#1
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Slightly off center tailpiece...
The tailpiece of my archtop, I noticed, is installed just slightly off center.
Therefore, in order to have the six strings perfectly centered on the fretboard, the bridge needs to be moved a bit to the right, around 3/4 mm. Is this a problem? Could a slightly off center bridge affect the tone ? Photos attached. Last edited by gerardo1000; 04-04-2019 at 09:17 PM. Reason: adding photos |
#2
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If the bridge is not centered on the top and yet the strings are equalized on the fretboard,that means the neck is not set perfectly in-line with the centerline of the guitar. The bridge location on the top and the way the strings set on the fretboard are a function of the relationship between the neck and the top of the guitar, nothing to do with the tailpiece. But... The tailpiece seems to be located in-line with the neck, so the strings lie across the bridge evenly, so it's possible that godin installs the tailpiece based on the set of the neck. It's purely a visual thing, no impact on tone in the least. I'd do some more measuring - since that guitar has a veneer top with no center line it's possible the top itself is a little off center, so the F-holes are what's a bit off, not the bridge location.
When I do a neck set when building a guitar, an awful lot of the work is ensuring that the neck is straight on the body. I use special straight edges to reference the center of the top, the joint between the two sides of the solid wood top. In fact, a great deal of care is taken throughout the body build process to ensure that the centerline of the guitar is maintained on the top, the joint between the two side rims, and the back. The f-holes are located very carefully so they are centered as well. When the neck is on and the bridge finally is installed, it's centered on the top as well. It's a function of how well the guitar is built.
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Brian Evans Around 15 archtops, electrics, resonators, a lap steel, a uke, a mandolin, some I made, some I bought, some kinda showed up and wouldn't leave. Tatamagouche Nova Scotia. |
#3
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3/4 mm movement in your bridge is not a problem unless of course it doesn't want to stay there. As MC5C says its very difficult to get the neck lined up perfectly on centerline. Older factory archtops usually had tailpiece installed towards the end of the building process. That was to ensure strings line up with the neck regardless of where centerline on body is located.
But you'd think that new guitar makers with CNC and robots should be able to get it perfect every time. |
#4
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One of my guitars has this sort of issue. It bugged me when I first noticed it but as long as it's only a bit off and you can get the strings properly centered on the neck, I don't see an issue. At least, it hasn't been for me over the years I've had that guitar.
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Spook Southern Oregon |