bridge saddles

[zenitb]

I have a 1960 Combo 1000, below are photos of the bridge - tailpiece



The saddle is a single piece of black plastic, probably Delrin. It has two locating pins on the underside that locates the saddle in a fixed, diagonal location.
Has anyone seen one of these before? The bridge, as you can see is also drilled for traditional screw-adjustable saddles. Currently, the intonation isn't very close with the fixed saddle and I am considering either making a new saddle (I've done it on archtops, it takes a while) or trying to find the individual metal/adjustable saddles. Any suppliers of those parts?

[collin]

Wow, i've never seen one like that before!

hmm...

[zenitb]

Wow, i've never seen one like that before!

hmm...

Yeah, and the locating pins are cast-in to the part it; giving the look of a production part and not a one-off.

[badeggs]

Could be Bakelite. There's a thread about late-50s 420s/Combo models with just such a bridge:

viewtopic.php?f=68&t=393698&p=603730

[zenitb]

Could be Bakelite. There's a thread about late-50s 420s/Combo models with just such a bridge:

viewtopic.php?f=68&t=393698&p=603730

I can't access that thread unfortunately - it says that I am not authorized?
I also notice that the nut is made from the same-looking black material. Could be bakelite I suppose?

[cjj]

Post 2 more replies and you'll be good to go...

[badeggs]

I can't access that thread unfortunately - it says that I am not authorized?

Forgot about that new "feature!" Here's some words from the thread, from Paul W:

I've seen the bakelite bridge on other slab-bodied Ricks, but they were combo 400 and 900 models of earlier vintage.

This one looks 100% original, as Tony says. There were so many combinations of things being tried out; phased in and out, that little surprises me anymore.

I suspect, though, that a similar treatment with a wooden bridge would have been a home made replacement for a lost bakelite original piece...

...and David Coyle:

I have two 425 from this era and both have the bakelite bridge. And the pick guard is original as well. They are very thin and brittle. It is very easy to crack them, especially when removing the bridge cover.

[zenitb]

I can't access that thread unfortunately - it says that I am not authorized?

Forgot about that new "feature!" Here's some words from the thread, from Paul W:

I've seen the bakelite bridge on other slab-bodied Ricks, but they were combo 400 and 900 models of earlier vintage.

This one looks 100% original, as Tony says. There were so many combinations of things being tried out; phased in and out, that little surprises me anymore.

I suspect, though, that a similar treatment with a wooden bridge would have been a home made replacement for a lost bakelite original piece...

...and David Coyle:

I have two 425 from this era and both have the bakelite bridge. And the pick guard is original as well. They are very thin and brittle. It is very easy to crack them, especially when removing the bridge cover.

Thanks Jeff.
That's interesting reading and just like Gruhn says about Gibsons...'they made at least one of everything'
I really want the thing to intonate a bit better so after I decide on my string gauges, I will make a replacement saddle.
I also have one of those thin, brittle pickguards that is crumbling around the edges so I will be making a pickguard too!

[badeggs]

'they made at least one of everything'

True for Gibson, definitely true for Rick.

So many weird one-offs (different/transitional/rarely-used parts, finishes, construction) over the years...always something you've never seen before popping up!

[mrsparkle]

Correct me if I'm missing something obvious here, but doesn't Michael's bridge look like a standard Rick bridge, already drilled for the individual saddles & adjustment screws? If that's the case, all you have to do is order up six screws and saddles from Rick. If you want to go with the modern style bridges, all you need is six of Rick's SKU #05101 (6-32x3/4" screws) and six SKU #00814 (saddles). If you want to emulate the vintage style where there were locking nuts on the end of the saddle screws, you'll need SKU #05307 (6-32x7/8" screws) instead of the 3/4" long screws, and six of SKU #06111 (cadmium plated locking nuts - guaranteed to turn green)

The saddles come "blank", btw, so you have to trim, shape and notch them for each string. Not a difficult task. Polish them up with some Mothers metal polish and you'll be lookin' good. Finally, you obviously don't need to use Rick screws, but what the hey....

[jdogric12]

I had a 59 950 with that same kind of bridge. I'd leave it as is if it works!