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Four Uncles ABR-1 bridge just in and...

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I got my 4 Uncles today!! I have a couple of Crazy Parts and a couple of Pigtail's. They're all really good! The 4 Uncles has a bit more depth & clarity than the others. The Pigtail is really good as well followed very narrowly by the Crazy Parts and then the Gibson reissue from my ML R-9 (with the Rand K saddles).
What I like about the 4 Uncles is the clarity between the notes besides fatter/fuller overall. All really great bridges, but the flatout winner is the "4 Uncles" if you're splitting wires.
 

Emiel

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
71
I got my 4 Uncles today!! I have a couple of Crazy Parts and a couple of Pigtail's. They're all really good! The 4 Uncles has a bit more depth & clarity than the others. The Pigtail is really good as well followed very narrowly by the Crazy Parts and then the Gibson reissue from my ML R-9 (with the Rand K saddles).
What I like about the 4 Uncles is the clarity between the notes besides fatter/fuller overall. All really great bridges, but the flatout winner is the "4 Uncles" if you're splitting wires.

I wonder though whether the saddles make the most difference here. Are the 4 Uncles saddles flatter on top?
 

CK6

Well-known member
Joined
Feb 5, 2020
Messages
449
I wonder though whether the saddles make the most difference here. Are the 4 Uncles saddles flatter on top?
Its the composition of the metal mostly, and design. Yes, the saddles are much flatter than stock Gibson or Faber.
 

NINFNM

Member
Joined
Jan 20, 2018
Messages
75
Don't know aount the FU bridge, but I can believe you. Just changing the saddles on my Nashville to proper bell brass ones was a hugh improvement
I’ve never been after warm jazzy sounds or sustain, and prefer spanky and bright Les Pauls instead, so I was afraid of brass dulling the sound of the guitar, but not. Only the unpleasant hight frequencies have gone while the guitar keeps all the twang. Just like when you play a nice Fender, that is quacky/twangy but sweet and not ear piercing.
Les Pauls can be harsh sounding sometimes and you have to fight taming the beast. And this is happening also in the unplugged sound, so it’s not something that can be just fixed completely tweaking the amp.
Now it sounds more musical, balanced, sweet, and you can dial it to get brighter sounds than before without sounding harsh.
 

SGFan

New member
Joined
Feb 28, 2002
Messages
25
For those of you in the U.S. that purchased one, how have you gone about ordering it? I reached out a while back to the Four Uncles in Europe and they mentioned something about paying them and they send it to Dave Stephens, who sends it to you. That did not make sense but is that how the ordering process goes?
 

tdarian

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
3,575
For those of you in the U.S. that purchased one, how have you gone about ordering it? I reached out a while back to the Four Uncles in Europe and they mentioned something about paying them and they send it to Dave Stephens, who sends it to you. That did not make sense but is that how the ordering process goes?
I inquired though Facebook. Search for “Four Uncles Restorations” on Facebook and message them from their Facebook page. They do everything over Facebook Messenger. As I understand it Dave Stephens is the USA Uncle
 

SGFan

New member
Joined
Feb 28, 2002
Messages
25
I inquired though Facebook. Search for “Four Uncles Restorations” on Facebook and message them from their Facebook page. They do everything over Facebook Messenger. As I understand it Dave Stephens is the USA Uncle

Yes, I did do all that but never received a response from Dave. Has anyone here? Or have all of the orders so far been within the EU?
 

tdarian

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 25, 2008
Messages
3,575
M My
Yes, I did do all that but never received a response from Dave. Has anyone here? Or have all of the orders so far been within the EU

No, there have been USA orders received. Try again, you’ll hear back from “ Four Uncles Restorations”. I’m not sure which uncle is responding
 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
I got my 4 Uncles today!! I have a couple of Crazy Parts and a couple of Pigtail's. They're all really good! The 4 Uncles has a bit more depth & clarity than the others. The Pigtail is really good as well followed very narrowly by the Crazy Parts and then the Gibson reissue from my ML R-9 (with the Rand K saddles).
What I like about the 4 Uncles is the clarity between the notes besides fatter/fuller overall. All really great bridges, but the flatout winner is the "4 Uncles" if you're splitting wires.
Don ..have the ABMs that you’ve often heavily raved about now on the back burner ?
 

TM1

Well-known member
Joined
Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Yeah, I know I’ve gone back in forth over the years on bridges..It’s been a constant quest to find the bridge that gives my guitars a vintage tone & clarity! I guess I’ve gotten spoiled by having the ability to have access to a lot of vintage instruments over the last 50 years.
 
Last edited:

Gibsonsg

Member
Joined
Dec 26, 2021
Messages
40
Don ..have the ABMs that you’ve often heavily raved about now on the back burner ?
I got the ABM installed this week and im very happy with it and it's a lot cheaper then the uncle one, but hey that's my opinion
 

garywright

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 17, 2002
Messages
15,583
I got the ABM installed this week and im very happy with it and it's a lot cheaper then the uncle one, but hey that's my opinion
I have one that I bought used from a member here …had it on my ‘69 sg for a while but then changed back to the Faber that I had on it prior ..you’re right, the abm is a nice bridge and for the right guitar the all brass build would work very well
 

Nick-O

Active member
Joined
Aug 12, 2015
Messages
223
I got my 4 Uncles today!! I have a couple of Crazy Parts and a couple of Pigtail's. They're all really good! The 4 Uncles has a bit more depth & clarity than the others. The Pigtail is really good as well followed very narrowly by the Crazy Parts and then the Gibson reissue from my ML R-9 (with the Rand K saddles).
What I like about the 4 Uncles is the clarity between the notes besides fatter/fuller overall. All really great bridges, but the flatout winner is the "4 Uncles" if you're splitting wires.
I honestly expected the Rand K saddles to come in a lot higher than this. There is plenty of meat on the top of the saddle and the construction looks right. But, ears don't lie...well...mine do, but I think yours might work pretty well Don. I appreciate your thoughts on all 4 of them.
 

franjojsalva

New member
Joined
Sep 15, 2018
Messages
2
I got my 4 Uncles today!! I have a couple of Crazy Parts and a couple of Pigtail's. They're all really good! The 4 Uncles has a bit more depth & clarity than the others. The Pigtail is really good as well followed very narrowly by the Crazy Parts and then the Gibson reissue from my ML R-9 (with the Rand K saddles).
What I like about the 4 Uncles is the clarity between the notes besides fatter/fuller overall. All really great bridges, but the flatout winner is the "4 Uncles" if you're splitting wires.
what crazy parts abr-1 do you have and used for in comparison? is it their latest LTD one equipped with "softbrass"saddles, screws and thumbwheels?
 

Emiel

Member
Joined
Oct 30, 2015
Messages
71
Isn't the CrazyParts one an aged Gibson ABR bridge but with custom-made saddles?

Next to the Pigtail and 4U, there is also the Kissmystrings Vintage ONE Zamak bridge, which seems like a real good option as well. Comes with flat '50s style saddles, thumbwheels and posts.

https://www.kissmystrings.de/shop/-p264387220
 

RossL

Member
Joined
Dec 11, 2021
Messages
68
I honestly expected the Rand K saddles to come in a lot higher than this. There is plenty of meat on the top of the saddle and the construction looks right. But, ears don't lie...well...mine do, but I think yours might work pretty well Don. I appreciate your thoughts on all 4 of them.
How old is that Pigtail bridge? Did you happen to try the Rand K saddles in the Crazy Parts bridge?
 
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