albertop Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Hello all, I´m buildind a Les Paul Junior replica and I bought one of the intonated bridges Guitarfetish sells http://store.guitarfetish.com/lespajuwrinb.html I would like to know if I have to place it like a tuneomatic bridge (with an angle back) or like a stop tailpiece (forming a 90 degrees with the center line), since its compensated and intonated I really dont know what to do, does anybody know? soon I´ll be posting pics of the building, many thanks Alberto Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 That's a pretty neat bridge. The one good thing is you have adjustment screws on each side so you can move the bridge ever so slightly forward and back in order to fine tune the intonation. To me it looks like the bridge is made to be placed evenly, and not angled. I'd position the screw adjustments so that you can see a little bit of the screw sticking out of the bridge in the post area, same on both sides, then take a long straightedge and measure from the edge of the nut to the center contact point on the bridges little E saddle. Make sure the bridge is kept straight by measuring from the front of the bridge to nut on both sides, so it's not at an angle, and also so it's centered with the neck so that your outer two strings will be equal distance from the edge. Hold the bridge in place, and draw where the post should be. Then drill for your inserts, etc. Shouldn't be that hard, just take your time and pay attention to detail. Stew-Mac has a Fret Calculator that will actually tell where the post should be on various bridges they sell, not sure if it will help you with this one though. BTW you could use my laser method for centering the bridge, and also to simulate the two outer E strings so you can place the bridge in the right location. Matt Vinson Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Yep, the studs/inserts get placed straight (90 degrees to the center line). You use the adjustment screws to set the intonation--so the bridge itself will end up being slightly angled. But I found with my last guitar that using StewMac's fret scale calculator placed the bridge VERY accurately...I really only had to tweak the adjustment screws just a little bit. And with GF's laser method, I was able to set the bridge EXACTLY. It's my favorite kind of bridge, by the way. So nice and simple. Anyway, how many other people are building LP Jr -inspired guitars right now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Yep, the studs/inserts get placed straight (90 degrees to the center line). You use the adjustment screws to set the intonation--so the bridge itself will end up being slightly angled. But I found with my last guitar that using StewMac's fret scale calculator placed the bridge VERY accurately...I really only had to tweak the adjustment screws just a little bit. And with GF's laser method, I was able to set the bridge EXACTLY. It's my favorite kind of bridge, by the way. So nice and simple. Anyway, how many other people are building LP Jr -inspired guitars right now? Yeah, I'd definitely check against the Stew Mac measurement's you get from the Fret Calc, and it should end up the same as using the method mentioned above. I also like that bridge and it has a very good price on it too. I wouldn't mind trying one out myself, it reminds me of the PRS bridges. Sure you can't individually adjust the intonation, but if placed properly everything should align so the guitar is correctly intonated. Mickguard, I can see a LP Jr inspired guitar in my future.. lol Oh yeah, don't forget to let us know how the bridge works out for you. I'm serious about buying one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 4, 2006 Report Share Posted May 4, 2006 Oh yeah, don't forget to let us know how the bridge works out for you. I'm serious about buying one. As far as this particular bridge is concerned --it looks exactly like the bridge I pulled off an Synchromatic Jet Jr...has the same huge set screws. So if it's anything similar, then it's really cheap, the plating is really thin (almost like paint). I bought this one from Stew Mac --definitely higher quality, the plating is thicker (than the Jet Jr bridge --I haven't seen the GFS bridge). The StewMac is just a couple of bucks more. Still, I wish there was something better out there --there's the Pigtail bridge, but the price is really too excessive. You'd think there's be some kind of middle ground. Wish I could mill metal, I'd be tempted to make my own...or something similar...I mean, it's not the most complicated piece of machinery out there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertop Posted May 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Thanks guys; I also tought about putting it 90 degrees from the center line. Your method is neat Guitarfrenzy, I saw you using it in the building of your blue strat I think, really awesome guitar man and really cool method; sadly around here I can´t find that kind of instrument, probably with a laser pen ina a wooden base? Can you senf me a pic please of your gadget? maybe I can build one... The bridge seems fine to me, it does not look cheap and came here (Peru) in excellent condition; when I order chrome stuff from the States sometimes it arrives with little scratches and dings but this one didn´t have any visible imperfection; I will keep you updated about the bridge but so far so good. That store has some good products, really, it´s the first time I order from them and everything seems good quality, but I have to say that the StewMac bridge looks better, probably it´s a Gotoh. And I hear you Mickguard about the bridges, it has to be a middle ground. And about the LP Junior yeah, I´ve seem quite a lot around here, but hey the more the merrier. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 That store has some good products, really, it´s the first time I order from them and everything seems good quality, but I have to say that the StewMac bridge looks better, probably it´s a Gotoh. And I hear you I've ordered a bunch of stuff from GFS in the past...but it's not like they make this stuff. They just buy from the same sources in China as everyone else. What GFS is especially good at is taking photographs and writing advertising copy I'm not under any illusions about the StewMac bridge either --I bought from them because I had other parts and tools to order, so shipping ended up being cheaper. Anyway, it's good to hear that the quality is there --maybe it's not the same part then? Does it have any markings on the underside? And for the laser thing --I have a laser on my jigsaw, that works too! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 The cheap StewMac is not a Gotoh; their Gotoh hardware is labled as such, quite clearly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
