Latest Cooper ABR1

[xxedgexx]

I think it’s beautiful.

 

[ToneHenge]

You’re very lucky. Their current run of ABRs sold out so quickly. I was not able to snatch one up because by the time I got on the website 3-4 minutes late, I refreshed my page and they were gone. The new rosewood bases Coop is including also look the part, but he is just making these better and better.

 

[xxedgexx]

You’re very lucky. Their current run of ABRs sold out so quickly. I was not able to snatch one up because by the time I got on the website 3-4 minutes late, I refreshed my page and they were gone. The new rosewood bases Coop is including also look the part, but he is just making these better and better.

I stayed up all night and set several alarms like a madman just to get one. They apparently sold out in 7 minutes. Crazy.

 

[xxedgexx]

You’re very lucky. Their current run of ABRs sold out so quickly. I was not able to snatch one up because by the time I got on the website 3-4 minutes late, I refreshed my page and they were gone. The new rosewood bases Coop is including also look the part, but he is just making these better and better.

Those bases are 3D printed and has the look and texture of real wood. Pretty awesome.

 

[JimPridx]

I managed to snag one on Friday and got it in the mail yesterday:

 

[JimPridx]

BTW, if you look on the Cooper website now, it appears as though some CMC-1s may be in stock and ready to order. (EDIT: Now says "out of stock." Hopefully some members here were able to grab one).

Also, the baseplates that look like rosewood bridge plates are made from some kind of plastic, but they do add a nice touch upon opening the box for the first time.

 

[RJLII]

Never heard of them. Are these somehow better than a Gibson ABR-1? Serious question. Please school me.

 

[JimPridx]

Never heard of them. Are these somehow better than a Gibson ABR-1? Serious question. Please school me.

Well, whether or not the Cooper CMC-1 bridge is "somehow better than a Gibson ABR-1" is pretty subjective to one's tastes and what they're trying to achieve. Perhaps first and foremost, the Cooper CMC-1 tends to be designed for the vintage Gibson enthusiast by creating a bridge that looks and behaves much like the original '50s ABR-1. From a personal viewpoint, while I'm not particularly interested in the aesthetics of a bridge so much as I am the tone, I have played enough vintage Les Pauls and 335s over the years to say that the sound of these bridges comes pretty darn close to the original, even if they are constructed a bit differently. By that I'm mostly referring to the idea that the base is CNC built from a Zamac billet while the original is die cast. Of course, that alone will create some controversy from a few purists who are looking for an exact replica but, from my experience, these bridges are crafted very well with a '50s kind-of-vibe that not only look the part, they also sound as close to the originals of anything that I've tried in the past. And I've tried Pigtail, Faber, Restrospec, Callaham, Gibson vintage, and several of Gibson's versions of ABR-1s over the years. In today's market, it seems that the Four Uncles version of the ABR-1 is likely to be their strongest competitor in the ABR-1 world, but the price of them has kept me away from trying one.

That's probably safe to say where I'm coming from, but hopefully others will pipe in with their thoughts as well. @Mr. Legit?.....your thoughts?

 

[Mr. Legit]

Thank you guys for the support!

All CMC-1s are made in the USA between Los Angeles and San Diego, California. So far, it has been a two-man venture where I am a lefty guitar player, and my partner does not play guitar. I really built my CMC-1s because of several lackluster experiences I had with vintage ABR-1s and finding enough Dead Mint Club (DMC) pieces for myself. I have had all eras of Gibson’s ABR-1, and I have destroyed several in my quest to reproduce my ideal ABR-1. On our social media page, I even show a picture of a 50s bridge I destroyed to find out which grade of Zamak it was made from as proof of my efforts. First and foremost, I am not a businessman, I am but a humble litigation attorney in my day job. Cooper Musical Components is my art and my passion where I taught myself CAD and have spent huge amounts on tools and time acquiring the necessary skills to make this work.

