Silvercrow Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 Yet another newbie question...I believe I've got a non-Nashville bridge on my '08 SG Special. Is there a thread here, or a side / side comparison between the Tune-o-matic bridges, showing and explaining the differences? I't trying a search here, but (I think) between the filters here at work I'm not geting what I'm looking for. Basically want to know the differences, what might be better, etc. THANKS! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Searcy Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 10, 2015 Share Posted March 10, 2015 Hello! The picture Searcy posted says all about the Nashville units. If You look at the second one from the top, that's the stock one on Your guitar. Next time You remove the bridge, gently try to move the posts within the bushings. You'll find they are so loose, if You'd shake the guitar they would rattle. That's a problem. To make it worser, look at those bushings: they are tiny! The hole drilled for them in the guitar body is very deep. This solution provides a very bad coupling of components, which will poorly transfer string vibration to the body of the instrument. Take a look at the first and third bridge's studs on the picture. Those would fill the hole in the guitar body. Better coupling - better sustain. Look at the original ABR-1 (bottom), it's screwed straight into the wood. Good coupling. But the saddles are held in place by the retainer wire. Not so good from coupling point of view, and they can be culprit of problems. I had one of these, and under string pressure the saddles lifted up, making the adjusting screws touching the strings. It was buzzing terribly. Got rid of it. I use, - what I call - best of both worlds: Faber ABRN-1 with iNsert studs. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted March 10, 2015 Author Share Posted March 10, 2015 Hello! The picture Searcy posted says all about the Nashville units. If You look at the second one from the top, that's the stock one on Your guitar. Next time You remove the bridge, gently try to move the posts within the bushings. You'll find they are so loose, if You'd shake the guitar they would rattle. That's a problem. To make it worser, look at those bushings: they are tiny! The hole drilled for them in the guitar body is very deep. This solution provides a very bad coupling of components, which will poorly transfer string vibration to the body of the instrument. Take a look at the first and third bridge's studs on the picture. Those would fill the hole in the guitar body. Better coupling - better sustain. Look at the original ABR-1 (bottom), it's screwed straight into the wood. Good coupling. But the saddles are held in place by the retainer wire. Not so good from coupling point of view, and they can be culprit of problems. I had one of these, and under string pressure the saddles lifted up, making the adjusting screws touching the strings. It was buzzing terribly. Got rid of it. I use, - what I call - best of both worlds: Faber ABRN-1 with iNsert studs. Cheers... Bence THANKS Searcy and Bence! Doing some research...it appears I do have a Nashville. I can't see the pics Searcy so kindly posted because the filters here prohibit it. I'll see 'em when I get home. I was thrown off, I think, by the fact that my bridge has a wire inside along the bottom of the adjustment screws...but the bridge is absolutely attached to the guitar by ferrules in the wood as opposed to the mounting posts screwed directly into the wood. After polishing and the other work I did, I re-assembled the guitar and the bridge seems to "lean" slightly toward the pups...it is possible I just did not notice this before. So I'll be looking to get a more mechanically sound fit there anyway. Although I won't go the Callaham route (great product, too expensive for my budget) I'd like to get something quality-as you both indicate. Thanks so much for the info...! Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hello Brian! I bought this for my Classic Custom: http://www.faberusa.com/product/3070-gloss-nickel-natural-brass-saddles/ ...with this mounting: http://www.faberusa.com/product/3116-gloss-nickel-faber-insert/ Everything is made with very tight tolerances. Exceptional coupling of parts. These parts altogether cost $50 less than the Callaham's system, and even the saddles are pre-notched. Callaham would charge You with another $20 for notching them. I never skip the opportunity to recommend them. I am not working for them, just being a very satisfied customer. :D Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hello Brian! I bought this for my Classic Custom: http://www.faberusa.com/product/3070-gloss-nickel-natural-brass-saddles/ ...with this mounting: http://www.faberusa.com/product/3116-gloss-nickel-faber-insert/ Everything is made with very tight tolerances. Exceptional coupling of parts. These parts altogether cost $50 less than the Callaham's system, and even the saddles are pre-notched. Callaham would charge You with another $20 for notching them. I never skip the opportunity to recommend them. I am not working for them, just being a very satisfied customer. :D Cheers... Bence THANK YOU BENCE! I like that-seems very well made! Couple of questions please; when un-installing the OEM