Strat Hardtail Bridges: Vintage Vs. Narrow Spacing

[ryanjurek]

Okay, so here's the deal.  I have a strat body that is routed for a vintage style hardtail bridge (string spacing 2 1/4).  I want to swap it out for the narrow style hardtail bridge that Warmoth sells (spacing 2 1/8).

As the description says, the string through holes must be enlarged from 1/8" to 3/16" to make easy string access for the narrow spacing.  Simple enough.

That said, Is it reasonable for me to think I could enlarge the string through holes myself with a simple power drill?  I've never done anything like this before.  I figure if I'm just a tad sloppy, it'll be hidden by the bridge plate on top and the ferrules on the bottom.

I want to do this because my E strings are sliding off when I play them above the 12th fret.  I figure a slightly narrower bridge would do the trick.  I don't know why the bridge with 2 1/4" spacing is Warmoth's standard hardtail bridge rout.  It's seems that all strats built with this 2 1/4" bridge would have the same problem.

 

[simple]

I would try it with a power drill but of course no one can vouch for someone else's skill level with a power tool.

The vintage 2 1/4" string bridge spacing is ideally meant to go with a 1 5/8" nut width neck. The strings do ride closer to the edge with a 1 11/16" nut width neck.

 

[ryanjurek]

Gregg, thanks for your reply.

I guess I should have worded my question differently: "Is this is stupid idea...?"  :icon_scratch:

 

[-CB-]

No its not a stupid idea.  And since you only need to drill the holes just a little bit into the body, and since the bridge will cover up any potential slight chip... its very doable.

Use the size from the Warmoth website.  I think drilling down about an inch into the body would do just fine - you're adding clearance under the holes in order to accept a slightly different spacing.  The rear holes will be the same spacing, and there's no need to go all the way through to the rear holes.  Enlarging the holes from the bridge side, down about an inch.. I can't see an issue there, except maybe some very slight difficulty when stringing up.  Ya might have to poke a few times to get the string through the bridge hole (which will be smaller than, and slightly offset from the hole directly under it). 

 

[stubhead]

One of the many, many problems with the vintage Strat design is that strings often do fall off the edges of the fingerboard. It's hard to believe those poor guys like Hendrix, SRV, Clapton & Eric Johnson have been crippled by such an inferior product - maybe if they'd of had good guitars, they might've amounted to something.  :binkybaby:

 

[tfarny]

So stubhead, all innovation / change is bad because Hendrix used the guitars that were made at that time? In what year did guitar design achieve total perfection, never again to be improved upon?
Your post smells ever so slightly of sh.t-stirring.

 

[-CB-]

For the record, within the known universe, its periphery, and Nine Outer Dominions, guitar design perfection was brilliantly achieved in 2007, by me, with the recreation of my masterful rework of the Gibson BFG, in the form of an exquisitely modified Telecaster thinline.

 

[RLW]

Jubilation T. Cornpone couldn't have said it better.

 

[Alfang]

For the record, within the known universe, its periphery, and Nine Outer Dominions, guitar design perfection was brilliantly achieved in 2007, by me, with the recreation of my masterful rework of the Gibson BFG, in the form of an exquisitely modified Telecaster thinline.

LOL CB you crack you up, you are poetically correct I do believe, whatever that means.

 

[guitlouie]

To the OP,  I think that this will be a fairly simple operation, just take your time and you can do it.  On the subject of guitar deign perfection, well that is a very subjective topic, and I believe that -CB- believes he has acheived just that, for him.  My Idea of perfection might be different (although that Tele looks pretty awesome) but whatever.  And as far as incredible players, well they would be incredible players on a two string cigar box/broom handle affair.  The rest of us are gonna suck even after we have built our own version of perfection.

 

[stubhead]

I actually like the vintage Strat string spacing for some things - it's good for fingerpicking and classical right-hand techniques - but I hate pulling strings off of the fingerboard, it's so obvious on stage. I never push the bass string off but oh, that high E.... Warmoth used to offer an extra-wide fingerboard option, but I couldn't get it with scalloping and now it's gone, gone, gone. :sad1:

And as far as incredible players, well they would be incredible players on a two string cigar box/broom handle affair.  The rest of us are gonna suck even after we have built our own version of perfection.

Add up all the time you spend on the computer, all the time you spend on the TV, all the time you spend building guitars, and that might be what you'd need to practice every day... it would help to be talented too? It annoys me no end to read about John McLaughlin or Steve Morse or Carlos Santana or John Petrucci or Jonas Hellborg complaining that what they hate about touring is that they can practice only three or four hours a day, and they want MORE. I mean, they're already good enough to get by :toothy12: - why aren't they in the jacuzzi with some supermodels?  :icon_scratch:

I think I have an attitude problem. :blob7:

 

[neilium]

Jubilation T. Cornpone couldn't have said it better.

Wow, points for the Li'l Abner reference.