Top loading bridge?

jenton70 · March 18th, 2008, 08:40 PM

I'm sorry if this has been covered I haven't found it. I have a '62 CIJ with a bigsby. I'm looking to replace the bigsby with a top-loading bridge. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a good one or if it's even possible? I really love this guitar but I never use the bigsby and it gets in my way.

Southern ILL · March 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM

Got my Black Wilkinson and I can top load or string it through.It has the compensated brass saddles.Opinions vary on these but I like mine.

Johnnytone · March 18th, 2008, 10:10 PM

Get the $9 Fender bridge plate and drill the holes yourself.

bri · March 18th, 2008, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Johnnytone

Get the $9 Fender bridge plate and drill the holes yourself.

It's not that difficult if you have access to a drill press and I'm sure you'll find the tone will be well worth the extra effort.
Brian

jenton70 · March 18th, 2008, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bri

It's not that difficult if you have access to a drill press and I'm sure you'll find the tone will be well worth the extra effort.
Brian

I'm going to ask a buddy if I can use his press for the project. I'll scour through this site for any posts about how to do this. I'm a little scared...

bri · March 18th, 2008, 11:44 PM

Use the bridge as a template to mark the holes and drill from the front first. It's been a while, but I think I used a 1/8 drill. Turn the body over and using a countersink tool, drill into the 1/8 holes just deep enough to accept the string ferrules. I'm sure you'll get lots other advice when more guys read your post.
Brian

Amby · March 19th, 2008, 01:17 PM

Wilkinson Bridge for me.

Arlo · March 19th, 2008, 07:08 PM

I wonder how a EAD thru and a GBE top would play and sound?

I like the springy feeling and elasticity of the strings on a top loader.

messhead · March 19th, 2008, 07:23 PM

I'll agree with the Wilkinson Dual Load, have two and love them.

yegbert · March 19th, 2008, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenton70

I'm sorry if this has been covered I haven't found it. I have a '62 CIJ with a bigsby. I'm looking to replace the bigsby with a top-loading bridge. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a good one or if it's even possible? I really love this guitar but I never use the bigsby and it gets in my way.

You should consider the potential for:

1) new holes that need to be drilled if the replacement bridge mounts using different screw hole positions;

and

2) old holes that may be left and possibly exposed if the replacement bridge mounts with a different hole pattern and/or doesn't have the same footprint. If any of these overlap with where new mounting holes are needed, filling them first would be essential. If you don't like the looks of any holes exposed you may want to fill them, look for a different bridge, or scrap the idea of this mod.

rhh7 · May 13th, 2008, 11:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arlo

I wonder how a EAD thru and a GBE top would play and sound?

I like the springy feeling and elasticity of the strings on a top loader.

Arlo, I heard one of your soundclips this week, incredible!

I am considering making my first partscaster a toploader. Marty of Prairie Custom Guitars is making my body. What do you think?

Thanks a million!

Arlo · May 14th, 2008, 12:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rhh7

Arlo, I heard one of your soundclips this week, incredible!

I am considering making my first partscaster a toploader. Marty of Prairie Custom Guitars is making my body. What do you think?

Thanks a million!

Marty is the man! Uhm.........ask him what he is making it out of?

rhh7 · May 14th, 2008, 01:12 AM

Ash, for sure!

guitarbuilder · May 14th, 2008, 06:22 AM

Geez, Does every guy named Marty build guitars? I haven't heard of this many Marty's in one spot in my life
:-). We've got me, Martino, MartyB1, and now Marty of Prairie Custom. Any others I don't know about LOL.
Marty

rhh7 · May 14th, 2008, 08:37 AM

I met Marty here on the forum, even though we both live in Alberta Province...small world!

woodman · May 14th, 2008, 11:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jenton70

I'm a little scared...

an old hillbilly man, wise in the ways of the world, once told me: "if ya ain't skeerd, ya ain't right!"

this definitely applies when you take power tools to a guitar body! but it's not as hard as you think. just measure and mark four or five times, taking time to think about it before you drill, and it'll probably turn out fine.

rockycreeker · May 14th, 2008, 04:47 PM

I was thinking of doing trying what Arlo suggested - getting a Wilkinson bridge for my Tele and stringing the ead thru and gbe toploader.

Has anyone tried this and did it make any difference in the "slinkiness" of the toploaded strings?

March 18th, 2008, 08:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
jenton70 TDPRI Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Milwaukee Age: 38 Posts: 65	Top loading bridge? I'm sorry if this has been covered I haven't found it. I have a '62 CIJ with a bigsby. I'm looking to replace the bigsby with a top-loading bridge. Does anyone have any suggestions as to a good one or if it's even possible? I really love this guitar but I never use the bigsby and it gets in my way.

March 19th, 2008, 07:08 PM	#8 (permalink)
Arlo Friend of Leo's Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Maine [in a van down by the river] Age: 50 Posts: 2,333	I wonder how a EAD thru and a GBE top would play and sound? I like the springy feeling and elasticity of the strings on a top loader. __________________ My music? It is free for my friends.

March 19th, 2008, 07:23 PM	#9 (permalink)
messhead TDPRI Member Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Rochester, NY Posts: 92	I'll agree with the Wilkinson Dual Load, have two and love them. __________________ www.myspace.com/nyvaults

May 14th, 2008, 08:37 AM	#15 (permalink)
rhh7 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 400 4 Photos	I met Marty here on the forum, even though we both live in Alberta Province...small world! Last edited by rhh7; May 14th, 2008 at 08:32 PM.

May 14th, 2008, 04:47 PM	#17 (permalink)
rockycreeker Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Georgia Posts: 377	I was thinking of doing trying what Arlo suggested - getting a Wilkinson bridge for my Tele and stringing the ead thru and gbe toploader. Has anyone tried this and did it make any difference in the "slinkiness" of the toploaded strings? __________________ Playing music is a permanent sickness

March 18th, 2008, 09:58 PM	#2 (permalink)
Southern ILL Banned Tele-Holic Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Illinois Age: 38 Posts: 982	Got my Black Wilkinson and I can top load or string it through.It has the compensated brass saddles.Opinions vary on these but I like mine.

March 18th, 2008, 10:10 PM	#3 (permalink)
Johnnytone Tele-Meister Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: 30 miles west of Albany, NY Posts: 176	Get the $9 Fender bridge plate and drill the holes yourself.

March 18th, 2008, 11:44 PM	#6 (permalink)
bri Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Ontario, Canada Age: 68 Posts: 454	Use the bridge as a template to mark the holes and drill from the front first. It's been a while, but I think I used a 1/8 drill. Turn the body over and using a countersink tool, drill into the 1/8 holes just deep enough to accept the string ferrules. I'm sure you'll get lots other advice when more guys read your post. Brian

March 19th, 2008, 01:17 PM	#7 (permalink)
Amby Tele-Meister Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Stirlingshire, Scotland Age: 61 Posts: 242	Wilkinson Bridge for me.

May 14th, 2008, 01:12 AM	#13 (permalink)
rhh7 Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: Calgary, Alberta, Canada Posts: 400 4 Photos	Ash, for sure!

May 14th, 2008, 06:22 AM	#14 (permalink)
guitarbuilder Tele-Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Hemlock, NY Age: 54 Posts: 341	Geez, Does every guy named Marty build guitars? I haven't heard of this many Marty's in one spot in my life :-). We've got me, Martino, MartyB1, and now Marty of Prairie Custom. Any others I don't know about LOL. Marty