studs, the video depicts basically spinning them out with the provided bolt. I checked mine- cannot finger spin them- I'm wondering if some of the original studs might be tight enough to damage the guitar? Had you run into any that are tight / resistant on your replacement(s)? And also- I like that the body of the Faber is less wide, front to back, or more correctly there is not as much metal between the saddle slots and the edge of the frame. Seems you could get the tailpiece lower without worry of the strings resting on the edge of the bridge frame. Is there enough adjustment for good intonation? Reason I ask is on my OEM set up, the "G" string saddle is cranked all the wy to the back to achieve proper intonation. When I got the guitar the G was slightly out. I adjusted it back and it's dead on now. Thanks so much for posting the links! This seems the way I'll go...my only concerns expressed in my questions to you. Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hello Brian! I couldn't turn the bolt by hand when removing the bushings either. I used a socket wrench. I have documented the installation: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/113319-essential-changes-to-my-classic-custom/page__p__1531306__hl__essential+changes+to+classic+custom__fromsearch__1#entry1531306 Intonation could be set perfectly, no issues. But, considering the bottoming of the tailpiece. I rather recommend setting it so, that the string break angle after the bridge (towards the tailpiece) is the same degrees as the break angle from the nut (towards the machine head). Tailpiece cranked down results slight increase of sustain, but lot's of lost harmonics. It also pushes the bridge towards the pickups. A typical problem with older ABR-1s (the straight into wood type), that the post screws are bent from this pressure. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silvercrow Posted March 11, 2015 Author Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hello Brian! I couldn't turn the bolt by hand when removing the bushings either. I used a socket wrench. I have documented the installation: http://forum.gibson.com/index.php?/topic/113319-essential-changes-to-my-classic-custom/page__p__1531306__hl__essential+changes+to+classic+custom__fromsearch__1#entry1531306 Intonation could be set perfectly, no issues. But, considering the bottoming of the tailpiece. I rather recommend setting it so, that the string break angle after the bridge (towards the tailpiece) is the same degrees as the break angle from the nut (towards the machine head). Tailpiece cranked down results slight increase of sustain, but lot's of lost harmonics. It also pushes the bridge towards the pickups. A typical problem with older ABR-1s (the straight into wood type), that the post screws are bent from this pressure. Cheers... Bence Again-Thank You Bence...most helpful! I did not know that about the tailpiece setting. I see many Gibson pics on various retail sites with the tailpiece cranked down at or near the body- but in "real life" pictures seems that it is not so. My LP Studio faded, and now my SG both had tailpieces raised somewhat. Thanks for the explanation. Learning...learning... So the Faber units are shipping from Europe...Germany? It will probably be a few weeks till I order. I "wimped out" and am going to have my local shop install the pup covers for me...decided to go ahead. He quoted me $60.00 which includes the covers. I felt more comfortable doing this as any mess-ups with the soldering iron would be quick qand potentially non-reversible...yeah...I'm a "chicken" at times...LOL Brian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 11, 2015 Share Posted March 11, 2015 Hello Brian! Faber is a German company, and FaberUSA is their North-American distributor. I guess, they have them on stock. I would be surprised if they didn't. Even, if they don't, I usually get such small goods ordered from the USA within around 5-7 days. To Hungary. This is from their site: "For U.S. shipments, Priority Mail is guaranteed 2-3 day delivery; Priority Mail Express is guaranteed 1-2 day delivery. These guarantees are given by USPS, not by FaberUSA, and FaberUSA is not responsible if USPS fails to deliver as promised." Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
turntables Posted March 16, 2015 Share Posted March 16, 2015 nice photos's there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
weldaar Posted March 26, 2015 Share Posted March 26, 2015 Do those brass saddles make your guitar brighter or less bright? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
btoth76 Posted March 27, 2015 Share Posted March 27, 2015 Hello Weldaar and welcome to the Forums! I am quite sensitive for brightness of the guitar. I prefer it mellower sounding. The Faber bridge with the brass saddles did not make my guitar brighter. What I have noticed, that the tone articulation got improved. Less of muddiness, tones are better separated - if that makes sense. Cheers... Bence Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HEADKNOCKER Posted April 8, 2015 Share Posted April 8, 2015 The Faber looks to be an awesome product.. Now I only wish they made them in Black for one of these.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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