!997 Westerly Starfire II Bridge change?

starfirejoe

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Location
Jersey Shore
Hi all,
First post, newbie, etc.

I just bought a black 1997 Starfire II and was thinking of changing out the traditional wood bridge for a tune o matic or a bar bridge (like a Tru Arc)

Any pros and cons you can tell me about.

thanks in advance!
 

kakerlak

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 6, 2009
Messages
2,354
Reaction score
128
Location
Oklahoma
Metal will brighten up the tone a bit, which you may or may not like. Biggest pro is being able to intonate the strings, particularly if you have a wooden bridge that's compensated for a wound G and are using a plain one. Bar bridges work nicely with Bigsbys, but are less of an advantage on an SF-II. There are some people who think the solid bar of metal rings out better than multipiece bridges like a T-o-M. Intonation would probably be worse than your wooden bridge, if you're running a wound G, probabaly slightly better than it for plain G, just b/c that backwards step b/w G and B (and lack of one b/w D and G) is really wrong with a plain G.
 

txbumper57

Enlightened Member
Joined
Sep 6, 2014
Messages
7,577
Reaction score
58
Location
Texas
Some folks like the original bridges and some like the tun-o-matic style. One thing you need to check on your Starfire II is if there is enough Neck angle to install a tunomatic style bridge. I did the conversion to a Roller tunomatic on a 1998 Starfire II that I used to own and I had to find a low profile model bridge as the standard height tunomatic wouldn't work and still have decent string height. Make sure to check your pole spacing on your bridge pickup as well. You don't want to install a bridge that has the wrong string spacing. If you do the strings won't cross the Bridge pickup poles in the right place. Personally I love the fact that you can dial in your intonation with a tunomatic. Every Guild I have with a Guildsby I have installed a Roller tunomatic bridge on and they all play great and sound just fine.

Bottom line is some folks want the original bridge and some like something different like a tunomatic. Neither is wrong or right, It is what is right for you as a player as it is your guitar you are the one that is playing it. Don't let anyone make a decision of what's best for you and your guitar. We are all individuals and play different from one another, If we didn't all music would sound the same.

TX
 

parker_knoll

Senior Member
Joined
Apr 27, 2006
Messages
1,453
Reaction score
410
Location
London
Metal will brighten up the tone a bit, which you may or may not like. Biggest pro is being able to intonate the strings, particularly if you have a wooden bridge that's compensated for a wound G and are using a plain one. Bar bridges work nicely with Bigsbys, but are less of an advantage on an SF-II. There are some people who think the solid bar of metal rings out better than multipiece bridges like a T-o-M. Intonation would probably be worse than your wooden bridge, if you're running a wound G, probabaly slightly better than it for plain G, just b/c that backwards step b/w G and B (and lack of one b/w D and G) is really wrong with a plain G.

i much prefer the tone of metal bridges. Personally i like the sound of Bigsby bridges and find they work well: they are easy to notch which means you can customise your string spacing, easy to intonate and move around and you can get them in two versions for wound and unwound G. I have a whole box of them as I change most of my instruments over to them where possible.

I haven't tried a Tru-arc or a Compton but if I buy a guitar with a wooden bridge I always change it out. Be aware that I play more spikey bright sounding rock'n'roll/surf/post-punk styles rather than mellow jazz so I like a brighter sound.
 

starfirejoe

Junior Member
Joined
Mar 10, 2016
Messages
13
Reaction score
0
Location
Jersey Shore
i much prefer the tone of metal bridges. Personally i like the sound of Bigsby bridges and find they work well: they are easy to notch which means you can customise your string spacing, easy to intonate and move around and you can get them in two versions for wound and unwound G. I have a whole box of them as I change most of my instruments over to them where possible.

I haven't tried a Tru-arc or a Compton but if I buy a guitar with a wooden bridge I always change it out. Be aware that I play more spikey bright sounding rock'n'roll/surf/post-punk styles rather than mellow jazz so I like a brighter sound.

Style wise, that's what I am going for, more rock n roll, powerpop stuff.

Again thanks to all for your responses.
 

GAD

Reverential Morlock
Über-Morlock
Joined
Feb 11, 2009
Messages
22,594
Reaction score
17,815
Location
NJ (The nice part)
Guild Total
112
I would put a Compton (not a fan of TruArcs) on there in a New York second, but I like the brighter tone a metal bridge gives.
 
Top