Regardless of which of these bridges I’m using, and I prefer the Nashville bridge, I’ve always removed the saddles and re-installed them with the saddle screw heads facing the tailpiece. I’ve always installed the bridge this way because it makes setting the intonation much easier (with the screw heads facing the tailpiece). I also choose to use the Nashville bridge over the ABR due to the extended saddle travel... which allows more accurate setting of the intonation.
You could reverse the saddles to allow the opposite direction of the screws. I’ve actually had to physically turn saddles around for a slightly longer string length for intonation purposes. Particularly with the low e and g strings.This is with non- Gibson stop tail bridges, so keep that in mind.
The ABR-1 bridge should be installed with the screw heads facing the pickups. If reversed, the strings can touch the screw heads if you have the tail price low. If you top wrap or have the tail price high the strings probably won’t touch them.
Excellent. You saved me from making a mistake. I am working on my first Les Paul type guitar; and i was about to put the bridge in the wrong direction.
Thanks man! Doing a string change on an Edwards LP with an ABR style bridge and I got myself a little confused. You always have great info, keep up the good work!
I have two LPs. A 2008 and a 2015. Both have the Nashville bridge. The 2008 came with the screw heads on the pup side. The 2015 came the exact opposite with scew heads facing the tailpiece. I bought both of them brand new, and no one had ever altered them as far as I am aware.
You can see by the break angle which way any bridge should go, however I have been known to disassemble and reassemble a bridge in a direction that makes screwdriver access and intonation easiest to adjust.
well you helped me! I thought my Sully Erna had the Abr1, nope, its the Nashville! So that means the next time I change strings I have to flip the bridge lol. Even though Ive always loved the Les Paul I did not know that much about them until recently. In fact it was right here on your channel that I started hearing the ABR1 and Nashville talk... the first time I changed strings on that Les Paul I took the bridge off to clean it and when I went to put it back on I couldn't remember which way it faced, so I googled it and the only example shown had it for the ABR1, but Austin just showed me that I in fact have the Nashville bridge lol. Great Video Austin!
You're forgetting what happens with the strings between the bridge and the tailpiece. With the ABR bridge the saddle screws stand-out more, therefor the chance of them touching them is bigger when mounting them towards the tailpiece. This may have an effect on the sustain some people say.
I had that problem.I swapped around the saddles and now I can lower the tail piece down more. I also heard that the strings touching the saddle screws can affect the sustain and also in the long run cause the bridge to cave in.
The intonation adjustment screws on the Les Paul I have with an ABR-1 will touch the strings if I have it on backwards because I like the tailpiece set pretty low.
Thank you very much I shall leave my beautiful Guitar alone lol as for your show I Love it very interesting entertainment one could learn a lot again thank you .
The logic better position of the bridge is the screw heads facing the tailpiece, but only if there is no spring wire on the heads. It’s not a bad thing to remove this wire, because it often buzzes. Then the tension of the string is pushing the screw head tight against the bridge, rather then tension agains the small (mostly black) retention ring on the screws inside of the bridge. It‘s better for a more stable intonation. Keep in mind, you can‘t just turn the bridge around, otherwise the slots on the saddles are not matching the string thickness and cause string buzz. You have to swap places of each saddle and turn them 180. Intonation adjustments still possible if the tail piece is max low. I wanted my tailpiece low ans tight against the body, because theyr screws have some play being cheap asian manufactured. Done this on my two TOM equipped guitars and I‘m very happy. On one bridge I had to file off the outer edge so the strings do not touch it.
A year ago I got my first Gibson (it has a Nashville style bridge), and was really confused every time I changed strings ! lol. Always had to look up the pictures on the internet.
The direction doesn't matter, what's more important is that the strings do not touch the back of the bridge and/or the screw-heads. If the screws are on the backside, changes are that the strings (especially the high or low E-string) touch it. If necessary, raise the stopbar just enough to make sure that the string only touches the saddle. To test this, see if you can slip a thin piece of paper between the back edge of the bridge and the string.
I have a Nashville bridge with a maestro vibrola tailpiece. Could not even adjust the intonation with the screw heads on the tailpiece side. The flat side of all saddles faced the tailpiece. So I disassembled the whole bridge (saddles springs and all) so that the slots were on the correct strings and had the 3 bass saddles with the flat side face towards the tailpiece. (3 high string saddles face the other way) By the way this is on a Gibson Firebird.
For either tailpiece if top-wrapping or the tailpiece studs aren't screwed all the way: the direction doesn't matter. When the tailpiece is all the way down, the screws on an ABR-1 in most cases should face the bridge for clearance. The latter with top wrapping is the best way to do it, in my opinion.
I just put the bridge on where the saddles point is at the top facing the humbucker unless there is intonation issues I either flip the bridge or turn an individual saddle around.
