Help me identify this G&L Bridge

[LOWINMD]

Has anyone seen this bridge before?
Is this a real G&L bridge? It says G&L custom and looks like a dual fulcrum but with the incomplete rings for the two attachment screws.
Will it work on my S-500?
Thank you,



https://goo.gl/photos/SRQuecaGpvWZFDXo7

[FZTNT]

Never seen one like that before. It looks professionally done but someone has clearly cut the front part off. It could be a prototype G&L was toying with in order to fit a certain pickup in a particular spot and the metal was in the way. Once installed I don't see why it would not work assuming it has the felt ring, term block and springs and such. When in use the only contact with the bridge screws is the back point of the knife edge holes. I don't think I would put it on one of my guitars but if it is legit it's pretty cool.

There may well be some folks on the forum that have seen this before but that's my 2 cents.

Tom

[guitar_ed]

Could that be the trem half of an ASAT Classic type bridge? To put a trem on a Tele style pup?

edg

[FZTNT]

Could that be the trem half of an ASAT Classic type bridge? To put a trem on a Tele style pup?

edg

Ed, I think that would look more like this (without the fine tuner part).



Although it could be something they tried before coming up with the design above. It really does look like a G&L made part though. Doesn't it? This way they could cut the box steel bridge straight across and position it just close enough to encompass the screws or even cut a semi circular hole on either side of the box steel piece to form a complete circle and butt the two together.

Tom

[yowhatsshakin]

I have seen such a bridge. Actually I have a complete assembly of such an early DFV bridge. But the front of the vibrato plate has been cut-off likely to make sure this (rejected?) part would not be used. So I doubt your S-500 will be served by it.

Will add some pics tomorrow.

- Jos

[LOWINMD]

I have seen such a bridge. Actually I have a complete assembly of such an early DFV bridge. But the front of the vibrato plate has been cut-off likely to make sure this (rejected?) part would not be used. So I doubt your S-500 will be served by it.

Will add some pics tomorrow.

- Jos

That would be appreciated. What confuses me is that it says G&L custom on it. I was thinking it was cut-off but my luthier (a very well known, well respected one) thinks it may work. Trying to figure out if was a reject or if it was intended this way.

E

[guitar_ed]

Could that be the trem half of an ASAT Classic type bridge? To put a trem on a Tele style pup?

edg

Ed, I think that would look more like this (without the fine tuner part).

(Pic deleted)

Tom

Tom.

That's exactly what I was thinking about.

Thanks,

edg

[FZTNT]

I have seen such a bridge. Actually I have a complete assembly of such an early DFV bridge. But the front of the vibrato plate has been cut-off likely to make sure this (rejected?) part would not be used. So I doubt your S-500 will be served by it.

Will add some pics tomorrow.

- Jos

I don't know Jos. Why wouldn't they just smash it with a hammer if they were trying to destroy it? I think it has some relation to the Leo Fender bridge we are talking about in another post that has both the box steel part and the DFV. It would not make sense to cut the fronton and leave the saddles and all still on it.

[FZTNT]

Has anyone seen this bridge before?
Is this a real G&L bridge? It says G&L custom and looks like a dual fulcrum but with the incomplete rings for the two attachment screws.
Will it work on my S-500?
Thank you,



https://goo.gl/photos/SRQuecaGpvWZFDXo7

Where did you get or see this bridge and do you have any more pics of information on it?

Tom

[yowhatsshakin]

Here pics of a complete unit of such a bridge.


Notice that, unlike what Tom claims, it does NOT look like the bridge shown on the ASAT Classic Signature even if we leave out the fact that the latter is a Leo Fender Vibrato. The front edge of the bridge is concave on the unit shown in the OP and here, whereas it is convex for the Leo Fender Vibrato. Beyond it being a reject, could it be the corners were cut of because somebody couldn't get it of the posts otherwise? Who knows? You can judge yourself it the unit in the OP is functional and can be used or not.

This is a BV-100 Vibrato Assembly G&L sold as an aftermarket unit, see this page on Greg gagliano's site or this link to the Gallery. Most units had the convex bridge plate.

