Members honeyiscool Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 After having tried some out for some time now, I'm just not sure I like them at all. I've tried out these types of roller Strat/Tele saddles: As well as roller Tune-O-Matics: And neither of them have done much for me. Sure, the tuning stability improves a little bit, but I seem to get a lot more acoustic buzzing, nothing that comes through the amp, but it still just bugs me. To me, buzzing means some energy is getting lost somewhere, and that it's affecting sustain somewhere. I don't know, I think that's just too many moving parts on something that should be transferring energy from the strings to the body. I've been somewhat intrigued by the Wilkinson roller bridge: I honestly don't know, though. I mean, something makes me think, increase the mass a little bit, make it out of better materials, and a roller bridge might work better, but do I honestly bother? It just seems like roller bridges are just over-engineered. A properly slotted and lubricated Tune-O-Matic or a good steel Strat saddle seems to work just as fine, with far fewer moving parts, less buzzing, hence more transfer of energy. Or even better, Graphtech saddles, which have slowly started creeping up on my guitars. I think one day, they might be the only kind of saddles I use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members etawful Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 The only one I've tried is the Wilkinson (the last photo you posted). It was okay but I switched to Graphtech saddles on a Tone Pros bridge and liked it much better. The think I did really like about the Wilkinson is that it's very, very comfortable under your hand for palm muting and the like, no sharp edges at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 The only one I've tried is the Wilkinson (the last photo you posted). It was okay but I switched to Graphtech saddles on a Tone Pros bridge and liked it much better.The think I did really like about the Wilkinson is that it's very, very comfortable under your hand for palm muting and the like, no sharp edges at all. Try an Ibanez Gibraltar bridge, ala the Ibanez SZ520.. Best feeling hardtail I've ever touched. Very stable, too.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I had one set of the GFS jobbies... I definitely prefer the normal SS block saddles to the rollers. I used to have a guitar with one of those Schaller roller bridges and it felt fine and worked 100%. I can see using a roller bridge with a Bigsby but other than that, I'd probably pass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Try an Ibanez Gibraltar bridge, ala the Ibanez SZ520.. Best feeling hardtail I've ever touched. Very stable, too.. Not sure if it's actually a Gibraltar, but this is possibly my favorite 'feeling' bridge. A bit of a pisser to get setup, but once it's done, it stays there. ZERO sharp edges anywhere. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members etawful Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Try an Ibanez Gibraltar bridge, ala the Ibanez SZ520.. Best feeling hardtail I've ever touched. Very stable, too.. That thing does look pretty cool . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members PrawnHeed Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I see no point at all on a hardtail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members awd83 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I can vouch for that type, my AWD83 had one, and it's a smooth as glass Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tedmich Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I see no point at all on a hardtail. +1 on this "the answer to the question no one is asking..." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bengerm77 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I just want to say that you guys sound like incredible sissies complaining about sharp edges on your bridges. I imagine all of you stopping in the middle of a riff to look down at your picking hand and lightly say "ow." I think someone should post one of these offending bridges and let me know what I'm missing out on with the razor-like blades on a traditional hardtail. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members etawful Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I just want to say that you guys sound like incredible sissies complaining about sharp edges on your bridges. I imagine all of you stopping in the middle of a riff to look down at your picking hand and lightly say "ow." I think someone should post one of these offending bridges and let me know what I'm missing out on with the razor-like blades on a traditional hardtail. Who complained? Nobody complained at all as far as I can tell. I said that one bridge was really comfortable, but never once complained about another bridge (which is also the type I switched back to which I mentioned in the same post). Who complained? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Well, I've never had a Tune-O-Matic I felt was too bad, but plenty of Strat saddles with tall intonation screws can dig into your palm when muting. It's not that annoying, but it's enough that I'll shim my neck to avoid the issue. +1 on this "the answer to the question no one is asking..."Hardtails definitely go out of tune if there's binding or friction. If you are playing two minutes worth of unison bends in a song, it does test what your guitar hardware is capable of. Putting GraphTech TUSQ XL saddles on one of my hardtails was the last piece that made it completely stable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 That thing does look pretty cool . I've never been a huge TOM fan but those feel amazing.. So smooth and painless when you palm it. Plus, it's captured. See how the studs have it trapped? It can only come straight up during a string change. Saves you from clanking it around on your finish. They've made several versions of the Gibraltar, but that one is by far my favorite. If it wouldn't look F-Tarded on my Les Paul, I'd install one. