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ABR bridge with made in Germany?

Joe Desperado

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Thanks TW. I also checked my ABR's against the Nashville's. They are not interchangeable at all. The nashville posts are about 1/16th further apart than an abr.

The Nashvilles appeared to have been originally been used without the inserts on the top in the 70's. The guitar I just had down to bare wood confirms that the posts placements are original. These posts are too wide to sit an ABR, but the nashville slips on perfect. Never had the inserts of the later Nashvilles. I was the first to unscrew the posts on this one.

mic049.jpg
 

Wilko

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Nope. :)

The Nashville is a different bridge than the ABR-1, and was always used with sockets that the posts threaded into.

Again, I have never seen an ABR-1 made in Germany as a stock part on a Les Paul. :)

I believe Nashville bridges were used without inserts.

I have a few here right now. All holes seem to line up. Of the two german bridges I still have here, one has brass inserts and was used on a 1974 factory routed Deluxe with into the wood posts as Joe Desperado's guitar.

Here is a picture with a few bridges. The third one down (with brass bushes) was factory in my 1974 Deluxe and was mounted on old style posts. The fourth one down was factory on my 1976 custom and had bushings in the body.

All the holes on these bridges are apparently the same spacing.

bridges.jpg
 
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Joe Desperado

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Great pics. According to Stewart MacDonald online, the abr has a post spacing of 2 29/32 and a Nashville has a post spacing of 2 15/16. Thats a difference of 1/32". That's pretty small.
 

Wilko

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Ah, there you go. 1/32" I couldn't see that. I have failed you.
 

Joe Desperado

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No sir! You have once again educated me, and I have now returned the favor! LOL....

Interesting enought, that 1/32" is enough that my Nashville will not fit my R8 and vise versa my Supreme.

I have been looking at a bunch of 70's Les Pauls and you are correct, the nashville was first used without the bushings. Later in the 70's it appears that the bushings were used.
 

Joe Desperado

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Oh, by the way, appearently TonePros and others are opening the holes in the bridge by 1/64 larger per hole. This allows them to slip over both an ABR spacing or a Nashville. I guess with the tone pro, the locking screws keep it from moving side to side. I have not tried these yet.
 

Tom Wittrock

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I believe Nashville bridges were used without inserts.

I don't recall ever seeing that as stock on any Gibson.
Being from Missouri [the Show Me State] I guess I'll have to "see it" to "believe it". :2cool
 

Wilko

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I don't recall ever seeing that as stock on any Gibson.
Being from Missouri [the Show Me State] I guess I'll have to "see it" to "believe it". :2cool

reminds me of a funny little joke.

Two little kids playing "show me" and the boy goes first and unzips and says "I've got one of these" and the girl lifts her skirt and says. "Big deal. I've got one of these. WIth one of these I can get as many of those as I want!"
 

Joe Desperado

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TW, just look at the photo of my stripped LP above. The spacing is 2 15/16 which is the correct one for the Nashville bridge only. The holes are much to small to have the Nashville style inserts, but the correct size for the standard screws that I removed.

I place the post back in last night to double check. An ABR will not fit without bending the posts, but the nashville slips right on.

At least this one never had inserts and only had a Nashville on it. So there's at least one for sure.
 

Joe Desperado

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OK, here is something interesting. 73 had ABR's with standard posts. 75 had Nashvilles with inserts. The only year I can find that did not have inserts but used Nashville Bridges is 1974. Interesting. That may actually help me date my restoration project.

I guess I need to look for a few more examples of 74's without inserts for the Show-me-State.

JD
 

Indiana Erick

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Ping has been making most of the standard Gibson hardware for some time now, all the way down to the Grovers.
 

Wilko

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My 74 had the Nashville pictured with the odd brass inserts.
 

davidmf

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Nov 22, 2018
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My 1983 xplorer has a Nashville with 3 inch centers. It fit prrfect onto my 1959 centurys' brazilian floating bridge. Now I hope the xtra one I ordered will fit the xplorer.
 
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