solid Brass roller bridge ( not the cheap knockoffs that are 15 bucks). whilst I was at it, I also ordered some steel thumb wheel s form Philadelphia Lutheir tools and Steel posts from Germany=whoa , German steel posts direct into the wood, yeah that MIGHT be better then zinc, ya think??-ha..

From what I have read, the aftermarket Gotoh and others Aluminum is a great step up ( although the solid billet aluminum stuff is a lot more expensive than the cast Gotoh and Faber middle range bridges ) , but I prefer brass. The Zemac is out of the question, and I laugh at you in extreme ridicule (J/K) all with your Gibsons with that stock tone robbing stuff-HA!;

The Brass Wilkie will do until I can see my way clear to get a Callaham cold rolled steel ABr-1 which are very costly.

Does it make a difference? All things being equal, oh HELL yeah!

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[daan]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

Very nice! Large guard + zebras look awesome on SG's.
(Not a critcism, just curious!) Why did you go with a roller bridge? I know why people use them on Bigsby equipped guitars but I was told by a couple people when I was looking for a bridge for my LP "You don't need rollers unless you have a trem", but nobody could tell me WHY not.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

Very nice! Large guard + zebras look awesome on SG's.
(Not a critcism, just curious!) Why did you go with a roller bridge?

becasue it's Monkey Metal, and tone robbing. I have no great love for the roller bridge, but there are no other options except the Aluminum upgrade billet bridges available only from Philidelphia Luthier tools (ebay) AFAIK, which are close to a hundred bucks.The Gotoh Aluminums and fabers are upgraedes too, but they are also cheaper alloys( Zemac is a zinc aluminum alloy),trust me I have looked high and low The Stew-Mac Wilkinson Brass Roller bridge a big old well machined hunk of solid brass (GFS sells these for less then where i got it which is Stewmac). ON ebay there are tons of cheap fake pot metal or Zemac knockoffs for about 15 dollars or less claiming to be real Wilkinsons).

I am astonished at this set-up. Makes an enormous difference with vintage style tone. For one thing -it is locking. I tended to get some squeal and unwanted feedback it loud volumes with my Hiwatt and the SG. with the bridge pickup. That is totally gone and the neck pickup, whicjh sounds incredible sounds even better, which is stunning.Once i get the steel posts (and thumbwheel) it should be icing on the cake.

The thing is, these upgrades really help solidify the tone at high volume cranked through a MNV amp,where you need to keep the guitar vibrations exact and tight ( and make sure your bridge and posts are tight and no wobble). If you don't have premium amps or guitars and even excellent pickups, then there would be no reason for you to even go there. If you want to know the reason for the Brass/ Sustain craze of yore, its sop the notes and chords and sound don not fizzle out, get thin, and squeal under vintage gain

The only problem i see is the intonation of it which I don't quite get yet.

BTW, did anyone see the old solid Brass Dimarzio switchitp?- it ties all the gold on the bridge together.I'm thinking I'll keep tis set up in perpetuity. The shiny brass on the parts shown should be well worn in with some extensive playwear.

 

[MetalManiac]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

I think Gibsons Custom Shop Les Pauls at least have the real old Brass posts, Brass thumbwheel and cast aluminum bridges? I need way more study on this.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

The original bridges for LP's were a zinc too. As are most modern ABR's.

I laugh at your misplaced scorn......mainly as for those who have tried swapping bridges (and tailpieces) it is not always the supposed 'superior' material that ends up winning tonally. Plenty have swapped in a Callaham (solid steel abr) only to take it off right away as it is quite bright - too bright in those cases..........but of course you'd say it has to be better as the 'monkey metal' couldn't possibly be superior.
One guy on MLP did a shootout with a few different bridges, only to find the best one for his guitar was the stock Gibson.

So it really is a guitar-by guitar basis for judging 'better'.

 

[ItsaBass]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

As usual, you don't know what the hell you are talking about. How the hell can you criticize something so harshly when you can't even spell it right?

 

[crusty philtrum]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

The thing is, these upgrades really help solidify the tone at high volume cranked through a MNV amp,where you need to keep the guitar vibrations exact and tight ( and make sure your bridge and posts are tight and no wobble). If you don't have premium amps or guitars and even excellent pickups, then there would be no reason for you to even go there. If you want to know the reason for the Brass/ Sustain craze of yore, its sop the notes and chords and sound don not fizzle out, get thin, and squeal under vintage gain

'Vintage gain' ?

Even the word 'gain' wasn't used in the music scene back then, let alone the horrible noise that term now denotes.

Roller bridges lose tone and should only be used when there is a reason, such as instruments that have the tuners behind the bridge or feature a vibrato system. Roller bridges were never part of the 'vintage tones' you speak of. Again, roller bridges weren't even available then for Gibson-style instruments. Then, as now, there is absolutely no benefit in using a roller bridge on a Gibson instrument unless it features a Bigsby.

If you were serious about 'vintage tone' you'd be using whatever was stock for the guitar back then, even if it was zinc, potmetal, Zamac or fossilised banana.

But I do love these comedy threads.

 

[Vasshu the humanoid typhoon]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

 

[JeffB]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

Materials make differences. Better or worse is subjective and depends on the specific axe. I have both loved and hated replacement bridges and aluminum tailpieces.

Philadelphia Luthier makes a reasonably priced all brass nashville TOM (saddles and bridge itself). On most guitars it would probably be mud city, but on some it probably would be the deal-maker.

 

[dystrust]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

The original bridges for LP's were a zinc too. As are most modern ABR's.

I laugh at your misplaced scorn......mainly as for those who have tried swapping bridges (and tailpieces) it is not always the supposed 'superior' material that ends up winning tonally. Plenty have swapped in a Callaham (solid steel abr) only to take it off right away as it is quite bright - too bright in those cases..........but of course you'd say it has to be better as the 'monkey metal' couldn't possibly be superior.
One guy on MLP did a shootout with a few different bridges, only to find the best one for his guitar was the stock Gibson.

So it really is a guitar-by guitar basis for judging 'better'.

Materials make differences. Better or worse is subjective and depends on the specific axe. I have both loved and hated replacement bridges and aluminum tailpieces.

Philadelphia Luthier makes a reasonably priced all brass nashville TOM (saddles and bridge itself). On most guitars it would probably be mud city, but on some it probably would be the deal-maker.

I've tried different bridges and tail pieces on all of my Gibsons and liked the stock bridge best on three of four. The one exception was my LP Standard which I converted to an ABR-1. My SG is kind of an odd case in that it sounded good with both the Nashville and ABR, while my Explorer sounded horrible with the ABR. I've heard of the Callaham bridges, but have been afraid of trying one for fear that it'd be screechingly bright; it seems my fears weren't entirely for nothing. BTW I swap the stock tailpiece for an aluminum one on all of my Gibsons.

 

[AlexR]

Re: Replaced my "Zemac" SG Bridge

I think we do have to isolate 'constructed better', or a 'more vintage' item from 'better'. I have a 74 Custom that I'm sure at one time had its original ABR replaced with a Nashville. I have tried an original Gibson ABR on it, but the replacement Nashville seems better for this guitar - as is the original 300 or 250K pots for the bridge Vol.