Members TorontoBob Posted October 30, 2019 Members Share Posted October 30, 2019 Hi all. I have a Bobkat - the two-pickup model, and I really like it. The DeArmonds sound GREAT! A while ago I saw a forum post with pictures (https://fixingandbuilding.wordpress.com/tag/harmony-bobkat-tune-o-matic/) where a tune-o-matic was installed on a Bobkat, and I was thinking it might improve the little axe to do that. But - I'm worried that messing with it will decrease it's value. Any opinions? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted October 30, 2019 Moderators Share Posted October 30, 2019 IIRC, [because I have not seen a Bobkat in thirty years*] the '15' and '16' [2 pickup versions] had an angled metal bridge[15] or a jazz box type wooden one [16] that was height adjustable. Obviously to put a TOM on it will require some drillin' and fillin', as we say, but those old offsets go for, what, like $350 to $450 in mint condition? If the guitar is a keeper, and you want to improve the playability, I would do the mod just for the improved intonation. If you owned a model T, would you keep the original engine in it, or upgrade it? And, yeah those old gold foil D'Armonds have their own sound that is pretty cool. * I set one up for slide for a guy I knew; just put a big brass nut on it Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 31, 2019 Members Share Posted October 31, 2019 The perceived value of the guitar only matters if you sell it. Like daddymack said "it's a keeper" do what makes YOU happy As for the model T ,yes i would keep the original engine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted October 31, 2019 Author Members Share Posted October 31, 2019 Hmmmmm … Ya. Might decrease the value - but only if I sell it. Well, since I never sell anything, I think I have my answer. :-) Thanks! Oh, I guess this one is a '16' - it has the wooden bridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted October 31, 2019 Members Share Posted October 31, 2019 Cool little guitar, I wouldn’t sell it either Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moderators daddymack Posted November 1, 2019 Moderators Share Posted November 1, 2019 On 10/30/2019 at 5:21 PM, gardo said: The perceived value of the guitar only matters if you sell it. Like daddymack said "it's a keeper" do what makes YOU happy As for the model T ,yes i would keep the original engine. actually, yes keep the original engine/tranny, but drop it out, pop in a 351 and a new tranny...and a new rear axle and...suspension and... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted November 1, 2019 Members Share Posted November 1, 2019 6 hours ago, daddymack said: actually, yes keep the original engine/tranny, but drop it out, pop in a 351 and a new tranny...and a new rear axle and...suspension and... Been there and done that . Not a model T but same concept. Change one thing and soon everything needs changed,it never ends . It's so much easier to hot rod guitars Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 5, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 5, 2019 Ok, ya. At one point I had a '79 Ford Fairmont with a V8, and a Volvo 2-series wagon. Shoulda put the V8 in the Volvo! (It's been done to hilarious effect at stop-lights when you out-gun a hot car.) Anyway, back to the Bobkat. I *do* like to keep things stock, so drilling hold in the body was not something I really wanted to do. Then I remembered seeing somewhere TOM bridges for arch-tops. They have a rosewood, or ebony, or whatever base. So no holes. I'm checking those out. Specs for most of the 5 or so on Amazon don't include the string spacing (low E to high E) (1 7/8) on my guitar), so I'll see how close I can get and report back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted November 6, 2019 Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 You should be able to find one with unslotted saddles, that way you can cut the slots to the spacing you like. Stewmac is a good source for those kind of parts as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted November 6, 2019 Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 I don't see why you couldn't just install a modern jazz bridge like this one. You have a tune-o-matic on a wood base so you don't have to drill the guitar's top. You would have to sand the bottom of the wood base flat but that's easy with a belt dander or just a sheet of sandpaper laid on a flat surface. This way you don't have to drill the guitar for posts. Slide the bridge up and down for rough intonation on both E strings and the fine tune with the saddle screws. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 6, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 Yes - that was my plan. My only concern is the string spread. I need 1 7/8" to match the original bridge. (And I haven't found as suggested above a bridge where I file the notches where I want them. I'm not sure there is a TOM where you can do that.) