I have played many J 45s with adjustable bridges that sound fabulous. But this is a nice restoration/modification job. Well done!
@pascalgalipeau1796
2 жыл бұрын
My 64 Hummingbird has an adjustable bridge. There is no way I would take it out. It sounds amazing.
@Sungodv
5 жыл бұрын
Perfect as usual...wish you had time to post more, but glad to have another new one to watch.
@tedbownas2748
5 жыл бұрын
Very interesting change in tone, and the process is fascinating. Thanks for sharing it with us.
@ReverendSoupbone
4 ай бұрын
Much nicer! Great video, love how you can explain the whys and what-fors so well while you’re doing it.
@1986yamahafazer69
4 жыл бұрын
It’s a big improvement! I couldn’t believe how much more crisp and full it sounds. They made the right decision. 👌🏻
@Gerhard_booysen
4 жыл бұрын
its most likely the new strings that made the biggest difference
@camilo1455
4 жыл бұрын
@@Gerhard_booysen bs these guitars have had lots of string sets in 60 years. You'd know a major difference not due to strings. I did the same to my 58 J45 back in 92/93 and it made a big difference especially in low end response. Couldn't be happier with it these many years later.
@iamamish
3 жыл бұрын
@@camilo1455 Not sure what having many sets of strings on this guitar has to do with anything. The biggest tonal difference in the before & after is due to the new strings. If you don't believe me, do a before & after audio recording the next time you replace your acoustic guitar strings.
@camilo1455
3 жыл бұрын
@@iamamish I should have said "this guitar has had a lot of string changes through the years; not one of those changes makes as much difference as modifying the bridge in this manner."
@iamamish
3 жыл бұрын
@@camilo1455 I see, makes sense. I think the majority of the change in tone is coming from new strings. I’m sure part of it is the bridge but unless you know the guitar sound really well it’s hard to know which change to attribute to which elements of the tone change.
@nicky5185
5 жыл бұрын
5:58 there is nothing like the sound of a well sharpened plane in the morning
@TheEchelon
4 жыл бұрын
@@garywhitt98 Why did you reply that to this guy?
@robertsteinberger
3 жыл бұрын
Oh yes, exactly what I felt when I watched.
@mariovano
Жыл бұрын
I have one of these as well, and was pleased with the results when the whole bridge was replaced with a more normal arrangement. You did a nice job of making it reversible...
@jetobey5656
3 жыл бұрын
Sharing your dedication to detail as a luthier/repairman makes me proud. I am sure your work inspires newer persons taking on the challenge to always offer their best. I have been in this world since about 1970, but beginning in 1964 doing inlay work. I did it first on my own guitars and have continued, adding building in '70. Again, thank you.
@BobMatthews
5 жыл бұрын
A remarkable improvement in tone, clarity and note separation, plus a beautifully executed inlay into the bridge. Definitely worth doing.
@jthonn
4 жыл бұрын
What a beauty, sounds great! If it were mine, that ugly pickup would have to go. If plugging in is necessary, I would get one that mounts under the soundboard.
@milkinstruments1162
4 жыл бұрын
Nicely done! I actually like the look of the border around the plug and it lets the next guy know it may not be glued in.
@markhansen8078
2 жыл бұрын
Brilliant modification. I like it. The difference is substantial for the better while retaining original capacity. Congrats for thinking out of the box with an elegant solution. TY MH
@csnelling4
5 жыл бұрын
The after sound is great and the plug looks very good !!! Great job 👏👏👏👍🇬🇧
@timmack2415
3 жыл бұрын
Wow 😳 That is a major improvement in sound!
@gasgiant7122
2 жыл бұрын
Through crappy KZitem sound quality the difference is like night & day, it sounds much more dynamic & Crisp with much better mid tones, imagine how much better those old sixties songs would have been if they modified them back then. Always great content 👍
@WryGrass100
5 жыл бұрын
A good solution. Thanks for preserving originality.
@1040ecapja
5 жыл бұрын
I miss the "Hey gang!"
