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Nashville Bridge Definitive?

agquake

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Joined
Sep 20, 2003
Messages
414
Does anyone know the first year that Gibson started using the Nashville bridge? I've seen varying reports that say either 1974/75, or even as far back as 1971. I'm trying to determine if one of my guitars has the original bridge, or if it was converted to a Nashville. Thanks.
 

27sauce

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Jul 9, 2007
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4,415
It was when they opened the Nashville plant, hence the name.
 

agquake

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Sep 20, 2003
Messages
414
So, if I understand it correctly, the plant opened in 1974. So by your logic, there is no way that a '70-72 should have a Nashville bridge, correct?
 

Henk

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Jul 9, 2009
Messages
836
Unless they added it later, sometimes at repairshops the ABR was converted to a nashville just because parts supply wasnt anything like today. Nashville started right off with the Nashville bridge, but Kalamazoo started using those in about late '75 and ive still seen '76s with ABR.

To make the confusion complete there was also an ABR wire bridge made in Japan i think in the 90s which was a slim wire model that fitted on nashville posts perfectly, ive seen those around often aswell. Ive also seen a correct Gibson ABR on Nashville posts(which should not fit at all).

If in doubt, post more info and pics about the guitar here and we'll try and figure out what it is. There are some Norlin detectives around aswell :rofl
 
J

JoBeans

Guest
The Nashville bridges start showing up on LPs in 1975 as Nashville began production of Les Pauls; until then, all LPs came only from Nashville and had ABR-1s. Any 1974 or earlier Les Paul with a Nashville Bridge has had its original ABR-1 replaced.
 

27sauce

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So, if I understand it correctly, the plant opened in 1974. So by your logic, there is no way that a '70-72 should have a Nashville bridge, correct?

Correct.

Post a pic, lets see what we're talking about.
 

Edward

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Joined
Mar 7, 2006
Messages
1,255
Sorry if this is an already-answered and obvious question but: what was Gibby's reason for going to the Nashville bridge? I can guess that they wanted more intonation "room," but then why the different mounting method, hw, etc? Seems like a fairly significant change beyond a simple bridge swap so I suppose there was a rationale behind this? Thanks!

Edward
 

zombiwoof

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Feb 22, 2003
Messages
3,565
Schaller actually developed the Nashville bridge, I think Gibson just thought it may be an improvement over the ABR design and started using it. The current Nashville bridge used on the production Gibsons is an import made by PingWorks, which by most accounts doesn't sound as good as the Schaller version.

So Schaller is responsible for the design of the Nashville, including the post/bushing mounting.

Al
 
J

JoBeans

Guest
Gibson also used the Schaller designed Harmonica bridge on several models during this period such as SGs, L5S and L6S. Gibson also used Schaller textured bobbins for the early 490r pickups in the '80s before transitioning to the current shiny bobbins.
 

Edward

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Mar 7, 2006
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Gotcha. So it sounds like perhaps Gibson simply wanted to shift production elsewhere and ended up with Schaller? Just wondering, really. The ABR gets lots of love these days, as we all know, but back in the day when things were changing in real time (without the nostalgia), I wonder if the ABR was not seen as somehow flawed, or could be improved upon ...or else why change, right? Unless for some bizarre reason the ABR was somehow too costly to manufacture (can't see that since the design is no more complex than the nash...). Things that make me go, hmmm :)

Edward
 
J

JoBeans

Guest
It may have been viewed as a more stable bridge less likely to have post lean.

Definitely, also the ABR will collapse in the center after a while from the string tension. The Nashville was more stable, sturdy and provided more intonation travel; to Gibson it was an improvement. My luddite eyes like the look of the ABR-1 but I personally cannot hear a difference in my LPs with Nashvilles, although I am certain some would disagree.
 

Henk

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Jul 9, 2009
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836
The Nashville bridges start showing up on LPs in 1975 as Nashville began production of Les Pauls; until then, all LPs came only from Nashville and had ABR-1s. Any 1974 or earlier Les Paul with a Nashville Bridge has had its original ABR-1 replaced.

