tune-o-matic recessed

[cr_XD]

so, i want to build a nearly les paul double cutaway with a tune-o-matic and a string throug body (if i finally manage to get those so-called eyelets here)

i want to make no neck angle cos i find it to difficult for me to attempt as a first project(btw it will be a glued neck).

now, the tune-o-matic height´s significant and i don´t think only by lowering it to the bottom is enough to void the need of angle, thus i worked out with a great effort of my ... whatever... that fitting the bridge in a recess in the body might be a solution.

is this totally stupid??

[PaulNeeds]

Aria used to get around this by using a hardtail strat bridge - model number was YC something from early 80s - which worked very well, but I'm certain that a recessed t-o-m would look cool as well as maintain the look you're after.

What about the tailpiece, or would you use a wraparound? If the latter, the recess may may string changing a bore. You need to use the bridge with the screw adjustment for height too, presumably?

[westhemann]

you're in luck i have recessed two t.o.ms(one just today.)it looks pretty good really you just have to make sure it's evenly spaced around the bridge.on my first one i sanded a slope into the recess and on this one it is just a sharp drop off.

[cr_XD]

great. so it´s been done before huh?? it reminds me of a song. it´s not that i wanted to invent somthg, but it stills sounds weird to me to lower a tune-o-matic.

however, if the bridge goes lower, the angle that the strings form on top of it will be greater, will this affect somehow badly the sound.

westheman, do u have any pics you could post or send me, they would be really helpfull

and tanx for you time boys,

[BeAR]

Check out a stop tail Peavey Wolfgang. They are recessed.

[westhemann]

i don't have a good enough camera i am going to buy one before long so i can post pictures when i am finished.

[RAI6]

Godin recesses theirs to.

There are ususally some pretty good close-up shots of the Godin's in their ads in GP.

But I think they have their strings set up as thru-body, so they only have to recess one piece.

[cr_XD]

that is exactly what i was thinking of, at which disctance should the holes for de strings be drilled??

[westhemann]

usually you only have to recess the bridge itsef.the tailpiece is made low enough to begin with.just recess the bridge and check the tailpiece before recessing it.it just needs to be a little lower so that the strings will have pressure against the saddles.

[Scott Rosenberger]

here's a pic

Godin Website

[vh-guitarstore.com]

thats funny.....the first thing i noticed was that godin is owned by LaSido......who made all the necks for kramer back in the banana days

[DaveK]

O.K. This might be a stupid sugestion...but bear with me

If the bridge height is a slight problem, couldn't you take the bottom of the bridge to a grinder & take some meat off?

I am looking at my Ibanez tune-o-matic & it looks like there is MORE than enough mass to take it down

I think the only issue is that you would have to make sure the bridge is completely level after grinding

Is this stupid? Or did I just solve the problem???

Dave K

[westhemann]

i had to recess 3/16" on mine.i think that's too much to grind.i think you would break into the saddle pockets before you got enough off.plus the heat from the grinding might make the bridge brittle.it's not a big deal to recess it.took me less than 5 minutes and that was taking my time.