@stevenkritzer6020
4 жыл бұрын
I replaced a similar adjustable (not a Gibson) with a TUSQ PQ-9025-00 (from GraphTech). It is a one piece slab that is big enough to shape to exactly fit the bridge slot. Will lift right out if I want to go back to the adjustable.
@thomaswalz3515
4 жыл бұрын
Wow... now it sparkles... I often wondered about this alteration. I've a '52 J-50 with a standard bridge... it's been through hell and back... looks like it's time to shave down the bridge... hate doing it... but it's on its 3rd bridge since I've owned it... 1985... still sounds amazing.
@dannytriplett8625
5 жыл бұрын
You sir inspire me with your attention to detail. I want to aspire to be a luther some day. You confirmed my thoughts on a tall bridge causing an increase of torque on the top resulting in belying. I can't help in thinking that the more relaxed a top is the easier it is to set into motion making the guitar louder and more responsive... Thank you so much for your videos.
@MrGixxer1300r
3 жыл бұрын
You make these repairs look way to easy to perform. It shows your skill level.
@johndrippert3289
3 жыл бұрын
There was indeed a bit of buzz in the treble end on that first "how it plays" portion of the video. I do not have a great ear and I could hear that. I do enjoy watching someone working who is good at their job. Also like they way you left it possible to return to stock form. Two thumbs up.
@goober2969
5 жыл бұрын
Great video. You have incredible patience. Beautiful work as always.
@elijahmerrill9045
4 жыл бұрын
I encourage anybody with an acoustic guitar that has an adjustable bridge to do this. I did it to my childhood guitar, a Fender f-65, and it's a whole new guitar.
@bigsteve9291
5 жыл бұрын
You can definitely hear clearer note when you come down the neck and to me the twang as gone makes a real difference and a brilliant idea with the plug to save the originally of the guitar
@dfalstaff1
4 жыл бұрын
Bought a large bag of vintage picks at an estate sale. Among the picks was a broken j45 saddle taped to a handmade adjustable rosewood saddle. This estate sale had a lot of handmade/diy guitar stuff. Someday hope to throw it into a j45
@LowEndMarauder
5 жыл бұрын
Great work as always. Thanks for sharing your craft with us.
@MaximilianBocek
4 жыл бұрын
Usually when I hear comparisons played over my computer's speakers, it's a shrug of the shoulders. This difference, however, was crystal clear. I loved the thoughtfulness of making the mod reversible. Reminds me of watching restorations of paintings online where reversibility of their work is the first commandment. Yes, you could glue it all in then cut it out later, but I like the aesthetics of this change. And I, for one, also like that you can see how and where the change was made as a testament to the guitar's history.
@abelincoln95
5 жыл бұрын
So awesome! I've been "Jonesin" for my twoodfrd fix....
@spacejamgoliath
3 жыл бұрын
Always
@no1beatsj
5 жыл бұрын
That plug looks beautiful
@docdoc
3 жыл бұрын
I think a lot of the comments here suffer from confirmation bias. What I hear is a balance shift, and a gain in responsiveness. It different, I can't say for sure it's better. The original saddle adds a bunch of mass , it makes the guitar more bass heavy, which is not a bad thing on an acoustic. I've repaired a couple of these and I must admit I didn't feel the sound suffered from the original saddle setup, they work well. Although it does cut the attack speed down and responsiveness down somewhat. It would be interesting to know how the bass developed as the guitar settled in with the new saddle.
@mactech1
5 жыл бұрын
Meticulous work as usual. thanks for sharing. Great sounding guitar!
@donald-parker
4 жыл бұрын
Its really a joy to watch such a knowledgeable and skilled craftsman.
@pallecla
5 жыл бұрын
Good creative job :-) However, the before/after comparison is not really fair/easy to judge, since I assume that you have put on new strings.
@thomasbarker7735
4 жыл бұрын
Sounds sharper more full sound great job Ted That guitar has a beautiful sound
@tylerrichman9
5 жыл бұрын
Another expertly performed job! I really enjoy your videos.
