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Need new nut and bridge for old electric guitar - suggestions please


zinzin

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hi, i purchased an old (around 1970) guitar build by luthier Gottfried Uebl from GDR. it's a fantastic guitar, but i need a new bridge as the one installed ain't the original one and it ain't working properly. i also need a new nut as the old one is not in best shape. maybe some new tuners as well ;-) could you please suggest what would fit my old guitar. i need something to retain it's acoustic/electric sound characteristics as it is a hollow guitar. the bridge is a floating one, a jazz type one.

ab929041a677d8a2040a942a68f2f869.thumb.jpg.3f12c6d5515a6d524bc0a3782ab558cc.jpg

b4638f73a35917f9174cd625f067071e.jpg.de042ba3fbdb60c2b1a7c7028fbadcfb.jpg

a9d4b9e82c6eadeaf9a205066a589054.jpg.2ed2ed2e3b9990b5ccf9a0f6c89cd132.jpg

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Got to know the correct string spacing for a set bridge. You could go with any number of rosewood bridges that allow your own spacing. You wasn't the strings to align with the neck and the pickups

 

The bases of these kinds of bridges are important. Some are flat and some are arched. You may need to do some shaping since this is a custom build. You want to get full contact for the best tone transfer between body and bridge. A bad fit can make the guitar sound thin or dull sounding.

 

http://www.chicagomusicexchange.com/...FdKEfgodQRQA3A

 

A hybrid like this would need to have correct spacing, but you have the benefit of accurate intonation using thinner strings

 

http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_...op_Guitar.html

 

Or you might install a permanent bridge. http://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_...matic_Bridges/

 

The guitar uses a zero fret so the nut is only used for string spacing. It looks from the pic it was cut for larger string diameters. If the gaps are an issue bending string, you could either fill in the existing nut using baking soda and crazy glue or cut a new one.

 

You'd really need nut files to cut a nice new one so you're looking at $100 to install a new one properly yourself. Having it done would probably be a less expensive. Most shops should charge about $25 for a zero nut.

 

Filling in the gaps in yourself isn't all that hard. Doing it in layers using a tooth pick and using an old set of strings to create a proper gap width in the glue helps. Just be sure to tape it off so you avoid accidents. The nut only spaces the strings so as long as there's no schlock you should be good.

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ooh nice, I would keepthe bridge (I think it has to go a bit further back towards the tailpiece) and maybe raise the nut a little, keep the tuners, if you really need to replace them you might have to drill wider holes ... those are open gear single tuners right ? I'd keep it just as is ...

 

Gottfried Uebel made violins and guitars and learned the profession from Max Sander in Erlbach. He earned his degree as a builder in 1954 in Markneukirchen . He had a small team and he made several guitar models in his workshop in the Hopfenweg in Herlbach; Most of these were traded and sold through "Tauscher&Co." He also made guitar that were branded as Taco, and he also was represented by Migma. Gottfried Uebel died in 2000.

 

 

http://www.schlaggitarren.de/pics/hersteller/27_1.jpg[:IMG]

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ooh nice, I would keepthe bridge (I think it has to go a bit further back towards the tailpiece) and maybe raise the nut a little, keep the tuners, if you really need to replace them you might have to drill wider holes ... those are open gear single tuners right ? I'd keep it just as is ...

 

Gottfried Uebel made violins and guitars and learned the profession from Max Sander in Erlbach. He earned his degree as a builder in 1954 in Markneukirchen . He had a small team and he made several guitar models in his workshop in the Hopfenweg in Herlbach; Most of these were traded and sold through "Tauscher&Co." He also made guitar that were branded as Taco, and he also was represented by Migma. Gottfried Uebel died in 2000.

 

hey bieke! as always - you are the guru! all right what you say. that's what i discovered from searching the internet and from the nice people on http://www.euroguitars.co.uk. it's a beautiful guitar, i love the sound but due to the bridge wrong string spacings it has a bit of tuning problems. in fact it has 4 different sound: one "modern" one with more gain from the bridge pickup, one bluesy sound from the neck pickup, than a very thin sound with pickups out of phase (sounds just like the brigde pickup on a danelectro 59) and a muffled very "brown" sound with almost no treble - all within the turn of one knob.

concerning the bridge: i can't move the bridge backwards as the intonation would suffer. and the holes are rather wrong for the string spacing.

 

@ WRGKMC: thanks for the suggestions. those tune-o-matic bridges do look very nice. i guess because of the delicate string spacings i am better adviced taking the guitar to a luthier.

