Positioning a lightning-bolt wrapover bridge

[Atmospherium]

I need some advice on drilling for the studs of a lighting-bolt wrapover bridge, regarding whether or not I need to angle the low E side back. I normally use the “dummy trapeze tailpiece, stirring it up, and adjust until it intonates” method, but this time I’m doing a body shape that won’t let me do that.


My idea is, I use a straight-edge along the sides of the neck and draw two lines on the body (in effect extending the lines of the neck).

Then I measure for the scale length (I double the distance from the nut to 12th fret) and mark up.

I then place my bridge on the body, so it lies exactly between the lines, and line up the notched “saddle” of the high E with the scale length.

I know that normally the low E side should be angled back about 1/8", but as the notched saddles on the lighting-bolt are staggered and the saddle for the low E is further back anyway, I’m thinking I can just drill the holes parallel.


Can anyone confirm or advise? Many thanks

 

[donepearce]

I would also have gone for the trapeze, but if you can't do that, measure actual nut to saddle distances on a known good guitar and position the bridge studs so you get those at nominally centred adjustment.

Should have added - must be the same scale length. But you knew that

 

[cerebral gasket]

All the Wraparound Lightning Bar Bridges that I have seen are parallel to the pickup.

1970 SG Junior
Lightning Bar for wound G string

1963 SG Special
Lightning Bar for unwound G string

2016 Les Paul CM
Lightning Bar for unwound G string

All the Wraparound Bridges without lightning bar that I have seen are NOT parallel to the pickup.

2007 Melody Maker
Wraparound Bridge Without Lightning Bar

 

[syscokid]

AFAIK… The center of the treble side bridge post should be centered with the scale length. Scale length is from the front edge of nut to the top of the 12th fret, then doubled. The high E saddle should be damn close to the scale length. Ligthning Bolt bridges don't require an old school offset like a '61 SG Special...

 

[DrBGood]

All my Epiphone have a slight angle to either the wraparound or regular bridge.

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[papagayo]

This video will help you, you can jump to 6:10