@jjdillon2007
5 жыл бұрын
Wow. The difference in tone, on the High E and B strings is phenomenal, with the new bridge saddle.
@arnienonymous4458
5 жыл бұрын
Thank you for the before and after sound check. That's very handy for those of us who might never have run into this type of repair. The after sounded richer, with a bit more sustain, to my ear. The slight tinny sound from the before was mellowed right out. As always, a great video.
@Jackofallthetrades
5 жыл бұрын
Yeah, and thanks for not singing over the guitar like others do when they do a repair. Such a nuisance, and a waste of a great repair video :)
@zim-chan
4 жыл бұрын
I like the old sound, kind of mixing with some metal sound.
@HBSuccess
5 жыл бұрын
Sounds different fo’ sure. I don’t know if “better” necessarily- that’s subjective...maybe for live playing but there was something about the adjustable bridge that made them fantastic in the studio. Sort of a built-in comp/limiter that lets them sit in the mix. In any case like you said all the music ppl my age love was recorded on them so can’t be all bad. But super workmanship as always!
@MrRsg99
5 жыл бұрын
Wow! Beautiful work, thanks for sharing.
@elsizzle2000
3 жыл бұрын
Footage with the new saddle is closer to the camera and the guitar has new strings so yeah sounds better 🤷🏼♂️
@arlingtonhynes
3 жыл бұрын
I think I like “before” better. Not by a whole lot though. As long as the owners happy, it’s all good!
@Ziraffe2
3 жыл бұрын
Both are good - but before really had character, , , even a touch of sexy rock'n'roll. .
@arlingtonhynes
3 жыл бұрын
@@Ziraffe2 What does three commas mean?
@keithsaulsbury4304
5 жыл бұрын
sounds brighter and more detailed with the mod
@stavrospapadimitriou7631
5 жыл бұрын
Who puts a piece-of-shit pickup in a lovely old Gibson?
@briancoyne6700
2 жыл бұрын
Nice video. Did you put new strings on after the mod? If so, then it's hard to know the difference here.
@lucavasconcellos
3 жыл бұрын
amazing work
@unfreundlich7168
5 жыл бұрын
nice job sir!! thinking ahead if yomeone wants to change back in the future, they can without problems. nice really nice!
@joenoneofyourbusiness6487
3 жыл бұрын
I have a 65 j-50 (j-45 with a natural top). A few years ago I decided to put on a normal bridge, remove the hardware from the top and replace the bridgeplate from ply maple to solid maple and decrease the size considerably. So now it's to 50's spec. The guitar is only worth less than 2k, which means it's not even worth a new one, so what the heck. It was a success, as the bass is boomier and it is substantially louder. These mid 60's j-50s are lightly braced and the back as well uses 1/4" bracing that isn't very tall. It has a ton of tubby bass now. Totally worth the effort. Cost me about $380 back in 2018.
@reptiledysfunction5512
3 жыл бұрын
Nice work. I actually prefer the tone of the ceramic saddle. I wonder what the change in tone would be if you replaced the entire bridge AND the big laminated bridge plate.
@kenhughes4715
5 жыл бұрын
Usually changing out the saddle makes a better sound but in this 45 it Seemed to have lost the vintage sound. After the conversion the guitar sound very bright and almost tinny. Did you consider the Tusq saddle that’s made a a drop in replacement? The rosewood insert looks great, nice job.
@doctor9551
5 жыл бұрын
Yeah I like the vintage sound especially when the thinnest string was hit a sound with personality
@lindsayhall9460
4 жыл бұрын
Would like to see a reply to this, I've just ordered one for an 80's Suzuki that has the height adjustable bridge.
@Riverdeepnwide
5 жыл бұрын
Ted it's really cool that you get that "sshhhikk" sound in your vids from the chisel and plane, I love it! Thanks man.
@AJC-jo3ds
3 жыл бұрын
I think you did a great job, no disrespect, but from what I hear, I actually like the sound with adjustable saddle...my opinion..
