Replace vintage bridge with a 2 pivot bridge please help

Hello,

i have just recently bought a 54 custom shop strat made in the page era.

I have had the guitar set up but it will not stay in tune .

Can you guys help with your opinions, im thinking of replacing the vintage bridge with a 2 pivot type as i hear they are great for staying in tune.

What would i have to do regarding drilling new holes ?

Where can i get a really good 2 pivot bridge that is in keeping with the vintage style guitar ?

Can i get a fender 2 pivot that will fit ?

Any help would be great thanks luke.

Hello,

i have just recently bought a 54 custom shop strat made in the page era.

I have had the guitar set up but it will not stay in tune .

Can you guys help with your opinions, im thinking of replacing the vintage bridge with a 2 pivot type as i hear they are great for staying in tune.

What would i have to do regarding drilling new holes ?

Where can i get a really good 2 pivot bridge that is in keeping with the vintage style guitar ?

Can i get a fender 2 pivot that will fit ?

Any help would be great thanks luke.

Are you sure it's the bridge? Nothing wrong with a vintage bridge.
What part of the "page era" do you mean? For me the Page era was from the early sixties till present. But I am a big Jimmy Page fan.

(facepalm): John Page

Before I went to the trouble of chasing down a 2-post bridge and drilling the body for it, I'd pay some serious attention to the nut slots, the string tree height (you do have a spacer under it, right?) and the bridge setup. The stock bridge should work well if the nut is slotted correctly, the bridge is set-up correctly and you've lubed the slots, the tree and the saddles.

Nothing wrong with a (six screw) vintage vibrato bridge staying in tune... see about the items mentioned above - it needs to be messed with to get everything right and when it is right, you don't need to mess with it anymore until you need to mess with it again :razz:

It is frustrating but when it is done, it works great!

Luke, check this out. It works really well.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iy-F7iSIopA

Block that thing off.

Hi Thanks for your replies, my guitar tech i use has said the bridge screws over the years have started to wobble, So every time the bridge is pulled up or pushed down it never returns to its original place when perfectly in tune. we have tried most things and it just will not stay in tune .

So the screws need to be replaced because they're bent? Or does the bridge need to be replaced because the pivot points are worn? If you go bananas on the bar, maybe you'd like a 2-point bridge, but the sound will change pretty significantly. If it was mine and I loved the guitar's tone, I'd sort out the issues with the 6-screw bridge to retain that sound. I should probably mention that I am not against a 2-point bridge - I really like them for more-radical whammy action. I prefer the tone of the 6-screw bridge, though.

I'm wanting to do just the opposite.
I have a Wilkenson two point bridge and want to switch to a vintage.
Where the trem hits the two posts it has deteriorated over the years and is not smooth.
Some of the area there has collapsed where it meets the posts.
It is a Warmoth body cut for the Wilk.
How much drilling and work will be needed to switch these?

Why not just put a new Wilkinson bridge and posts on it? Do you not like the Wilkinson?

Why not just put a new Wilkinson bridge and posts on it? Do you not like the Wilkinson?

Is there a practical way to repair or re-smooth the contact points?

The Wilk is ok. Just thought I'd get away from the same damage in the future.

My tech said the screws wobble and that over the years the screw holes have got bigger and are now not as tight, so the bridge moves slightly . i think filling and re-drilling may be a bad option as this could happen again, so should i go with a wilkinson 2 pivot bridge ?

Sounds like you need a better tech. I wouldn't mess up a nice custom shop guitar like that... Get it fixed the way it was designed - it will work perfectly well AND stay in tune.

Sounds like you need a better tech. I wouldn't mess up a nice custom shop guitar like that... Get it fixed the way it was designed - it will work perfectly well AND stay in tune.

Attaboy!

Is there a practical way to repair or re-smooth the contact points?

The Wilk is ok. Just thought I'd get away from the same damage in the future.

If the pivot points on the bridge plate are chewed-up, I'd just replace it. You might get them smoothed-out, but they probably wouldn't stay that way long. If it's just the pivot posts, that's an easy decision!

If the pivot points on the bridge plate are chewed-up, I'd just replace it. You might get them smoothed-out, but they probably wouldn't stay that way long. If it's just the pivot posts, that's an easy decision!