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members RaVenCAD Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I just want to say that you guys sound like incredible sissies complaining about sharp edges on your bridges. I imagine all of you stopping in the middle of a riff to look down at your picking hand and lightly say "ow." I think someone should post one of these offending bridges and let me know what I'm missing out on with the razor-like blades on a traditional hardtail. Idiot... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I remember seeing that bridge on the ORM-1 and thinking that it's one thing I liked about that guitar (as well as the 24" scale): Too bad it misses on too many other things for me. Seriously? One rail bucker? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members gdsmithtx Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Try an Ibanez Gibraltar bridge, ala the Ibanez SZ520.. Best feeling hardtail I've ever touched. Very stable, too.. As an SZ520 owner, I'll second that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cephus Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I really don't think those things do anything. Can you put a mark on one of the rollers and see it actually turn? I would think that the load on that "bearing" would be too high for it to rotate. Roller string trees are the same thing. I can't see how they could actually turn with that much string tension. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I think it's more likely to turn than the string to be pinching under a roller tree, don't you think? I use roller trees quite a bit, and really, they're usually held higher than your average string tree. They just kind of slightly hold the string in place. I think they do a fantastic job and definitely improve tuning. When I use the whammy on a Bigsby equipped guitar, it's clear that the bridge rocks back and forth on the posts. With rollers on, the bridge still goes back and forth. The thing, for me, is that friction is reduced. I don't think it need to roll much. And that's really why I think just reducing the friction using lubrication can have all the necessary benefits without the drawbacks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members billybilly Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I just want to say that you guys sound like incredible sissies complaining about sharp edges on your bridges. I imagine all of you stopping in the middle of a riff to look down at your picking hand and lightly say "ow." I think someone should post one of these offending bridges and let me know what I'm missing out on with the razor-like blades on a traditional hardtail. It's about comfort and those gibraltar bridges are very comfortable. Only a stupid man lives in discomfort if he doesn't have to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members xrleroyx Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I remember seeing that bridge on the ORM-1 and thinking that it's one thing I liked about that guitar (as well as the 24" scale): Too bad it misses on too many other things for me. Seriously? One rail bucker? Do not hate on that guitar. That's the guitar that got me coming here. I loved that thing, it was my main stage instrument for a long time. It was just way too fucking tiny. I looked rediculous. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members cratz2 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I just want to say that you guys sound like incredible sissies complaining about sharp edges on your bridges. I imagine all of you stopping in the middle of a riff to look down at your picking hand and lightly say "ow." I think someone should post one of these offending bridges and let me know what I'm missing out on with the razor-like blades on a traditional hardtail. I didn't see anyone whining but seriously... how many threads in the history of the internet have you read where someone said, 'I have this strat and I love it, but I really wished the saddle screws were about 1 inch longer.... where can I get LONGER saddle screws. That would be so much better for teh palm mutez!' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members vintage clubber Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I have 4 bigsby equipped guitars and they all have that roller tune-o-matic on them. They all work perfectly fine... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members honeyiscool Posted February 21, 2012 Author Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 Do not hate on that guitar. That's the guitar that got me coming here. I loved that thing, it was my main stage instrument for a long time. It was just way too {censored}ing tiny. I looked rediculous. I'm not hating. I'm just saying it misses on too many things for me. What Ibanez needs to do is take that signature model and make a good, versatile 24" offset shortscale, but that would make too much sense. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members sonda01 Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 i firmly believe that roller nuts/saddles should only be used with floyd trems.imo in all other cases, a well cut nut and saddles are perfectly fine. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members peskypesky Posted February 21, 2012 Members Share Posted February 21, 2012 I think it's more likely to turn than the string to be pinching under a roller tree, don't you think? I use roller trees quite a bit, and really, they're usually held higher than your average string tree. They just kind of slightly hold the string in place. I think they do a fantastic job and definitely improve tuning.When I use the whammy on a Bigsby equipped guitar, it's clear that the bridge rocks back and forth on the posts. With rollers on, the bridge still goes back and forth. The thing, for me, is that friction is reduced. I don't think it need to roll much. And that's really why I think just reducing the friction using lubrication can have all the necessary benefits without the drawbacks. i'm with you.i've got roller string trees on one strat, roller saddles on my LP copy, and roller saddles on a semi-hollow with Bigsby....and i'm happy with all of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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