I have an ABM Sentinel 8 string steel (23 inch scale) which is great except for changing strings. You have to keep the string in place at the ball end as you wind which is challenging. I'd like to know
A)is it mechanically feasible to change the bridge for a more user-friendly one? I am not a purist about how it might look.
B) if so - long shot - do you know a good steel guitar maker/luthier in Germany, especially in the Berlin area who could order and install it?
You could take a pencil or a knitting needle or something (maybe even an acoustic guitar bridge pin) and stick it into the hole in the bridge to keep the ball end stuck down where it belongs while you tune up. Mainly, wedge something into the hole to keep the string ball in place.
Another thing you might consider is having it converted to string through the body, like a Telecaster. It's hard to tell if this is feasible from the pictures, but maybe a skilled luthier could drill down through the existing anchor holes, and install ferrules like these in the back: https://www.stewmac.com/parts-and-hardw ... rules.html
"it's not in bad taste, if it's funny." - john waters
- keyless Sonny Jenkins laps stay in tune forever!; Carter PSG
- The secret sauce: polyester sweatpants to buff your picks, cheapo Presonus channel strip for preamp/EQ/compress/limiter, Diet Mountain Dew
I recently bought a beautifully machined aluminum bridge and nut from Ryan Rukavina. I’m very pleased with it. Came with wood screws and was very easy to install.
If you don't have any golfing friends, I would go to any shop selling parts for acoustic guitars and get some (wooden) bridge pins..even if you had to whittle them down just a bit, that's got to be the easiest and cheapest way rather than taking your steel to bits...as David Ball said much earlier.
...just saying....
If my wife is reading this, I don't have much stuff....really!
Big thanks all for your suggestions and links. All the tips for holding ball end of string are better than the sad pair of tweezers I currently use, and will help while I check out a longterm solution.
[/quote]I recently bought a beautifully machined aluminum bridge and nut from Ryan Rukavina. I’m very pleased with it. Came with wood screws and was very easy to install.[/quote]
Ryan built this bridge for my '41 Epiphone. He does great work.
"it's not in bad taste, if it's funny." - john waters
I kind of like that bridge, certainly looks interesting. The adjustable intonation isn't useful but are those rollers?
I like John's suggestion of a luthier drilling holes and installing ferrules for string through body. The only trick with that, there doesn't look like there's much wood between where the holes would be and the edge of the body...but string-through might even improve sustain. At least that's what the folk wisdom says (I have no idea if it is true).
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Here is one I made that was pretty close to the edge of the wood. You would need a Luthier with a mill to do a nice job. If need be you can just mill the pocket "U" shaped and use the aluminium as the end of the body instead of fittin it all the way round like I did. Thought since the original post was from England, I'd do the spellin the way they do.
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40
John Rosett wrote:I recently bought a beautifully machined aluminum bridge and nut from Ryan Rukavina. I’m very pleased with it. Came with wood screws and was very easy to install.
Bill Groner wrote:Here is one I made that was pretty close to the edge of the wood. You would need a Luthier with a mill to do a nice job. If need be you can just mill the pocket "U" shaped and use the aluminium as the end of the body instead of fittin it all the way round like I did. Thought since the original post was from England, I'd do the spellin the way they do.
wow that IS close to the edge, but shows it's doable, thanks mate (that's what they say in the UK)
Nic Neufeld wrote:I kind of like that bridge, certainly looks interesting. The adjustable intonation isn't useful but are those rollers?
I like John's suggestion of a luthier drilling holes and installing ferrules for string through body. The only trick with that, there doesn't look like there's much wood between where the holes would be and the edge of the body...but string-through might even improve sustain. At least that's what the folk wisdom says (I have no idea if it is true).
the bridge is fixed, non adjustable. Which is one less thing to consider
Wow that IS close to the edge, but shows it's doable, thanks mate (that's what they say in the UK)
Even closer.........cause it is the edge! I like to make my lap steels short and there isn't much real estate left when it comes to the bridge. My avatar picture is that lap steel with the string through aluminium plate. Funny thing, I sold it to a workmate of mine and he moved here from London.
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40
Here is one I made that was pretty close to the edge of the wood. You would need a Luthier with a mill to do a nice job. If need be you can just mill the pocket "U" shaped and use the aluminium as the end of the body instead of fittin it all the way round like I did. Thought since the original post was from England, I'd do the spellin the way they do. 