No, it is the points on the bridge plate that have collapsed some under the pressure.

I might try filing or buffing them down slightly to form a smooth point, just enough to do this but not affect the placement of the plate.

A 54 would be ash. Hard ass wood. I think your tech is a dumbass.:lol:

With the strings off the guitar and the springs pulled, back each of the six screws out. Then turn the two outside screws down until they're flush with the plate, but not so tight as they cause the bridge to lift at the rear. Back off a 1/4 turn. Tighten the four middle screws the same way, but back off a full turn. You're done. Put the springs back on, strings too. Check for binding at the nut, and the string tree. Also, how are you using the slit post tuners? Cut the strings so that they're two posts longer than the post you're stringing up (Low E= cut at D post, etc.) Shove the end down the hole, and wind it up.

I have four Strats with the vintage bridge. All stay in tune fine with moderate wiggle stick use. Just don't dive bomb the hell out of it.:cool:

A 54 would be ash. Hard ass wood. I think your tech is a dumbass.:lol:

With the strings off the guitar and the springs pulled, back each of the six screws out. Then turn the two outside screws down until they're flush with the plate, but not so tight as they cause the bridge to lift at the rear. Back off a 1/4 turn. Tighten the four middle screws the same way, but back off a full turn. You're done. Put the springs back on, strings too. Check for binding at the nut, and the string tree. Also, how are you using the slit post tuners? Cut the strings so that they're two posts longer than the post you're stringing up (Low E= cut at D post, etc.) Shove the end down the hole, and wind it up.

I have four Strats with the vintage bridge. All stay in tune fine with moderate wiggle stick use. Just don't dive bomb the hell out of it.:cool:

Listen to Uncle Fezz. He knows of what he speaks... :wink:

I have four Strats with the vintage bridge. All stay in tune fine with moderate wiggle stick use. Just don't dive bomb the hell out of it.

The only thing I'd add is that you should be able to "dive bomb the hell out of it" if it's set up correctly. I do it with mine and they come back in tune perfectly. Lube the nut slots, string tree and saddles and you can go as crazy as you want to if the nut slots are cut well.

The only thing I'd add is that you should be able to "dive bomb the hell out of it" if it's set up correctly. I do it with mine and they come back in tune perfectly. Lube the nut slots, string tree and saddles and you can go as crazy as you want to if the nut slots are cut well.

I disagree. Excessive use increases the possibility of tuning instability. And if your guitar has a properly cut nut, there is no reason to use any kind of "lube". If you wanna go from steel to rubber, get a locking vibrato. Just listen to any live Hendrix, or even SRV. They weren't meant to do extreme stuff, just a step up or down.

The last half of this vid, Beck is severely out of tune, even with the roller nut. He just knows how to deal with it:
9zi3V_HITo8

The last half of this vid, Beck is severely out of tune, even with the roller nut. He just knows how to deal with it.

And with a roller nut?!?!? :shock: Say it ain't so. :mrgreen:

I disagree. Excessive use increases the possibility of tuning instability. And if your guitar has a properly cut nut, there is no reason to use any kind of "lube". If you wanna go from steel to rubber, get a locking vibrato. Just listen to any live Hendrix, or even SRV. They weren't meant to do extreme stuff, just a step up or down.

I just want to do what I want to do with the guitar that's in my hands at the moment. If that means I'm going bananas on a Start with a 6-point bridge, I see no reason to be scared of it. The lube is extra insurance and saves a little bit on string wear. It's not about what they were designed for, it's about what I can get away with. :wink:

I'm with Fezz. Properly cut nut slots and string tree heights are all that's needed. Mine even survive 'divebombing' no problem. I mount the string trees a bit further back and shim. Also, it's important to fiddle the trem around during tuning.

Thanks for all the opinions and help, Im going to send it half way up the country to a well know guitar tech "MANCHESTER GUITAR TECH", i think this is the man who can really set the strat up to a great standard, without putting holes in the guitar for a new bridge.Like you guys have mentioned through out if its set up the right way It should play the right way thanks all :) .

Glad to hear it.

I think the first tech who was looking at this guitar, was just in over his head.

Good luck on that.