Posted on February 1, 2026March 3, 2026 by Dale Phillips Respacing the ‘Badass’ Bridge Respacing the ‘Badass’ Bridge by Philip Mayes Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #83, 1978 I was asked to recut the saddle slots on a “Badass” adjustable bridge fitted to a Gibson SG. The string spacing on the bridge was narrower than the fingerboard, and the adjustable metal saddles had had slots filed in to hold the strings. These were causing the strings to wear and break very easily. Instead I filed the saddles to remove the existing slots and cut grooves as shown, using fretsaw, triangular and round files. The grooves lead the strings into the correct position before they finish curving round the bridge. The result is unobtrusive, keeps the strings in the right position and (so I hear) no longer causes breakages.
Posted on August 11, 2021May 20, 2025 by Dale Phillips Neck Relief Neck Relief by Philip Mayes Originally published in Guild of American Luthiers Data Sheet #124, 1979 and Lutherie Woods and Steel String Guitars, 1998 A spate of repairs involving fret buzzing set me thinking about the ideal neck shape. Some people like a flat fingerboard. Lots of people advocate a neck that’s straight at the body and lifts slightly towards the head, as seen in Fig. 1. Some people vote for a tapering away at the end of the fingerboard, as in Fig. 2. The reason for all this, of course, is to accommodate the shape of a plucked string, diagramed in Fig. 3. Become A Member to Continue Reading This Article This article is part of our premium web content offered to Guild members. To view this and other web articles, join the Guild of American Luthiers. Members also receive 4 annual issues of American Lutherie and get discounts on products. For details, visit the membership page. If you are already a member, login for access or contact us to setup your account.
