Is there a roller wraparound bridge combo for a 335 style guitar?

[ngativ]

Im thinking about replacing my tune-o-matic bridge with a roller bridge or a wraparound bridge. But i guess that a combination of both would be a lot better.

My goal of course is to get better sustain, more string flexibility and to get a bridge less prone to string breaks while bending and tuning.

Is anything like that out there?

 

[Carbohydrates]

Addressing your points one at a time:

Wraparound bridges are both bridge and tailpiece and don't really drop into bridge+tailpiece guitars such as yours with its Tune-O-Matic + Stop combo. They're designed to fit tailpiece studs, so it would be difficult to replace a Nashville or ABR bridge with one.

A combination roller/wraparound would be highly pointless because there's so little string between the saddles and the anchor point, since the bridge is also the tailpiece.

Changing your bridge will most likely have little effect on sustain, unless you're switching from a really junky pot metal one to an aluminum one, and even then, it's hardly the largest factor.

If you want greater string flexibility, switch to a lighter gauge of strings.

A roller bridge does indeed help greatly if you suffer string breakage at the bridge, but that can be more immediately remedied by filing your current bridge's saddle grooves into more of a U shape instead of a V.

 

[ngativ]

Addressing your points one at a time:

1)Wraparound bridges are both bridge and tailpiece and don't really drop into bridge+tailpiece guitars such as yours with its Tune-O-Matic + Stop combo. They're designed to fit tailpiece studs, so it would be difficult to replace a Nashville or ABR bridge with one.

2)A combination roller/wraparound would be highly pointless because there's so little string between the saddles and the anchor point, since the bridge is also the tailpiece.

3)Changing your bridge will most likely have little effect on sustain, unless you're switching from a really junky pot metal one to an aluminum one, and even then, it's hardly the largest factor.

4)If you want greater string flexibility, switch to a lighter gauge of strings.

5)A roller bridge does indeed help greatly if you suffer string breakage at the bridge, but that can be more immediately remedied by filing your current bridge's saddle grooves into more of a U shape instead of a V.

1) Is a wraparound bridge designed to fit a tailpiece stud? well, that would be absurd! I really don't care about the stop bar at all, since i can just get ride of it.

3) I don't think so, the less surface the strings are in contact with the guitar, the less sustain you'll have. Just with the roller you get an improved sustain, since there's more area in contact between the strings and the bridge. Even more with a wraparound style bridge, so it makes perfect sense.

4) No

5) No, i don't want my guitar to sound like a sitar.

I am just wondering if such a thing really exist.

 

[simonm]

1) Is a wraparound bridge designed to fit a tailpiece stud? well, that would be absurd!

The original Les Paul Jr wraparound bridge/tail basically IS a tailpiece, but with tiny grub screws to adjust intonation.

But in relation to your question - have you thought about using a Gretsch-stype bar bridge? I have put one of these on a guitar in place of a TOM and it imparts a sound similar to the wraparound bridges on my Jr and Melody Maker IMO - it should fit right on your bridge posts:

I have no connection to parts-is-parts - other dealers are available - I got mine from Allparts.

 

[TNO]

Roller bridges can have a detrimental effect on tone due to poor coupling of the string to the bridge. I've been surprised how much of a change it can make.

 

[dspellman]

3) I don't think so, the less surface the strings are in contact with the guitar, the less sustain you'll have. Just with the roller you get an improved sustain, since there's more area in contact between the strings and the bridge. Even more with a wraparound style bridge, so it makes perfect sense.

Uh...You just made that up, didn't you?

Honestly, the less able the strings are able to move the bridge, the better for sustain. Density in the bridge is the key there. Doesn't hurt to have some serious density in the tailpiece, or to have the tailpiece secured to a dense piece of wood, either.

Two of the best-sustaining guitars in the world are the Yamaha SG2000 and the Travis Bean. The Yamaha has an extremely dense and heavy mahogany body and a neck that runs all the way from the top of the headstock to the strap button. In addition, however, it also has a heavy bridge that is bolted to a ten-ounce brass "sustain block" mounted in a rout in the guitar's body, and that is itself bolted to the guitar body. You can just see it peeking out under the bridge here:

The Travis Bean is also a neck-through guitar with an aluminum neck that runs from the headstock to the tailpiece/bridge (back of the TB shown here, and the attachment of bridge to the neck in one of their factory protos):

In the case of a 335, you're simply not going to get much benefit from a roller wraparound bridge combo in terms of sustain; you've mostly given that up by selecting a guitar that's lacking most of the prerequisites for superior sustain. I have a pair of 335s, and both the stop bar and the trapeze tailpiece versions have about the same amount of sustain. That's largely because you have a not-very-dense bridge mounted into a maple block. No amount of screwithage is going to make a noticeable difference. Nor should it. You've selected a guitar that is noted for a bit more attack and decay as its distinctive qualities (compared to, say, a SOLID bodied LP). You're fighting, not enhancing, its distinctive characteristics.

 

[DRS]

Try a Callaham tunomatic bridge. You'll be glad you did.

 

[teefus]

have you tried top-wrapping the tailpiece? i do this on my hamer newport pro and it gives it a nice piano-y type ring.