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hmmm, found some more pics of what I think is your guitar, the previous owner also thought about changing, nut bridge and tuners, but kept it as is, guitar is from the late sixties

 

 

so it's missing a tremolo arm and scratchplate, the tremolo arm is an odd one and the scratchplate, well apparantly the material Uebel used deteriorates with time

 

Uebel2_zpsskby7lct.png

 

 

decal is not original, Uebel guitars may have a label inside or a plaque on the back of the headstock

 

uebel_zpsbajzh2ln.png

 

the tuners, the previous owner also mentioned these weren't the best

 

tuners_zpsxx9pbuu1.png

 

also, previous owner said the nut was too low and high E slipping off the fretboard

 

nut_zpsfa8fczed.png

 

definitely an odd tremolo placement

 

tremolo_zps8xkkv4mp.png

 

 

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now there's something odd going on with the bridge

bridge2_zpsmnzlsoty.png

 

The string spacing increases from bass strings to treble strings.

First the narrowest space between E and A.

Almost the same between A and D, and D and g, but increasing.

And biggest spacing between treble strings.

the string slots are slanted. in a way, that the tailpiece side is lower, when the bridge is installed like this.

the string spacing at zero fret is equal center to center. the high b to high e distance being slightly smaller than the others.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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bieke: you're quiete a detective! the first pic in post #8 was the one the seller send to me after i tried the guitar in the shop in Berlin and wanted some pictures to look at when i was home again (i later ordered the guitar and had it send to me, i bought it on vacancy in Berlin last summer).

the second pic in post #8 with the skull decal, well, that's the one i made and put on the headstock, which before was nameless/empty :-) the skull and the word "Uebel" are my design.

the scratchplate missing i don't mind as i read up on the net, as you say, they are deterioring and the rebuild/clone ones i don't wanna buy.

yeah, the string spacing on that last pic above is really strange and i have seen that before. and it seem to be the same bridge as mine has.

from what i know Gottfried Uebel guitars where also sold under the brands "Musima" and "Migma". Mine had no brand an no plate, nothing, but it's a real Gottfried Uebel guitar for shure.

i want to install a tremolo arm just for optical sakes. i tried the tremolo spring with the palm of my hand and the guitar went out of tune pretty soon.

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Looks like they used a Moserite roller bridge on this one. Likely due to the tremolo arm. I had a Moserite semi and the neck was fairly narrow as was the bridge.

 

 

 

27_1.jpg

 

A modern version might be this one. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/400219221019?lpid=82&chn=ps

 

If string spacing is an issue, these Gretch Space Control bridges may be the answer. I was looking at the bass version the other day as a possible Hofner bridge replacement. http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/321609831188?lpid=82&chn=ps

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thanks for the tip, but since i am in europe with the weak euro/strong dollar/taxes its not convenient anymore to look on US ebay. but i will keep an eye open for such a bridge model. thanks again.

 

 

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Not sure what the issue is with the bridge, but as WRG stated, that could be a red herring, finding one that fits the contours of your guitar properly. You might want to do some leg work on that one so you can "try before you buy". Nuts are easy. With the nut slot, it looks as though a Graph Tech Strat nut might be the answer: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAPH-TECH-TUSQ-SLOTTED-NUT-FENDER-STRATOCASTER-TELECASTER-GUITAR-STRAT-TELE-/251834148641?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa27c 2721. Better check the specs though (height and width) - if big enough you just sand to fit. Regarding the tuners, that's going to require some fresh screw holes at the very least.

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Not sure what the issue is with the bridge' date=' but as WRG stated, that could be a red herring, finding one that fits the contours of your guitar properly. You might want to do some leg work on that one so you can "try before you buy". Nuts are easy. With the nut slot, it looks as though a Graph Tech Strat nut might be the answer: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/GRAPH-TECH-TUSQ-SLOTTED-NUT-FENDER-STRATOCASTER-TELECASTER-GUITAR-STRAT-TELE-/251834148641?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3aa27c 2721. Better check the specs though (height and width) - if big enough you just sand to fit. Regarding the tuners, that's going to require some fresh screw holes at the very least.[/quote']

 

well the chinks in the bridge ain't all parallel to the fretboard and i guess that causes tuning issues. the overall problem is that the strings aren't perfectly aligned with the fretboard.

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Found something that looks like a match. A remake of the Moserite Roller bridge and the price is excellent. You'll need to compare the string spacing and it would need to be mounted to a rosewood base so stud spacing on your current bridge is needed,

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guitar-Roller-Bridge-Jazzmaster-Bridge-Mosrite-Bridge-/321660158979?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae4708403

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Found something that looks like a match. A remake of the Moserite Roller bridge and the price is excellent. You'll need to compare the string spacing and it would need to be mounted to a rosewood base so stud spacing on your current bridge is needed,

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Guitar-Roller-Bridge-Jazzmaster-Bridge-Mosrite-Bridge-/321660158979?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4ae4708403

 

thanks again! looks very good.

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