Long travel bridge needed, where to find?

My Electra X930 Dickey Betts, a tune o matic bridge.

Problem... the D string won't intonate, the saddle doesn't go forward far enough (towards the neck).  I need a wide or long travel bridge. 

Ideas on where I an buy one?

Have you tried reversing the saddle?

Absolutely, yes.  The high E and D are maxed out, the high E is fine however, the D remains flat. 

I'm thinking about this... CLICK HERE for Wilkinson Roller Bridge.

The Chad wrote:...the D string won't intonate, the saddle doesn't go forward far enough...

Very odd Chad, especially from Mats. Normally it's the G string that gives you the grief on most guitars.

If you reversed the saddle and you're still flat have you checked the nut? Not likely a problem if it's brass but you never know. Slot depth OK? The Wilkinson bridge looks good as a possible fix, if it has a bit more throw.

It is odd, not good for Mats.  Never had this issue before.  I know what to look for, the common issues, none of them apply!  It's just that the bridge it a teensy bit too far back.

It's  top notch in every other way, it must have been made on a Friday. 

Any chance of cheating a bit and using a longer screw or would you be off the bridge entirely?

edit: Never mind. Just looked at a picture of the guitar's bridge.

Chad, I'm still scratching my head over this one. To clarify, is the saddle physically up against the edge of the bridge, or is the problem no adjustment left in the screw?

If the latter have you tried removing the spring? That will give you more length provided you have space available for the saddle to move of course.

Already had the spring removed, and the saddle is all the way against the front of the bridge, physically cannot go any further.  The high E is the same way, yet that one is intonated just fine. 

The problem is this.... the factory placed the bridge a little too far south, not allowing the bridge to have enough travel to intonate properly.  Surprising for a guitar this nice. 

This X930 Vulcan Dickey Betts Model was the high end solid body model for Electra, absolutely nothing cheap about it, all solid with thick carved top (no ply or "pressed top" here, it's the real deal), heel-less bayonet set neck, MPC electronics, brass cavity covers, everything want in a Mat.  It's Presitge level if that makes sense.

Is this any good?
http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-Gotoh-GE103B-Nashville-Tune-O-Matic-Guitar-Bridge-CHROME-Tunematic-/191882829169

or maybe...

this one <-

Good call, that may work.  I don't know how it compares to the original however, it may be the same? 


Here's the guitar, crackin' instrument I tell ya.  It has the MPC modules which are the effects, they are little boxes that plug into the back of the guitars powered by the guitars 9v battery.  I have several MPC's, and this Dickey Betts sounds the best.  Very strong and clear with the modules, making them very useful! 

This was BEFORE intonation, so you'll see the saddles are not maxed out.  Picture this with the saddles moved further towards the pickups, with the D and high E maxed out. 

Harmonica bridge is an option, it would look too different however.

That harmonica bridge is very expensive too. I bought a chrome one a few years back, cost me £40 as I remember, which I thought was a lot of money, but they were very difficult to find. I still haven't installed it on my old Les Paul; I wore the thing out and it needs a LOT of (expensive) restoration work before I can use it again. 

Nice guitar.

Check out the Schaller website.

What a PITA! You shouldn't have ta spend a ton of money to correct something as basic as this on a top end instrument.

Good lookin' axe BTW!

I know, very odd.

I was going to say Harmonica bridge too, but they are usually fitted perpendicular to the strings and may look a bit odd as the tune-o-matic goes in at an angle.

Alright... IF I do the gold Wilkinson... any ideas how I can tone it down?   It's WAY gold, lol.   Rub  it with steel wool?  Though that wouldn't get in the nicks and crannies.  Carefully applying a mile acid? 

The original bridge is brass, I'd like to tone down the gold!

I believe the usual approach for relicing/aging is to suspend it over a muriatic acid solution. Cover it, and just allow the vapours to mildly etch and dull the finish.
Don't actually immerse it.

how about one of these?
clik here <-

gittarasaurus wrote:how about one of these?
clik here <-

Wow that's a great piece of German engineering. It even allows you to adjust string spacing!

I had a browse on the Schaller site when I was looking for a new bridge/tailpiece for my AP II LC440, and the stuff for sale in there was just glorious!
Their Hannes bridge is a work of art and I looked long and hard at the 3D-6 for my last Avenger, too!! Alas, the bridge to my door was about twice the price of the guitar....

I've bought a Wilkinson Roller Bridge, it may be arriving soon.  We'll see how this works. 

I don't want to purchase a nicer bridge (like Schaller) and have it not travel far enough!

Bridge travel on the Schaller is 12.5mm. Your original looks about the same.
Has the guitar always been 'off' as it looks intonated ok in the photo? Still with plenty of travel.

Have the Schaller on the front one.

That picture was before intonation.   

Your Pantera on the right... that one has the bridge that I'm really after!  That is the long travel that some Mats came with stock.  If I could find one of those, I'd be the happiest.  Especially a gold one.

You seem to have too many of those Curly Maples in your possession.

I think one of them should be raffled off.  

RAFFLE!!!

£100 a ticket, 25 tickets, free shipping........anywhere.

Shocking eh?...

Only 'king jokin' but if you got a 350 at your door for a ton, would you complain???  

Westbone wrote:Shocking eh?...

Only 'king jokin' but if you got a 350 at your door for a ton, would you complain???  

If it was offered to me for that, I would have ripped their arm off as I took it off them.

Lucky bleeder.....

Adey wrote:

Westbone wrote:Shocking eh?...

Only 'king jokin' but if you got a 350 at your door for a ton, would you complain???  

If it was offered to me for that, I would have ripped their arm off as I took it off them.

Lucky bleeder.....

No I paid a good bit more than a ton for it.

Was just saying, if I raffled it off at £100 a ticket someone would get a good deal....

Ahhhhh....!

The Chad wrote:That picture was before intonation.   

Your Pantera on the right... that one has the bridge that I'm really after!  That is the long travel that some Mats came with stock.  If I could find one of those, I'd be the happiest.  Especially a gold one.

How much do you reckon the original is out by, a smidgeon or a lot?

Why does this work?  Looks like it shouldn't, but it does!

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Looks the part..

Fully adjustable on the posts as well as the saddles.

Real nice bridge actually,  guitar has noticeably more bite with it.  Note definition is greatly enhanced, best of any guitar I own.

I don't understand why the saddles need to be positioned in this manner to achieve intonation.  It looks wrong, yet it's spot on.  Neck is fine, nut is the right height,  so it must be the strings.   Ideas? 

And the guitar looks brown in this photo,  it's not.   It's greenish.  Very odd that it looks so deep brown here, looks like a different guitar.

I was going to suggest imperfect strings as the culprit, but I assumed you had already thought of that. In any case, it looks like you have ended up with a worthwhile improvement to what is already a very nice guitar. You can always re-adjust intonation after your next string change, if needed.
The colour in the picture is probably a result of the direct sunlight, which will enhance the warmer colours, i.e. browns.

I've just noticed that the intonation on my Rainbow is also quite staggered:

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What is it, Chad? Certainly looks as if it is doing the business, eh!!

Intonation is effected by all things ie. nut, action height, radius, string gauge and how hard you press, trus rod, frets... go figure...

The Wilkinson Roller Bridge is really nice.  I may use them again, only as a replacement as necessary, however. 

Interesting the difference in sound between all brass and whatever this Wilkinson is made of.  Quite a big change!  Science.