I have actually worked out a design for making a home made one of these. See attachment below. It uses two pieces of steel. One big enough for the base. The other one on the backside. This one would be drilled for the saddle screws. A gap would be left at the bottom to accommodate ball end of the strings. Two blocks of wood would be used to keep the saddles from moving. Now i don't have to! I've just purchased one three and one four string saddled bridges. Let ya'll know what I think about them when I get em.
Just wanted to add this. I needed a new bridge for a Fender bass I got at an auction. So I got a real Fender bridge for it. What a piece of, well, bad stuff. The three string bridge from CB Gitty is heavier than this bass bridge. I've actually thought about trying to bend this Fender bridge by bear hand. Honestly think I could. Then thought better of it. So what I did was replace the rusted saddle with one from this cheap thing. Perhaps use the Genuine Fender bridge on a three string bass build latter on.
So for those who want to know. Yes, these three and four string bridges are a good quality product. Apparently a lot better than the Genuine Fender bass bridge I just got.
Shawn, After reading your post I checked all the hard tail bridges I have. The only Fenderish one is a Squire. They all have the intonation screws about a 1/4 inch up except the Squire. These are higher up by a good 1/16 than the other bridges. This is something. These would be best used if your planning on a neck with better than a 1/4 inch hight off the body.
If you can't angle the neck what about routing the body under the bridge?
Shawn > Cause the Blue ratDecember 19, 2014 at 7:21am
Here's a side by side photo of the difference. Yah I could do that or I could re drill the saddle intonation screw holes.
Both the four and three string bridges from CB Gitty came in.
First impressions, heavy and well built. There is plenty of hight screw and all of them appear to be the same length. Every one of them moves freely in their holes.
The four string bridge. It is a string threw body bridge. However there is enough room below the saddle screws in the back to drill holes. So it is possible to modify this bridge and have the strings come from the back of the bridge. The bridge has the same spacing as a standard six string bridge. This is great for a picker like me. However if you need your strings to be farther apart for you style of slide playing please be advised. Over all it's a well made piece of machinery. I'm glad CB Gitty has them. If the need arises I'd buy one again.
The Three string bridge. This one has the same heavy quality as the first. The main difference is the string spacing. They are farther apart. From the first to third string it's just a hair (1/64) over 15/16 of an inch. What is real nice is each string saddle has TWO groves. One for each saddle hight screw. This will keep each saddle in place thew any palm muting or heavy strumming. Very well built. Although the description states this bridge is a string threw body the one I have has it's holes in the back. So the strings will stay on the top of the guitar. Ordered the three string bridge because I wanted to see if there was any difference between the two. The individual groves for each saddle hight screw is awesome. Well thought out design.
If your looking to upgrade to better intonation both of these bridges are the way to go.
Shawn > Cause the Blue ratDecember 18, 2014 at 9:30pm
Well mine came in and they do look nice. I am building a 4 string SG style guitar for a customer and this was the bridge I had been waiting for. I had an old squire bullet hard tail I used for mock up and I figured this hard tail would be some what the same ( silly me).
First I noticed on this one (4 string model) the screw holes for the saddles were drilled to high.
On every 6 hard tail I have used the holes are drilled 1/8 from base plate how ever this is drilled a whopping 1/4 from base plate.
I know an 1/8 different does not sound like much but as guitar builders we know that's a lot when getting string action low. Dropping the saddles down showed that the screw that holds the intonation screw gets angled and starts binding in the hole.
I do not know if this will make intonation adjustments hard but I do know that the small threads on that screw will not last. I might have to drill new holes as the neck is already set into place using the bullet hard tail height. We will see if the luthier gods are on my side.
Replies
Just wanted to add this. I needed a new bridge for a Fender bass I got at an auction. So I got a real Fender bridge for it. What a piece of, well, bad stuff. The three string bridge from CB Gitty is heavier than this bass bridge. I've actually thought about trying to bend this Fender bridge by bear hand. Honestly think I could. Then thought better of it. So what I did was replace the rusted saddle with one from this cheap thing. Perhaps use the Genuine Fender bridge on a three string bass build latter on.
So for those who want to know. Yes, these three and four string bridges are a good quality product. Apparently a lot better than the Genuine Fender bass bridge I just got.
It's bummer that the bridge is to tall for you build Shawn. Really hope your able to find a solution soon. I've seen your build pics. Sweet guitar!
All in all this is good info for those who want to use these bridges. Best to get then first. Then plan your build around them if needed.
If you re drilled the intonation saddle holes you could do it at an angle from the old. There is no groves on the base plate for the hight screws.
My Squire tail piece is that narrow as well. That is a major difference there.
Shawn, After reading your post I checked all the hard tail bridges I have. The only Fenderish one is a Squire. They all have the intonation screws about a 1/4 inch up except the Squire. These are higher up by a good 1/16 than the other bridges. This is something. These would be best used if your planning on a neck with better than a 1/4 inch hight off the body.
If you can't angle the neck what about routing the body under the bridge?
image.jpg
image.jpg
Both the four and three string bridges from CB Gitty came in.
First impressions, heavy and well built. There is plenty of hight screw and all of them appear to be the same length. Every one of them moves freely in their holes.
The four string bridge. It is a string threw body bridge. However there is enough room below the saddle screws in the back to drill holes. So it is possible to modify this bridge and have the strings come from the back of the bridge. The bridge has the same spacing as a standard six string bridge. This is great for a picker like me. However if you need your strings to be farther apart for you style of slide playing please be advised. Over all it's a well made piece of machinery. I'm glad CB Gitty has them. If the need arises I'd buy one again.
The Three string bridge. This one has the same heavy quality as the first. The main difference is the string spacing. They are farther apart. From the first to third string it's just a hair (1/64) over 15/16 of an inch. What is real nice is each string saddle has TWO groves. One for each saddle hight screw. This will keep each saddle in place thew any palm muting or heavy strumming. Very well built. Although the description states this bridge is a string threw body the one I have has it's holes in the back. So the strings will stay on the top of the guitar. Ordered the three string bridge because I wanted to see if there was any difference between the two. The individual groves for each saddle hight screw is awesome. Well thought out design.
If your looking to upgrade to better intonation both of these bridges are the way to go.
First I noticed on this one (4 string model) the screw holes for the saddles were drilled to high.
On every 6 hard tail I have used the holes are drilled 1/8 from base plate how ever this is drilled a whopping 1/4 from base plate.
I know an 1/8 different does not sound like much but as guitar builders we know that's a lot when getting string action low. Dropping the saddles down showed that the screw that holds the intonation screw gets angled and starts binding in the hole.
I do not know if this will make intonation adjustments hard but I do know that the small threads on that screw will not last. I might have to drill new holes as the neck is already set into place using the bullet hard tail height. We will see if the luthier gods are on my side.
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