I think you are mistaking, but im open to suggestions. Nashville production in mid to late '74 was low(compared to the '74 LP zoo's AND to the '75 Nashville production) but had the nashville bridge. If you have a '74 Nashville with ABR im really ancious to see detailed shots of it :hmm
 

Edward

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Sorry, didn't mean to hijack the thread ...but thanks from me, as well!!

Edward
 
J

JoBeans

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I think you are mistaking, but im open to suggestions. Nashville production in mid to late '74 was low(compared to the '74 LP zoo's AND to the '75 Nashville production) but had the nashville bridge. If you have a '74 Nashville with ABR im really ancious to see detailed shots of it :hmm

That was my mistake, I should have re read before posting. It should have said "all LPs came from Kalamzoo" not Nashville. Nashville didn't begin production of Les Pauls until '76 with the Les Paul Pro Deluxe.
 
Last edited:

Henk

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Jul 9, 2009
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836
That was my mistake, I should have re read before posting. It should have said "all LPs came from Kalamzoo" not Nashville. Nashville didn't begin production of Les Pauls until '76 with the Les Paul Pro Deluxe.

Well the OP wasnt about Les Pauls only, but im glad you set that straight. Best guideline for Nashville production is the new serial number starting from '77, prior to that change LPs came from the Kalamazoo plant. Maybe Nashville made the Pro LPs in '76, but im positive those shipped in '77. Im not a big fan of the Nashville production line, allthough i must say the guitar in my avatar is a Nashville '82 30th anniversary goldtop with the A-serial(1-piece neck) which is a beautifull and great sounding piece of wood. It shipped without a grounding wire though, shame they did that cost saving stuff in those days.......:rolleyes

Oh yes, and that 30th has an ABR!
 

senseitp1

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Nov 23, 2011
Messages
14
Schaller actually developed the Nashville bridge, I think Gibson just thought it may be an improvement over the ABR design and started using it. The current Nashville bridge used on the production Gibsons is an import made by PingWorks, which by most accounts doesn't sound as good as the Schaller version.

So Schaller is responsible for the design of the Nashville, including the post/bushing mounting.

Al
Hi and thank you for the info. Do you or anybody here know exactly when Gibson stopped making the tuneomatic bridge and started buying them from Ping? Or did Schaller also make them for Gibson and not just design them for Gibson? Thanks I am blessed that the recent purchase of a used Studio already had an upgraded Tone Pros Locking bridge and tailpiece. I could not be happier. It screams with wonderful primary and electrified tone. Thanks again.
 

zombiwoof

Active member
Joined
Feb 22, 2003
Messages
3,565
Hi and thank you for the info. Do you or anybody here know exactly when Gibson stopped making the tuneomatic bridge and started buying them from Ping? Or did Schaller also make them for Gibson and not just design them for Gibson? Thanks I am blessed that the recent purchase of a used Studio already had an upgraded Tone Pros Locking bridge and tailpiece. I could not be happier. It screams with wonderful primary and electrified tone. Thanks again.

I'm not sure what you mean by "when Gibson stopped making the tunematic bridge". If you mean the original Nashville bridge, Gibson never made them, as I said it was just a bridge that Schaller designed and Gibson decided to use it instead of the ABR-1 bridge. I have a '92 Metallic Blue SG Standard, and it has an ABR bridge and nickel hardware, as did the production LP's of that time. Sometime after that, Gibson started putting Nashvile bridges (presumably the PingWorks one) on the production guitars and changed to chrome hardware (I think probably because the PingWorks Nashville only comes in chrome, not nickel). IMO the only reason Gibson uses the PingWorks Nashville now instead of the Schaller one is because the PingWorks Nashville is much cheaper, you can still buy a Schaller Nashville, which is made in Germany and by most accounts is superior to the imported PingWorks Nashville. Gibson still uses the ABR-1 bridge on some models, but mostly on the Historic guitars.

Al
 
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