Nashville vs ABR-1

[PermissionToLand]

Traditional...i for sure. But What would be "cork sniffing" about an abr1? If it was carved out of titanium I'd see it.

As far as usefulness goes...I've never run into a guitar with an abr1 that didn't have enough saddle travel to intonate properly with plenty of wiggle room. I'm sure it's possible...but it's not like it's a common thing.

Some claim the posts being screwed straight into wood improves tone or sustain. In reality, more mass creates more sustain, so a denser material like metal bushings would increase sustain, if anything. Tonewood is just sci-fi bull****. What actually does suck some sustain is the play between post and bushing on many bridges. IDK why it's so hard to find tight fitting products.

As to usefulness, my CS/Historic SG had the bridge positioned too far forward AND the skinny ABR posts bent (and it was not sitting high at all). Not to mention, the ABR casting had flashing that made the low E saddle rock, making the problem worse. Oh, and the retainer wire rusted and snapped because I actually play my guitar and don't use it as a status symbol. Ever try to swap an ABR for a Nashville? Apparently I'm the first because I had to reverse engineer my own solution. And the saddles just barely intonate at the end of their travel now. I'd never buy a guitar with an ABR again.

 

[syscokid]

Schroeder Guitar Builder plus parts retailer/manufacturer has an interesting Tech Tip page on how to position the Nashville Tune-O-Matic bridge for a new build or a retro-fit aftermarket bridge upgrade.

Thanks for posting that. The measurements in that Schroeder Tech Tip are based on their own Schroeder bridges, though. It should be easy to measure for any difference, if any at all, with a different brand of bridge.

Here's the link for the Schroeder Tech Tip:
https://www.schroederguitarhardware.com/pages/tech-tips

BTW, Schroeder's hardware is high quality stuff. Pricey, but worth it IMO. I have their Original Stoptail Bridge and their Top-Adjusting Locking Studs installed in a PGK SG Junior kit that I put together a couple years ago.

 

[syscokid]

What actually does suck some sustain is the play between post and bushing on many bridges. IDK why it's so hard to find tight fitting products.

Yup.... I'm amazed in how much slop I find in some combinations of post and bushings.

 

[Raiyn]

Thanks for posting that. The measurements in that Schroeder Tech Tip are based on their own Schroeder bridges, though. It should be easy to measure for any difference, if any at all, with a different brand of bridge.

Here's the link for the Schroeder Tech Tip:
https://www.schroederguitarhardware.com/pages/tech-tips

BTW, Schroeder's hardware is high quality stuff. Pricey, but worth it IMO. I have their Original Stoptail Bridge and their Top-Adjusting Locking Studs installed in a PGK SG Junior kit that I put together a couple years ago.

View attachment 29019

View attachment 29020

Those locking studs look just like a set I bought off Philadelphia Luthiers earlier this year.

 

[syscokid]

Those locking studs look just like a set I bought off Philadelphia Luthiers earlier this year.

Do you mean these, which are a whole lot less for the money?


I like a lot of their stuff, and have bought some of their stuff thru the years.

 

[Raiyn]

Do you mean these, which are a whole lot less for the money?
View attachment 29024

I like a lot of their stuff, and have bought some of their stuff thru the years.

They're a whole lot less money that's for sure, but $40 for tailpiece studs?

 

[syscokid]

They're a whole lot less money that's for sure, but $40 for tailpiece studs?

At the time of purchase, I was attracted to the Schroeder Wraptail Bridge. Then I noticed their locking stud offerings. Their was a special sale on their hardware. Bridge was $88 ($125), and locking studs with bushings was $28 ($40). And with free shipping. It was the price I was willing to pay for guaranteed quality, and I was not dissapointed.

 

[Col Mustard]

that's cool... an intonatable wrap tail bridge...

There are others for sale... Pigtail is one, and I know there are others.
The idea behind this simple contraption is to get the best of both worlds:
To get the tone and sustain of the old wrapover bridge, plus the intonation
accuracy of the Tuna-Matic. To hell with the ABR-1.

That's why we top wrap... in hopes of getting the best of both.
I am not convinced that top wrapping has any positive effect, but
it has no negatives on my Gibson guitars, so that's what I do.
I have two Gibson electrics, both SGs, and I top wrap both of them.
One has the stock Gibson tuna-matic, and one has the TonePros
locking bridge and tail. Both sound lovely this way. *go figure...

Funny, I tried top wrapping on each of my two Epiphone guitars,
and did NOT like it. So those two get 'straight through' stringing.
And they both sound excellent and play great. *go figure

I don't pretend to understand all of this. I just know what works
for me. May all our members reach the same plateau.

 

[Raiyn]

that's cool... an intonatable wrap tail bridge...

There are others for sale... Pigtail is one, and I know there are others.
The idea behind this simple contraption is to get the best of both worlds:
To get the tone and sustain of the old wrapover bridge, plus the intonation
accuracy of the Tuna-Matic. To hell with the ABR-1.

That's why we top wrap... in hopes of getting the best of both.
I am not convinced that top wrapping has any positive effect, but
it has no negatives on my Gibson guitars, so that's what I do.
I have two Gibson electrics, both SGs, and I top wrap both of them.
One has the stock Gibson tuna-matic, and one has the TonePros
locking bridge and tail. Both sound lovely this way. *go figure...

Funny, I tried top wrapping on each of my two Epiphone guitars,
and did NOT like it. So those two get 'straight through' stringing.
And they both sound excellent and play great. *go figure

I don't pretend to understand all of this. I just know what works
for me. May all our members reach the same plateau.

Fair enough.

My only bone of contention / source of argument in regards to the tune-o-matic is that if they wanted the tailpiece to be nonadjustable and "decked" they'd have skipped the extra hardware and gone string thru.

 

[cerebral gasket]

Fair enough.

My only bone of contention / source of argument in regards to the tune-o-matic is that if they wanted the tailpiece to be nonadjustable and "decked" they'd have skipped the extra hardware and gone string thru.

Like on the 1958 Flying V

 

[Raiyn]

Like on the 1958 Flying V

Exactly. That chrome plate is just so damn cool! It's also far enough back so your break angle won't get too goofy.