What Tune-O-Matic bridge for Fender Mustang?

Grungie

I am wanting to put a Gotoh Tune-O-Matic bridge in my 69 Mustang reissue. I read the Kurt Coabin used Gotoh tune o matics in his Mustangs, and that they slip right into the post holes. Is this true? Will one of these work? But on the Stewart MacDonald website, they have 3 different types of TOM's: Nashville, ABR-1, and another one they lable just as Gotoh TOM. Which one do I need? I think this one, am I right? Please help... Thanks!

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,_tailpieces/Electric_guitar,_Tune-o-matic_bridges/Gotoh_Tune-o-matic_Bridge.html

HNB

Grungie said:
I am wanting to put a Gotoh Tune-O-Matic bridge in my 69 Mustang reissue. I read the Kurt Coabin used Gotoh tune o matics in his Mustangs, and that they slip right into the post holes. Is this true? Will one of these work? But on the Stewart MacDonald website, they have 3 different types of TOM's: Nashville, ABR-1, and another one they lable just as Gotoh TOM. Which one do I need? I think this one, am I right? Please help... Thanks!
http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Bridges,tailpieces/Electric_guitar,Tune-o-matic_bridges/Gotoh_Tune-o-matic_Bridge.html

Here you go. 😀

http://www.jag-stang.com/guitars/the-tune-o-matic-bridge/

Grungie

HNB said:
Here you go. 😀
http://www.jag-stang.com/guitars/the-tune-o-matic-bridge/

Thanks dude, this really helps! But I'm still unsure of the exact bridge to purchase.

HNB

Grungie said:
Thanks dude, this really helps! But I'm still unsure of the exact bridge to purchase.

I would get (0167-N Nickel), with the thin posts to drop in to the holes there already. If you get the ones that are out of stock with the bigger posts, you will have to remove the orignal metal holes, redrill the wood for larger posts to fit in the new bridge. The Chrome 167 or gold 167 is fine too depending on what you want.

Grungie

HNB said:
I would get (0167-N Nickel), with the thin posts to drop in to the holes there already. If you get the ones that are out of stock with the bigger posts, you will have to remove the orignal metal holes, redrill the wood for larger posts to fit in the new bridge. The Chrome 167 or gold 167 is fine too depending on what you want.

With posts that thin, though, wouldn't the bridge be really wobbly in the post holes? Thats why I'm switching to a new bridge anyway, because I would constantly knock the intonation out on the stock bridge. I want the bridge to stay as still as possible in the post holes, and since I'm having a luthier do it, drilling wouldn't be an issue. I appreciate your help. I've never modded a guitar before, so this kind of stuff is pretty new to me.

HNB

Grungie said:
With posts that thin, though, wouldn't the bridge be really wobbly in the post holes? Thats why I'm switching to a new bridge anyway, because I would constantly knock the intonation out on the stock bridge. I want the bridge to stay as still as possible in the post holes, and since I'm having a luthier do it, drilling wouldn't be an issue. I appreciate your help. I've never modded a guitar before, so this kind of stuff is pretty new to me.

Drilling and using the others would likely be ideal if you are having them professionally installed and want the least wiggle. Most people go with the thin posts I listed and wrap them with electrical tape to keep them from moving around because either they don't want to drill the body because of the desire to undo any changes or because they are worried about messing up. I keep mine stock, but wrap them with tape to help them stay still better. I also lock the bar down with washers so basically it works like a hard tail.

Grungie

HNB said:
Drilling and using the others would likely be ideal if you are having them professionally installed and want the least wiggle. Most people go with the thin posts I listed and wrap them with electrical tape to keep them from moving around because either they don't want to drill the body because of the desire to undo any changes or because they are worried about messing up. I keep mine stock, but wrap them with tape to help them stay still better. I also lock the bar down with washers so basically it works like a hard tail.

I'm going to go with the thick posts. I'm also having my tech lock down the tremolo with washers, and remove the springs under the bridge plate, and flip the tail piece around to feed the strings directly through. Also getting a JB SH4 in the bridge and shimming the neck. Basically making it like Kurt's Mustang. And since you seem to know a lot about this kind of stuff, I have another question that I hope you don't mind answering for me: Will all the specs. on the Gotoh #1511 on their website be ok on a Mustang? I'm most concerned about the string spacing...

HNB

Grungie said:
I'm going to go with the thick posts. I'm also having my tech lock down the tremolo with washers, and remove the springs under the bridge plate, and flip the tail piece around to feed the strings directly through. Also getting a JB SH4 in the bridge and shimming the neck. Basically making it like Kurt's Mustang. And since you seem to know a lot about this kind of stuff, I have another question that I hope you don't mind answering for me: Will all the specs. on the Gotoh #1511 on their website be ok on a Mustang? I'm most concerned about the string spacing...

You will likely want the TB 4. It is the same as a SH 4 but the poles are spaced for Fender guitars.

http://www.jag-stang.com/faq/general/what-is-an-f-spaced-pickup/

I did the same stuff to the tail pice. It was pretty easy. The only part you are doing that I might not do on my own is install the bridge posts and shim the neck. 😀 Post pics when you are done. It sounds fun.

