Bridge question

[Silverbursted]

I recently put a new set of strings on my R7 and noticed that the bridge orientation of the saddle screws are facing forward. I looked around at several pics posted here and see that on the Reissues (57, 58, 59, and 60) are oriented the same way. This just seems odd to me, since adjusting the intonation would be difficult with the strings attached, and how do you set the intonation unless the strings are attached? Is this correct? And why would Gibson do that?

 

[littlekenny]

sorry to say i cant help you, but your guitar looks amazing!

[ibis]

That's just the way it was done in the good ole days! You can turn the bridge around but you'll have to take each saddle out (make sure you don't mix them up) and reverse them in the unit before putting it back.

 

Personally, I like it facing forwards. Looks right, if you get my drift. Plus it is easier to get a screwdriver into than the gap behind between the ABR-1 and the stop tailpiece. If you find it tricky just loosen the string, make the adjustmnent then tune back up again to check the intonation.

 

Here's mine;

 

 

Since the travel of the saddles in the ABR-1 is not symmetrical, there is sometimes the need to swap the bridge around to get correct intonation when using radically thin or thick strings. Its unusual though.

[cvansickle]

Someone once posted that the bridge orientation reflects the place of origin:

 

Kalamazoo (ABR) = North (toward neck)

Nashville (Tunamatic) = South

 

Of course, they're all made in the south now, but the Reissues are supposed to be just like the old ones!

[Silverbursted]

Hey thanks. I figured it out the hard way. When I replaced the strings, I installed it facing to the rear and could not get it in tune. So after about a half hour of frustration, I just put it away and decided to look around the forum and I found a bunch of pics showing it facing forward. So I went back, loosened everything up, switched the bridge around and bam ,less than 5 minutes it was perfectly in tune again. I did not realize this is how the originals were put together. Pretty cool. :)