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted November 6, 2019 Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Bridges_and_Tailpieces/Bridges_and_Tailpieces_for_Electric_Guitar/ Stewmac has tunomatics without slots. They also have floating bridges but they all look slotted. However you can also buy a set of unsorted saddles there, which you'd have to do. They should be able to help you pick the right ones. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 6, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 I did look at Stewmac before, but didn't see anything tagged as un-slotted. I'll look again and probably reach out to them for a recommendation. Will post what I learn. P.S. I guess if I say I keep things stock then I had better not admit that in 1974 I replaced the original Kluson tuners on my '61 Strat with Schallers. Flame me - I deserve it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted November 6, 2019 Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 You can file new grooves in the saddles where you want them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 6, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 6, 2019 Hi. Ya, I guess I could. But the string span difference is just a bit more than 3mm. So that's maybe 0.5 mm difference for each (most) saddle(s). I'm fearless with tools, but this seems a bit too finicky for my skills/tools. Maybe though ... I contacted Stewmac for guidance. Maybe they have options I can't see on their site. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mrbrown49 Posted November 7, 2019 Members Share Posted November 7, 2019 https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Bridges_and_Tailpieces/Bridges_and_Tailpieces_for_Electric_Guitar/Nashville_Tune-o-matic_Bridge.html No slots. https://www.stewmac.com/Hardware_and_Parts/Bridges_and_Tailpieces/Bridges_and_Tailpieces_for_Electric_Guitar/Nashville_Tune-o-matic_Saddles.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted November 8, 2019 Members Share Posted November 8, 2019 These are cheap and look period correct. Saddles are moveable for intonation and string spacing. You can file a groove once you have the desired spacing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gardo Posted November 8, 2019 Members Share Posted November 8, 2019 Interesting concept . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 8, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 8, 2019 That is an interesting option 6down1togo. Where is it from? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 6down1togo Posted November 11, 2019 Members Share Posted November 11, 2019 https://www.ebay.com/itm/1Pc-Adjustable-6-String-Luthier-Archtop-Jazz-Guitar-Floating-Bridge-Rosewood/263482714208?epid=748841161&hash=item3d58cb2860:g:4VwAAOSwMAxaer1j Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted November 11, 2019 Author Members Share Posted November 11, 2019 Check this: http://www.vintagehofner.co.uk/gallery/archtops6/arch17.html Is that not the almost identical bridge? And wow! I thought that looked familiar! That Hofner was my 1st guitar about 1973. Sad to say it - but - it may be vintage now, but it was a horrible guitar then. Warped - but non-adjustable neck. Crowded controls & switches. Fretboard about 1 1/2" above the body. Awful. (Ya, I know, John Lennon apparently had one.) I tore out the frets, sanded the neck straight, and re-fretted it. (My first - and last attempt!) I repositioned the controls, put a 3-position switch up where it is on a Les Paul, and painted it gold. And it still sucked. Lucky I found that '61 Strat for $200 about then … Anyway - this looks like a really good option to try out. And wow - it's cheap! Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members TorontoBob Posted January 8, 2020 Author Members Share Posted January 8, 2020 Ok. Update. I bought this bridge: https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B018U14OTS/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 The height of the low-E saddle was just over 1", whereas the height of the original Bobkat bridge was a bit less than 3/4". Shaving the bottom of this base would have left me with almost no wood left, so - on to plan "B". I cut a piece of 1/8" aluminum flat to the right size, and drilled and tapped holes for the pins from this bridge. (4mm metric.) Action still too high at lowest setting. So, plan "C" ... After wearing an arm out filing, and not owning a Dremel, I got out another precision tool: a Bosch 8.5 amp angle grinder. The sparks flew ... And the result is not that bad: It's rough, I know. It's what I call a Buckley's Bridge - it looks awful, but it works! I'll probably buy another bridge (only $21.79 CDN) and do it over again but neater. Note on this bridge - the screws in the saddles have really crappy phillips heads. And 3 of the saddles were in backwards. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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