Which Wraparound Bridge?

The short maestro seems to stop some (a lot) of the angled pressure on the bridge
Good point... (y)

Anyways, what do you think about a DTs Maestro tailpiece or an ebony block?
If you mean a full vibrola with the Maestro cover, then IMO, that would be a big YES!

Vibrola Ebony Block: I think this is a very interesting idea. Never seen one on a Special!
 
The Gibson one won't intonate too well as one of the intonation screws is broken - the Mojoaxe is just an improved lightening bar with intonation screws that work (I hope!).

If they send you a replacement hopefully it works fine and you don't have to spend any money on an "upgrade" one.

I was at the shop yesterday checking out an SG Jr. I liked that simple setup too, possibly more than the lightning bar. Oh, and the guitar itself was magnificent - I am really GASsing hard for it.
 
The locking studs look ugly to me, so I'll probably not unless it becomes a problem. I like the visual simplicity. If you have any solutions that don't change the look then I'll be happy to hear them.
Though I don't have a wrap around bridge, I have the Faber locking tailpiece studs on all my Gibson's. 15792101821454684893371958676175.pngLooking face on they look just like normal Gibson studs, but as well as locking the studs & tailpiece or wrap around bridge together as a solid unit, they also bolt it down solidly to the guitar body. (Edit: Actually, it's not until tightened down to the body that it all locks together.) They come with 3 different "height adjustment" shims that can be used singley or stacked together to get the height you need. Come in nickel, chrome, gold etc finishes.
 
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If they send you a replacement hopefully it works fine and you don't have to spend any money on an "upgrade" one.

I was at the shop yesterday checking out an SG Jr. I liked that simple setup too, possibly more than the lightning bar. Oh, and the guitar itself was magnificent - I am really GASsing hard for it.

I don't much like the straight lightening bar... The angled junior uncompensated bridge is a nicer looking solution and worked perfectly on the junior I had. So far, chalk and cheese... Specials are super cool, but a lot of that is the look, imho, whereas juniors are just hard to beat as a player/rock machine.
 
Though I don't have a wrap around bridge, I have the Faber locking tailpiece studs on all my Gibson's. View attachment 37133Looking face on they look just like normal Gibson studs, but as well as locking the studs & tailpiece or wrap around bridge together as a solid unit, they also bolt it down solidly to the guitar body. (Edit: Actually, it's not until tightened down to the body that it all locks together.) They come with 3 different "height adjustment" shims that can be used singley or stacked together to get the height you need. Come in nickel, chrome, gold etc finishes.

If the lightening (MojoAxe version) is ok then that's the kinda solution I'd like to just lock it in place and leave it; maybe a 1/8th turn of the truss rod according to humidity/weather conditions would be about all I'd ever need to do from there on in. I could certainly see myself going for a set of those. Edit to add: done... I like that solution with a lightening bar. If it doesn't work well on the guitar then I have parts for a small modern sculpture. :io:

It's not vital to keep the guitar looking like a '64 (at least in my puny mind), but it would be nice...
 
I have the GraphTech Resomax bridge with the string saver saddles on my SG Junior. Very highly recommend it, very ergonomic and easy to intonate, only downside is the price and they are a little awkward to restring and those "locking" magnetic posts don't really lock, the magnetic effect is not very strong, at least not on mine, but that might be because the guy who installed them didn't change the inserts as well (not sure on this).

The other bridge I would recommend is the Gotoh 510 wraparound. Similar look and feel to the GraphTech, but metal saddles and the strings load in from the top.


Japarts will take your order in English and then have the parts shipped directly from Gotoh to you in South Korea via EMS. They make to order any part in the catalogue (so not a bad time to get sexy locking tuners with whatever buttons take your fancy) but that takes up to four weeks before they ship. If you are lucky parts will be in stock. I have found this to be the cheapest way to buy Gotoh stuff.

Have a listen to the sustain in this video. These bridges lock down solid with hex keys.

 
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Problem with "MY" dream guitar-=----- its always CHANGING ---
What WAS my dream guitar 30 years ago--- Ive owned recently -- and I didnt like it-- I have my all time favorite gutiars are they EXACTLY the way I dreamed them --- no--
in high school you couldnt MAKE ME PLAY a hollow body F hole (old stinker) Jazz guitar with flats on it (UGH LIKE GAG ME WITH A FORK) -- now I love them ---
Dreams change ;)

I know others who have built a DREAM guitar with a luthier etc and --- well it fell short ---
Ive also known guys who found that "dream" girl and it cost them a LOT lol!!! The dream job that turned out to be a nightmare--- the dream car --- that was pure crap---

Dreams and reality RARELY function in the same time space continuum--- there is a happy medium however ;)

but hey KEEP REACHING FOR THE STARS!!!
 
I like the Gotoh bridges too.

My MojoAxe has arrived and seems identical to the Gibson lightening bar... Just waiting for the Faber locking posts and new tuners then I'll put it all on. Sooner or later, a replacement from Gibson will turn up. &, once I take the bridge off, I can probably get that grub screw out, turn it around and use it, so I'll have 2 perfect (?) Gibson lightening bridges sitting in my drawer. If the MojoAxe doesn't get me where I want, I'll get the Gotoh then start a small online shop selling Gibson lightening bridges... Sometimes, I feel that I'm not very efficient with my purchases, and when I forget this fact the wife reminds me...
 
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