# Headless 7: Bridge and Head-piece?



## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

Does anybody know of anyone who can machine a bridge and head-piece for a 7-string headless guitar? I'm hoping to model one after the Steinberger bridge on the new Synapse guitars.

Like this, plus one string:












If you are wondering, the plan would be for a 7-string version of a Klein.

Something like this:


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## anthonyferguson (Mar 21, 2010)

uhhhhm im making a 6 string one for andrewB

check out my 8 thread


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

tonywozere said:


> uhhhhm im making a 6 string one for andrewB
> 
> check out my 8 thread



Wow, don't know how I managed to miss that thread. That looks awesome. So are you saying that you would be able to make the bridge and headpiece for me (for a fee, obviously)?


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## anthonyferguson (Mar 21, 2010)

erm i guess, I have quite alot on at the moment so it would have to be a while before I actually have the time to get on with it, exams and all  but yeah i am up for it! are you super psyched to get it all done like... now or are you not in a hurry?


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## technomancer (Mar 21, 2010)

Not the same headpiece/tailpiece as the Steinberger, but the Strandberg stuff looks pretty cool and supports an arbitrary number of strings in a fixed bridge configuration

Strandberg Guitarworks


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## Elysian (Mar 21, 2010)

I think ABM can do this type of stuff too, but it's pricey.


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## technomancer (Mar 21, 2010)

Elysian said:


> I think ABM can do this type of stuff too, but it's pricey.



Yeah ABM makes the individual string tail pieces, but IIRC they only make the head pieces for six string unless you pay for custom machining. Allparts can get the ABM tail pieces and as of May last year prices were $60 - $108.40 per tail piece depending on options (color and with/without piezos).


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

tonywozere said:


> erm i guess, I have quite alot on at the moment so it would have to be a while before I actually have the time to get on with it, exams and all  but yeah i am up for it! are you super psyched to get it all done like... now or are you not in a hurry?



I'm certainly not in a hurry. I haven't even started making a CAD design for it yet. (Slightly OT, but my god I'm rusty at CAD, haven't used it since high-school, it took me like 6 hours to finish a basic super-strat type 7 )

Since I have no clue how to machine metal (or know someone who is capable), I was just seeing if it was even feasible to build a 7-string headless. I'll probably start purchasing hardware and woods during the summer, and start the build in the fall.

I understand being busy with University and all. I'm graduating this fall, and I'll most likely be moving back with my parents in August to save some money. But more importantly, living at home will give me constant access to all my Dad's woodworking tools.  Which is why I won't start the build until the fall.


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

technomancer said:


> Not the same headpiece/tailpiece as the Steinberger, but the Strandberg stuff looks pretty cool and supports an arbitrary number of strings in a fixed bridge configuration
> 
> Strandberg Guitarworks



That Strandberg stuff looks nice. Good find!


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

Elysian said:


> I think ABM can do this type of stuff too, but it's pricey.



I'll look into this as well. 

Thanks for the help guys.


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## anthonyferguson (Mar 21, 2010)

gunshow86de said:


> I'll look into this as well.
> 
> Thanks for the help guys.



Ive got a CAD drawing I did for andrew....







just a little cross section, note the pivoting saddle. The strandberg bridges don't allow for tiny height adjustments and this seemed to look like a good solution...

and 100$ for 1 individual tailpiece?!?!?!
fuck that lol

I'm doing andrew's lot for ~$270.

this is if you're interested... lol i am a bit of an amateur


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

tonywozere said:


> Ive got a CAD drawing I did for andrew....
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Hey if it works, it works. Doesn't matter to me if it's the first piece you've built, or the 1,000th. Like I said though, I won't be ready for a few months, so we'll have to see what the situation is then.


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## gunshow86de (Mar 21, 2010)

Here's an extremely rough mockup. Featuring my signature questionmark-rectangle bridge!  Ladies and gents; the Klönsven!





What I'm thinking for specs;
3 piece, maple/wenge/maple neck-through
maple fretboard
25.5" scale, 24 fret (thinking of stainless, but that means diamond files which means more $)
Mahogany or Walnut wings (anyone care to chime in on the tonal differences between the choices, feel free to do so)
Rio Grande pickups (yes, they do make 7 string single-coils), probably a mixture of the Tallboy and Muy Grande

Tony, if you don't mind, could you PM me the dimensions of your bridge and saddles? Or better yet, if you already have the 2D top-view written in AUTOCAD, could you send me those?


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## gunshow86de (Mar 22, 2010)

Just for the lulz, here's a Green Dot inspired version:


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## MF_Kitten (Mar 22, 2010)

walnut or mahogany is a hard choise, because they can both sound dark or bright, depending on species. i´ve heard both described as both. walnut looks really nice, though


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## anthonyferguson (Mar 22, 2010)

The tuning barrel thingy is actually 8mm diameter not 7.92


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## gunshow86de (Mar 22, 2010)

tonywozere said:


> The tuning barrel thingy is actually 8mm diameter not 7.92



Aaah, mm?? You wacky rest of the entire world and your "metric" system.


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## OwenD (Mar 23, 2010)

I wanted to build a 7 string Steinberger GM series copy last year I think.
It never got off the drawing board. I priced everything except the body.

I asked Jon Bondy for a price on a 7 string fixed Steinberger type bridge, I asked Moses Graphite about the neck and headpiece, all agreed.
All the parts were to be made from scratch.
Jon Bondy no longer makes bridges now.
I never ordered the parts, only thing that happened is I had to move to the other side of the world. I will get it done someday.. 
I can't find the threads where I gave the prices for the stuff, it was all reasonable.


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## Paulfocused (Mar 30, 2010)

I'd seriously take a look at Strandberg if I were you. The guy in charge of the system has his parts built custom by ABM. The system easily allows for 7 and even 8 strings (both headpieces and bridge). He has two different types of tuner locks, one type for headless and one type for traditional headed guitars. Either way you can easily get a 7 string system from it and he even does tremolos.


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## Felgacarb (Jun 15, 2010)

I haven't seen a headless 7-string, but you could do what I did (except for 7 strings instead of 6) and scratch build something fairly simple- The link below show's my current favorite guitar and has plans for it as well.

Eric Olds Klein Guitar Project &#8211; Part 1


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