cheapChineseHardtailBridge

cheapChineseHardtailBridge
Read more…
E-mail me when people leave their comments –

You need to be a member of Cigar Box Nation to add comments!

Join Cigar Box Nation

Comments

  • This is going to be my first build, so I may be all wrong here, but after thinking about this I believe that I am simply going to make my own hardtail (similar to this one, but with 1/2" string spacing) and simply seat the strings in those lower holes (not take the strings through the body). It seems to me that going through the body is only really important for tremelo guitars (correct me, if I'm wrong). I'm going to put a piece of wood beneath the lid where the bridge bolts on, to reinforce the area. I plan to make it a bit larger than the hardtail itself, but not by a lot. 

    The main thing I bought these for was (a) a look at the design & (b) the adjustable saddles to use in my own hardtail. I like the fact that this bridge gives individual intonation adjustment for each string and that I can adjust the action a bit, rather than be locked down (particularly before I really know what I'm doing). :)

  • 306306201?profile=originallike this?

  • I used it here.. you can see what it looks like.. http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/3-string-jack?context=user .. its pretty much just right

  • yes, the home improvement store.. and the bin is in where the screws and stuff like that are.. and im pretty sure it was called the "hard to find" bin.. at least the one i went to .. i could be wrong.. but there are brackets in the bin...

  • OK, thanks for the input Shawn. If I cut it in half and use the string spacing (as is) then a neck that is 1-1/2" wide is too wide for three strings, isn't it? Can I get away with narrower then?

  • It's a top loader bridge and the strings go through the holes. Just cut it in half mount it to box ( with a hard wood block inside to mount too) and string her up and as a bonus you have a bridge for the next one and there will be a next one trust me.
  • Thanks for the replies, fellows. Robert: You mean Lowes the home improvement store? Where is the "hard to find" bin? Or is that a joke? 

    Ron: Thank you for your very complete reply! I've got pop rivets to use as ferrules. So you would SEE them when you looked at the backside of the box, eh? (Haven't noticed any people's pics showing that, but maybe they just didn't photograph the backside.)

    I did plan on cutting the hardtail in half, but the adjustable saddle spacing (as is) is too close for a traditional 3-string. I see most guys use 1/2" spacing. This hardtail is 78mm wide and three of the adjustable saddles (as is) are only spaced 7/8" apart (total). My neck is going to be 1-1/2" wide, so I think I need a hardtail with spacing closer to 1/2" for each adjustable saddle.

    These were cheap enough that I could throw away the hardtail bridge and just keep the adjustable saddles and be satisfied (assuming they work well enough).

  • lowe's has a 3 holed bent aluminum bracket that's perfect for a 3 string saddle holder.. it's in the "hard to find" bin

  • http://www.12fret.com/wordpress/wp-content/gallery/fender-strat-har...

    Darren,

    Strats are strung through the body, whether hardtail or Tremelo bridge.

    http://guitarselect.com/1979-TRANS-RED-STRAT/DSC01253.JPG

    On a CBG, you would drill holes that line up with the holes in the bottom plate, throughs the cigar box top, through the neck if a neck through, and through the back of the box. The ferrules are those metal cylinders that you see in the red Strat pic above, and are designed to prevent the string and string ball end from cutting into the wood. They are tapered to hold the string ball end inside the guitar. You would probably want to buy some ferrules, or alternatively, use cheap pop rivets (remove the nail) or bicycle spoke nipples, on the bottom of the cigar box, for the same purpose. Those doohickeys are called adjustable saddles, and allow you to fine tune each string's intonation individually.

    If you are gonna use this for a license plate reso, you will have to affix that hardtail bridge to the license plate with screws (which may be provided). Small bolts and nuts would probably work better. If you wanted a 3 stringer, you could simple cut the whole thing in half. Or you could make your own bridge plate out of angle aluminum, like several people here have done:

    http://www.cigarboxnation.com/photo/dscf0165

    Seems a lot of work to produce the same thing you just bought. Personally, I'd just cut the bridge in half with a hacksaw.
  • PS... purchased these on June 9th and they were delivered via USPS on June 18th (which I thought was pretty good!)

This reply was deleted.