[Henrik KC]

I seem to have a problem with my 1962 Gretsch. The 3 unwounded strings sound kind of dead, both fretted and not, so the problem is probably either the bridge or the Bigsby. I have replaced the bridge with a new bar bridge because the old one was very worn and I had hoped that it would solve the problem. It has helped but they are still kind of dead. What I don't know is if that's just the way it is.
I have googled sustain, Bigsby, Gretsch etc and I have not really found anything that indicates that this is normal. When I compare to anything else I have (Strat, Tele, Ric 620 and 360, Gibson 335, SG and Les Paul) there is a shorter tone on the Gretsch.
I have tried a variety of strings, I started out with GHS Brite Flats (011), switched to Rotosound nickel (011) and then today I tried a set of Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys which I use for many guitars. The last ones seem to be a little better in the jangle department but that's probably just because they are 10s.

Advice anyone

Henrik

[tyguy]

Originally Posted by Henrik KC

I seem to have a problem with my 1962 Gretsch. The 3 unwounded strings sound kind of dead, both fretted and not, so the problem is probably either the bridge or the Bigsby. I have replaced the bridge with a new bar bridge because the old one was very worn and I had hoped that it would solve the problem. It has helped but they are still kind of dead. What I don't know is if that's just the way it is.
I have googled sustain, Bigsby, Gretsch etc and I have not really found anything that indicates that this is normal. When I compare to anything else I have (Strat, Tele, Ric 620 and 360, Gibson 335, SG and Les Paul) there is a shorter tone on the Gretsch.
I have tried a variety of strings, I started out with GHS Brite Flats (011), switched to Rotosound nickel (011) and then today I tried a set of Ernie Ball Regular Slinkys which I use for many guitars. The last ones seem to be a little better in the jangle department but that's probably just because they are 10s.

Advice anyone

Henrik

Yes,I like EB 10's w/heavy bass for most music.What kind of bridge ya got on that puppy?You need a Compton.Try the stainless steel or titanium if you can afford it.All the gits you mentioned are solid bodies or semi-solid and are going to have a lot of sustain.They also have better coupling(more sustain)without a Bigsby.(the Bigsby is part of that sweet Gretsch sound though).A Compton brass bridge would give you the most sustain but deader strings(think Les Paul,not very jangly).I would compromise because,you can't have it all,not all the time anyway.That guitar will sound wonderful with the right bridge on it.Get a vintage bone nut installed also as you may be like me in that the nut sets the tone for the whole guitar(not all players are like this). Good Luck, "TROLL"

[S Macp]

I second the Compton recommendation, but have a look at your FilterTrons as well - it could be that a minor height adjustment will make a big difference.

[Henrik KC]

It an acoustic thing you don't have to plug it in to hear the problem, the Filtertrons sound absolutely amazing. I like the guitar to jangle so I have chosen a Rocking bar bridge because people seem to agree that this is the "glassiest" bridge as long as tuning is not an issue which it isn't.
It's an 1962 guitar so I would think that the nut is already bone and certainly vintage. I suppose that the zero fret also to some degree eliminates the importance of the nut.
I have spent some time with it today and I'm pretty sure that the bridge needs to be modified slightly in the cracks where the strings are fixed. I will hand it over to my luthier later next week.
BTW the Rocking Bar Bridge wooden base I have received is brown, does anybody know if it's possible to get a black one that looks more like the original one. Of course this is only cosmetic and I have the original one for resale but I might as well get it as close as possible, everything else is original.

[LATS]

Originally Posted by Henrik KC

... BTW the Rocking Bar Bridge wooden base I have received is brown, does anybody know if it's possible to get a black one that looks more like the original one. Of course this is only cosmetic and I have the original one for resale but I might as well get it as close as possible, everything else is original.

Try >this page< at the Darren Riley online shop. Scroll down to the bridge parts. I think the base you have now is rosewood. You want ebony.

[charlie chitlins]

Could be a problem with the neck joint or internal bracing.
I have a '59 Gibson hollowbody that absolutely came ALIVE with a neck re-set and re-gluing some loose braces.
The hide glue used on these old guitars has a shelf life.

[Henrik KC]

I am almost sure that it has something to do with the bigsby being fixed a little to much in the direction of the heavy strings so the angle of the thin strings are a little of much. Also the cracks in the bridge are based on the strings going straight over it which it of course doesn't. Like all guitars I have, the bridge needs to be closer to the pickup at the high strings so there's an angle at the bridge that doesn't fit the rather long cracks in the bridge. That I think leads to the high strings are dampened slightly. Taking the strings out of the cracks and just placing them on top of the bridge solves the problem.

[Henrik KC]

Thanks for the link to the ebony bridge btw, I bought mine at blackrider so I will see if I can get one there first. I can't really blame them for sending the wrong one because I wasn't aware that there was this thing to look out for so I just ordered a chrome Rocking Bar Bridge. That may cost me $26.95 but so be it, it's not much compared to the price of the actual guitar.