X-170 Bridge options

[shihan]

The more I play my X-170, the more I like it. Mine has a traditional style rosewood bridge, but when I was searching for one to buy, I noticed they also sometimes came equipped with a tune-o-matic style bridge. I'm wondering if that style would make for a more versitle guitar. I love the jazzy tone I get now, but I'm really more of a roots (country, rockabilly, West coast blues) player.

I would love to hear from anyone who has tried different bridges on an X-170 or X-175. Thanks.

 

[GAD]

My X170T came with a full brass bridge that really brightened up the tone.

 

[AcornHouse]

You can get a tune-o-matic bridge on the traditional wood base, or with a bone saddle (or metal, as GAD mentioned, although I don't have a source for those).
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Archtop_guitar_bridges.html

 

[Walter Broes]

GAD, that's an aluminum Bigsby bridge, not brass.

Shihan, any kind of metal bridge will brighten up the tone of the guitar some, and add some sustain because of the added mass. For Rockabilly, Country, and Blues, you'd probably like what a metal bridge saddle does.

I have metal bridges on my archtops, and I'm in the Rockabilly/rootsrock/Bues camp too, and play with fairly light roundwound strings - a rosewood bridge doesn't pack the punch I need for what I do.

 

[dbirchett]

Walter, have you tried a TruArc on the X-170? I have been meaning to on mine but have not.

 

[dbirchett]

There are some old threads you might want to check out:

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?142010-Tune-a-matic-bridge-for-a-Manhattan

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?154225-Good-tuneamatic-type-bridge-for-X-170

http://letstalkguild.com/ltg/showthread.php?155945-Bridges-for-bigsbys-Which-do-you-prefer

This is not as easy as it might be because the X-170 has a shallow angle for the neck and many bridges are too high. I used the StewMac Tune-o-matic and really had to sand down the legs as thin as I could get them and lower the bridge all the way.. Some bridges were too high regardless of what I did.

 

[Walter Broes]

Walter, have you tried a TruArc on the X-170? I have been meaning to on mine but have not.

Have a stainless steel one on my X175, and another stainless steel one on a CE1OOD, yes. Like them a lot.

 

[cc_mac]

Has anyone seated a Tru-Arc on a mid/late 60s hagstrom bridge plate? The idea of a 12" Lowrider sounds appealing.

So this brings up the question - are "parts" from the NS models being made available for sale by Guild or dealers? I've not seen any of the guitars in person but wonder if the bridge from the Starfire III or IV models would be of the correct height to replace the original Hagstron bridge on my 1969 Starfire IV. I bet Guild could easily sell the stairstep pickguards not to mention the mini-humbuckers, pickup rings and a few other pieces.

 

[GAD]

GAD, that's an aluminum Bigsby bridge, not brass.

Well... it's brass colored! Yeah, that's what I meant.

 

[shihan]

Thanks for the replies, guys. A metal bridge is definitely intriguing. dbirchett, thanks for the heads up about the StuMac, I thought that might be a problem.
drc, I saw your bridges for sale, however, I use 11's, so those wouldn't work for me, drat it.

 

[shihan]

Thanks for the replies, guys. A metal bridge is definitely intriguing. dbirchett, thanks for the heads up about the StuMac, I thought that might be a problem.
drc, I saw your bridges for sale, however, I use 11's, so those wouldn't work for me, drat it.