Which Wraparound Bridge?

[Mr Grumpy]

My new SG special with lightening bar, don't love the bridge... Actually, the older style uncompensated angled bridge held better intonation and tuning on my SG junior...

What would you go for?

MojoAxe keeps the same look, upgrade in quality and intonation, but still limited (but if it works, it's simple and keeps the clean looks)... $65 shipped:



TonePros AVT2G (I think that's the right one, please tell me if I'm wrong!); locks in place (strange locking system, but not done often, so I can put up with that), $90 shipped:



Schaller Sigma, gonna be great quality, easier to lock in place, but is it too pretty - will it change the look of the SG? $110 shipped.



Faber, quite basic looking (which I think is a positive), $130 shipped.



The Sysco-special, easy locking screws, plenty of intonation adjustment, pretty fancy, gonna cost over $200...



There's probably some I've missed too, but TTRers, offer me your wisdom!

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Schaller or the Sysco special.# 1,if you got a good fitting on the tailpiece studs you dont need those silly Tonepros style looking studs.i throw those in the trash. The tone pros tailpiece is good kit. Im really digging the Sysco special or that Schaller.Myself i use Leo Quan Badasses cause there kind of period correct mods.Like SG John said the Mojo Axe folks make a compensated wrap around that looks just like the early ones .

 

[gball]

MojoAxe. No point complicating that which is simple.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Schaller or the Sysco special.# 1,if you got a good fitting on the tailpiece studs you dont need those silly Tonepros style looking studs.i throw those in the trash. The tone pros tailpiece is good kit. Im really digging the Sysco special or that Schaller.Myself i use Leo Quan Badasses cause there kind of period correct mods.Like SG John said the Mojo Axe folks make a compensated wrap around that looks just like the early ones .

Funnily enough, JG, you highlighted the two I liked least... There's no better or worse here, but I kinda fancied simple rather than fancy.

The one you mentioned doesn't seem to be in production anymore, looks a bit like a knuckle duster, heavy duty, so I can see why you'd like it.

Some second hand ones running around $90-100 shipped:



This Montreaux looks to be very similar if not the same (available new):



They are chunky...

 

[Mr Grumpy]

MojoAxe. No point complicating that which is simple.

That is a very good point.

The more I think about it, the more I like them all - I can certainly see how somebody playing/gigging would go for both simple is less to go wrong and the Sysco-special that gets you closest to perfect intonation and quick string changes.

There's also a very simple Faber:



I can see how this and the MojoAxe might move the string around if your bending a lot, no notch - although the string tension would keep an (oiled?) bar ballpark? Not that relevant for me as I don't bend much.

 

[syscokid]

That is a very good point.

The more I think about it, the more I like them all - I can certainly see how somebody playing/gigging would go for both simple is less to go wrong and the Sysco-special that gets you closest to perfect intonation and quick string changes.

If the Mojoaxe lightning bar will intonate properly enough for you, then this would be the best solution to keep that beautiful SG more authentic.

The Schroeder Solution bridge is not a good fit for your guitar, because it's designed for the old Gibsons with exaggerated offset bridge posts. The Schroeder Straight-Back stoptail would be the better choice for your guitar:

And it's about $30 cheaper.

But like I said before... There's some serious coolness and resonating magic with a proper lightning bar bridge.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Good info Sysco. I see that your straight-back mountain stoptail is the real Sysco special! &, it's a nice looking bridge.

I actually prefer the whole '61 angled bridge situation, but the Maestro is a 63/64, so you get the lightening. Maybe the MojoAxe is a good starting point (and leaves me enough cash for:



I like this Special, but not so much that I won't put some screw holes in her...

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Ya Grump what gball said is truth,if you dont want to drive yourself nuts intonating each saddle to get it just right i would go with the Mojo Axe ones.I just perfectly to my ear and with a Peterson strobe tuner intonated my JR after the John Birch pup swap and if you see it forms the pattern of your lightning bar.So basically i say get what ever floats your boat.Throw the new Gibson junk in the trash.

 

[syscokid]

(and leaves me enough cash for:

I like this Special, but not so much that I won't put some screw holes in her...

Make sure the tuning posts align with the current holes...

 

[Session 5]

This wraparound Bridge is excellent, It is on my Godin Core Ct. It is for PRS style or Gibson style guitars that use wraparound style bridge. The sustain from this bridge is fantastic! They are well known for making quality Bridges and other parts. $195.00 Go to Graphtech Resomax Bridges. $195.00

 

[Mr Grumpy]

^ yeah, you're probably right, JG.

The junior was perfect with the most basic of bridges, so that could well be the way to go.

 

[Session 5]

 

[JohnnyGoo]

The Montruex is the one thats on my JR now.Leo Quan copyI got a couple real Leo Quans.If you look you can find new old stock on ebay but will cost ya.i never buy those old crusty ones.

 

[Session 5]

Mr Grumpy My personal experience about this bridge is its unbelievable the sustain that comes from it also the good looks. I have another resomax on my other Godin which is wraparound as well I luv em both.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

The way the strings wrap around the tailpiece youd have to bend those strings pretty damn hard to get them to slip on the compensated Mojo Axe tailpiece.Can we say Tele and Strat. Look at those lol.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Strip tuners you say.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

Those are Kluson deluxes Grump.One of my JRs has got chrome hardware and the other is nickel.

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Those are Kluson deluxes Grump.One of my JRs has got chrome hardware and the other is nickel.

Which do you prefer? I've always gone with Nickel, given a choice, but this Special has chrome...

 

[Mr Grumpy]

Mr Grumpy My personal experience about this bridge is its unbelievable the sustain that comes from it also the good looks. I have another resomax on my other Godin which is wraparound as well I luv em both.

I looked at Graphtec, but the ones I saw had strange looking "string saver" saddles which I thought would spoil the look of this SG.

 

[JohnnyGoo]

i like nickel myself to Grump but when i built these two JRS one had a nickel pup and one had a chrome soooooo,as far as quality i can tell no difference in the two..I love the Gibson white button deluxe tuners to but the strip tuners are more period correct .Mine are both copies of the Gibson 1961 Gibson LP JRs which were really the SG shape.