straightblues Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Tell me about the sustain block bridge. What is it? Why is it called Sustain Block? What are the advantages? Is it made by Hamer or someone else? What is it madeout of? What guitars does it come on?
Mike_C Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Hamer currently makes them but they are a custom order item. They were the stock bridge on Early Hamer Sunburst and Special guitars as well as on a few others. Think Fender hardtail strat type bridge with a thick base plate string through body style and you sorta get the idea. I think they are and were made from brass that was chromed or nickle plated.
silentman Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 I am a big fan of Sustain Block bridges. They have the sustain and snap to them that TOM's just don't have. Unplugged the guitar is acoutically louder, IMO. Advantages: no pieces to fall off the guitar during string changes (can be solved with tonepros now). Setting action/intonation is more stable and accurate (even though it's for pussies). Plus they look cooler. I have a few on some recent guitars that were made by an HFC member, Hamerhead. They are every bit as good as the originals - dare I say better? Rumor has it Hamer is producing their own again, but I don't think we've seen an order come thru with one (at least to a member of this board). There have been custom orders recently with them: Monaco Elite, Standard and my Jeff Watson:
thecajunboy Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Custom Order with a HamerHead Sustain Block bridge.
cmatthes Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 I have one of the plated brass 2FIGs that Sto...er...two guys in a garage made up a few years back. Fantastic work, tone, etc. I had it on a Special, but sold that (kept the bridge!!). Hamer IS offering them again as an upcharge option, and they are apparently using the original manufacturer/specs. I would not hesitate to use my 2FIG on a custom order after playing a particular "Green Monster". I think that there's something like a $375 upcharge to list if you don't provide the bridge, a little less if you use an approved bridge.
tomteriffic Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 I don't have one of the HamerHead repros, but I have two of the originals. Not having an otherwise-identical guitar to compare to makes it tough, but they seem to have more snap to the one and they really do help the sustain. I picked up my Sunburst and splanged a chord acoustically for my son (who has been putting up with my guitar shenanigans for over 20 years) and after about ten seconds of the chord ringing, his jaw just dropped.Worth it if only for the ease of string changes, but there's so much more going on there.
Kilroy is all about... Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 those quilt tops are superior to the 'cords' on the standards. those quilt tops are the 'bee's knees.' those quilt tops are the 'cookin' in grease.' I've recently started playing my first sustain block '81 sunburst in rare opaque red. kilroy posts.
hamerhead Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Sustain Blocks Rule! These are exact duplicates of the originals - Chrome over machined brass (There's a couple gold ones available). Through the years the saddles would vary a little. Hamer now makes them in-house. BCRGreg still stocks mine. I beleive Matt (bruce919) has a new Standard with a factory Hamer Sustain Block. It's VERY nice. I love the way they sound. It's hard to describe. You gotta try one!
Guest galejt Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Custom Order with a HamerHead Sustain Block bridge.
iownit4 Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 sustain 4 days ..... easy to set up stays in tune http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y110/iownit4/100_0039.jpg
Guest galejt Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 No! And they make your disck smaller when you play them. They smell bad and sound bad and are bad. Stay away from them. More for us.
jujisque Posted May 6, 2005 Posted May 6, 2005 Hahahaha, thanks for the info . . . So, I'll assume that it just doesn't matter.
Bob P Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 The Sustain Block bridge on a Hamer Sunburst takes whats good about a vintage Telecaster and adds it to what is great about a vintage Les Paul.....Nuff said.
ajoso Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 So if they were so good, why did Hamer discontinue using them 20 some-odd years ago? I'm assuming that Hamer always wanted to make top-shelf guitars for those who can afford them. So, not having tried one, and just to be argumentative, is this a case of the collectable guitar made from "unobtanium" being more desirable than the oh-so-common standard models? Flame away.
tomteriffic Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 IIRC, the original supplier went toes-up. At the time, the focus was moving more and more to the shredders anyway, so they let it drop. It wasn't until recently when there was evidence of enough demand for them (as witnessed by HamerHead's efforts, as well as a previous effort by 2FIG) that they thought it worthwhile to source them again.Oh, and they were the "standard" models. Thousands of guitars were built using the original Sustain Block over a period of 6 or 7 years.
hamerhead Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 Hamer stopped using them not because of supplier issues, but because lemmings needed TOMs. 'Joe-Average-Guitar-Buyer' saw Gibbys (and all the clones) with a tun-o-matic and stoptail, and that's what they had to have. Hamer didn't have it so the lemmings wouldn't buy it. Thus the switch.BCRGreg was after them for quite some time before they finally said yes to the re-issue. I think he sold enough of them to make Hamer sit up and take notice.I think it's great that they're doing them again (although it woulda been better if they let me make 'em, but that's another story!).
cmatthes Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 Hamerhead - those look fantastic. Great work, indeed! I got to check out the Cherry Junior with the Gold SB at the factory and that one was pretty much perfect.Bob P. nails it on the "best of a Tele/Best of a LP" thing. COuldn't have said it better mesself.I've got a guitar in progress that's getting a Sustainblock - it ain't a Hamer, but that bridge should work perfectly on there.
KorinaHound Posted May 7, 2005 Posted May 7, 2005 I have never been closer to owning a single pickup'd guitar in my life. Great picturese everyone. Wow. BAC around .14 , new guitars to buy, 2. Going to be pain tomorrow.
KorinaHound Posted May 8, 2005 Posted May 8, 2005 Is it just me or does $1299 seem a little tough for a RETOPPED 78 Sunburst. on Ebay today: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewI...item=7321268184If it wasn't for the sustain block and the fact it is a great looking piece (from the small photos) I probably wouldn't ask the question. Or I might, I'm fickle like that.(Oh, if the seller of this guitar is on the forum, my apologies in advance for questioning the opening bid. <sigh> At least the emails stopped.)What a week. Thinking an hour of AMP ON TEN is in order.
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