The best way is the Nashville bridge way where the screws are pointing backwards against the string holder. If you put your ABR -1 bridge like that, you have it sturdy. Pressure from the string wants to move the tail piece towards the headstock and thus mess with the intonation.
my question...is there really a need to "upgrade" this piece? i have a firefly explorer and the notes die when i bend them particularly on frets after 14.
can anyone explain to me how to set up tuneomatics ABR/Nashville actually mounted? all videos of that model "set up" are not mounted... i just keep dinging the finish!! (pushing the bridge out because it gets stuck and cant find another way of adjusting the height of it)
It's good to know I'm not going insane, LoL. All it really took was one look at a LP in a store ad to find out which direction they're "supposed" to go, but my personal aesthetic is that the "traditional" direction simply "looks wrong" to me. Also, a LOT of them come from the factory with half of the saddles facing the opposite direction. Even MORE confusing, when you turn THOSE around, it STILL doesn't give you a clue as to which way it was originally installed, LoL.
Looks like I got a abr 1 type, worried I had part of a bridge missing from a Custom Gibson les Paul I bought in 2016 but didn’t play much so decided to look it up that how I ended up here
Good info for a fender guy . I still have a tail piece from my SG around after adding a bigsby ( it killed my bigsby desires once I had one ) string changing _ end bending headache. Imagine that thumbs down guy is here already.Arrrrghhhhh 4am east coast USA time.😀 Trogs goes great with am coffee ,gone get a t shirt month or two. Bought to much guitar stuff lately so I gotta catch the ol' bank account up.
I always wondered which way the beveled face of the saddles was supposed to be oriented. I have seen setups with three facing one way and the other three reversed.
I flipped my ABR around so that when the intonation screws lift and touch the string, the string then acts a retaining wire behind the saddle. I didn’t know I might get sneered at for it but it solved the rattle issue perfectly so cork sniffers be damned I’m staying with wrong looking for the benefit of functionality.
The strings on my SG with ABR-1 interfere with the intonation adjustment screws if I have the screws facing the tailpiece. Seems to me it's not a great thing to have this occurring, the strings should be unimpeded.
Nice one. I always wondered about this & although I figured this was the way they were meant to face (I've got 3 Gibsons with ABR-1s & 3 with Nashville style bridges), I've seen enough guitars with them facing in the opposite directions to make me think about what should be correct for each. Cheers :)
I was wondering if you always set up your guitars so the strings do not touch the back of the bridge as they angle down towards the stop bar? I have the wider Nashville bridge on a '77 Les Paul special but I hate having the stop bar raised up, I don't really want to top wrap it. Does it make a lot of difference if it's touching the bridge? Thanks
Slight clarification, old ABR-1's have the patent number but old old ABR's have "Gibson ABR-1" along with a foundry mark on the base. This changed in 1965, then came the Pat. No. with the foundry mark and finally in '71 or '72 they started making the pat. no. without the foundry mark until the ABR-1 was replaced for all models in '75-76 or so.
What's this I've heard about the alloy changing which is why the ABR-1s on the VOS reissues are not as good at transferring tone & sustain to the body as the originals? Is this just more older = better bullshit or is there some truth to it? I've seen guys who are seriously into vintage gear swear there's a big difference because one of the metals used for the alloy is harder to get now.
I don't really know a lot about that specific detail - I've found great guitars from all eras so I'm not really into the whole replicating the old stuff to the T. I do know Gibson used mostly pure zinc, maybe a still very pure zinc alloy to make it stronger to make the old ABR-1's. Modern bridges and tailpieces are made out of an alloy called Zamak made out of Zinc, Aluminium, Magnesium and Copper. Old briges were made out of softer and much more pure zinc and there is a slight difference in tone if you use an old ABR-1 vs. a newer one but it's not like suddenly you've found the holy grail of tone. Having an aluminium tailpiece also helps. Most old Gibsons had either aluminium stoptails or vibrolas, save for juniors, specials and melody makers (along with their SG and Firebird counterparts).
You need to bring the tailpiece up so the strings are not resting on the back of the bridge. When the tail piece is all the way down the strings rest on the back of the bridge causing tuning problems
When you buy a brand new Gibson then the high 3 strings have the saddles flat side towards the neck and the low 3 strings have the saddles flat face towards the bridge.
Ahi Question again this time just about the Gibson Nashville Bridge mine does not have any slots in it nor does the Gibson Store showing it there , so no where on mine ! Saying that but one can turn it around providing no warm slots where the screws now are facing the pickups , only would be adjusting the intonation? Is this true in your opinion ?
