Gonna build a new guitar - which bridge?

[HatewerK]

I'm having my luthier build me a new guitar. I want to make a copy of the Gibson Explorer Alpine White without the pickguard, but i'm gonna make it :

much lighter,
neck thru,
24 frets,
custom shaped head (3+3) just like my other guitar (and like the Jackson SLS MG's one, but 1-2 cm longer),
EMGs or SD Blackouts or (but too pricey) Bare Knuckles Pickups.

It should come out a mix between Hetfield's white gibson/ESP, and my other guitar, so it's gonna be GOOD

ONly doubt: the bridge. I love Floyd Rose mostly for the locking nuts and the fine adjustments on the bridge itself, but still it is too massive and it would ruin the guitar's look. A Schaller or Tone Pros tailpiece+string holder would be nice (especially the new satin chrome ones by Schaller), but I'd lost my beloved locking nuts (guitars are flying on stage.. can't risk getting totally out of tune during a song, and don't have time to re-tune the axe during song changes).

What other premium quality options should I consider, in your opinion? It's not a "looks over functionality" situation, but i'd say 50/50 is a good description.

Thanks!

 

[006]

If you put a damn Floyd on an Explorer I will go to Italy and set it on fire.

TonePros Tune-O-Matic style bridge and tail piece along with locking tuners will provide tuning stability just as good as any gay ass Floyd and locking nut. My EC-1000 has the TonePros bridge and locking Sperzels. I went crazy during shows and never had any tuning problems whatsoever.

~006

 

[HatewerK]

If you put a damn Floyd on an Explorer I will go to Italy and set it on fire.

TonePros Tune-O-Matic style bridge and tail piece along with locking tuners will provide tuning stability just as good as any gay ass Floyd and locking nut. My EC-1000 has the TonePros bridge and locking Sperzels. I went crazy during shows and never had any tuning problems whatsoever.

~006

Well, MY EC-1000 kept on losing tuning on one of the Sperzels, and it took three partly ruined gigs to have me get the guitar to the luthier to replace the f*cking tuner... With a locking nut, it wouldn't have happened (otherwise yes, I like the EC-1000 bridge but still it's so-so quality... I get there's way better bridges of that kind on the market, and having to build a guitar from scratch... you get the point)

 

[HatewerK]

something like this + locking nut?

EDIT: ...it's ugly. Nevermind

 

[HatewerK]

or like this new Schaller?

 

[AdamWathan]

Locking tuners + straight string pull + graphite lubricated nut = no tuning issues.

 

[006]

Locking tuners + straight string pull + graphite lubricated nut = no tuning issues.

Exactly.

I don't know why you had trouble with your 1000...I've had mine since they were first available and have yet to have a single problem of any kind other than the wiring for the neck pickup to the battery being poorly done...easily fixed on my own though. I don't ever really use the neck anyway so I didn't care and it did not affect anything for me. Unless yours has the locking ESP/LTD tuners and not Sperzels...they switched from Sperzels to their own "brand" a while back. Mine has Sperzels

~006

 

[HatewerK]

Unless yours has the locking ESP/LTD tuners and not Sperzels...they switched from Sperzels to their own "brand" a while back. Mine has Sperzels

~006

...damn. Can't remember that! And I sold the guitar YESTERDAY!

EDIT: checked, they were Sperzels.

Talking of locking tuners, would you go for Sperzels, Tone Pros, or what?

 

[mick thompson]

that schaller is beautiful

 

[bibz]

I'd say best of all worlds, schaller 456!

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/bridges/bridges.cfm?fuseaction=bridges_schaller_456

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Dude, I've learned over the years that a good percentage of the time it's the NUT giving you the issues. Even cheap tuners will work great if the nut is cut/slotted correctly. Lots of dudes will put gigantic strings on a guitar w/ a nut set up to accept 9-46 strings or lighter! You can imagine how much the string would bind in that nut.

+1 for a TonePros tune-o-matic setup.

-Joe

 

[J.DavisNJ]

Or a Wilkenson (spelling?) hardtail bridge.

-Joe

 

[HatewerK]

Dude, I've learned over the years that a good percentage of the time it's the NUT giving you the issues. Even cheap tuners will work great if the nut is cut/slotted correctly. Lots of dudes will put gigantic strings on a guitar w/ a nut set up to accept 9-46 strings or lighter! You can imagine how much the string would bind in that nut.

+1 for a TonePros tune-o-matic setup.

-Joe

Yes that's true, in fact the 1st thing I do every time I buy a new fixed bridge guitar is to bring it to the luthier to have the nut saddles checked, to see if they can accommodate heavier string sets. In the EC-1000 case though, the problem was in the Sperzel tuner.

And as for pickups, i've made my choice ( : SIX SIX SIX! copyright Slayer ) : I'm putting my beloved chrome EMG 25th Anniversary on this new white guitar, and buying a set of Blackouts to put on the other axe... so this pushes me towards chrome hardware, I guess - not satin. Damn.

 

[Metaltastic]

I'd say best of all worlds, schaller 456!

http://www.warmoth.com/hardware/bridges/bridges.cfm?fuseaction=bridges_schaller_456

Ewwwwww - tune-o-matic and string-thru body is the sexiest, cheapest, and most comfortable option for me!

 

[Godhasblessedme]

The thought of routing a big hole in an explorer fills me with dread, esecially seeing as you're making it lighter anyway. Go for a fixed. Better tone, way les hassle.

 

[viggen666]

I don't see no beneftit in going string thru body, i prefer the looks & feel of a stoptail on an explorer.

White explorer + black hardware would be sexy