ABR1 Experts

[duane v]

Just a quick one

Is there a difference in wired versus non-wired saddles for both ABR1 platform bridges? Reason I'm asking is I can only find nylon saddles that are for non-wired ABR1's. I have guitars with both types, and to the untrained eye I can't see the difference in the saddles.

Thanks for the help 

 

[Murph]

Duane, the only guitar I ever owned with the ABR-1 was my ES-339. 

While, I never had an issue with it, I noticed it wasn't as robust and durable looking as the Nashville, and I worried about it all the time. Those little skinny posts. Those dainty little wires.

My saddles were showing (normal) wear when I swapped it off and went all acoustic, but if I would have kept gigging that guitar, I imagine I would have replaced the entire bridge every year or so, just for peace of mind.

I have to wonder though, if those skinny post actually contribute to the great tone of that guitar. It was a tone monster going into my Mesa Blue Angel, I mean from large clean to nasty grit, that was a really great sounding guitar.

[badbluesplayer]

3 hours ago, Murph said:

Duane, the only guitar I ever owned with the ABR-1 was my ES-339. 

While, I never had an issue with it, I noticed it wasn't as robust and durable looking as the Nashville, and I worried about it all the time. Those little skinny posts. Those dainty little wires.

My saddles were showing (normal) wear when I swapped it off and went all acoustic, but if I would have kept gigging that guitar, I imagine I would have replaced the entire bridge every year or so, just for peace of mind.

I have to wonder though, if those skinny post actually contribute to the great tone of that guitar. It was a tone monster going into my Mesa Blue Angel, I mean from large clean to nasty grit, that was a really great sounding guitar.

I had one from the same year and the posts were only anchored about a half inch into the top.  And half of that is plywood.  They're all like that.  I put longer posts in that guitar and my 335.  Fortunately I've never had trouble either.

[Dub-T-123]

The classic way to reinforce the ABR posts is to add a second thumb wheel tightened all the way down to the top

[Murph]

20 hours ago, badbluesplayer said:

I had one from the same year and the posts were only anchored about a half inch into the top.  And half of that is plywood.  They're all like that.  I put longer posts in that guitar and my 335.  Fortunately I've never had trouble either.

 

I remember you mentioning that.

Man, that's been a while...