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A client just brought in an old Gibson. Someone had re-attached the bridge with 5 woodscrews.    Not a pretty picture!!!    At least they attached it from inside the guitar.

The bridge is toast. I need to replace it. Before I make one, does anyone know a source for an ebony Gibson bridge that is belly up? It's the bridge that was turned around and the saddle slot looks like it is on the wrong side.

Thanks in advance.

Bob, AllParts lists one for $15. Only problem its rosewood. You might contact them and see if they can get an ebony for you. Hope this helps.

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Don Atwood
Arlington, VA

Funny thing is the one in the picture looks like it is ebony

Hi Bob,

What kind of guitar is this? I can't think of a model that used the belly forward bridge in ebony. All the J- series, LG- series and B-25 used rosewood. Are you sure it's not just a very dark rosewood? Some of the older (brazilian) rosewood appointments are very close to black. Sand the old one and smell it.

--Mark Joy

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Mark Joy

mjoy Guitars

I make bridges. If you know the guitar and the string spacing I can pretty much set you up. Most gibsons use a bolt on bridge with a 2 15/16 spacing and use a 6/32 thread.
Blues Creek Guitars
john hall
570-682-8046

Thanks for the replies. I checked with LMI and StewMac but not Allparts.

This is an Gibson LG-1. Here is a picture of the bridge. It is a plastic bridge. As you can see, it is starting to break. The owner loves this guitar and wants it fixed. An ebony bridge would be the most appropriate.



In addition, here is the picture of the screws holding it on. The picture is not the best but is as good as my camera would allow.

Hi Bob,

I forgot about the lamentable period from '62 -'68 when Gibson used these things. My suggestion is match the fingerboard. That is most consistant with Gibsons habits when they weren't using this method. The guitar you picture appears to be either an LG-(0/1/2) or B25 from the early sixties (it should be marked on the spruce back strip inside). The dark finish gave way to a cherry sunburst during '62-'63. A model of either of those from early 62 or earlier would have had a brazilian rosewood bridge.

--Mark Joy

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Mark Joy

mjoy Guitars

You are correct I made alot of these of BRW to match the older gibson. I can make them out of ebony to. It amazes me they save about $3 if they used real wood and that plastic crap is horrid.
john hall

plastic, and the bolts! just examples of what happens when a maker goes through the profit driven ownership changes that have plagued gibson for 50 yrs or more.