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Epiphone Dot - tune o matic bridge Upgrade


YahliP

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hi friends,

 

i have amazing epi dot with bigsby installed.

i have ordered grover locking tuners and also want to upgrade stock tune o matic bridge

 

what is your recommendation

 

do i need roller bridge cause i am using bigsby?

 

can u please post some links for bridge the can fit 100% to epi dot 2016

 

Thanks so much!

 

Yahli.

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I installed a bigsby on my 2011 dot studio, I also upgraded the bridge to a Gotoh GE103B (I think that was the model number). I also swapped the nut for a Tusq black graphite.

It's not a roller bridge but it stays in tune perfectly with the stock tuners, I personally dont see the need for a roller bridge with a bigsby without trying a new nut first, in my experience a poorly cut nut is the main cause of tuning issues. This is of course just my opinion, I understand the logic, also how it could work and wouldn't rule it out myself just because I haven't had a need for one yet, but just go and look at high end Gibson and Gretsch Bigsby equipped guitars, I dont think you will find one stock with a roller bridge.

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I installed a bigsby on my 2011 dot studio, I also upgraded the bridge to a Gotoh GE103B (I think that was the model number). I also swapped the nut for a Tusq black graphite.

It's not a roller bridge but it stays in tune perfectly with the stock tuners, I personally dont see the need for a roller bridge with a bigsby without trying a new nut first, in my experience a poorly cut nut is the main cause of tuning issues. This is of course just my opinion, I understand the logic, also how it could work and wouldn't rule it out myself just because I haven't had a need for one yet, but just go and look at high end Gibson and Gretsch Bigsby equipped guitars, I dont think you will find one stock with a roller bridge.

 

 

1.Gotoh GE103B - was perfect fit ?

2. is there any other advantage to use roller saddles? ( in tone ? )

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is there any other advantage to use roller saddles? ( in tone ? )

 

Nope..

 

the only roller bridge I had was on a Swingster Royal I once owned. The roller bridge wasn't ideal, if you got a bit too heavy handed, the low E string would pop out. (not great)

 

IME it did not create any more stability than my standard ABR saddles on my LP and ES135 with Bigsby's. Just get a tube of Big Bends Nut Sauce and lube all the witness points about once a month.

The roller bridge, as far as I'm concerned, is an unnecessary modification.

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Nope..

 

the only roller bridge I had was on a Swingster Royal I once owned. The roller bridge wasn't ideal, if you got a bit too heavy handed, the low E string would pop out. (not great)

 

IME it did not create any more stability than my standard ABR saddles on my LP and ES135 with Bigsby's. Just get a tube of Big Bends Nut Sauce and lube all the witness points about once a month.

The roller bridge, as far as I'm concerned, is an unnecessary modification.

 

 

don't u consider GOTOH as upgrade over the epiphone dot stock bridge ?

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1.Gotoh GE103B - was perfect fit ?

2. is there any other advantage to use roller saddles? ( in tone ? )

 

It was a perfect fit for my dot studio yes, check the measurements on the spec of any bridge against your own before you buy just to be safe.

I should clarify I didn't change the bridge because I added the bigsby, I had slight intonation and buzzing problems with what I thought was the stock bridge. The 'upgrade' worked to a degree but I found out it was the stock nut causing most of my problems.

Epiphone stock hardware is perfectly fine, I have 5 epiphone electrics currently, 3 have been bought since the dot studio. I've only changed the bridge on the one.

If it isn't broken dont fix it, I learnt that by trying.

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don't u consider GOTOH as upgrade over the epiphone dot stock bridge ?

 

hardware wise, probably yes, what my point was that the roller bridge, {ime} didn't change/improve/what ever, tuning stability when compared to other guitars with no roller bridge and a bigsby.

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+1 on the Gotoh replacement bridge for an Epiphone guitar.

Here is a link:

https://www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/bridge-and-tailpieces/nashville-bridges/gotoh-ge103b-t-guitar-nashville-bridge-with-large-metric-posts/

 

These are reasonably priced, better quality than the stock Epiphone bridge

and the best part for me is that they give us more travel for the saddles, so

plenty of room for intonation with different sizes of strings.

 

Philadelphia luthier supplies also sells roller bridges, but I agree that these are

not necessary. Lubricate the bridge saddles and the nut slots, and your trem should

work properly and not throw the guitar out of tune.

 

I'm recommending the Gotoh bridge because I have installed it on my Epi ES-339 P-90 pro,

and it works perfectly, fits precisely on the stock studs, and I wanted black hardware

on my blonde ES-339, so I'm happy.

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