# Piezo Saddles



## Stitch (Feb 7, 2007)

Hey guys, i'm hoping between all of us we can pool our collective resources to help me and my luthier!

I am having an 8-string built with fanned frets and i would like piezo-equipped single string bridges. Cost isn't a massive issue as i can order at cost through work, but i can't find anyone that makes them! ABM make a mono design, this:






The closest thing i have found is this:





It is an Ibanez bridge from their EDA series. The bridge is actually used on about 40% of their basses, but the piezo version only exists on their ghastly ERGODYNE, and im concerned it may be a bit on the big side.

Any ideas?


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## metalfiend666 (Feb 8, 2007)

PM DPM, he's a good source of this kind of info as he's done the research for his Oni guitars.


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## dpm (Feb 8, 2007)

The ABM's might be available with piezo, but communication with them is difficult. The bridges themselves are OK but not exceptional.
ETS make an excellent product, and do piezo versions of theirs (I'm told ABM copied ETS's designs). The only issue with ETS is the long wait time. Again, they're German so there can be a slight language barrier. http://www.ets-hardware.com/

Novax's individual bridges could use Graphtech Ghost saddles.


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## XEN (Feb 8, 2007)

dpm said:


> The ABM's might be available with piezo, but communication with them is difficult. The bridges themselves are OK but not exceptional.
> ETS make an excellent product, and do piezo versions of theirs (I'm told ABM copied ETS's designs). The only issue with ETS is the long wait time. Again, they're German so there can be a slight language barrier. http://www.ets-hardware.com/
> 
> Novax's individual bridges could use Graphtech Ghost saddles.



Never mind the fact that ETS will NOT return your emails. You had better brush up on your German and give them a call if you want anything done in less than 6 months, if at all.  Mike Sherman will attest to that.


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## darren (Feb 8, 2007)

You could always use GraphTech Wilkinson-style saddles and bolt them to a custom base plate.


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## Bassies7string (Feb 8, 2007)

ABM's are with piezo option also. I have them and they work ok.


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## ElRay (Feb 8, 2007)

I've had a huge amount of troubles trying to find a good source for ABM/ETS parts in the US. 

You can also look at Novax Guitars. They sell their bridge/saddles regular retail: www.novaxguitars.com/parts-accessories/bridges.html. GraphTech GHOST Piezos are an extra 100$ for seven strings.

Please post/PM if you find a good vendor/importer. I've been trying to find somebody who carries or will order the ABM individual bridges (for guitar) with the tuners for the past six weeks. Best I've found is AllParts claims they can special order them in six to eight weeks, but it's been over a week and they can't get me a quote.

Ray



dpm said:


> ETS make an excellent product, and do piezo versions of theirs ... The only issue with ETS is the long wait time.


As a point of info, I got a quote through BassLabs (no reply from ETS) for seven ETS tuning fork bridges (no piezos) and a 7-string headless tuner for about 300 Euros, plus shipping, plus import duties.

Ray


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## Stan P (Feb 8, 2007)

I would call RMC as they seem to install on anything ...


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## Stitch (Feb 9, 2007)

urklvt said:


> Never mind the fact that ETS will NOT return your emails. You had better brush up on your German and give them a call if you want anything done in less than 6 months, if at all.  Mike Sherman will attest to that.


Really? I first emailled them about a fixed bridge design with piezo's (like the hipshot) and they got back to me pretty quickly. All they wanted to know was whether i was the end user or the luthier though, they never did get back to me :S
Language wasn't a problem anyway, but i learn german at school so it isn't to shabby.

TK Instruments make one (beautiful guitars) but he says on the website he won't sell them seperately 

I'm just going to check Novax! Thanks y'all! 

EDIT: I looked at the Novax things and they are SO ugly! I thought it would be more than a ghost saddle and a bit of machined metal 

Stan P; who are RMC?


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## darren (Feb 9, 2007)

http://www.rmcpickup.com/


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## ElRay (Feb 12, 2007)

darren said:


> http://www.rmcpickup.com/


Do you have a direct link to what you're trying to show? I've not found anything on their site that would work in a compound scale guitar, unless you already had bridge pieces.


Stan P said:


> I would call RMC as they seem to install on anything ...


Ditto.  Ray


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## ElRay (Mar 1, 2007)

ElRay said:


> Please post/PM if you find a good vendor/importer. I've been trying to find somebody who carries or will order the ABM individual bridges (for guitar) with the tuners for the past six weeks. Best I've found is AllParts claims they can special order them in six to eight weeks, but it's been over a week and they can't get me a quote.



_I know this is an old thread, but better to keep all the info in one place._

I finally got a quote from AllParts:



> $63.00 per bridge in black - > 7-string $441.00



And that's without piezos. I'm likely to go the "buy GHOST saddles from GraphTech and have a local machine shop build carriers" route.

Ray


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## jtm45 (Mar 7, 2007)

Hey Stitch!
This place actually stocks those ETS individual saddle/bridge jobs with the piezo option too.
These ones;




Don't know if the spacing would work with a guitar because the description is a bit crap.
They're not cheap though.Around £17 each or roughly £25 each with the piezo option.
Check it out anyway!
http://www.bassparts.de/


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## dpm (Mar 8, 2007)

They're too wide for guitar use, unfortunately


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## jtm45 (Mar 8, 2007)

dpm said:


> They're too wide for guitar use, unfortunately



Shite!!!
I though they probably would be too.

They make a real nice guitar bridge but i've only seen it in a six-string version and they're very hard to get any info out of them.

I like the look of this ABM 7-string bridge too but they're another company who's stuff is pretty hard to track down.
ABM 7-String Bridge;




This is a better picture of the 6-string version;





And this is an awesome looking bridge too.
Looks like a Chapman Stcik type creation almost,but i suppose you could use one of the two bridges (possibly).
It's a well made looking piece of kit;


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## Drew (Mar 8, 2007)

stitch216 said:


> It is an Ibanez bridge from their EDA series. The bridge is actually used on about 40% of their basses, but the piezo version only exists on their ghastly ERGODYNE, and im concerned it may be a bit on the big side.



Hey, I OWN an EDA-905 bass with piezo's, fucker!  

But yeah, way too big for a guitar - I can take some pictures if you want further proof, but you won't get standard string spacing. :/


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