[tonylesaxo]

Hello everyone,
I've got an EB2 and an EB2D both, I think, from 1967. I can not get the intonation dead on because of the bridge design. I wondered if an EBO bridge would fit into the same post holes as the original EB2 bridge......
Has anyone tried this?
Is there another bridge that you can buy which will solve the problem?
Any advice gratefully received!

[chromium]

'67 was right at the turning point, when they started introducing the intonatable bridges. I'm assuming you have the old "bar bridge" like this:




...and you want to convert to the later, intonatable bridge like this:




The problem lies in that the stud-spacing is 3 1/4" center-to-center on the early bar-bridge, and 3 1/8" on the later 2-point adjustable bridges. Also, the studs on the early bridges are staggered, as you can see in this vertigo-inducing picture of an old Rivoli with the later 2-point bridge somehow hacked on:




That at least gives you some info. Schaller made some adjustable bridges for Gibson applications that might work as retrofits (?), but they are rare, and I don't know enough about the different models/configs they offered to be of much help there.

[eb2]

No - you can't switch them for the reasons stated above. You also cannot use 99% of the aftermarket bridges available due to the arched top and choke/wax block under the bridge on an EB2. The three choices currently for exact intonation on an EB2 are as follows:

1 - Machine some metal and make your own bridge.

2 - Get a bridge that is wide enough to span the two stud inserts, and modify it with holes to accept bolting into them.

3 - Live with the fact that the allen screws on the existing bridge get your intonation close enough that it emulates an upright.

Number three is easiest of course. The intonation angle incorporated into the early bridge does get the bass in line for the lower end. You can adjust it a bit with the small allen screws that sit against the studs.

Number one is possible - you would take the existing base as a template to a machinist, grind out a version from some stock brass or steel, leave a raised section for the strings to anchor on and for saddles from a donor Badass to screw through. One home-brew like this turned up on ebay a couple of years ago. It would involve leg work, but price would be maybe a bit more than buying a new Badass that you cannot use on an EB2.

Number 2 is possible. I have done it using Kahler fixed bass bridges. Drilling is the hard part, but you just need to measure 10 times, and drill once.

Good luck.

[breakaleg]

yes you can. but i had to drill new post holes. intonation is almost perfect.

[Dave W]

Originally Posted by breakaleg

yes you can. but i had to drill new post holes. intonation is almost perfect.

Go back and read his original question: he wanted to know if it would fit in the same holes. No, it won't.

[breakaleg]

ooops,
sorry about that.