Need ES-330 Kit help to install the trapeze tailpieces bridge

[tropini]

Could anyone of you provide instructions to proper install the trapeze tailpieces bridge of an "es-330" kit i bought, quite similar to the guitar in the picture? It arrived without the holes drilled and i think i have to drill the holes out for the posts. Together with the posts (in the same plastic bag), there are two screws: what are they for? If I am not missing something, I assume that i only have to put the bridge on the posts without screws, so i don’t understand what those screw are for.

 

Lastly, The Scale Length is 628mm, but i saw some es-330 picture, like the one below, showing the bridge mounted along an oblique direction, not parallel with the pick-up. How can i determine the proper distance of the bridge and it’s obliquity?

 

Thank you very much for your help.

[Ratae Corieltauvorum]

Over to Freeman on this one

[thatsbunk]

Looks to me that the 2 extra screws are for the tailpiece (along with the strap button) I would think the tailpiece is one of the easier tasks on this build. If you have to ask you may be in over your head on this one...

[Mr.Grumpy]

Yes, the two outer holes on the tailpiece bracket are for the screws, the center hole is also secured by the strap button and its screw. So it's held down with 3 screws in total.

[daddymack]

You may find this helpful: http://projectelectricguitar.com/how-to-install-tune-o-matic-bridge-posts/

[Freeman Keller]

Tropini, first, welcome to HCEG. Second, I've built a few guitars with ToM bridges - here are the steps.

 

Measure accurately from the nut to the 12th fret and double that measurement - that is the scale length. Put a piece of tape on the top at and mark the scale length on the tape.

 

Clamp the neck in the pocket (don't glue it yet) and place a straight edge on each side - mark that on your tape. Measure between those two marks and mark the center line of the guitar. Don't rely on any wood seams - you want the exact center of the neck.

 

Now measure the thickness of the little rim on top of your ToM stud and the thickness of the adjuster - find some little pieces of wood approximately that thickness and put your ToM on top of them on the scale lenght line. Put your straight edge on the frets with the end pointing to the ToM, it should look like this

 

 

What you are doing is confirming that your neck angle is correct before you glue it in place. The straight edge should just touch the tops of the saddles - this should give you enough travel with the adjusters to set your action. If it doesn't just touch the top of the saddles then adjust your neck angle until it does. That measurement is often 40/64th off the top but will vary with bridges

 

Glue the neck in place. Now go to Steward McDonalds web page to this calculator

 

http://www.stewmac.com/FretCalculator

 

Enter the number of frets and the exact scale length, it will calculate the fret locations (which you already have) but at the bottom it will ask you for the bridge you are using and tell you where to put it. For example, with the generic Gibson scale length of 24.75 it tells me

[TABLE=border: 0, cellpadding: 0, cellspacing: 0]

[TR]

[TD=width: 50%]24.811" (± 0.030") from nut to center of treble-side post. Mount bass-side post 1/16"-1/8" further from the nut.[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD=colspan: 2][/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

 

 

Make those marks on your tape and drill for the ToM studs. Measure your studs - common drilling is either 7/32 or 1/4 (your instructions probably will tell you). Drill a hole from the neck pickup cavity into one of the stud holes for a string ground wire. Use a drill press and measure this very accurately - if you get the studs off even the slightest you won't be able to adjust your ToM. One trick is to locate one stud, put the bridge on it and use a brad point drill bit in the other hole to mark it. Also be very careful when you drill that you don't chip the finish.

 

Run your string ground from the bridge pup cavity into the stud hole and press the studs in. If you are going to hammer them in (not a good idea) put a block of wood on top and be sure they go in straight.

 

Now extend the center line from the center of the neck and that center mark you made at the bridge to the butt end of the guitar. Don't rely on any wood seams - the neck could be off by a degree or so. Trial fit the tailpiece - sometimes it has to stand a little proud of the top of the guitar at the butt edge, mark and drill the mounting holes. The strap button may be part of the mount or might be in the center of the little bracket.

 

Here is one more picture of locating a vibrato tailpiece with a ToM bridge - again, the idea is get it perfectly centered on the fretboard centerline.