Tqi wrote:

I genuinely don't have anything else to contribute, that's why I bowed out of this one! Thank you for not thinking too badly of me, and I apologise for any ill-feeling I caused you. Thanks for popping in and clarifying your position - (though I still argue for a "no updates, just send me the invite" option to be really appropriate)

Thank you this post. I respected you before and I still do. I got too emotional as always, and I'm glad Dan came in and cleared the air. I too kind of only want an "it's available" email list!

I think this bridge would allow me to lower my action; right now it's insanely high. It's high only because of the low E, but since I can't only adjust that they are all high. Staytrem feels super nice but it's just too high because of that low E. Maybe that's why I've never really cared about my bridge having the same radius as the fretboard, because I've always had to adjust the saddles for minimum buzz, and they always end up in a different shape. Usually more flat than the fretboard. I guess I'm a rebel.

I cannot wait for this bridge, I've been waiting excitedly over four years!

Daniel Deathtide

Great post, @Dan!

Question: are the base dimensions such that someone could put the traditional chrome bridge cover on if they wanted to?

Fady

El Mirage @ ReverbNation

My gripe with rocking bridges is that they're prone to getting knocked out of position one way or the other. Have you explored methods for addressing this? In past fits of mental exploration, I've imagined some kind of clamp built into each E saddle to pinch the string and hold the thing in place. How this would affect the sustain and sound, I have no idea, though.

Thanks for the detailed response, Dan! I too am a bit surprised you've been asked about it a fair amount. I thought I was a rare freak using them (and the string mute in tact on the Jaguar, which I imagine would be a whole 'nuther can of worms design wise).

My first hunch was the shoulder around the posts was perhaps too tall for the cover even if the width of the bridge were the exact same given the curvature of the cover ends/shoulders. Your detailed explanation makes a ton of sense.

Redfeather wrote:

My gripe with rocking bridges is that they're prone to getting knocked out of position one way or the other. Have you explored methods for addressing this? In past fits of mental exploration, I've imagined some kind of clamp built into each E saddle to pinch the string and hold the thing in place. How this would affect the sustain and sound, I have no idea, though.

This isn't an alternative or new way to lock an off-set guitar bridge, and I don't remember where I even saw the pointer some years ago, but I've had good enough luck setting things up with the classic/vintage bridge pushed all the way back to begin with. It isn't very often that I find myself using the 'pitch-up' move (a la Hank Marvin), so the notion of returning to center both ways is less important in practice than theory, at least in my approach to it all. Mind you, this isn't to say that bending up automatically causes problems. I've not found that to be true (again, at least in my approach to it all.) The bonus, if you sense it is out of position enough to matter, it's super quick and easy to just push it all the way back again and presto, you're always right back to all square, every time.

Fady

El Mirage @ ReverbNation

Fady wrote:

Redfeather wrote:

My gripe with rocking bridges is that they're prone to getting knocked out of position one way or the other. Have you explored methods for addressing this? In past fits of mental exploration, I've imagined some kind of clamp built into each E saddle to pinch the string and hold the thing in place. How this would affect the sustain and sound, I have no idea, though.

This isn't an alternative or new way to lock an off-set guitar bridge, and I don't remember where I even saw the pointer some years ago, but I've had good enough luck setting things up with the classic/vintage bridge pushed all the way back to begin with. It isn't very often that I find myself using the 'pitch-up' move (a la Hank Marvin), so the notion of returning to center both ways is less important in practice than theory, at least in my approach to it all. Mind you, this isn't to say that bending up automatically causes problems. I've not found that to be true (again, at least in my approach to it all.) The bonus, if you sense it is out of position enough to matter, it's super quick and easy to just push it all the way back again and presto, you're always right back to all square, every time.

IMHO, the greatest variable, when it comes to vibrato tailpieces, would be the player’s expectations. (Pardon my while I reach for my soapbox.) there have been many discussions about Leo Fender’s use of the term “tremolo” to describe what most of civilization would agree is a vibrato tailpiece. A while back, it occurred to me that when you use a vibrato tailpiece to lower pitch, you also reduce the energy of the vibrating string, and volume reduces. When you use it to increase the energy, and the volume increases. This is the way I use vibrato tailpieces, probably over 95% of the time.

Actually, the only time I shoot for a profound drop is the closing Gm chord in Penetration. With the exception of my Teles, my classical and my 2 out of three of my basses, every guitar has either a Bigsby or an Offset trem, and I use these a lot. I even use them when playing Jazz, but I tend to be subtle in my use. I very rarely have tuning problems, even though I use the trem’ a lot.

When Van Halen came along, he used the trem’ differently, and spawned an entire industry, of vibrato tailpieces, bridges, roller nuts, etc. which were designed to accommodate wide range use. You can dive bomb a Bigsby, an Offset tailpiece or a Strat, and it might work well, but any friction point will be revealed, when you do. Dive bomb frequently, and you are all,but assured of tuning problems. It’s a matter of degrees … and expectations. If you want wide-range pitch shifting from a guitar, it might make sense to pursue a Floyd Rose, or similar design.

I can only speak for my results, but I really don’t have tuning stability issues, with the exception that on every guitar I own, the G tends to require more frequent attention, but even that is little more than a minor inconvenience. I don’t use roller nuts, or roller bridges, but have standard Delrin nuts and conventional bridges.

The artist formerly known as: Synchro

When Surf Guitar is outlawed only outlaws will play Surf Guitar.

Ah yes--the tension differential on either side of the clamps probably would be an issue. Hmmm.