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If not an original Sustain Block bridge, what?


Drew816

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Sustain block bridges are unique to Hamer, there isn't really any 'alternative' version that I'm aware of that gets close to fitting the bill of the original bridge.  The first very early bridges that Hamer used had kind of like a Fender hardtail Strat bridge base with a rosewood shim underneath for height, but sustain block bridges after that version had a lot of mass due to the milled solid brass base, you can check it out under 'Bridges' in this Hamer reference page:

http://www.buddlejagarden.co.uk/hamer/hardware.htm

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Wilkinson or Schaller bridges are great. I‘d go for something that supports a through body construction for sustain.

Would you want to stick to a tremolo?

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1 hour ago, gtrdaddy said:

Dirk, look at this and read the specs. It’s a great bridge option 🙂

https://hipshotproducts.com/collections/guitar-bridges/products/fixed-guitar-bridge?variant=27822074120

Quite the "ultimate marriage of performance, beauty and ergonomics". 😉 I always like the marketing word washings.

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Mill the sides off the Hipshot and you're pretty close. A little thin at the bottom, though. The shimmed hardtail bridge idea is more accurate.

14 hours ago, gtrdaddy said:

I like how the saddles are are kept in place nice and tight by the side walls,  which I think is an improvement of sorts over the sustain block.

I agree. Probably more comfortable under the hand as well.

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  • 3 months later...
On 9/22/2018 at 2:49 PM, hamerhead said:

Mill the sides off the Hipshot and you're pretty close. A little thin at the bottom, though. The shimmed hardtail bridge idea is more accurate.

I agree. Probably more comfortable under the hand as well.

The base of this Hipshot bridge is HALF the depth of a real Sustain Block Bridge so you would still need a shim underneath which seems to defeat the the whole object of the exercise and not only that but the saddles are completely different and don't look even close to the original design if you want your guitar/bridge to be historically accurate/vintage correct... just saying!! :rolleyes:

 

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12 minutes ago, DaveX said:

The base of this Hipshot bridge is HALF the depth of a real Sustain Block Bridge so you would still need a shim underneath which seems to defeat the the whole object of the exercise and not only that but the saddles are completely different and don't look even close to the original design if you want your guitar/bridge to be historically accurate/vintage correct... just saying!! :rolleyes:

 

It can't be 'that' off...the standard neck joint, fretboard height from the body, pup/ring height, etc are fairly standard  dimensions.  Any workable bridge design would have to 'clear' those items plus provide additional clearance to adjust string height from the fretboard.

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It's worth giving John at Mannmade a call. A couple of years ago John was provided a sustain block bridge by another HFC'er and was working up a replacement.

http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

Edited to add: I just had a call with John at Mann-Made. He did machine a sustain-block bridge a couple of years ago for another HFC'er. He would like an order for 5 or more sustain block bridges. 20 or more brings the price lower. Pricing has not changed, with an order for 20 units s/b approx. $175 each.   He can deliver by late Feb. or early March.

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7 minutes ago, Never2Late said:

It can't be 'that' off...the standard neck joint, fretboard height from the body, pup/ring height, etc are fairly standard  dimensions.  Any workable bridge design would have to 'clear' those items plus provide additional clearance to adjust string height from the fretboard.

We are talking about a difference of around 0.125 (inch) difference which is a hell of lot when you consider, for example, that when you insert a shim double the thickness of a piece of normal office paper under the neck of a stratocaster you get a difference of approx.2mm at the bridge...

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1 hour ago, Steve Haynie said:

Wouldn't the sustain block trem bridge be more rare than a regular sustain block? 

Nope... it's not readily available, but I see at least 6 or 7 to every 1 sustain block Bridge... people like to replace them with Schaller or OG Floyd's...

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36 minutes ago, Joe G said:

It's worth giving John at Mannmade a call. A couple of years ago John was provided a sustain block bridge by another HFC'er and was working up a replacement.

http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

Edited to add: I just had a call with John at Mann-Made. He did machine a sustain-block bridge a couple of years ago for another HFC'er. He would like an order for 5 or more sustain block bridges. 20 or more brings the price lower. Pricing has not changed, with an order for 20 units s/b approx. $175 each.   He can deliver by late Feb. or early March.

I visited John's shop a couple of years ago. Super nice guy and he makes some fantastic products. 

