# roller bridge



## rcacs (May 4, 2011)

Just fixed up a '68 Harmony H64 archtop electric. When I bought it, it was void of all componants, just a body and a neck.

I have installed a Bigsby on it (they originally had a bigsby), however I am having trouble finding a roller bridge for it. The E to E spacing is 46 mm, and of course it can't be too high (although that is the least of my worrys).

I see that Bigsby does sell compensated bridges, would that be suitable for this guitar even though there are no rollers on it?

Cheers

Rick in MB


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## Gizmo (Aug 7, 2008)

I have 3 archtops with Bigsby's and none of them have a roller bridge.
The break angle is not too sharp and I put a bit of graphite on them when I change strings. Never had a problem.


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## Fajah (Jun 28, 2006)

rcacs said:


> Just fixed up a '68 Harmony H64 archtop electric. When I bought it, it was void of all componants, just a body and a neck.
> 
> I have installed a Bigsby on it (they originally had a bigsby), however I am having trouble finding a roller bridge for it. The E to E spacing is 46 mm, and of course it can't be too high (although that is the least of my worrys).
> 
> ...


I installed a Bigsby B70 on my Raven (Mats) last year. I just installed this roller bridge on it recently.

http://store.guitarfetish.com/Archtop-Roller-Bridge-Rosewood-Base_p_98.html

The E to E spacing on the bridge is 52mm. The width of the bottom of the neck I just installed on the guitar is 56mm and I did have to shim it to compensate for some of the additional height. 46mm seems very narrow.


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## rcacs (May 4, 2011)

I had actually bought one of those bridges while gathering the supplied to do up this old Harmony. It is way to high, and the strings way to far apart. This guitar has a very narrow neck.

Cheers,

rick in mb




Fajah said:


> I installed a Bigsby B70 on my Raven (Mats) last year. I just installed this roller bridge on it recently.
> 
> http://store.guitarfetish.com/Archtop-Roller-Bridge-Rosewood-Base_p_98.html
> 
> The E to E spacing on the bridge is 52mm. The width of the bottom of the neck I just installed on the guitar is 56mm and I did have to shim it to compensate for some of the additional height. 46mm seems very narrow.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

Rather than start a new thread, I resurrected this one.

I recently got an email from StewMac regarding their line of Golden Age Roller Bridges. I usually get string breakage from the saddle of my LP bridge and thought it would help if I replaced with a roller bridge.

Does anyone use roller bridges? Do they work well? I have seen some reviews in which they can also cause problems due to binding and rattling, however I'm not sure what that all means.

Or, should I just replace the saddles on my current bridge to help alleviate string breakage? It happens quite a bit.


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## julienpier (Aug 7, 2009)

I used to have a lot of string breakage on my high E string before even getting a bigsby on my Jaguar HH special. I since bought a GFH roller bridge and installed a bigsby and no string breakage since then, my strings now turn flat before breaking. Get a GFH one, they're about 20$ and work great! Even if you don't like it, it's only 20$. Not a big loss.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

julienpier said:


> I used to have a lot of string breakage on my high E string before even getting a bigsby on my Jaguar HH special. I since bought a GFH roller bridge and installed a bigsby and no string breakage since then, my strings now turn flat before breaking. Get a GFH one, they're about 20$ and work great! Even if you don't like it, it's only 20$. Not a big loss.


Thanks Julien, I looked up that one but it came up GFS, is that correct?

I read a few reviews about it and some of the complaints were about 'sucking tone', have you had any issues with that?

As well, a few said that because the rollers are all the same size, the E string had a tendency to pop out, any problems with that?

Cheers.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

If you must have a roller bridge, TonePros makes one. They're top quality and have a 2-1/16" string spread . Properly cut saddles are all you should need though and perhaps some of those slippery saddles if you have a trem but some people like the roller stuff.


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## dradlin (Feb 27, 2010)

Be sure that the saddle radius matches your fingerboard radius. Tune-o-matic saddles can be filed to match, but roller saddles cannot. Any mismatch will result in inconsistent action across your strings.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

LydianGuitars said:


> If you must have a roller bridge, TonePros makes one. They're top quality and have a 2-1/16" string spread . Properly cut saddles are all you should need though and perhaps some of those slippery saddles if you have a trem but some people like the roller stuff.


That's the conundrum I'm trying to decide, whether or not to just replace the saddles or go with the roller stuff. My preference at this time is to go with new saddles, but I'm worried it might not solve the problem of constant string breakage, or maybe it will. I suppose that's the risk. I see other issues that have been presented here and elsewhere by going with rollers, as well. Seems that rollers are more predominant a need with Bigsby's as opposed to solving problems of string breakage.

I also see more of a cost associated with a luthier cutting and preparing some good saddles for me, I don't really have the necessary tools for that kind of work.

- - - Updated - - -



dradlin said:


> Be sure that the saddle radius matches your fingerboard radius. Tune-o-matic saddles can be filed to match, but roller saddles cannot. Any mismatch will result in inconsistent action across your strings.


That's a good point, I would probably have to remove the bridge and bring it with me to make sure the roller is the same match.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

jimsz said:


> I also see more of a cost associated with a luthier cutting and preparing some good saddles for me, I don't really have the necessary tools for that kind of work.


The Graphtech saddles are pre-notched. All you'd have to do is set the intonation.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

LydianGuitars said:


> The Graphtech saddles are pre-notched. All you'd have to do is set the intonation.


After reading some reviews, it seems Graphtech's definitely do help solve string breakage, but it does appear the downside for a lot of folks is a decrease in tone and some sustain. Some said they didn't really notice much of a difference other than a loss of "bell" chime in the upper strings.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

jimsz said:


> After reading some reviews, it seems Graphtech's definitely do help solve string breakage, but it does appear the downside for a lot of folks is a decrease in tone and some sustain. Some said they didn't really notice much of a difference other than a loss of "bell" chime in the upper strings.


The sustain argument: I don't believe this for 1 sec after having done this mod. 
In terms of tone, I felt that the graphtech saddles gave a fuller, richer, more balanced tone. 
The one thing the OP could try is to smooth out the saddle string notches. That might be all you need to do.


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## jimsz (Apr 17, 2009)

LydianGuitars said:


> The sustain argument: I don't believe this for 1 sec after having done this mod.
> In terms of tone, I felt that the graphtech saddles gave a fuller, richer, more balanced tone.


Thanks for that, it gives me much more confidence to give them a try.



> The one thing the OP could try is to smooth out the saddle string notches. That might be all you need to do.


I'd actually like to try that. However, I don't really have the proper tools to do that. I have a fairly extensive woodwork shop, but not the sort of thing to work on something that small. Could you recommend something? Should I perhaps go the way of purchasing a proper tool for the job? Thanks.


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## LydianGuitars (Apr 18, 2013)

You can try these: 
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Nuts,_s..._Nuts_and_saddles/Mitchell_Abrasive_Cord.html

The only thing is that with shipping, it gets pretty expensive.

I've had good luck with 400 grit sandpaper wrapped around a nut file.


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## Cups (Jan 5, 2010)

Graph techs are an improvement in tone from stock saddles in my experience. Improved sustain too. 

Recently I put on a Golden Age roller saddle from Stew Mac on my Gibson ES-135 and tuning is much better with the Bigsby. There are quite a bit more "sympathetic harmonics" for lack of a better term - a lot more ring and chirp behind the saddle when notes are played. A compromise I think I can live with although I havn't gigged with it at high volume.


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