@IrisGalaxis
3 жыл бұрын
He didn't wanna do it, the owner did🙂
@BadChizzle
4 жыл бұрын
Wish it were my Guitar, is my main takeaway, I’m Embarrassed to admit. Kind of childish of me, but it’s the one I’ve always wanted. Had a Lyle Hummingbird as a Kid, that was stolen as the fitting result of a stupid move... and have had an empty spot in my Heart from then till now. It was a great acoustic, that had the adjustable bridge... and it was really good. Aaaand very useful for me. Ok ok... gotta stop thinking about it... Although I completely disagree with the change made... well done! Best way to do what they asked you to do. Strings do sound good, though!! Great work!!!
@SmiTTyy-sh8nc
5 жыл бұрын
Definite sound improvement (in my opinion) and just an incredible conversion !!! Quality 👍👍
@mt-nv4jd
3 жыл бұрын
This was a fine solution.
@IrisGalaxis
3 жыл бұрын
I don't know...My acoustic has an adjustable saddle and I love it. Big full sound and a great action. And decent intonation. It also has a bolt-on neck, a 0th fret, and three bolts in the bridge holding it down. Broke all the illusions I had. What it comes down to is a solid spruce top and mahogany back and sides... If anybody wants to know, it's an Eko Ranger VI VR. Quality for a great price...one of my best investments
@HayesTech
6 ай бұрын
I actually did this to my "65" Epiphone Texan and it's awesome sounding. And it can go back to stock, just like you did. My ends weren't as beautifully fit, like yours though, as much as I tried to keep the ends perfectly rounded out just wasn't , but they were very close. But that doesn't bother me. Thanks so much for this video.
@brunonjezic6208
5 жыл бұрын
Why not to make just one big bone saddle as Ervin Somogyi guitars usually have
@johna1160
3 жыл бұрын
Tried really hard to bond with a 1966 Country Western which I thought was the best looking guitar I'd ever owned. Two big strikes against it kept that from happening. It was the narrow nut era which didn't suit me, and it had the "tone suck" adjustable saddle. When A/B'ing it with my 1996 Bozeman Hummingbird, CW sounded anemic with a wimpy tone, noticeably less resonance, and projection. In this case, beauty was only skin deep.
@altruisticphilanthropic4647
5 жыл бұрын
I love my own J45, and have only played a couple (over a half century now) that I thought were not warm, punchy, even-toned, and downright sultry. The adjustable saddle thingamajig? SUCKO SUPREMO...I get it, but no thanks. Your solution to plug up the old slot was smart and safe (no surprise, at'all). I'll personally offer to throttle the Earthian that reinserts the tarnished silverware. As always, a great video...I, like a growing army of your fans, look forward to more. Thanks, Northern Brother.
@henryhunter5026
5 жыл бұрын
Nice job! The best sounding J45’s I’ve played have had the old adjustable bridge saddles but it’s down to taste. The guitar sounded a bit brighter after the replacement saddle was fitted but I preferred the tone with the original saddle, it just sounded right to me.
@CoenBijpost
4 жыл бұрын
Yeah, same here. Preferred the slight vintage subdued highs to the bright modern sound.
@Ziraffe2
3 жыл бұрын
To put down the adjustable vintage either ceramic or rosewood saddle inserts is amateurish. They generated some of the most intriguing 'modern' acoustic sounds ever and is heard on tons of classic songs. Beatles, Stones, James Taylor, Donovan, Pentangle (Renbourn) to name a few. The Tune-O-Matic concept worked very fine too.
@henryhunter5026
3 жыл бұрын
Pete Townsend had a J200 with Tune O Matic style bridge saddles, it sounded great to me.
@TheTapMusic
3 жыл бұрын
Honestly, that was probably just new strings. I imagine it’d be difficult to pick up on any real changes through a camera mic on a KZitem video. I’m sure both saddles sounded great, once the guitar is properly setup.
@MrKabDrivr
5 жыл бұрын
I know very little about guitars, and just a tad about woodwork. But coming home after work, I'm happy to view your videos. They have a calming effect on me...
