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ABR Comparasions

fender69

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Apr 17, 2003
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998
Ran into this on FB and found it mighty interesting. Stephens Design isn't really a slouch outfit.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pde3yJ65oGo

"Before I ship back my customer's '68 conversion, I decided to test out all the ABR1 bridges I have in an acoustic only comparison. The '63 bridge was the last year Gibson used brass saddles, so I'm assuming its pretty close to the no wire bridges in '59 era. So, thats the one to listen to. In '64 they went to nylon saddles, yuk. The worst of the bunch was the Gibson Historic which oddly isn't very loud, is bright and rather sterile. The Patent bridge is the one the guitar was built with originally. The Faber bridge is the one I use on all my Les Pauls which are Elitists heavily modified to vintage correct hardware and harness, I notice the bass isn't as tight as the '63..... I also demo the cheap ABR1 that came on the Elitists and its not bad at all."

Any thoughts?
(Think I might try a Faber as I currently have a historic bridge on my 68.)
 

chasenblues

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Jul 3, 2006
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1,228
Stephens Design isn't really a slouch outfit.


open-a-can-of-worms.jpg
 
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Skydogfan81

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Dec 13, 2006
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910
Yeah, that faber sounded really rich, warm, and even. I think I'm going to try one as well. They are only ~$60 too.
 

gmann

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May 26, 2003
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As for the nylon, the stuff they use now isn't the same stuff they used to use. Clapton's SG and 335 were nylon saddles, no lack of tone there.
 

fender69

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Apr 17, 2003
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So I guess no one hears a difference, eh?
(And I do know that the nylon was different in those days - it has been well documented right here)
 

ourmaninthenorth

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Mar 28, 2009
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7,119
Yeah, I hear a difference. The Faber, for the money, is the one I'd favour as a replacement on an Historic.
 

Grandturk

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Jul 16, 2001
Messages
775
I hear a very slight difference between them but it would be tough for me to rate better to worse. They all sound "fine."

That said - I replaced the ABR-1 and tailpiece from an old SG I have with the Faber locking unit with the aluminum tailpiece. Improvements were fairly dramatic and the guitar lost a lot of the plinky banjo sound that had defined it. So that was a definate plus in my book.
 

tdarian

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Jun 25, 2008
Messages
3,575
My favorite ABR-1 bridge is the Pigtail Zinc, followed vey closely by the wired Historic ABR-1 (mine from a 2007 R6). I think the current no-wire ABR-1s from Gibson are brighter/zingy overall in comparison, although they are probably perfect on some guitars.

I did prefer the Faber to the Gibson wired ABR-1, and it seemed much better built.

I like the balance of warmth and focus that the Pigtail brought to my guitars, very expensive though!
 

Progrocker111

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Dec 10, 2003
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4,013
So I guess no one hears a difference, eh?
(And I do know that the nylon was different in those days - it has been well documented right here)

Yes, they are even visually different, the new nylon saddles are a bit darker or duller.
 

Big Al

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Apr 24, 2002
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14,537
I found for me the best is machined steel with tight fitting brass saddles.
 

Coda

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Aug 17, 2010
Messages
115
Has anybody tried ABM bridges ?

http://www.abm-mueller.com/PDF/2500_Guide_small.pdf

2500-RE: Bell Brass Body, Bell Brass Saddles
2500a-RE: Aluminum Body, Bell Brass Saddles (available in Summer of 2013)
2500s-RE: Carbon Steel Body, Bell Brass Saddles (available in Summer of 2013)

Aluminium sounds an interesting variation.
:hmm
 

altoricky

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Jan 7, 2011
Messages
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So I guess no one hears a difference, eh?
(And I do know that the nylon was different in those days - it has been well documented right here)

I replaced the plastic saddles in my '63 SG for nickel plated brass ones. It does make a difference, not necessarily better or worse just different. There's a bit more bite on the plain strings (not so much on the wound strings) and a slightly less woody tone. The main reason I changed them to metal was that 2 of the saddles broke and I couldn't find anything that was anything like the originals to replace them with.