Second, I am not saying Cooper Musical Components has created the perfect ABR-1 or that we are the GOAT of ABR-1s. There are several areas of my bridges I would love to improve for myself, and I have always seen my bridges and my efforts as an ever-growing and ever learning lifestyle process which includes several 1950s manufacturing processes that leave me amazed. However, I am confident that nobody cares about the looks of his bridges more than I do. I care about the shape, the textures of the different surfaces, and every bevel and crevice of my vintage correct ABR-1 bridges. I have tried sandcasting, 3D printing, die casting, high pressure die casting, and even at home nickel plating samples of the CMC-1 whereby none of these methods could consistently produce the results I was after. Every detail plays a part. This means I must make every corner, every screw, every saddle, and every texture of our packaging according to my specific requirements or bust.

What I am after is creating my perfect ABR-1 reproduction consistently. CNC is my ticket. I test every bridge with two licks on the guitar that I know will tell me whether a CMC-1 passes or whether one CMC-1 fails. Out of a 100 bridge bases, sometimes more than 10% to 15% will fail, and I will have to start over on those specific pieces. CNC can sometimes be confused with making improvements, but at Cooper Musical Components, we embrace all the details of yesteryear, which includes loosely fitting screws and lots of play around the bridge holes.

I also want them to remain made in the USA just like the vintage ABR-1 bridges from the 50s. For example, while I am in awe of very specific details of the Four Uncles bridges, to whom we are always compared to, I am surprised Gibson has not sued Four Uncles because they gladly and openly advertise their bridges with the GIBSON writing on the bottom and are essentially making crude counterfeits. Now because I want to keep my efforts made in the USA, the CMC-1 will always have some level of visual inaccuracy to the vintage ones whereby I will not openly put the GIBSON writing on them. The “6I850N” writing on the CMC-1 above is my tribute to the Dead Mint Club’s ABR-1s.

Third, I often make my pieces in batches in my free time, and I make a concerted effort not to take money from any customer until we can deliver the goods. I do not age my CMC-1s through traditional artificial methods, but I have simulated the environment that for me produces decent results.

Finally, I also do not guarantee you will get the sound in your head and have no proof that many of my strange methods will make a difference for you. They have made a difference for me, and so far, it has been enough for most people. I have not consistently tried to create every Gibson piece of hardware under the sun because of all the time and effort it would take to meet my own standards in my already busy schedule. As my art, I am really interested in creating the things I cannot find for my own guitars and amplifiers. Some guitars are better left stock and sometimes I feel all aftermarket reproduction parts have wrongly communicated that a certain guitar cannot be enjoyed without this or that. We could all use more practice playing our guitars. Anyways, give us a try, and it is always an honor to be recognized by other guitar players.

 

[jb_abides]

All CMC-1s are made in the USA between Los Angeles and San Diego, California. So far, it has been a two-man venture where I am a lefty guitar player, and my partner does not.

Well, fellow lefty! That's great. Someday, I'll have to try your product just on 'Southpaw Affinity' alone. Keep pluggin' on...

 

[Mr. Legit]

Here is a guitar I had a famous Canadian guitar maker craft for me where I personally made most of the major hardware on it in this photo (ABR-1, Bridge Posts, Thumbwheels, Tuner Bushings, Strap Buttons, etc.). I later crafted the tailpiece studs and used my own Cooper tailpiece for it. I had it made to showcase our CNC capabilities.

 

[ToneHenge]

Here is a guitar I had a famous Canadian guitar maker craft for me where I personally made most of the major hardware on it in this photo (ABR-1, Bridge Posts, Thumbwheels, Tuner Bushings, Strap Buttons, etc.). I later crafted the tailpiece studs and used my own Cooper tailpiece for it. I had it made to showcase our CNC capabilities.
View attachment 31311

That explorer.. I've had to come back to this thread just to see this thing... The hardware you made looks the part to me

If only it was a righty

 

[ToneHenge]

For those who missed out on the last batch of the Cooper bridges, from Coop’s social, it looks like there is going to be an upcoming batch in November. Good luck to those who are able to get one

 

[ToneHenge]

The Cooper ABR bridge restock is happening tomorrow morning. For those on Instagram, Coop just did a whole thing on vintage saddles and screws