albertop Posted May 5, 2006 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Underside the bridge says SUNG-IL and on the bottom BM116; it's chinese but it seems good quality: http://www.sung-il.net/ http://www.sung-il.net/bridge/bm_116.html Does anybody knows the brand StewMac's bridge is? I thought it was Gotoh but maybe Mattia is right. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Does anybody knows the brand StewMac's bridge is? I thought it was Gotoh but maybe Mattia is right. The StewMac bridge is marked Made in Japan. I've started wondering about making my own --I wouldn't be trying for the same look, mind you, just the same functionality. Seems to me that I should be able to take a bar of aluminum and shape it, drill it, mill it, and that it wouldn't even be all that difficult to do... Although maybe aluminum is too soft? Does it have to be plated afterward? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mattia Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Does anybody knows the brand StewMac's bridge is? I thought it was Gotoh but maybe Mattia is right. The StewMac bridge is marked Made in Japan. I've started wondering about making my own --I wouldn't be trying for the same look, mind you, just the same functionality. Seems to me that I should be able to take a bar of aluminum and shape it, drill it, mill it, and that it wouldn't even be all that difficult to do... Although maybe aluminum is too soft? Does it have to be plated afterward? As with any metal, there are different grades/alloys of the stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 Well, one of the nice things about the compensated wraparound is they seem to be a pretty standard size, so they're easy to change later on. I'm going to look into this aluminum thing... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thirdstone Posted May 5, 2006 Report Share Posted May 5, 2006 (edited) Guys help me out here ,I am planing on mounting a wrap around bridge on my LP Jr inspired project link The bridge bridge link Is not covered in the stewmac fret calc. Anyone used one before?? Edited May 5, 2006 by thirdstone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hydrogeoman Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 Anyway, how many other people are building LP Jr -inspired guitars right now? I am building 4 guitars at the moment and 2 of them are LP Jr.s - a single cutaway and a double cutaway. I figured the LP Jrs were a good place to start as all of these are my 1st builds. I purchased the Wilkinson aluminum wraparounds from GuitarFetish in hopes of obtaining some of the original Jr.s sound as they used aluminum. The D & G string on the Wilkinson bridge can be adjusted for intonation in addition to adjusting the entire bridge from the posts. I plan on posting some progress pics of the guitars as soon as I figure out how to do that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
exhaust_49 Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 I am making a copy of a 54' oxblood and am using the pigtail 50's tailpiece replica. http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php#50sTailPiece Should I angle the bridge as I would for a t.o.m. using the measurments on the stewmac fret calculator or is there a better way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 6, 2006 Report Share Posted May 6, 2006 I am making a copy of a 54' oxblood and am using the pigtail 50's tailpiece replica. http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php#50sTailPiece Should I angle the bridge as I would for a t.o.m. using the measurments on the stewmac fret calculator or is there a better way? This one is for Thirdstone too -- you don't need to angle the pole pieces with these bridges because they're adjustable --you have enough play to achieve the 1/8" difference you need. Some wraparounds come with longer screws than others (GFS claims theirs are longer, the StewMac screws are pretty short but still give plenty of adjusting room). The only time you need to angle the bridge is with TOM-style bridges, which are NOT adjustable in this direction. So when placing the wraparound type bridge (including Thirdstone's pigtail--although that kind of violates the spirit of an LP Jr, don't it?) you want to the HIGH E saddle to match up exactly where it's supposed to intonate, and the adjust the bass side from there. Just use StewMac's fret scale calculator to place the inserts -- 24.811 inches from the nut. It really is spot on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Anyway, I'm withdrawing any recommendation I might have accidentally made for the StewMac bridge... It's eating my strings ...just broke the B string...the plating has developed a nasty notch in it. It already ate the D string a couple of weeks back. It's true I don't change strings that often (only when they start breaking ) but still. This set isn't that old anyway. Of course, I've always had a problem with breaking strings. Apparently there are guitarists out there who claim they've never broken a string I've been working on lightening my touch, guess I still have some work to do...just can't help myself, I get all carried away. Hmmm....how about some kind of overlay that would fit over the ridges? A slippery plastic type like the graphtech or delrin stuff...of course, that might change the tone... I'm going to clean up the notch --but that will change the string height relative to the other strings, so I'll have to make notches for all of the strings? And besides, by that point, there won't be any plating left, right? The string will be resting on the brass (think it's brass) underneath...so what's the point of having chrome plating? Is it just for the looks? In that case, I'm seriously thinking about shaping my own bridge...or several of them. When one wears out, I'll change it while I'm changing the strings. