Specs on the FS-1 Bridge for Upgrading?

Hey, have a FS-1 (Starcaster) kit I'm to the point where I'm ready to finally glue on the next and put it together.

Thinking about upgrading the TOM style bridge to something that might have a little more precision with the saddle movement, but am concerned about getting the right size. What's the post spacing on TOM supposed to be?

When I use my (cheap) calipers I'm getting 72.70mm or 2.86inch 2 55/64inch. Not seeing those numbers match up with any of the Tune-o-matics on StewMac.

Been working on this thing for awhile (doing Tru Oil) and getting really itchy to put it together... thought about dropping the posts in and using this, just upgrading the bridge later, but fear finding a worthwhile bridge who's posts don't match the thimbles.

Here's a shot of a recent mockup I did.

https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1746/...d8d3dd7d_c.jpg

Is the 72.70mm centre to centre or inner edge to inner edge?

I'm fairly sure a normal tune-o-matic fits with around 74mm post spacing, but maybe someone else knows for sure.

some epiphones have 72.5 spacing. Pretty hard to find.
I've found that by enlarging the stud holes by .5mm either side ( hardly noticeable under the small flange on the insert ) and elongating the holes in the bridge by a bee's dick, you can make the larger ones fit. For some reason the kits recently have been arriving with the narrower bridges in both the wrap overs and the typical TOM types. I've found bridges varying from 73.5 to 74.5 calling them selves "standard"

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Sonic Mountain

Is the 72.70mm centre to centre or inner edge to inner edge?

I'm fairly sure a normal tune-o-matic fits with around 74mm post spacing, but maybe someone else knows for sure.

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Center to center of the holes in the bridge itself... which of course makes it difficult to judge if accurate since I'm measuring against space.

OK... just did something partially smart :) .

Put it on the posts and placed it on the guitar (thimbles are resting in the holes)... using the lines from the posts to give me a point to measure off.

2 7/8 is what it looks to be.

Attachment 26757

oh.. BTW... hello all from NE Florida

First kit, though I've done a couple partsmasters using MJTele Jazzmaster bodies.

The post above was my first post.

Glad to be here.

:)

Hi. I'd suggest you look for a TonePros T3BT bridge. It's a Nashville style bridge, which I prefer over the ABR type due to the wider saddle adjustment range.

Though I've yet to actually fit one to any of my kits, I've bought several for use on them, and as far as I can measure, they are 2 7/8" centre spacing and the holes line up with an ABR-style bridge from a PBG kit. Also, the post hole size is the same, though I'd suggest using the TonePros. It also appears to have the same centres as a real Gibson ABR-1 bridge that I took off a 335 (though that has the smaller post hole diameter).

The TonePro posts are slightly lose in the post holes, which allows for slight inaccuracies in the drilling of the body holes in position and angle, but the locking grub screws then hold everything firm. In fact the holes are just very slightly wider than on the kit bridge.

Here's my T3BT alongside a gold PBG bridge.

Attachment 26758

2 7/8" corresponds to 74mm within 0.025mm.

Gotoh apparently make the TonePros bridge, and the otherwise identical Gotoh bridge without the locking grub screws is cheaper, but I like the locking feature, so I'm happy to pay the extra.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Simon Barden

Hi. I'd suggest you look for a TonePros T3BT bridge. It's a Nashville style bridge, which I prefer over the ABR type due to the wider saddle adjustment range.

Though I've yet to actually fit one to any of my kits, I've bought several for use on them, and as far as I can measure, they are 2 7/8" centre spacing and the holes line up with an ABR-style bridge from a PBG kit. Also, the post hole size is the same, though I'd suggest using the TonePros. It also appears to have the same centres as a real Gibson ABR-1 bridge that I took off a 335 (though that has the smaller post hole diameter).

The TonePro posts are slightly lose in the post holes, which allows for slight inaccuracies in the drilling of the body holes in position and angle, but the locking grub screws then hold everything firm. In fact the holes are just very slightly wider than on the kit bridge.

Here's my T3BT alongside a gold PBG bridge.

Attachment 26758

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Thanks Simon, yeah definitely close. Might have to grab one.

What's crazy is on two different site's i'm getting two different widths in the specs.

Stratosphere has "Post to Post Spacing: 74mm"
BYO Guiar has "Post to Post Spacing = 73.75mm"

Google conversion of 2 7/8 = 73.025

I took the bridge up to my local shop and the guy who's been doing work for almost 30 years, said it looked a little small to him, also checked his AllParts reference and was a little baffled. He was saying just under 2 7/8 with his measurements as well.

So maddening.

I'd still triple check, like I said before I have kit bridges that do not fit into older kits, they are definitely narrower. I have a set of inserts which I filed the grooves off so that they are a drop in fit in the holes and some of the more recent bridges defiantly don't fit and visa-versa. My last build required opening the post holes a fraction to get a roller bridge to fit which had standard 74mm spacing.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Dedman

I'd still triple check, like I said before I have kit bridges that do not fit into older kits, they are definitely narrower. I have a set of inserts which I filed the grooves off so that they are a drop in fit in the holes and some of the more recent bridges defiantly don't fit and visa-versa. My last build required opening the post holes a fraction to get a roller bridge to fit which had standard 74mm spacing.

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What roller bridge did you use? Curious, because in the future I'm thinking about going with a Les Trem II.

This is the bridge I'm using on my FS kit.
Attachment 26760
I've used plastic tubing to hold the posts in place instead of knocking the bushes in, not done with clear coats yet.
Attachment 26761
The post spacing is 74mm and dropped straight in, although this kit is 18 months old and post spacing may have changed as Dedman has suggested.

Grant

Quote:

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Originally Posted by neverwas

This is the bridge I'm using on my FS kit.
Attachment 26760
I've used plastic tubing to hold the posts in place instead of knocking the bushes in, not done with clear coats yet.
Attachment 26761
The post spacing is 74mm and dropped straight in, although this kit is 18 months old and post spacing may have changed as Dedman has suggested.

Grant

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Yeah mine was part of the Christmas batch from this past year, so the newer. Though I just went and took my caliper, set it at 74mm, seems wider than the centers of the posts setting in the bridge, but don't look as far off if i just try and center in the post holes on the body.

I've used both Wilkinson and GFS ones. both work fine. You wont be sorry if you get a Les Trem, they are the best trem I've ever used, really nice light action, no fiddly stuff involved in re-stringing, and it stays in tune.

One thing to consider is that the PBG kits now come from four different factories, and there's no guarantee that all the factories use the same hardware suppliers and so some hardware (and thus the guitars) may have slightly different bridge post hole spacing.

good point Simon

It would be nice if Adam could get them to standardize, as it makes upgrading so much easier.