Bushings - line them up or random symmetry?

[Brucebubs]

Apparently Martin don't line them up but it looks like Collings and Bourgeois do... and Froggy Bottom and Santa Cruz.

[5th Element]

OMG, I just looked at mine and the randomness is off. It looks like someone didn't spend the time to get it right, like fake random. It's going in the classifieds. Maybe the buyer won't notice.

[Silurian]

Aligned. I believe it has a small, but noticeable affect on tone.

[mickthemiller]

Woooooooo!

[AndrewG]

Life's too short...

[Purfle Haze]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

Do you prefer when the hex shaped push-fit bushings are all lined up evenly like this.…

Or do you prefer them installed at random positions like this?…

Or doesn't it bother you either way?

I would never have thought about this, but now I do! I think a builder who aligns the bushings is making a statement, and agree that it points to pride in the quality of build.

I ride and maintain a bike, and I always align the labels on the tires with the valve stems in the wheels. This topic reminds me of that. Here's the late, great bike mechanic, Sheldon Brown:

Most good bicycle mechanics pay attention to the orientation of labels. The most usual custom for tires is to locate the label at the valve, facing to the right. Some justify this on the grounds that having a standard tire mounting orientation can make it easier to find a thorn or glass sliver in a tire, once the hole has been located in the (removed) tube. While there's an element of truth to this, placing the label consistently is really more about pride of workmanship and attention to detail.

Certainly, aligning your bushings has no functional value. But people love to impose order on randomness, and this is another opportunity.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Purfle Haze

I would never have thought about this, but now I do! I think a builder who aligns the bushings is making a statement, and agree that it points to pride in the quality of build.

I ride and maintain a bike, and I always align the labels on the tires with the valve stems in the wheels. This topic reminds me of that. Here's the late, great bike mechanic, Sheldon Brown:

Most good bicycle mechanics pay attention to the orientation of labels. The most usual custom for tires is to locate the label at the valve, facing to the right. Some justify this on the grounds that having a standard tire mounting orientation can make it easier to find a thorn or glass sliver in a tire, once the hole has been located in the (removed) tube. While there's an element of truth to this, placing the label consistently is really more about pride of workmanship and attention to detail.

Certainly, aligning your bushings has no functional value. But people love to impose order on randomness, and this is another opportunity.

Pride of workmanship or anal retentiveness?

[HHP]

I am more concerned about the consistent alignment of the tuner button and the string hole in the post.

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by AndrewG

Pride of workmanship or anal retentiveness?

As I posted above, it would appear from the pictures I can find that Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz and Froggy Bottom all align the push-fit bushings.
I kinda like and admire that small attention to detail.
If you want to call them 'anal' that's entirely up to you but you can't deny the fact all 4 make superb guitars.

[JayBee1404]

Originally Posted by HHP

I am more concerned about the consistent alignment of the tuner button and the string hole in the post.

You read my mind, I just questioned this very point in a parallel thread on the UMGF! That must really get the 'aligned' group's OCD buzzing!

[Brucebubs]

Originally Posted by JayBee1404

You read my mind, I just questioned this very point in a parallel thread on the UMGF! That must really get the 'aligned' group's OCD buzzing!

Yes it drew my attention on a 'tuner swap' thread on the UMGF.
So I wondered what the good folk here on the AGF thought about it... or not.

[AndrewG]

Originally Posted by Brucebubs

As I posted above, it would appear from the pictures I can find that Bourgeois, Collings, Santa Cruz and Froggy Bottom all align the push-fit bushings.
I kinda like and admire that small attention to detail.
If you want to call them 'anal' that's entirely up to you but you can't deny the fact all 4 make superb guitars.

Of course they make fine instruments, but details like that only matter to people who care about details like that. They don't make the instrument any better.

[HHP]

I was just checking the number of windings per inch on .056 low E strings from several makers.

[HHP]

More shoddy craftsmanship. Notice how the pattern of the wheel design doesn't line up when the car is sitting still. All it would take is a little effort when mounting the wheels.

[fazool]

I prefer them random.

Something seems stuffy and contrived when aligned.