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 (edited) My pigtail bridge from stewmac just came in and it seems to be of great quality(I havn't used it yet). Granted $90 is alot to pay, but considering the problems you could have with the cheaper ones, I think the price is justified. Edited May 10, 2006 by Godin SD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 My pigtail bridge from stewmac just came in and it seems to be of great quality(I havn't used it yet). Granted $90 is alot to pay, but considering the problems you could have with the cheaper ones, I think the price is justified. I don't have problems with that kind of bridge, because I can replace the saddles with Graph Tech string savers. You know, I'm almost tempted to go with Pigtail's 50s style wraparound, even though I consider it way overpriced...but do I understand correctly that you have to buy the studs separately? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Daniel Sorbera Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Correct, mine did not come with studs. I had to purchase them seperatley. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guitarfrenzy Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Anyway, I'm withdrawing any recommendation I might have accidentally made for the StewMac bridge... It's eating my strings ...just broke the B string...the plating has developed a nasty notch in it. It already ate the D string a couple of weeks back. It's true I don't change strings that often (only when they start breaking ) but still. This set isn't that old anyway. Of course, I've always had a problem with breaking strings. Apparently there are guitarists out there who claim they've never broken a string I've been working on lightening my touch, guess I still have some work to do...just can't help myself, I get all carried away. Hmmm....how about some kind of overlay that would fit over the ridges? A slippery plastic type like the graphtech or delrin stuff...of course, that might change the tone... I'm going to clean up the notch --but that will change the string height relative to the other strings, so I'll have to make notches for all of the strings? And besides, by that point, there won't be any plating left, right? The string will be resting on the brass (think it's brass) underneath...so what's the point of having chrome plating? Is it just for the looks? In that case, I'm seriously thinking about shaping my own bridge...or several of them. When one wears out, I'll change it while I'm changing the strings. Your breaking strings on the LP Junior Bridge that you got from Stew Mac? How long can you play before they break? That's odd you'd break strings quickly with a that bridge, maybe there are sharp ridges on it or something. Have you closely inspected it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Your breaking strings on the LP Junior Bridge that you got from Stew Mac? How long can you play before they break? That's odd you'd break strings quickly with a that bridge, maybe there are sharp ridges on it or something. Have you closely inspected it? I can break strings on ANY guitar...just talent I guess. No, these aren't new strings --they've been on for a few weeks now, get played anywhere from an hour to five hours a day. So that explains a lot of it. Well, probably most of it. I don't tend to change strings until they start breaking, unless I'm playing a show (not many of those lately though). Still, this bridge is quite new. And it's not like I pick right at the bridge either. But the bridge IS notched --by the strings, that is, not by me. The notch on the B string is pretty nasty too, looks like it's pretty much through the plating. I had similar problems with the wraparound on my Melody Maker, but after filing and buffing the saddle ridges that seems to be doing much better, haven't had a string break for a long time with that one (though I don't play it as much either). So maybe the key is removing the chrome where the strings make contact? The ridges are the problem with this kind of bridge, I think...there's no reason for them to be so prominent and squared off. That's why I'm attracted to the Pigtail 50s replica...except I'd like to keep the compensation somehow. Maybe I'll experiment with rounding the ridges on the StewMac bridge. Anyway, I'm going to try out the Wilkinson aluminum wrapround (with the adjustable B/G saddle) first, since I have one of those here, maybe I'll have better luck with that. There's also the PRS style of wraparound, the 'featherweight' type...that one looks interesting too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marksound Posted May 10, 2006 Report Share Posted May 10, 2006 Mick, are you sure your kids aren't peeing on your strings or something? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 11, 2006 Report Share Posted May 11, 2006 Mick, are you sure your kids aren't peeing on your strings or something? Shh...you're giving away all my tone secrets Anyway, it gets worse...I just managed to break my fancypants monster cable this morning...it's an angled jack model, bought it for that. Well, the jack just snapped right off. POS. At least there's a lifetime warranty on it, we'll see if they'll make good. But no way I can trust this cable anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mickguard Posted May 26, 2006 Report Share Posted May 26, 2006 I am making a copy of a 54' oxblood and am using the pigtail 50's tailpiece replica. http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php#50sTailPiece Just to update this thread, since there seem to be a lot of LP Jr builds in progress. I bought one of these instead of the pigtail version: Aluminum wraparound bridge It just arrived today ---it does indeed have the set screws. It's ultra-lightweight, far lighter than the Stewmac compensated wraparound. It comes with the studs and inserts and the studs fit snugly into the inserts (unlike the Wilkinson bridge I bought). The inserts do not have a flange around the edge. Not only that, but this bridge is actually made by Gotoh --you'd think they would have put that in the ebay ad as a selling point? Sure, it may not be an exact 50s replica, but I'm not building a exact copy of the LP Jr either. And this one costs one-third of the price of the pigtail (which doesn't include the studs and inserts either) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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