Les Paul Jr Bridge upgrade

[EL34]

I got a new Epiphone LP Jr in November 2023
It had the compensated bridge shown below
I wanted to be able to adjust the intonation, which you can't on the stock bridge

I found a Wilkinson adjustable bridge on Amazon for $19
It turned out to be a well made bridge and the price was nice
The large body screws were nice because they have a curved head
https://a.co/d/8p9qdO5

Then I decided to modify the Wilkinson bridge by using Graph Tech saddles

I also replaced the stock Phillips screws with hex head 3mm screws
I had to machine the screws on my lathe
The heads were too large and they need to have the threads removed on the ends

[EL34]

The Graph Tech saddles were the right T shape but the 3mm screw holes were higher up
So the screws would not line up properly

I machined the bridge on my CNC and lowered the shoulders that the saddles sit on
This let the saddles sit lower by 3/64ths (.0469") of an inch or roughly 1.2mm

The next issue was that the tops of the saddles now sit lower than the stock saddles
I was afraid the strings would not have enough clearance above the top surface of the bridge
So I machined very small grooves to make more string clearance

I will install the new bridge after my next string change

[EL34]

I actually bought two of the Wilkinson bridges
Bridge #1 was an experiment to see if the bridge was any good

The guitar actually sounded better to me
More solid notes is all I can explain it as
Better over all feel to the notes

Also, the big body screws fit way better into the bridge
The stock bridge was sloppy and was able to tilt forward in the big screws
The Wilkinson bridge fits snugly into the big screws and does not tilt

Bridge #1 is on the guitar currently with stock saddles
Bridge #2 is not on the guitar yet

Here's a shot of Bridge #1 on the guitar

[EL34]

I'll report back after I have installed bridge #2

[jjasilli]

The Wilkinson bridge with adjustable saddles looks like a good way to go. 


FIY:  here's info on the Music City Bridge I mentioned in your other thread.  It looks vintage-correct, but is compensated for better intonation than the stock bridge.


https://musiccitybridge.com/

[EL34]

The Wilkinson bridge with adjustable saddles looks like a good way to go. 
FIY:  here's info on the Music City Bridge I mentioned in your other thread.  It looks vintage-correct, but is compensated for better intonation than the stock bridge.
https://musiccitybridge.com/

I already had a compensated bridge
It came on the guitar
$99 or $149 for a simple dumb bridge is pretty silly IMO
There are plenty of over priced simple bridges out there
I saw several of them when looking for a new bridge

Moving the saddles to dial in the intonation is the way to go
Can you imagine a high end guitar with non movable saddles?

[jjasilli]

I'm mot advicating, just pointing out the option.  Adjustable saddles are practical.  Compensated bridge has a vintage correct look.  Set screws through the bridge against the posts give adjustability.

[EL34]

Thanks,I saw a few other options before purchasing two of the Wilkinson bridges.

[scstill]

Interesting article on a very early LPJ. With some early bridge comparisons.

[EL34]

yeah, I saw that one and a few others of his videos a while back
Cool stuff

[scstill]

Thinking that in the day, guys like Leslie West did not need that perfect intonation.
Just a little angle on the tailpiece, turn to 10 and bam Mississippi Queen.

[EL34]

Leslie probably bent everything up to pitch above the 12th fret
The stock compensated bridge on mine was not that great up above the 12th fret
This is the bridge that came on mine

[jjasilli]

Leslie probably bent everything up to pitch above the 12th fret      In the day, you had to deal with what was there.  E.g., intonation sucked; hi gain amps made lots of noise, etc.


Today, there are fixes to these shortcomings, if you want them.  A compensated bridge needs to be made right and needs set screws against the posts to fine tune it. Stock Epi may not cut the mustard.   Tom Bukovac has a video playing full chords above the 12th fret in prefect tune.  I believe it was a '50's Junior, with a Music City compensated bridge upgrade. 


(Anyway, Doug has already solved the intonation issue to his liking with adjustable saddles.)

