On most of the guitars from Gibson Les Paul, Firebird and SG models Tune-o-Matic bridges are quite common. This type of bridge is available in various types of styles and shapes. There are some types of Tune-o-Matic bridge that have a retaining wire and others have self-contained saddles like Nashville and no matter what type of Tune-o-Matic bridge your guitar has it is very essential to inspect the bridge. It is because wear and tear can cause many issues with the bridge. It will be important to replace the bridge and let’s see why it is so.
When it comes to installing the Tune-o-Matic-style bridge many think that it is a challenging thing to do, but actually, it is not so difficult. You need to know what you require and simply avoid a few things. A few points are discussed below on how to do it on the 1960 Gibson Les Paul guitar. Though the techniques used here can be implemented on any guitar that has a Tune-o-Matic-style guitar bridge.
First step of repair:
First you need to analyze the guitar for repairing or upgrading it. Then it is important to measure the action of the 12th fret and the neck relief. It is important to check the intonation. You need to see that the bridge should not warp between the adjustment posts. To correct this issue you must go for bridge replacement.
Install the new tune-o matic bridge:
You can think of choosing the Schaller Nashville Tune-o-Matic which is a bridge of supreme quality and it will last for a long time. It works better than the typical replacement units and there are many kinds of variables, which need to be considered when it comes to replacing the tune o matic bridge. You need to check the string angle, slot width and string spacing when you are thinking to replace the bridge.
What is string spacing? It is the space between the strings and you need to check the distance of strings from the fretboard. It is a very crucial aspect because strings need to be aligned in a proper manner. In most of the other cases, the E string slips off the fretboard and sometimes the pickup produces uneven sound. The sound is actually uneven and the playability of the guitar is affected.
