Question about the metal bridge on my '97 X-170 with Guildsby

[Norrissey]

I get a lot of slight and not so slight buzzes from the strings where they sit in the grooves in the metal bridge on my X-170 with Guildsby. I had my luthier work on the issue but he couldn't get rid of it completely. Is it possible to switch to a different kind of bridge that would work with the Guildsby? Some kind of roller bridge or even a wooden bridge? Would love some suggestions. Thanks!

 

[Jeff Haddad]

You could try a Tru-Arc or Compton bridge. I'm sure there are plenty of roller bridges from various places also. Even a tunomatic style can work if you're not too aggressive with the Guildsby and it's set up properly.

Compton bridge

I never cared for the tone of the aluminum Bigsby bridge - it was "zingy". I've used stainless and brass Tru Arc bridges on a couple Gretsch guitars and they sound great.

 

[Walter Broes]

Thing to be aware of with X170's is that quite a few of them have a pretty shallow neck set, to the extent that a lot of commercially available archtop bridges are too tall to fit.

 

[GAD]

I out a Compton on my X170T and love it.

Can’t say anything about what Walter Broes posted but if anyone’s got experience there it’s him.

 

[Norrissey]

I out a Compton on my X170T and love it.

Thanks @GAD ! I think a Compton Bridge is in my future. Does the bridge come with the string grooves in it?
I noted what Walter said and appreciate the heads up but the current bridge on my X-170TAB appears to be set pretty high so I'm confident the Compton will fit.

 

[BradHK]

Compton offers their solid brass bridge in a lower height version (9mm vs 12mm in the center) if needed. Not sure if it is an option on the normal order form but if you email them they can provide the lower option. You supply the string spacing, post spacing, and radius and they do the rest.

 

[Norrissey]

Compton offers their solid brass bridge in a lower height version (9mm vs 12mm in the center) if needed. Not sure if it is an option on the normal order form but if you email them they can provide the lower option. You supply the string spacing, post spacing, and radius and they do the rest.

Awesome! Thanks for that Brad!

 

[swiveltung]

The Bigsby aluminum bridge rocks on the posts and sounds good to me. Cheap alternative. BUT, it was on a warm sounding archtop, so the 'zing' helped some. Although, I will say, the bridge material is a very minor tone change whatever it is. Even a hardwood one sounds minimally different than a metal one once you plug in. My G. Benson archtop came with TOM and wood from the factory. Meh difference.
I have a Gretsch Brass Bar Bridge on an archtop that replaced a TOM and I like it. Also was cheap used.

 

[Norrissey]

You could try a Tru-Arc or Compton bridge.

A BIG thank you to @Jeff Haddad and @GAD for suggesting a Compton bridge for my X-170. Just got the guitar back from my luthier set up with the new brass Compton bridge (and a new bridge base) and wow! My X-170 sounds killer. The buzzes are gone. It plays super clear, warm and smooth on the neck pickup and still has a growly twang on the bridge.(It's an SD-1 equipped X-170). I would recommend this upgrade to anyone.

 

[GAD]

Congrats!

 

[powerwagonjohn]

Yea, Wayne is a great guy with a great product. Luckily for me he lived in northern MN. I sent him the specs then stopped by and he installed a stainless tone chamber bridge on my G6128T and it was night and day difference to the space control bridge the Gretsch came with. We talked a while then want down stairs for a bit of playing and off I went. Thanks Wayne
Thanks John

 

[GGJaguar]

Comptons get a lot of love in the Gretsch world. Glad it made a great guitar even better!

 

[GAD]

Comptons get a lot of love in the Gretsch world. Glad it a great guitar even better!

That’s where I learned about them. Put one one my SSLVO back in the day and loved it.

 

[Norrissey]

Comptons get a lot of love in the Gretsch world.

It's worth noting I had to purchase an ebony Gretsch bridge base to go with the Compton Bridge. The Guild bridge base was a little too narrow to work with the Compton bridge. Both the Compton brass bridge and the Gretsch base look great on the X-170. They don't look out of place at all. I'll post a picture later.