Descendant "Companion" Bridge coming soon !

[augur]

See Descendant insta / fb profile.
https://www.instagram.com/p/CLspYvbssCq ... za21ayerom

Many of us may criticize it looks a lot like the last version of the Staytrem bridge (with screws all across the saddles).
Position of the screws looks different however, and there are cuts so you can increase angle of the strings without problem.
Not a major improvement over the original Mustang bridge, but still interesting.
I wonder what will be price, because the Staytrem has always remained quite reasonable compared to the Mastery !

[Bradley-Jazz]

Yes, very Staytrem-ish, depending on how they’ve done the posts. The cut outs aren’t a bad idea, perhaps. It says PAT PEND - I’d be very interested to know what the original development is that they are trying to patent (and the price!)..

[krossfader]

I'm curious about the threaded posts. It's pictured with and without those metal sleeves. I wonder if it's some hybrid between the Mastery and Staytrem posts.

[fisonic]

Looks like they might have lock nuts on the saddle screws. The fully threaded posts possibly house longer height adjustment screws. Would look more elegant if it had a locking allen mushroom cap nuts on the saddle screws.
Looks well made regardless.

[soggy mittens]

the slots don't line up with all the strings .-.

also there was a person here last year developing something very similar, is it the same person or did they beat them to the punch? :O

[redchapterjubilee]

Going by the cost of their offset vibrato I am guessing it will be quite a bit more expensive than Staytrem though likely short of Mastery price. $150. The string slots will perhaps get a better break angle when coupled with the Descendent vibrato (which also uses slots and is sunken to increase break angle).

[jorri]

the slots don't line up with all the strings .-.

also there was a person here last year developing something very similar, is it the same person or did they beat them to the punch? :O

Thats just an angle of the photograph.

About every bridge solution has been entertained on here ten years ago, including something like a staytrem, and something like a descendant vibrato. Of course, its different to actually build it. And probably good to have competition anyway.

But i can see maybe some complain their strings rest on the plate with the descendant trem, so they release a bridge fix specifically, but very easy to make solutions to the usual issues perhaps so may as well add a bit more. Why would it be built with the problems Fender build them with?

[Larry Mal]

Looks like it can be made to either be fixed or rocking, which sells me on the concept.

I don't view the rocking bridge as being of any benefit.

Still, it'll probably cost a lot of money. It's like I think I have a decent paying job and I'm doing OK and then I go to buy a piece of replacement guitar hardware and I am confronted with the fact that my purchasing power really feels like it should be more.

I hate to think how many hours I have to work in order to afford a Mastery bridge, for instance.

[jorri]

From Instagram page, the post bits are optional to stop the bridge from rocking.
They are assymetrical so the bridge can ensure an accurate fit by swiveling, changing position of the posts, and potentially giving a more correct intonation range as they change the bridge position.

[soggy mittens]

About every bridge solution has been entertained on here ten years ago, including something like a staytrem, and something like a descendant vibrato. Of course, its different to actually build it. And probably good to have competition anyway.

Yeah fair enough, tho it seems like a double edged sword to share design ideas in progress publicly until you have a patent on them, on one hand you get some external ideas and feedback but on the other you have other builders potentially beating you to the punch with the patent and release, kinda sucks but I guess that is life right.

Why would it be built with the problems Fender build them with?

lol well that is and has been an on going debate for decades right. But personally I've never had issues with Fender's original designs, well only prior to a good set-up and an increased break-angle via shim but I guess for those that are unwilling to take those steps or do and still find contention then there will always be complains right lol. I have seen the Descendant vibrato design and I don't like it, like a buzz-stop it alters the way the strings sit behind the bridge too much which is to me what gives the Jazzmaster/jaguar its unique sound. But I guess there will always be a market for those that don't want the straight forward break-angle solution. xD

[jorri]

I would think the "do and still find contention" is probably the majority or there would no be this forum. Nonetheless, replicating a design flaw would be unnecessary, even if unnoticed by some.

I dont think their trem is like a buzz-stop. Its effects are more like a shim without having to use one- slighter angle, full string length, probably a bit more angle than a shim that would be a bad idea in the neck heel. But neither of us have tried, so i get that conclusion from what it does to the string angles. A buzz stop is very severe.

[CaptainCrunch]

I'd also think that while a trem setup that shortens the bridge - tailpiece length will change the pitch for behind the bridge strumming, I don't think changing the angle like a Descendant does could meaningfully change the vibe.

I'm pretty skeptical of most (((((M@J@))))) claims made by companies. If I have a LP Studio and the most expensive Historic they make, both with the same pickups, I bet you'll hear more difference between 2 very different picks than you will from a vintage-correct 17-degree headstock or a long neck tenon, and an even bigger difference if I play it then hand it to you. And ANYBODY will sound better on an Affinity with a great setup than an $8k Custom Shop with an awful one.

[jorri]

And ANYBODY will sound better on an Affinity with a great setup than an $8k Custom Shop with an awful one.

This reminds of one friend i set up a JM for. Without any technical awareness they were playing on strings that were using the PLATE as the bridge because many of the screws had fallen out, they were about to sell it.

There's that type. And there's me who does a shim, setup, loctite, gets a modified mustang and still gets home from a gig wondering "why is my low E buzzy and my high E not in the slot?". Im a hard player but a guitar has a job to do...but now its fine, for whatever slight reason of string angle, as i did opt to change MIJ trem to AV trem not a descendant though.

[CaptainCrunch]

Most of the best guitar players I know are completely hopeless when it comes to the mechanical aspects of what makes a guitar play well. And that's understandable! It's not exactly intuitive. And I'm a pretty crummy guitar player, but a pretty good mechanic and setup guy.

[Nord]

He followed up with more info about the bridge on his Insta (4 posts in all), including going through some of the features and the price: $165. Looks like it’s well engineered and the bridge certainly seems to offer something new. Whether you buy into his ideas and solutions or not is of course up to the individual. I’m curious to try one out when he offers 7.25” radius (which won’t happen on the first release, gotta wait for that).