Best bridge to float

[DangerousR6]

Wow, looks good, can't even tell. What size were the holes drilled for, and what was the o.d. on the inserts?

 

[Cagey]

I don't remember exactly. Seems like the holes were 12mm and I needed 10mm, so I drilled them out to .5" to match the available hardwood dowel, used epoxy and the dowel to fill the holes, then drilled them out to 10mm..

Incidentally, if you're interested, these guys have that bridge in chrome for $116, which beats the $170 AllParts wants pretty soundly. As far as I can tell, those are the only two sources in the US.

 

[DangerousR6]

I don't remember exactly. Seems like the holes were 12mm and I needed 10mm, so I drilled them out to .5" to match the available hardwood dowel, used epoxy and the dowel to fill the holes, then drilled them out to 10mm..

Incidentally, if you're interested, these guys have that bridge in chrome for $116, which beats the $170 AllParts wants pretty soundly. As far as I can tell, those are the only two sources in the US.

That's kinda odd they would be 12mm, Warmoth says the drill them .390" which is damn near 10mm...
Most definitely a better price, but if you read thru it, they get them from allparts... :dontknow:

 

[Cagey]

I agree on the hole size - I looked into that too, wondering wtf? when I first found out about the odd size. I don't remember who I got that body from - it was somebody on the board here - but he must have custom ordered something and then changed his mind.

As for the bridge... after years of dealing with various local shops and online distributors, I'm of the opinion AllParts isn't interested in retail sales. Many of those places sell parts packaged by AllParts for a lot less than AllParts does, and anything I've ever looked up that took me to their site has forced me to keep looking because they price the stuff sky high. I suspect they've got distribution deals with a lot of manufacturers so they get jobber/wholesale prices, then they repackage/resell to retailers who can price it wherever they want.

Most electronic parts suppliers are that way as well. They're not interested in selling individual parts to people. They're more interested in maintaining a retailer or OEM's stock room. Case/carton quantities, and such.

 

[DangerousR6]

I agree on the hole size - I looked into that too, wondering wtf? when I first found out about the odd size. I don't remember who I got that body from - it was somebody on the board here - but he must have custom ordered something and then changed his mind.

As for the bridge... after years of dealing with various local shops and online distributors, I'm of the opinion AllParts isn't interested in retail sales. Many of those places sell parts packaged by AllParts for a lot less than AllParts does, and anything I've ever looked up that took me to their site has forced me to keep looking because they price the stuff sky high. I suspect they've got distribution deals with a lot of manufacturers so they get jobber/wholesale prices, then they repackage/resell to retailers who can price it wherever they want.

Most electronic parts suppliers are that way as well. They're not interested in selling individual parts to people. They're more interested in maintaining a retailer or OEM's stock room. Case/carton quantities, and such.

Very true, I've turned away from buying from them for the same reason, less damage to the wallet...

 

[Jumble Jumble]

That's interesting. So if you were to get non-recessed Floyd routing, you could just drop that Schaller bridge on?


I always say my favourite bridge is the Fender USA Standard, but actually it's not quite true. I use their bridge plate, but a block, arm and saddles from Callaham. The saddles are just an aesthetic thing, but the block and arm are because the way the arm fits into the block is the best on any tremolo I've ever tried. There is NO play in the arm at all. Makes all other guitars feel cheap immediately.

 

[Cagey]

That's interesting. So if you were to get non-recessed Floyd routing, you could just drop that Schaller bridge on?

Supposedly. If I were to do it again, I'd review all the drawings/specs pretty thoroughly before proceeding, but I'm pretty sure that would all work out.

The Schaller part really is nice. Everything is either stainless or hardened, the saddles have rollers and are height as well as intonation adjustable, and the wang bar can be fixed in place.

 

[DangerousR6]

That's interesting. So if you were to get non-recessed Floyd routing, you could just drop that Schaller bridge on?

Supposedly. If I were to do it again, I'd review all the drawings/specs pretty thoroughly before proceeding, but I'm pretty sure that would all work out.

The Schaller part really is nice. Everything is either stainless or hardened, the saddles have rollers and are height as well as intonation adjustable, and the wang bar can be fixed in place.

That's the only draw back to a Floyd is the lack of roller saddles with height adjusters, instead of the need for shims. :dontknow:

 

[Jumble Jumble]

Yeah, that's the only drawback  :laughing7:

 

[stubhead]

I keep thinking that with all the guitarists in the world, and all the whammy bars, if there were some way possible to play this or something like this with anything other than a standard two-point Fender, somebody would have done it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCH2NghYDas

Or this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euKXSKh6Gos&feature=related

Instead, all the Floydheads just make a bunch of racket instead of playing music on them. I would love to be wrong - post away.... :icon_thumright:

Here's Beck in his last, great peak best year, IMO; full concert:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4emJASIuYA&feature=related
Jennifer Batten playing all the Jan Hammer & Tony Hymas keyboard parts on tap-happy guitar...

The Fender two-point was largely designed and spec'd out with Beck's assistance and I'm sure Fender makes them, though in what country or factory who knows nowadays.(chinachinachinachinachinachina)