I have two questions: 1: Do these "rules" apply to Epiphones as well? I have an Epi LP Ultra II where the screw heads are facing towards the pickups, and judging by the photo on Epiphone's own website, that's how it should be mounted. and 2: who played the 'outro' theme? it reminds me in no small degree of David Crosby.
I believe most epiphones are styled after the Nashville bridge - I don't know a lot about epis though. The outro music is stock music from iMovie/FCPX called 'Dustbowl'
you are not totally at a loss if the bridge was put on backwards and you want to restore it to the original direction. You just have to take the little screws out and change the individual bridge notches and put them in the proper position. It just takes about 5 minutes. Not that big of a deal. Also,the true deciding factor (for the directions of the screws on the bridge) should be the intonation of the guitar. I know that there are traditional ways of them putting them together and selling them. And if they were on it and they intonated it correctly, then it should be on the way you are describing it. But say someone gets it home and they are just not getting the low e string far enough back on the bridge they can turn it to the direction that allows them the farthest distance in the threads of the screws on the bridge. That's usually with the heads of the screws next to the pickup. Also each individual bridge notch can be flipped around to extend the distance or shorten the distance by about an eighth of an inch on each string. I happen to have an ES-335 copy that the bridge was drilled to straight across.... The only way to intonate it properly is by putting the bridge on with the screw heads next to the pick up. Because that gives you the furthest distance to move the individual bridge notch.
Technically, as you said, there is no right/wrong way. Purists, historically correct...whatever. THERE IS NO WRONG WAY! So all those say it’s on wrong, are WRONG!
I have an LP studio from 97 and a new LP modern from 2022, and both came from the factory with the screws facing the tail piece. Both look like nashville bridges. Go figure.
If I want to remove my Nashville bridge and add a ABR-1 on my Gibson Les Paul Standard 2002 do you believe it would fit ? I was told from a guitar tech the that he believes it will not fit on my guitar I have the stud to screw in . I was told that’s the issue ? What’s your opinion Sir .
Little Holmes While i am NOT an expert, i do have a little insight: Since the nashville bridges have those large support screws that furthermore go into a metal receptacle that's screwed into the body, i think a lot of work would have to be done; eg. you'd have to ream out the holes in the body to get a smooth, cylindrical hole, then you'd have to find or make wooden dowels made from an appropriate wood sort which will fit tightly into the holes, and THEN you can drill the small holes into which the much smaller posts for the ABK bridge will go. In other words, it CAN be done, but it does require skill and experience to get it right. Oh and one final thing: Since such an 'operation will inevitably leave visible evidence that some modding has been done, expect the resell value of the guitar to drop.
Yes, that is correct. There is an easier and less expensive way though - use conversion posts www.philadelphialuthiertools.com/bridge-and-tailpieces/abr-1-bridges/abr-1-parts/conversion-posts-install-a-abr-1-on-gibson-guitar-with-nashville-bridge-nickel/ These go into the existing nashville studs and look like an ABR-1. I'm sure people would argue it is 'not as good' as an ABR-1 because the whole 'sustain' being better argument comes from it being drilled directly into the top and not using a stud at all. Either way, a conversion post is a cheaper and cleaner looking alternative if you want that vintage look to your guitar
Ahh, that's cool, especially since it means you can go back to the original configuration at any point in time. In hindsight, i guess i should have expected that someone would make a conversion kit ;) hehe
You might need to redo the voice on this one. When you say “the screws are facing“ you are referring to the small end of the screw, not the part where you put the screwdriver in. However, most people refer to which way the screw is facing by which way the slots that you put the screwdriver into are facing. You are showing it correctly, but you are saying it backwards.
There has to be a lot of play with that bridge with the small studs that are made for the ABR-1. I would get the correct bridge,but if it works and does not buzz a lot and keeps the intonation right and you don't have the 60 to 80 dollars to replace it then I would say just play the guitar unless it is eating at the threads on the studs
To me these bridges basically look the same. What's the difference? Ok, one of them is narrower, but they are basically constructed the same. So, really, what's the difference?
You might have a nashville bridge sitting on ABR-1 studs. I guess it depends on what model you have. Feel free to send me some photos facebook.com/trogly troglyzeburninater@yahoo.com
That is strange.the bridge can wiggle around on the studs a lot no? I would think that intonation would be hard to adjust and stay adjusted without it changing.I could be wrong though
@@gettin_while_growin7 Wow ,was that really 2 years ago ?! How time flies and I didn't even see Austin's reply until now lol. Later ,on closer inspection when I was changing strings and cleaning the guitar , I ascertained that the bridge is mounted normally but for some reason there is laqcuer overspray covering the washers . A friend owns a LP from the same year (bought from the same shop) and his appears normal straight off the bat, no overspray. I have hardly played it in the last 2 years and was thinking of selling it to help buy an Original series Fender Strat, but during lockdown I got her out again and realised I'll regret losing old Amber when she's gone ,so she's staying !
