S100 73 bridge curve

[Storgio]

Hi guys,
I’m back on the forum after 15 years of silence and it’s nice to see that is still very active and full of infos!
I was not able to retrieve my account t so I got a new one.

Lately I was setting up my guitars and I was noticing that on the S100 73 the bridge seems to be too curved compared to the neck curve.
Don’t you think so?
Do I have the wrong bridge?
Do you think that in the past somebody flattered the neck too much?

The “problem” is the action on D and G string that are too high compared to the others. Nothing crazy but not really optimum.

Thanks!

 

[GAD]

I've not owned an early '70s S100 so I don't have direct experience with that model, but it was pretty common for other '70s Guild electrics to have 7.25" or 9.5" radius fretboards, so that bridge looks right to me and that certainly looks like the right bridge for that era Guild. Has it ever had a fret job?

I suspect one of our S100 experts will be along who know more about your guitar than I do.

Also, if you remember your old credentials PM me and I can merge your accounts.

 

[lungimsam]

How’s the action on the nut on the d and g? If higher than the other strings will make it feel and look wierd.

 

[Groundwire]

I believe most early 70’s s100’s were 10” radius. The bridge looks correct. Not sure if those are original frets, but if there’s enough meat on them, a good luthier could level them to the radius of the bridge to make consistent action throughout. If the frets are original, I’d personally have it refretted and the board can be radiused to match the bridge at that time.

Cheers!

 

[Storgio]

Im gonna bring it to the liuther this morning and we will check it. I think frets have been already lowered in the past and probably there is no meat to shape them…

 

[Storgio]

Ho guys, thanks for your help.
I’ve been to the luthier today and told me that in his opinion the bridge doesn’t make any sense with the neck radius that could be 20”.
Then we checked the bridge from my m-75 from ‘77 and is definitely less arched then the one on S100.
I got another bridge in gold that should be the same as the one on the M-75, I will check it and if is the same radius I will install it on the s100 even if is gold, that should correct a lot the problem.
Then when I will decide to refret the guitar it would be possible to make it even better.
This job (refret and fix the neck radius) could cost me 400€… seems to be crazy expensive to me, what about prices in USA for that?

Thanks for your help

 

[Storgio]

Another thing: where could I find a bridge in chrome not that arched? Is it going to fit without mods or the size is different?
Could this fit?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/3640210954...SSeS2HwTK-&var=&widget_ver=artemis&media=COPY

 

[BradHK]

Your bridge is a 1st version of that bridge. The bridge in the link above looks like a 3rd version. It is not a drop in replacement. Key differences are the type and size of the height adjustment screws and whether they fit into cups in the guitar or threaded bushings. Here is a link to a really good description of the differences with photos:

Guild Bridges

Gibson Plastic Bridge Conversion

www.theguitarmechanic.com

 

[Storgio]

Thanks for the answer but on the M-75 or on the S100 I got something different: them both are like the first version with unthreaded cup and threaded stud BUT with different curve/radius.
Does it make sense to anybody?

 

[lungimsam]

Easily understood.
That is wierd that it’s so bowed. Don’t know how that could happen.
Is it possible to put it in a vice and compress it, thus straightening it? Or is the metal base too strong to be reshaped that way?

 

[Storgio]

This is not something that happen, the bridge have been produced that way. Maybe is from an older/newer model, brand or something else.
I could try to flatten it but it would get larger and probably will not fit any more and chrome will crack.
I will try to install the golden one as soon as I will grab it and I will probably just leave it like that.
I would love to understand what it’s installed right now…

 

[Prince of Darkness]

This is not something that happen, the bridge have been produced that way. Maybe is from an older/newer model, brand or something else.
I could try to flatten it but it would get larger and probably will not fit any more and chrome will crack.
I will try to install the golden one as soon as I will grab it and I will probably just leave it like that.
I would love to understand what it’s installed right now…

Agreed, I'm pretty sure these base plates are cast and it must have been made for a guitar with a tighter neck radius. Flattening it would be difficult and it would almost certainly require machining to fit between the mounting posts plus re-plating

 

[Nuuska]

Hello

There is a solution IF . . .

You only need max 1mm lower action
You know someone w a lathe AND right attitude.

Remove the roller parts for D & G strings.
Have your mechanic person either reproduce new ones w smaller diameter - preferred option.
Have your mechanic person turn the old parts to smaller diameter - not my choice.

Looks like the bridge body is already bottoming - so you might need to inspect the neck relief and neck angle.


IF the bridge was not bottoming - then I would have 4 new rollers w larger diameter for E-A-B-E-strings and lower the bridge.

btw - welcome back

 

[Storgio]

Hello

There is a solution IF . . .

You only need max 1mm lower action
You know someone w a lathe AND right attitude.

Remove the roller parts for D & G strings.
Have your mechanic person either reproduce new ones w smaller diameter - preferred option.
Have your mechanic person turn the old parts to smaller diameter - not my choice.

Looks like the bridge body is already bottoming - so you might need to inspect the neck relief and neck angle.


IF the bridge was not bottoming - then I would have 4 new rollers w larger diameter for E-A-B-E-strings and lower the bridge.

btw - welcome back

That’s actually a good idea… the action on E and e is good, so I should lower the others…
Anyway having an extra bridge NOS probably with the right curve I will just try to install it.
Easy and good, just bad for the gold color.

 

[Boneman]

Hmm, if that is the original bridge, and there are only 2 strings with action issues, is there another underlying problem at the nut? I wouldn’t think you need to replace the bridge to only adjust two strings, but then again you had a tech look it over?

 

[Storgio]

The luthier checked the guitar and he noticed that the arc of the bridge does t match with the fretboard radius and because at the same moment he had the m75 with him he compared the bridge that looks less arched.

Right now I got the other bridge in my hands and it’s EXACTLY the same as the one installed on the S100
At this point I do not really understand what I have installed on my M75…

 

[lungimsam]

1. Anyone know what the fboard radius of a 73 s100 is supposed to be?

2. Have you tried swapping the individual saddles around to see how that effects height at the fingerboard? They may not all be created equal or were height modded? Or they are correct and fell out and someone put them back on wrong?

3. The gold one looks like they sit lower.

 

[mushroom]

Hi
I have a 74 M75CS and a 73 S90 and they both look to be about 12 at a very quick look. The S90 is in very poor condition needing lots of restoration so I cannot claim how accurate it is. It is missing bits.

I’ve attached a picture of the M75 for reference.

Did you luthier actually put a gauge on them and get a measure of the bridge and fretboard?

 

[mushroom]

I just went through my spares box and had a look at the bridge based I have.

The ones without the thread in the base are different to the ones with the thread.

And it appears I have two different radius of threaded base ones.

See photo which shows, hopefully the difference in radius.

 

[Storgio]

The luthier didn’t use a gauge, it was just a quick look and comparison between the s100 and the m75.
Anyway the neck of m75 is more curved and the bridge less curved then in the s100, so I swapped the bridges and I will have the guitars checked from the luthier again today.
Any way I took few pics of all the bridges I have and it’s pretty clear that the radius is different
On is from the m75, one from s100, one is new old stock I bought years ago