- Jos

[FZTNT]

It's such a clean cut and goes all the way across the unit. If I were trying to cut it off the guitar I would just cut the holes in half, not all the way across. It looks like it was chromed along the cut too.

There must be more to this than we know...someone was attempting something by doing this and I am curious to know what.

Tom

[Craig]

Has anyone seen this bridge before?
Is this a real G&L bridge? It says G&L custom and looks like a dual fulcrum but with the incomplete rings for the two attachment screws.
Will it work on my S-500?
Thank you,

https://goo.gl/photos/SRQuecaGpvWZFDXo7

Here's the OP's photo (resized and linked to the image to post inline):


The bridge plate and trem bar socket are G&L parts (as Jos posted) but the saddles, saddle screws and springs are not.
Because the bridge plate has been modified, it will likely not work properly on your S-500.
Is the seller including the trem block, trem arm, the original saddles, documentation and the cardboard box, too?

Here pics of a complete unit of such a bridge.


Notice that, unlike what Tom claims, it does NOT look like the bridge shown on the ASAT Classic Signature even if we leave out the fact that the latter is a Leo Fender Vibrato. The front edge of the bridge is concave on the unit shown in the OP and here, whereas it is convex for the Leo Fender Vibrato. Beyond it being a reject, could it be the corners were cut of because somebody couldn't get it of the posts otherwise? Who knows? You can judge yourself it the unit in the OP is functional and can be used or not.

This is a BV-100 Vibrato Assembly G&L sold as an aftermarket unit, see this page on Greg gagliano's site or this link to the Gallery. Most units had the convex bridge plate.

- Jos

The BV-100 aftermarket bridge has some interesting differences from the factory installed DFV. As Jos mentioned it does not have convex top, but has a concave arc at the top of the bridge plate,
the word "CUSTOM" is stamped in place of the stamped serial number and the white handle for the trem bar instead of the normal black handle.

As a side note: I wonder what differences (if any) the BV-180 aftermarket Vibrato by Leo Fender with Fine Tuners might have.
Reference: Page from January 1, 1988 Pricelist:

I have not seen one myself. Jos (or anyone else), happen to have one of these aftermarket BV-180s?

[yowhatsshakin]

As a side note: I wonder what differences (if any) the BV-180 aftermarket Vibrato by Leo Fender with Fine Tuners might have.
Reference: Page from January 1, 1988 Pricelist:

I have not seen one myself. Jos (or anyone else), happen to have one of these aftermarket BV-180s?

Howdy Craig,

Unfortunately I do not have a BV-180 aftermarket unit. BTW, the oldest reference for a BV-100 in a price guide is the one issued August 1, 1983. It is not included in the June 1, 1983 list. More than half of the 4 pages of that August 1 price list are dedicated to accessories! Guitar polish, strings, cases, MFD in all versions used on G&L guitars of the day (humbucker and single coil), bridges, Schaller tapered post tuning machines, picks, even necks. I had never really paid attention to the wide variety before. The oldest price list in my possession with the BV-180 included is the September 1, 1987 price list included in your post (no mention is made in the June 1, 1986 list but there might be another list in between).

- Jos

[Craig]

As a side note: I wonder what differences (if any) the BV-180 aftermarket Vibrato by Leo Fender with Fine Tuners might have.
Reference: Page from January 1, 1988 Pricelist:

I have not seen one myself. Jos (or anyone else), happen to have one of these aftermarket BV-180s?

Howdy Craig,

Unfortunately I do not have a BV-180 aftermarket unit. BTW, the oldest reference for a BV-100 in a price guide is the one issued August 1, 1983. It is not included in the June 1, 1983 list. More than half of the 4 pages of that August 1 price list are dedicated to accessories! Guitar polish, strings, cases, MFD in all versions used on G&L guitars of the day (humbucker and single coil), bridges, Schaller tapered post tuning machines, picks, even necks. I had never really paid attention to the wide variety before. The oldest price list in my possession with the BV-180 included is the September 1, 1987 price list included in your post (no mention is made in the June 1, 1986 list but there might be another list in between).

- Jos

The info in our Gallery was from Brad and Greg. The earliest Full Price List I have in the Gallery is September 1, 1985.