Looking for a supplier of restoration Bridges

[Chris Vallillo]

I've looked through the forum for a better place to post this question and didn't see anything. If this is against the rules, feel free to remove this post.

I'm currently restoring several early Washburn Guitars, the 1897 Style New Models. Most had very bad replacement bridges and I am looking to replace these with a reproduction of the flattened pyramid bridge of that Washburn used in that era. I've found a couple pyramid bridges out there (Stu Mac has a Martin Style pyramid and Luthiers Mercantile has a standard pyramid similar to many of the era, but I have not seen anything like the flattened pyramid that these early Washburn's used.

I plan on specializing in this era instrument so would I be willing to order a quantity of I could get this custom made but haven't yet located anyone who would do that. My old Luthiers Mercantile catalogue indicated that they would do custom orders of 20 or more, but they no longer do that.

Any suggestions as to where I could go to get this done?

[Bob Gramann]

Try Andy Birco http://www.birkonium.com/product-category/guitar-parts/.

[Clay Schaeffer]

If you don't mind doing a little work with a file the pyramid bridges on eBay (from China) might work. If you flatten the pyramid they should be pretty close.

[Chris Vallillo]

I actually bought a package of 10 of the Chinese bridges from eBay and was quite disappointed. The quality was mediocre, just a raw, unsanded bridge blank with pin holes started, but not drilled all the way through. Worst of all, they were considerably oversized for a vintage bridge and since they were already drilled for pins and saddle slot, there was no practical way to modify them. At the time I ordered, they did not specify size (now they do, in mm, and they ARE oversized).

I've had hit and miss luck with Chinese and Vietnamese suppliers. About 1/2 the time it's a good deal, 1/2 the time it's a bust!

[Chris Vallillo]

I'm now in the process of having Andy Birco reproduce a number of these for me. Thanks for the suggestion, I'll let you now how it goes.