Bridge location...is this wrong???

[mike80]

So I'm finshing the project guitar my buddy started. Everything is rounted and drilled already, but I noticed that the string-thru holes were too close to the bridge holes, so I plugged them and moved them back. Then I noticed that the bridge holes are even with each other. I got to looking at other TOM style guitars at my house, and every one of them has the treble side father toward the neck than the bass side. This guitar has them at the same spot.

I can't move the treble hole any closer because of the pickup routing, it's a little too close already. If I move the bass hole back, then it's going to throw the scale length off, correct? Is it a big deal that they are even, or do they need to be offset?

Suggestions please?

[Dana Olsen]

Hey Mike -

Can you post a pic or two?

thanks, Dana O.

[mike80]

Here ya go:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v638/mikey383/guitar.jpg



See how both bridge holes are straight across from each other? Is that going to cause an intonation problem because they aren't offset, or will this be okay. I'm just concerned about not being able to intonate the treble strings properly.

It's a 25" scale, in case that helps at all.

[Rand Kennedy]

Check the location with this calculator but you are probably going to be unable to intonate the low strings as it is (if the treble side is correct)

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

[mike80]

Thanks for that link Rand! That answered my question.

It says the bass side should be 1/16 to 1/8 in further from the nut.

The good thing is the treble side is right on the money. I guess it's time to dowel and redrill the bass side.

[walterw]

judging by the large holes, you're looking at a wider gotoh-style tune-o-matic. chances are, if it's set so that the high E is right with the saddle close to the front of the bridge, you'll have enough room to get the rest right with a straight across bridge.

try measuring the exact scale length (twice the distance from the front edge of the nut to the center of the 12th fret) and seeing where that falls at the high E side. usually, if the action, neck, frets and nut are right, the high E contact point is maybe 1/32" back from that theoretical scale length measurement.

[mike80]

That's good to know too. Thanks walterw. I think I'll try stringing it up with a bridge installed and see if it's going to intonate properly before I go ahead with the paint job. Then if the bridge needs moved, it won't be such a big deal.