Tindrrel's JR-1M

[Tindrrel]

Adding filler to smooth over the neck gap addition.

Sanded back.


The joins might not look it in the pictures, the contrast is very harsh, but they are smooth to run a finger over.


Still needs a little more sanding - ran out of daylight again. Then I'll see if it needs another coat of filler.

[Fretworn]

Looking good Sam.

[Tindrrel]

Still working on cleaning up the neck join. Some cracks formed. Applied another coat of timbermate to parts of it.

In other news, my alternate bridge arrived.

This is a Gotoh wraparound tailpiece.


Some complications, the mounting posts are a loose fit.

They're about a half mm smaller than the supplied ones and don't hold properly.

Not only that, they're too tall - but the hole could be drilled deeper.

The supplied post, the black replacement in the same style I bought earlier and the Gotoh post.

The thread is the same in all three.

The classic style posts both seem very tight in the predrilled hole. I think the black one is slightly larger than the supplied chrome one.

The Gotoh one, aside from being taller is a fraction thinner making it loose.

So, wondering if I drill the hole deeper and figure out some way to pad it so the posts hold properly - or use a different post.

I'd probably prefer to use the Gotoh one if there is a way to make it secure, but I wouldn't be against using the black one. (The hole would still need to be made a little deeper as you can see the black one is taller than the supplied chrome one.)

[wokkaboy]

Hi Sam new gotoh bridge looks good. If you use the thinner black post you should really glue dowel rod into the post holes and re-drill. Worth getting the colours to match the bridge

[Tindrrel]

Hi Sam new gotoh bridge looks good. If you use the thinner black post you should really glue dowel rod into the post holes and re-drill. Worth getting the colours to match the bridge

Not fussed about the colour matching. The black one is too big, it's too tall and thicker than the chrome one.

I'd rather use the one the Gotoh post, which is too tall and too thin (the one on the right in the picture). But that's where I think you're saying I should redrill. Seems unlikely I'm going to find dowel the right size.

The Gotoh bridge won't screw quite all the way down on the black post as it does to it's own posts - another reason to use the Gotoh posts.

So the way to make them sit firm when the hole is too big is to fill the hole and redo it?

[WeirdBits]

Plugging and redrilling is really the only option if you want to use the thinner bushings. You need a tight fit, particularly with a wrap-around bridge, otherwise the posts can start to tilt forward under string tension lifting the back of the bridge and causing action, intonation and tuning issues.

But, before you start plugging and redrilling etc. have you checked the string height/action with the new bridge? As you have now glued in the neck its angle is fixed, so if you need to make any adjustments for the action it will have to be done at the bridge. Best to work out exactly what the current state is before you start drilling.

[wokkaboy]

yeah Sam the best way would be to glue dowel into the holes and re-drill.
It's pretty important to have a firm fit as this is where the string vibrations transfer to the body.
Also as Weirdy pointed out a wrap around bridge needs to be a tight fit

[pablopepper]

That is a very nice new bridge.

[Tindrrel]

The gotoh bridge can go much lower or wind out as high as the old one.

So. I'm looking for some dowel the right size. I've not filled holes that way before. They're 0.5 mm too big, there's really not going to be much of the dowel left when it gets drilled out again.

[andrewdosborne]

I had a similar issue with a new bridge I picked up in the US. The bridge mounting posts were all US measurements so slightly too small for the post holes. I ended up using the US bridge with the kit supplied bolt & mounting posts which worked ok. Not sure of that would in this case?