Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 01:34 PM
I own a Fender Pawn Shop Offset Special. It has a 9 1/2" radius neck and a Tune-o-matic style bridge with a 12" radius. In addition to this miss-match and no way to match the neck to the bridge, trem action is not ideal due to the fixed saddle and bridge design. Why Fender did this is a big ?? to me. They build this really cool "F" hole offset and then reduce playability with poor hardware choices!! This bites big time. It keeps me from really enjoying the guitar as I would like.
I'd want to install a roller bridge as a first simple option but there is no drop in available that I have found. Close but no cigar. I could install JM style bridge post sockets and use a JM bridge or an aftermarket up grade.
So the questions are: Anybody out there that has attempted to swap to a roller bridge? Any Roller bridges with a 9 1/2" radius available with .906" post spacing? Have you retrofitted with a Jazzmaster style bridge?
Any help or suggestions would be welcomed and appreciated.
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 05:20 PM
http://www.pigtailmusic.com/Products.php
Scroll down. 9 or 10" radius saddles, best option short of a new bridge.
— IMO.
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 05:22 PM
Also, GFS sells a roller bridge that will retrofit, and radius with shims. I would stay away from roller bridges, but this is an option:
http://www.guitarfetish.com/Wilkinson-Brass-Roller-Bridge-Locking-Studs-Chrome_p_866.html
— IMO.
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Kuk
Joined: Feb 13, 2007
Posts: 134
NW Fla Gulf Coast
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 05:53 PM
I have a 2006 Jaguar HH Special with a 10'' fretboard radius, LesTrem and a no-name (looks like the Guitarfetish/Wilkinson bridge) roller bridge from Stew-Mac. The bridge P/N is 5276. The saddle radius is 14", and the post spacing is 2-29/32". It's the easiest playing guitar I own. Low string height, zero fret buzz.
Stew-Mac also has a "Golden Age" roller bridge with a 12" saddle radius and 2-29/32" post spacing.
You might want to try these out. Stew-mac might take them back (un-altered)if they don't work for you.
I'm don't know what you mean by .906" post spacing. That's less than an inch.
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JakeDobner
Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 12159
Seattle
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 08:14 PM
I will always recommend against a roller bridge. From my experience, roller bridges just don't sound great. From what I can suss out, it is because the roller bridges have little contact where the roller mechanism is, it is just a tiny bottle-neck for the waves/vibration.
A good ABR-1 style should give you no tuning problems and it is the best bridge out there in my opinion, strings should also not be breaking on a good bridge.
A big question is going to be if you can take out the bridge post and drop in a new one. That is a weird bridge post...
Maybe even new saddles would make a big difference.
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PrestonRice
Joined: Oct 05, 2012
Posts: 1725
Austin, Texas
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Posted on Oct 17 2013 10:29 PM
I think the biggest problem the OP is experiencing is a radius issue.
— IMO.
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Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
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Posted on Oct 18 2013 02:10 AM
Geeze. What a typo. The keyboard dropped the 2.... that post spacing should be 2.906", 2 29/32" in other words.
I'm trying to accomplish two things. Yes, the radius issue is one as string height varies across the neck. I'd like to make the trem more fluid as well. String movement is not good across that solid stock bridge. I did some searching at Stewmac prior to this post. Their Golden Age roller may fit if I can find some bridge posts that would adapt. The other option would be to drill the mounting holes larger in the bridge to match the original posts. This still doesn't solve the radius issue however.
I'll check out GFS and Pigtail.
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
Last edited: Oct 18, 2013 02:12:33
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cambeezy
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 399
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 18 2013 06:52 AM
I'd stay away from a roller. Assuming this is the same AOM bridge that Fender uses in the CP JM/Jags, just screw a couple of grub screws into the thimbles (Ace HW) and drop in a vintage-style bridge. Adjust saddles, lock 'em with blue loctite and done!
Your bridge will rock like it should.
Last edited: Oct 18, 2013 06:54:19
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CrazyAces
Joined: Jul 31, 2012
Posts: 4054
Buffalo, N.Y.
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Posted on Oct 18 2013 08:12 AM
Another vote against roller bridges. I've tested a lot of bridges and rollers are my least favorite for tone, sustain etc.
As far as your radius problem, the saddles on a regular tuneomatic style bridge can be custom slotted to match a 9.5" radius very easily by a competent tech. An important aspect of doing this is to also remove excess material from the top of the saddle after slotting the appropriate strings deeper so they do not bind, pinch or lose sustain.
A roller bridge will not change the fluidity of your vibrato unit and a tuneomatic, ABR, Nashville or aftermarket can be made to stay in tune with a vibrato unit just fine.
That's my 2.5 cents worth.
— http://www.facebook.com/CrazyAcesMusic
http://www.youtube.com/user/crazyacesrock
http://www.reverbnation.com/crazyacesmusic
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Hammond101
Joined: Feb 22, 2013
Posts: 342
SoCal USA
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Posted on Oct 18 2013 05:13 PM
Changing the radius is no issue for me. I do set up and more all the time.
Cambeezy, What vintage style bridge are you talking about? JM?
The thing for me really is bridge float or rollers. Worse than the radius mismatch is a stiff trem. The guitar stays in tune just fine. The trem is just stiff because there is no movement at the bridge and the wang bar takes more effort to move than on my JMs or Strats. Bigsby Tele too for that matter.
I hear what you are saying about roller bridges and a possible lack of sustain and tone loss. In all the years I've never owned one save the roller on my Traveler Speedster. The advice is appreciated.
— Keep it Drippy Brothers and Sisters!
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cambeezy
Joined: Jun 26, 2007
Posts: 399
Cleveland, Ohio
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Posted on Oct 18 2013 06:18 PM
Hammond101 wrote:
Cambeezy, What vintage style bridge are you talking about? JM?
Yes, a JM AVRI bridge. I have a Classic Player JM, 9.5 radius, and installed the grub screws/AV bridge almost three years ago - the bridge floats just fine.
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