I'd be really interested in knowing what you know about the differences in the nylon in those days to the nylon now.
 

fender69

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Apr 17, 2003
Messages
998
I replaced the plastic saddles in my '63 SG for nickel plated brass ones. It does make a difference, not necessarily better or worse just different. There's a bit more bite on the plain strings (not so much on the wound strings) and a slightly less woody tone. The main reason I changed them to metal was that 2 of the saddles broke and I couldn't find anything that was anything like the originals to replace them with.

I'd be really interested in knowing what you know about the differences in the nylon in those days to the nylon now.

I personally don't know what the differences are in the material as I haven't owned a nylon bridge Gibson in decades. But I know that there are others who have researched the issue. Hopefully they will chime in.
 

MapleFlame

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Jul 3, 2005
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14,044
I like the late 50's ABR-1's, 60's and early 70's. The Historic ABR-1's have been fine for me too. Creamtone, Pigtail both versions, Aluminum and regular. Just have to find the right fit for each guitar.
 

Shai`tan

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Feb 25, 2016
Messages
4
In the posted vid I thought the Patent sounded the best. And using my 7.1 headset to listen, the Patent is dramaticly better.... than the other 3. I have a Faber on my 59 Replica. I wouldn`t mind trying the Patent tho. I might try a Creamtone at some point to see what an ABR 1 made of zinc with brass saddles is like compared to the Faber.
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
I got a Faber today after reading all this stuff last week or so. I was curious as I have two old, early Sixties ABR-1's but they are both beveled on the bottom to use with a Bigsby or Vibrola. These are factory as there's nickel plating on the bottom and it's factory. Too bad they don't work and a non-Vibrola/Bigsby bridge. Just putting them on flat thumbwheels they tilt depending on how you bend the strings and even putting them on the stock Beveled/doomed thumbwheels is better but the doomed wheels have too much play for my tastes. If anyone would like to trade an original flat-bottom ARB-1 for a Beveled one, I'm game. It does have to be an early ABR-1.
*Anyway, sorry for getting off topic, The Faber seems to be louder and fuller sounding. I know one thing is that the plain G string vibrates considerably better as I feel it in the palm of my left hand on the back of the neck. The whole neck vibrates from that in the way that say the low E did before ( and even more so now..). But the Faber is a much better sounding bridge than the Gibson Historic bridge.
One Q? has anyone tried swapping out historic studs for the German steel, German made Faber or even a side by side with vintage studs..
Thanks!
 

Skydogfan81

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
910
I got a Faber today after reading all this stuff last week or so. I was curious as I have two old, early Sixties ABR-1's but they are both beveled on the bottom to use with a Bigsby or Vibrola. These are factory as there's nickel plating on the bottom and it's factory. Too bad they don't work and a non-Vibrola/Bigsby bridge. Just putting them on flat thumbwheels they tilt depending on how you bend the strings and even putting them on the stock Beveled/doomed thumbwheels is better but the doomed wheels have too much play for my tastes. If anyone would like to trade an original flat-bottom ARB-1 for a Beveled one, I'm game. It does have to be an early ABR-1.
*Anyway, sorry for getting off topic, The Faber seems to be louder and fuller sounding. I know one thing is that the plain G string vibrates considerably better as I feel it in the palm of my left hand on the back of the neck. The whole neck vibrates from that in the way that say the low E did before ( and even more so now..). But the Faber is a much better sounding bridge than the Gibson Historic bridge.
One Q? has anyone tried swapping out historic studs for the German steel, German made Faber or even a side by side with vintage studs..
Thanks!

Have you had a chance to compare the Faber to a Pigtail?

Thanks
 

TM1

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Jun 27, 2003
Messages
8,349
Have you had a chance to compare the Faber to a Pigtail?

Thanks

No, but I should I have a couple of Pigtail's and the only one I could find is an Aluminium one. I didn't like it much as it was too bright.
 

Skydogfan81

Member
Joined
Dec 13, 2006
Messages
910
No, but I should I have a couple of Pigtail's and the only one I could find is an Aluminium one. I didn't like it much as it was too bright.

Cool, I hear you on the Al APR. I had one once, but settled on the standard Zinc. Please let us know your thoughts.
 
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