[EL34]

Instead of using those tiny 3mm screws to push the bridge back, I eliminated the two small screws.
I like the bridge to be up against the surface of the big screws for more contact area
More contact surface just seems like a better idea mechanically than a small screw and some side contact
The saddles can be moved to get the intonation

One other thing I did was that the two large screws have a bit of slop in the threaded body mounts
This slop makes the bridge tilt forward a tiny amount because the screw is no longer perpendicular to the body

I tried a couple different screws and the ones that came with the new bridge had the least wobble
I took a couple small strips of metal tape and stuck it to the screws
Once I screwed the screws into the body, they were snug with no play.
This also seemed like another good idea mechanically

I did notice a difference in the way the notes felt after installing the new bridge

A crude drawing showing the screw on the left vs a solid contact on the right

[rake]

Somewhere in my stash of old parts in the shop is a NOS Leo Quan Badass PAF bridge I
picked up in the 70's An old music store was closing up and I bought the last 3 he had.
One went on my 59 double cut special, one on a 65 melody maker that was hotrodded with
P-90's and one went in the drawer. Never did get around to making a double cut jr! LOL!

[EL34]

I got my intonation dialed in with adjustable saddles
Here's a shot of the machined bridge that will get put on next string change

I machined 3mm hex head screws to replace the Phillips head screws
I machined the saddle slots to accept the Graph tech saddles
I machine grooves for string clearance because the Graph tech saddles are lower than the stock metal saddles

Bridge #1 is on the guitar now. It has the metal saddles.
Bridge #2 is the one waiting to be installed
$18 each and very high quality for the Wilkinson bridge, such a deal.

[EL34]

I have photos of the bridge mod I just made in the post link below

Getting the bridge studs to stop leaning by adding a nut that makes the studs solid
Also, increasing the string break angle over the graph tech saddles made a big difference

You can see more info about that here.
https://el34world.com/Forum/index.php?topic=30942.0

[Platefire]

I changed the bridge on my Epiphone LP Special with a Stu Mac Lightning Bolt compensated bridge. I started noticing that the e and b strings were cutting into the metal on the back of the original Epi bridge. So I picked up this one for $28.

I looked at the Wilkerson along with a bunch of others. On this one I decided that I wanted to keep it more vintage like and I like the idea of on the compensated bridge there are no moving parts, just a solid mass. Also this bridge has an altered G string intonation ridge to account for a UN-wrapped G string which the Epi bridge didn't have.
 
So all and all I'm real happy with the intonation and sound. Platefire

[scstill]

Do you think more LP owners string over the bridge or straight through?
I only have one LP and have never tried over the bridge.
Its smooth but suppose if it was compensated then might be obvious to string over
Seems that there is a very subtle affect (over or thru), if any, on a smooth bridge.

[EL34]

I am not a fan of the compensated bridges
There is not one exact way to set intonation

It depends on other factors like string height, how aggressive a player frets the strings etc
I saw a video on EVH's guitar tech and how he set Eddies intonation because of the way he played.

Also, I see some people setting intonation by a 12th fret harmonic
That is not how the string is played
When you fret a string, you push it down onto the frets and that makes the string longer
I set my intonation by how I fret the strings.

The saddle bridge I did on my LP Jr has worked out great for me
Also, making the bridge hard rigid against the body instead of the sloppy leaning bolts feels really solid

[dpm309]

I have a 1967 Gibson ES335 that I would like to eliminate the trapeze tailpiece and install a wraparound adjustable bridge. The post spacing is 74mm and the only one I have found is a Duesenberg wraparound bridge. Kind of pricey. What is the post spacing on the Wilkensen?

[EL34]

82mm

It has the specs in the Amazon listing here

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C537G5CG

Search Amazon for musiclily
They make a zillion guitar products
They make have what you need

[dpm309]

Thanks Doug,Looks like I will have to bite the bullet and get the Dusenburg.

[EL34]

Did you look at all the musiclily items?
They have a ton of decent items

https://www.amazon.com/s?k=musiclily