What's your experience with cheap korean aftermarket Mustang Bridges?

[aliendawg]

I was just searching stuff up on AliExpress and found the Mustang Bridges quite interesting... I mean, they're obviously cheap but maybe not as bad one would expect. I was thinking about fitting one on my VM Jag



So asked about it to the seller and he replied



I mean... are they THAT cheap?

[andy_tchp]

Wow, the gaps between those saddles are fucking huge. They'll move around all over the shop.

At least the seller was honest!

[timtam]

They do the job. The telltale signs of these bridges are the small gaps between the saddles and the long M3 intonation screws. Some other aftermarket Mustang bridges which sell for much more and have those features are probably the same bridge (eg Allparts). They may even be on some Fender guitars. The M3 intonation screws are 18mm long, which is a tad longer than vintage. You can swap for 16mm (easily found on ebay) if they are coming close to fouling the strings.

The saddle gaps mean that the saddle widths are slightly narrow. So if you re-drilled the screw holes on the other side of the bridge you could actually create a bridge with ~52mm E-E spacing. Stock is 55-56mm.

[601210]

The saddle gaps mean that the saddle widths are slightly narrow. So if you re-drilled the screw holes on the other side of the bridge you could actually create a bridge with ~52mm E-E spacing. Stock is 55-56mm.

Has anyone here done that? You'd actually have to come in from the other side, right?

[timtam]

The saddle gaps mean that the saddle widths are slightly narrow. So if you re-drilled the screw holes on the other side of the bridge you could actually create a bridge with ~52mm E-E spacing. Stock is 55-56mm.

Has anyone here done that? You'd actually have to come in from the other side, right?

Yep ... knew I had seen the 56mm to 52mm conversion with the gapped Mustang bridge before ... see here and several follow-up posts ...
viewtopic.php?f=8&t=38562&p=1524088#p1524081

[601210]

Neato. Sounds like a good way to fill a Staytrem-shaped hole in your guitar if you're handy with a drill and a file.

[soul1]

FWIW, I have an Allparts Mustang bridge that has those gaps as well.

[aliendawg]

Nice! So the drilling thing could be a fun project huh? I'm interested in that

TBH I actually don't have a lot of problems with the original bridge. The strings aren't slipping but it rattles A LOT. I tried putting thread sealing tape but it doesn't work 100%

FWIW, I have an Allparts Mustang bridge that has those gaps as well.

Does it work well? What's your guitar?

[aliendawg]

Wow, the gaps between those saddles are fucking huge. They'll move around all over the shop.

At least the seller was honest!

What if I buy the saddles only? It'll probably fit the original bridge right?

[MechaBulletBill]

I had a no-name mustang bridge on a vmjm. no gaps, worked fine, but it stripped the threads on one of the saddles.

[andy_tchp]

Wow, the gaps between those saddles are fucking huge. They'll move around all over the shop.

At least the seller was honest!

What if I buy the saddles only? It'll probably fit the original bridge right?

Yes, but I'm unsure what the point would be in doing so?

Almost certainly those saddles are sized to suit a 7.25" radius neck BTW (VM Jag is 9.5").

[Larry Mal]

I think I bought one of those... I was pretty impressed. I should sell it.

[aliendawg]

Wow, the gaps between those saddles are fucking huge. They'll move around all over the shop.

At least the seller was honest!

What if I buy the saddles only? It'll probably fit the original bridge right?

Yes, but I'm unsure what the point would be in doing so?

Almost certainly those saddles are sized to suit a 7.25" radius neck BTW (VM Jag is 9.5").

I could shim the saddles if needed. I'm just annoyed by the buzzing of the screws. But maybe the shims could buzz as well... I dunno

I think I bought one of those... I was pretty impressed. I should sell it.

Let me know if you're interested in making international business

[Fiddy]

Bounty Li rocks.

[timtam]

To make it closer to 9.5" radius you could just file down the middle string slots a tad .. or file the 2 side ridges off the bottom of the middle saddles. Maybe a little less off saddles 2 and 5 as well. Both approaches would in fact give you a dual-radius bridge .. flip the saddles one way up for 7.25", the other way up for 9.5".

You can print out radius gauges to see how much to take off ...
http://guitarhack.com.au/printable-radius-gauge/