I am working on my Mustang too. Installing a 500k volume pot, routing for a TB 4 in the bridge, and adding an '85 strat pickup to the neck I had sitting around. The bridge is already locked and my new pickguard with the humbucker mod should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😀

Grungie

HNB said:
You will likely want the TB 4. It is the same as a SH 4 but the poles are spaced for Fender guitars.
http://www.jag-stang.com/faq/general/what-is-an-f-spaced-pickup/
I did the same stuff to the tail pice. It was pretty easy. The only part you are doing that I might not do on my own is install the bridge posts and shim the neck. 😀 Post pics when you are done. It sounds fun.
I am working on my Mustang too. Installing a 500k volume pot, routing for a TB 4 in the bridge, and adding an '85 strat pickup to the neck I had sitting around. The bridge is already locked and my new pickguard with the humbucker mod should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😀

Cool man, thanks for your help. With the tail piece, where did you put the washers to disable the tremolo? I've thought about the TB-4, but am still unsure. Do they sound the same? I talked with my tech at one point about customizing my Mustang, and he said it would be a good idea to shim the neck for a better bridge angle, or the action would be too high on the upper frets. Is this a good idea? And I will definately post pics when it is finished! 😀 Won't be for another couple weeks though.

HNB

Grungie said:
Cool man, thanks for your help. With the tail piece, where did you put the washers to disable the tremolo? I've thought about the TB-4, but am still unsure. Do they sound the same? I talked with my tech at one point about customizing my Mustang, and he said it would be a good idea to shim the neck for a better bridge angle, or the action would be too high on the upper frets. Is this a good idea? And I will definately post pics when it is finished! 😀 Won't be for another couple weeks though.

No problem. I took the original posts the springs were attached to to the hardware store to get two bolts the same size and about the same length that would screw in to the tail piece bar. Bring it to make sure the screws will actually screw in. US ones wouldn't thread right. Get metric ones. I got the washers there as well. The bolts go through the plate and the washers go on top of the plate between it and the tail piece bar to lift it a little to allow strings to wrap under for the traditional look. I used four little washers to lift mine up. Since you are reversing it to have the strings feed straight through, one or two is probably enough.

As far as shimming, I would trust the tech since I haven't done that before and I have the standard bridge, so my action is fine. The TB 4 is the same pickup as the SH 4. The spacing is the only difference and it makes sure your magnetic poles are under the strings instead of not ligned up correctly.

Grungie

HNB said:
You will likely want the TB 4. It is the same as a SH 4 but the poles are spaced for Fender guitars.
http://www.jag-stang.com/faq/general/what-is-an-f-spaced-pickup/
I did the same stuff to the tail pice. It was pretty easy. The only part you are doing that I might not do on my own is install the bridge posts and shim the neck. 😀 Post pics when you are done. It sounds fun.
I am working on my Mustang too. Installing a 500k volume pot, routing for a TB 4 in the bridge, and adding an '85 strat pickup to the neck I had sitting around. The bridge is already locked and my new pickguard with the humbucker mod should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😀

Also, where did you get your pickgaurd from?

HNB

Grungie said:
Also, where did you get your pickgaurd from?

For my mustang, I sent them a tracing with the humbucker drawn on to pickguardian. (http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/)

Grungie

HNB said:
For my mustang, I sent them a tracing with the humbucker drawn on to pickguardian. (http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/)

Awesome. Thanks man. You've really helped a lot.

HNB

Grungie said:
Awesome. Thanks man. You've really helped a lot.

Not a problem at all. 😀 Happy to help! Tony is usually the guy who emails to answer questions. He can give you a price quote and all that. Their site shows what colors they have too. (Which is a lot.)

Silenus

If you get the right Tune-O-Matic, does the neck still needs to be shimmed ?

(got a little confused about the tutorial text from here)

HNB

Silenus said:
If you get the right Tune-O-Matic, does the neck still needs to be shimmed ?
(got a little confused about the tutorial text from here)

I could be wrong, but the main issue with a Tone-O-Matic on Fenders is they are a different radius than Fender necks typically are.

With this example, if the bridge is curved like the 16" radius and you put it on a guitar with the 7.5" one the action will have to be set to work with the highest part (The middle.) making the higher and lower strings much higer off the neck than the middle ones. Ultimately that is why I just keep the stock one on. Tuning a Tune-O-Matic is easier, but I can't imagine shimming the neck fixing the curve of the fretboard.

Silenus

^ Good explanation.

Gonna keep the stock one too in that case.

Thanks

HNB

Silenus said:
^ Good explanation.
Gonna keep the stock one too in that case.
Thanks

Not a problem at all. If you were really dead set on getting a tune-o-matic in it, I would invest in a new neck with the correct radius. Warmoth will make a neck for your guitar that has any radius and neck curve shape you want. I got my tele one for around $400.

HNB

HNB said:
For my mustang, I sent them a tracing with the humbucker drawn on to pickguardian. (http://www.pickguardian.com/pickguardian/)

Here is a pic. The pickguard arrived today. I got parchment. (An off white similar to the one it had before.) Need to route it now and work on installing electronics.

DSC09072 by Hentai No Baka, on Flickr

seansinclair90

HNB said:
You will likely want the TB 4. It is the same as a SH 4 but the poles are spaced for Fender guitars.
http://www.jag-stang.com/faq/general/what-is-an-f-spaced-pickup/
I did the same stuff to the tail pice. It was pretty easy. The only part you are doing that I might not do on my own is install the bridge posts and shim the neck. 😀 Post pics when you are done. It sounds fun.
I am working on my Mustang too. Installing a 500k volume pot, routing for a TB 4 in the bridge, and adding an '85 strat pickup to the neck I had sitting around. The bridge is already locked and my new pickguard with the humbucker mod should arrive Monday or Tuesday. 😀

I would have bought the wrong pup (sh4) if I hadn't read your advice.

Cheers man,you saved me a hassle and few quid $$$