What is your favorite fixed bridge and why?

[WarmothRules]

What is your favorite fixed bridge and why?

Just want some opinions for my next build. I’m on the fence on a few bridges and can’t decide.

 

[Strat Avenger]

Fender American Standard. I have three of them. Two of them have Graph Tech String Saver Classic saddles.

 

[Scab Pickens]

Just want some opinions for my next build.

It would be much easier to offer an opinion if you actually stated what your next build would be.

A favorite for one guitar might not be the preferred choice for another.

 

[WarmothRules]

It would be much easier to offer an opinion if you actually stated what your next build would be.

A favorite for one guitar might not be the preferred choice for another.

Baritone build and the options are all the warmoth options.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

My last Strat build used Hipshot 41060 - It works and sounds good. It surprised me that there are small gaps between each saddle, but I think its part of the design. The saddle screws are 4-40 with a 0.050" hex wrench, although I always had Gotoh bridges with metric in the past.

 

[Rick]

We're not talking tele right .... so

Callaham Am. Std Hardtail w/ 3 brass saddles --- just sounds good and stable, like the minimalist look.
American Std Bridge, but swap out the saddle for String Saver classics steel with the insert --- sounds good and stable
Hipshot 6 string fixed --- can't go wrong
Gotoh Wrap Around

 

[teleme01]

Recessed tom because I haven't done one

 

[NedRyerson]

I don't have a favorite because there are so many options that I can't reasonably own enough varying instruments to say "yep, this is what I'm sticking with for the rest of my life." I have two with the TOM/STP combo, one a legit Gibson LP and the other, a kit based on a BC Rich Mockingbird (which is actually one of my favorites to play). A Gotoh top-mount Fender style fixed on a super-Strat that's down-tuned to B-standard. A Tele. Two with TOM and string-through.

The only advantage I've experienced in those is in construction. I am not so Princess-and-the-Pea as to be able to detect the microns of tonal differences between all of those guitars (since the other variables of construction, materials, electronics, signal chain, and such would prevent objective analysis anyway).

I leave those arguments to the people at TGP, those insisting on the genuine paper-in-oil cables and tuning machines, of course.

 

[Hodgo]

I favor tune-o-matics. It just feels nice under the palm, easy to mute. I do not really care much about where the string terminates (tailpiece, string thru) provided their is enough of a break angle to avoid weird noises.

As far as Warmoth offerings go, I say skip the TonePros price and stick with Gotoh. They are identical (TonePros are manufactured by Gotoh) except for the two little set screws. You do not need to lock your TOM, it will not change playability at all and any perceived “tone” benefits surely is not worth paying 3x the price.

 

[ragamuffin]

The Hipshot hardtail 6 string fixed bridge is hard to beat, though I'm also a fan recessed tune-o-matics.

On my last build I used a recessed Hipshot "Tone-a-matic" and I like it a lot, though you would have to do the recess route yourself to use that one as the bridge is a bit bigger than a standard t-o-m.

 

[Scab Pickens]

Baritone build and the options are all the warmoth options.

Thanks for the added details. In that case, I would lean towards the Hipshot (although I have never tried one on a baritone guitar).

 

[WarmothRules]

I’m so undecided. I have a Strat body laying around with a 6 screw vintage trem. I could avoid the cost of a body, bridge, etc. by using it. I just put a strat baritone neck in my cart, pick guard, output neck, and wiring. I think I’ll build a Strat based on what Jon Levasseur used. Even though he played in B standard on a Strat with a normal scale length I much prefer baritone scale in B standard and I do love strats. His guitar had a bridge humbucker and a single coil in the neck but I’ll just keep it a single hum in the bridge and a volume in the tone one spot.

 

[Bruce Campbell]

I like the Hipshot fixed bridge, but the American Standard feels more secure to me with its less rounded lines. YMMV.

 

[aarontunes]

I favor tune-o-matics. It just feels nice under the palm, easy to mute. I do not really care much about where the string terminates (tailpiece, string thru) provided their is enough of a break angle to avoid weird noises.

As far as Warmoth offerings go, I say skip the TonePros price and stick with Gotoh. They are identical (TonePros are manufactured by Gotoh) except for the two little set screws. You do not need to lock your TOM, it will not change playability at all and any perceived “tone” benefits surely is not worth paying 3x the price.

The main benefit I have found is that they stay in place while changing the strings.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

I like the wraparound bridges like the Gotoh and the Leo Quan, but I always felt that the field of travel for the saddles is a bit short for modern use. I never liked the idea of having the grub screw against the mounting stud. I’d rather have all travel occur in the saddles. I think the Schaller 475 is great, but I wonder if the roller saddles will easily pop off and get lost if a string breaks.

 

[JohnnyHardtail]

Does the wrap-around bridge have any advantage over a recessed TOM? I’m not very familiar with it.

 

[TonyFlyingSquirrel]

Does the wrap-around bridge have any advantage over a recessed TOM? I’m not very familiar with it.

Just personal preference, but they do take up less real estate on the guitar, saddle range is similar to that of a tuno.

 

[Lbpesq]

My favorite bridge, by far, is the Babicz Full Contact bridge. Height and length are both easy to adjust. Far more comfortable on the palm than the standard Fender-type design - doesn’t have the little height adjustment screws sticking up. And it literally doubles the acoustic volume of the guitar which translates into improved sustain and tone when plugged in.

Bill, tgo