@HayesTech
2 жыл бұрын
I wish I could find someone to do that to my 65 Epiphone Texan FT79n. I live in Central Pa.
@MalenyFieldsForever
5 жыл бұрын
I agree with the comment about a dial caliper. It's a vital tool in your workshop. In my experience, they are better than digital vernier calipers.
@leftoverking
5 жыл бұрын
i did a similar j45 job. i did not make a rosewood plug for the hole, and made a tall bone saddle that rested right on the top wood. sounded incredible!
@Mountainrock70
3 жыл бұрын
I’m not a fan of the adjustable saddle, but I hate to modify my old guitars. This proves that its worth it!
@HarryNicNicholas
2 жыл бұрын
i've had a 66 j45 since the 70's that had the adj saddle replaced. it's a great sounding guitar, i have a larrivee OMO3 zebrano, a 2104 J35, a maton ebg808TE, i also have a 69 epiphone texan that still has the original adj bridge - it sounds better than the J45 - it's entirely subjective this bridge mod thing, gibson have reissued their classics with adjustable bridges, and maybe you think gibson are crazy, but it would be crazy to have new guitars with adjustable bridges if they didn't sound good. the idea of an adjustable bridge is cock-eyed, i will say that, once it's where you want it, no point in having it, but sound wise i think it's a myth that adj don't sound as good, like i say, every guitar is different anyway.
@golds04
2 жыл бұрын
I love my 63 southern jumbo- plastic bridge and all. No changes here. Also i like being able to adjust my action based on different music i play. To each their own.
@scottreeves1226
8 күн бұрын
I had a similar Gibson, but the saddle was porcelain. I took it apart, put in a piece of mahogany tall enough to bring the saddle to height and put the hardware back in place. Sounded like this one. Big, bold, take no prisoners. Great video.
@evilcowboy
5 жыл бұрын
Got a question for you. I have an 70's Yamaha 12 string and I have not touched it at all. The body has a bulge at the bridge and is now bowed out. How would you handle the repair to make it playable again. Keeping originality is not very high for me but if possible I would love to keep it but its not really important for me just a plus.
@dooleyfussle8634
4 жыл бұрын
See his video on the bridge doctor.
@b_aleman
9 ай бұрын
I love the adjustable saddle on my 66' Ventura V20 Folk Guitar. I also have a 68'/69' VOX 6 string acoustic. Interestingly enough I found a video of a guy who claimes that Ramble On by Led Zeppelin was recorded with that guitar. So i agree, its a preference. Some people that i respect hate the adjustable saddle. But I cant be the only one out there that loves them.
@Rotary_Phone
Жыл бұрын
That checking in that lacquer almost looks like figure 8s in some places....It's a nice pattern. That's why I'm an advocate of finishing guitars in lacquer. It's not so much about the "sound" for me but more about the guitar looking "age appropriate" as the years go by. Then again, if you're one of those that want's your guitar looking brand new for the next thousand years then, by all means, go with Poly finishes. That's the great thing about Western Civilization, you can have it your way!
@ncdave4
3 жыл бұрын
My 68 J-45 has the same type of crackling in the finish.. when the bridge lifted off in the 80s I had a Gibson luthier replace it with a whole new bridge. I love the mellow (aged) sound it makes. And, like your owners, would never sell it. Well, if someone gave me $100K, I might consider it. ;)
@gareth2933
9 ай бұрын
Hi I have an EKO Ranger 6 with adjustable saddle. Which way do I turn the screws to lower the action/strings please. I’m not in a position for a tech to do the saddle for me unfortunately.
@MysteryZen77
2 жыл бұрын
i hope the owners enjoy the mod- ...after listening to the ( Before & After) I notice zero difference- glad I watched this- i think Folks are better off to leave the adjustable bridge factory original - it instantly lowers the price of a vintage guitar the minute you make a permanent change- so it's good you made the bridge change fairly easy to revert to normal- ..in my sonic opinion- you are better off to remove the entire bridge and replace rather than this method- if you REALLY want to hear the BIG SONIC CHANGE- but why do that just to make something what it wasn't intended to be when you can sell it to someone who will appreciate the way it is and you get to go out and BUY the guitar you really want! right? and your helping keep these ever diminishing vintage guitars original as proper tribute to Gibson
@ClintCurtis
3 жыл бұрын
Wow huge difference after the mod. Tinny before, now the mods and highs are much nicer.