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55 minutes ago, Joe G said:

It's worth giving John at Mannmade a call. A couple of years ago John was provided a sustain block bridge by another HFC'er and was working up a replacement.

http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

Edited to add: I just had a call with John at Mann-Made. He did machine a sustain-block bridge a couple of years ago for another HFC'er. He would like an order for 5 or more sustain block bridges. 20 or more brings the price lower. Pricing has not changed, with an order for 20 units s/b approx. $175 each.   He can deliver by late Feb. or early March.

WTF? I'd Pony up for 2. 

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1 hour ago, Joe G said:

It's worth giving John at Mannmade a call. A couple of years ago John was provided a sustain block bridge by another HFC'er and was working up a replacement.

http://www.mannmadeusa.com/

Edited to add: I just had a call with John at Mann-Made. He did machine a sustain-block bridge a couple of years ago for another HFC'er. He would like an order for 5 or more sustain block bridges. 20 or more brings the price lower. Pricing has not changed, with an order for 20 units s/b approx. $175 each.   He can deliver by late Feb. or early March.

I'd need to see his version before I threw down my greens. Obviously, his work is beyond reproach, but is his bridge an exact replica of the Hamer part, like a @hamerhead replica or @stonge's 2FIG bridge?  If not, you could shim up a hardtail Strat bridge for $20 and call it a day.

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2 minutes ago, kizanski said:

I'd need to see his version before I threw down my greens. Obviously, his work is beyond reproach, but is his bridge an exact replica of the Hamer part, like a @hamerhead replica or @stonge's 2FIG bridge?  If not, you could shim up a hardtail Strat bridge for $20 and call it a day.

 

image.png

Agreed. That # to me seems ridiculously low. Like its for the bridge with no saddles. 

If that was a repo bridge, lock, stock and barrel up for the whole 20 and charge you guys more. LOL 

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Maybe this old mighty mite bridge could be used:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HARD-TAIL-CHROME-BRIDGE-by-MIGHTY-MITE-for-Electric-Guitar-Heavy-Duty/121830654450?hash=item1c5dac41f2:g:C-cAAOSwf-VWX8fL:sc:USPSFirstClass!11743!US!-1

Anyway, for those interested in a new mann-made, his version of the sustain block was already made and sent to a chromer when that shop burnt down. John told me he still has an unchromed sustain block sitting on his desk.

I asked about different saddle widths some people may need and John said he will Add in: "try to" accommodate us. If available, John would like the other CAD files that were used sent to him to compare his files to. I also offered to send him one of my sustain block bridges. I have a ''79 '80 and '81 Sunbursts and '81 and '82 Specials with sustain blocks. Before I go pulling apart one of my guitars I need a consensus of which width saddles/sustainblock bridge to send him. Tim used a sustain block from an '81 Special and (remove: worked on saddle widths for better) improved string alignment within the saddle for his. He did not change the exterior saddle width. ideally, I would like to send John the CAD files, along with one of my bridges.

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1 minute ago, Joe G said:

...I need a consensus of which width saddles/sustainblock bridge to send him.

As wide as possible, otherwise you end up with this...

image.png

... no bueno.

 

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8 minutes ago, Joe G said:

Maybe this old mighty mite bridge could be used:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/HARD-TAIL-CHROME-BRIDGE-by-MIGHTY-MITE-for-Electric-Guitar-Heavy-Duty/121830654450?hash=item1c5dac41f2:g:C-cAAOSwf-VWX8fL:sc:USPSFirstClass!11743!US!-1

Anyway, for those interested in a new mann-made, his version of the sustain block was already made and sent to a chromer when that shop burnt down. John told me he still has an unchromed sustain block sitting on his desk.

I asked about different saddle widths some people may need and John said he will accommodate us. If available, John would like the other CAD files that were used sent to him to compare his files to. I also offered to send him one of my sustain block bridges. I have a ''79 '80 and '81 Sunbursts and '81 and '82 Specials with sustain blocks. Before I go pulling apart one of my guitars I need a consensus of which width saddles/sustainblock bridge to send him. Tim used a sustain block from an '81 Special and worked on saddle widths for better string alignment for his. ideally, I would like to send John the CAD files, along with one of my bridges.

I was the one who worked with John to make new SustainBlocks, and went as far as buying a TLE from a HFC member for John to reverse-engineer.  He has the measurements....first I heard that he actually built something.  He kept giving me the run-around regarding his 'plater', I assumed he just didn't want to build something.

You may just need to send him your CAD, and if the numbers match, he should be all-set.

 

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