Kept wondering why the last 2 guitars I've got with a tunomatic bridge, both were on backwards (to me, correct way seems obvious screws facing out to easily access with a screwdriver) Now I know the correct way is dumb lol
Haha don't go there lol. People get uber nerdy about this. Apparently even the year of production matters big time 'cos the metals used to make the alloy for the ABR-1 changed over time so vintage bridges can go for serious cash. Some guys reckon it's the weight that makes the difference in transferring resonance through the body for better tone & sustain but the repro ABR-1s that Gibson uses for its' VOS reissues are not as good because they can't get a certain metal used in the original ones it used back in the late '50s/early '60s. You know how some guitarists are, older always = better but I've got 6 Gibsons, 3 with ABR-1s & 3 with Nashville style bridges & although I think I slightly prefer the looks of the ABR, they all play great to me.
Well to add to the confusion, you are just saying screws are facing , What end of the screw ? Head ? Describing doesnt help unless you look at your picture .
I've noticed in the last year or so people occasionally saying, "...just in case you need _reminded_ ..."; don't you mean _reminding_ or, _to be reminded_ ? Look, I'm really not trying to be arbitrarily critical, but when some of my favorite presenters on YT do that to language, it's kind of like when you're reading a book, and you're plowing through it with great comprehension, then you pass a word that you don't know the meaning of; you can read several more pages, until you realize your brain is stuck thinking about WTF that word was and you have no memory whatsoever of those last few pages... So, no insult intended here; just a concerned citizen!
@@jaysorensenIBEW Since I wrote that 4+ years ago, I barely remember it but now that you mention it, I can see replacing 'to be" as being shorthand, but replacing "...ing" with "...ed" certainly isn't.
I think it DOES matter, at least with an ABR-1. If the intonation screw heads were facing the tailpiece, the strings would probably hit into them, on the way down to the tailpiece.
I agree.I don't want my tail piece all high.On a Gibson there are supposed to be two fixed points.The Headstock ANGE at 18° and the tail piece which is supposed to match the headstocks angle.Obviously all Gibson's are hand made so the neck angle is not always the same so some bridges have to be raised more than others,but if you have the bridge raised higher because of the neck angle and the screw heads are facing the tail piece then the tail piece is going to be sky high and cause tuning issues.So if you bent a string it would not want to return to where it is supposed to be.For the fact that the saddles are pointed at the top.I believe the old ABR-1 saddles are not fully pointed on the top and the string rides in a longer slot and can return back to pitch easier. I am not a expert,but I have watched so many videos about the ABR-1.Seems every video has a different answer lol.
@@gettin_while_growin7 I was gonna write a long comment about how misinformed you are, but I decided to just smile and nod instead. I will give you a bit of advice however. Stop watching so many videos and play your guitar!
I think you mean: POINT TO THE TAILPIECE!! "Screws on an ABR-1 should point to the bridge (adjustment heads are closer to the neck. )" and later.. adjustment heads being closer to the bridge, again, should read: CLOSER TO THE TAILPIECE. An item on a bridge should not be described as pointing to the bridge. It doesn't make sense Mr. Trogley.
The saddles tend to be cut for the proper gauge of string if you just flip the bridge it pjts the high e cut in the low e spot also the saddles have a certain angle for the string break !
I just watch a video that claimed Gibson changed to the Nashville bridge due to their guitar bodies being warped before leaving the factory! The way it's told the Nashville studs facilitate easier more accurate installation should the guitar body be warped (supposedly a common occurrence at Gibson)! Hear it a link to the video that states this; ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-cU-CuTx4bHg.html
David Murray Holland I’m thinking about a roller bridge too. I have a T6 tailpiece so it would come in handy. Do they sell a roller bridge with individual string height adjustment? So you could raise or lower each roller saddle individually? I have a set up like this on my ESP. But can’t seem to find anything like this for my Les Paul?
@@Wargasm644 I'm not a great source to know but as it happens I have seen of that exact thing. It's value to me seems questionable. What weird radius are You attempting?
David Murray Holland My weird radius is more like a stagger or step-down. This particular guitar will be in D standard. So I want much higher action on the bass side. A simple bridge slant doesn’t work well for the setup I have. It’s a bit more complex than that with custom gauge strings and so forth. Plus, I like having control over each individual string height in a pinch should something go out of whack (nut, saddle, etc) until I can get it fixed. It’s a handy compensation device at times.
You might need to redo the voice on this one. When you say “the screws are facing“ you are referring to the small end of the screw, not the part where you put the screwdriver in. However, most people refer to which way the screw is facing by which way the slots that you put the screwdriver into are facing. You are showing it correctly, but you are saying it backwards.