@stigolespang9899
5 жыл бұрын
Love your videos!
@camilo1455
4 жыл бұрын
People talk about the sound getting too bright...I agree. I did the same thing with my 58 J45 in 93 and it picked up a lot of low end response. No one out-booms my guitar. Weird, I wonder what the difference was...wait a minute. I took the screws & spring steel out and dropped in a spruce shim (3 layers to get the height right), and am using the original saddle (untouched). Its pretty massive, always assumed it's bone. And definitely a bone nut.
@RutherfordRyan1
5 жыл бұрын
Great job as usual... How do we take into account the new strings comparing the old adjustable bridge sound ?
@MrZardoz777
2 жыл бұрын
Great vid as always and you can hear the improvement but man, the Automatic Gain Control is really distracting. I've never found a phone that has an option to disable that but a Logitech webcam straight into the PC does the trick. Thanks for posting!
@songbyrdsings1
4 жыл бұрын
Better after the conversion more dimension, it opened up the guitar totally!
@DriftinDoug
2 жыл бұрын
How did you get the brass inserts/bushings/grommets out? Do they unscrew from the top? Mine are stuck. Glued in?
@alexbostelle287
2 жыл бұрын
You had to be very satisfied with that result.... like you freed a prisoner from the slings and arrows of entropy.... like a blind person getting sight🎶👍
@billdyke9745
4 жыл бұрын
This proves 2 things. 1st that adjustable saddles are truly awful, and 2nd that Gibson didn't give a damn. Throw in a saddle any old how and it can be made playable. Forgiveable in a budget brand, but top dollar?
@pschroeter1
2 жыл бұрын
I might be imagining it, but I swear I like the sound of the Gibson acoustics better than the Martins I've always admired.
@wintersummers3085
4 жыл бұрын
It really does make a difference taking out that adjustable saddle
@camilo1455
3 жыл бұрын
PS thanx twood - sometimes we hang out on your "forums".
@MartinSBrown-tp9ji
3 жыл бұрын
I did not think there was that big of a change in the sound and the mod was not worth the difference. Just my opinion, not a criticism.
@warrenginmartini
Жыл бұрын
You ruined the guitar. Goodbye sweet mellow vintage tone, we will miss you.
@bkebradley
2 жыл бұрын
Canadian Freddy Kreuger drowns you in maple syrup and says sorry instead of having a punny one-liner
@killacrush3437
3 жыл бұрын
I went back and listened a couple of times without looking and I liked the new sound better
@GenesisMuseum
5 жыл бұрын
i don't think many people take this kind of time with any craft anymore
@carlosprex
2 жыл бұрын
Great video thank you very much. At 6:50 if it fits tight enough, no need of glue then?
@ejtakach
5 жыл бұрын
You take such good care of your customers. Sounds better.
@jimmycollette9209
3 жыл бұрын
Sounds like two different guitars. Good job.
@dustinatatahak9707
2 жыл бұрын
I don't like mine. I have a Gibson copy called Dana.
@Yucky774
Жыл бұрын
Did you put new strings on after the change? Cause that wouldn’t be a fair comparison.
@jsenear
Жыл бұрын
????? I'm just starting out working on my guitars. I recently bought a little Enya Go travel guitar. Carbon fiber guitar that came with an uncompensated saddle. Someone told me you have videos about how to compensate a saddle. Could you point me toward them? I am 82 years old. Kind of late to get into Luthrie but I would love to know how to work on my own guitars. I have been watching Jerry Rosa's videos also but the actual saddle compensations are done off video for the most part. Thanks. Forgot to mention. On the Enya intonation is sharp at the 12th on at least three strings.
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