1972 Starfire ii bass guitar bridge saddle

[nadd]

Hi I'm having trouble finding a bridge saddle for my 1972 Starfire ii blonde Bass guitar.
The guild website has a set for 20$ but not clear if it'll fit older models can someone help me if it'll work or not and if not i might buy bridge replacement or what you guys suggestions
Any help would be appreciated.

 

[GGJaguar]

Welcome to LTG! That's a nice bass. One of our bass experts should be along soon and can hopefully answer your question.

 

[nadd]

Welcome to LTG! That's a nice bass. One of our bass experts should be along soon and can hopefully answer your question.

I hope so thanks

 

[lungimsam]

I took these measurements from my Cordoba made Newark Street Ebony replacement saddles and posted them in another thread somewhere around here. They are the ones they sell on the website shop. Note that the A&D saddles are 1mm taller in overall height than the E and G saddles but the cutouts for the slider paddles are the same. I know of one member that put them on his Vintage Starfire bass and they fit. I think it was a 60's sunburst model.

 

[fronobulax]

To the extent that I can measure them without taking them off of the basses the wooden saddles for my 1971 JS II and my 2013 Newark Street Starfire I seem to be the same size. For $20 I'd take a chance on the new ones fitting the vintage basses. Guild has a lot of verbiage about modern parts not fitting vintage instruments but that is usually because of the difference between imperial and metric sizing or mounting holes that have moved.

 

[lungimsam]

An interesting side note/veer:
I wonder if one could just lay a spare string across the bare metal intonation adjustment paddle and then tap it with a hammer to indent the paddle and make a notch/slot for the string, (the way Gibson does it on their guitar bridges) and then do away with the wooden saddles and just use the metal paddles as the "saddles". Wonder how that would sound and work out. Intonation might be easier to adjust with the thinner metal paddle shape than with the wider wooden saddles. And one would have a wider range to adjust for intonation. I might try it one day. Replacement bridges are only 50$ right now.

 

[nadd]

I took these measurements from my Cordoba made Newark Street Ebony replacement saddles and posted them in another thread somewhere around here. They are the ones they sell on the website shop. Note that the A&D saddles are 1mm taller in overall height than the E and G saddles but the cutouts for the slider paddles are the same. I know of one member that put them on his Vintage Starfire bass and they fit. I think it was a 60's sunburst model.

Thank you that's helpful comment.
Could you point me to this guy's post or account i want to see if he posted photo or any particular note to consider when using the new saddle

 

[lungimsam]

That member is deceased but here is the thread with the picture of them on his bass. I don't remember him posting any additional info about how they worked out. Note that you will have to cut the slot for the string with a file.
I filed the slots on mine with corresponding string guage nut files. My info is also in this thread but i was only putting them on my Newark Street Starfire.

Bass saddles for sale on Guild site now!!

Like those deep cut bevels! Gibson doesn’t do those so deep any more.

letstalkguild.com

 

[nadd]

To the extent that I can measure them without taking them off of the basses the wooden saddles for my 1971 JS II and my 2013 Newark Street Starfire I seem to be the same size. For $20 I'd take a chance on the new ones fitting the vintage basses. Guild has a lot of verbiage about modern parts not fitting vintage instruments but that is usually because of the difference between imperial and metric sizing or mounting holes that have moved.

I know.
Its not about the price i don't want to waste time shipping the saddle set instead of whole new bridge with saddle thats why I'm asking here so i can make the right decision

 

[lungimsam]

The two mounting holes for the whole bridge on both the FMIC and Cordoba Newark Street Starfire bass bridge is 28mm apart, center-to-center, in case you are thinking about replacing the whole bridge.

Also, Fender has made a Rascal bass Bridge which looks the same as the Starfire harp bridge, but with metal barrel saddles and the mounting holes on that are 34mm center to center, and I have heard it won;t fit a vintage starfire bass.

 

[fronobulax]

I know.
Its not about the price i don't want to waste time shipping the saddle set instead of whole new bridge with saddle thats why I'm asking here so i can make the right decision

The bridge is one of the new parts that are not a drop in replacement for a vintage part. As others have noted the mounting holes don't have the same spacing so you will have to drill some wood.

 

[mellowgerman]

The bridge is one of the new parts that are not a drop in replacement for a vintage part. As others have noted the mounting holes don't have the same spacing so you will have to drill some wood.

Frono, is that true for the Newark Street rosewood-saddle bridge? I had thought those were pretty much vintage-spec, drop-ins even for vintage basses? I could of course be wrong, as I've never measured one or had a need to replace a vintage counterpart. Just in case though, this would be good to know!

In regard to the 90's-to-current, steel-saddle Guild/Dearmond/Fender harp bridge, I already knew the incompatibility, but for the above, it would come as a surprise to me.

 

[lungimsam]

Mellow, NS bridge mounting screws measure is 28mm c-to-c. Measure yours and let us know.

 

[mellowgerman]

Mellow, NS bridge mounting screws measure is 28mm c-to-c. Measure yours and let us know.

28mm on my 1970 Starfire

 

[fronobulax]

Frono, is that true for the Newark Street rosewood-saddle bridge? I had thought those were pretty much vintage-spec, drop-ins even for vintage basses? I could of course be wrong, as I've never measured one or had a need to replace a vintage counterpart. Just in case though, this would be good to know!

In regard to the 90's-to-current, steel-saddle Guild/Dearmond/Fender harp bridge, I already knew the incompatibility, but for the above, it would come as a surprise to me.

I was going from memory based upon what I recalled reading on LTG. It is possible I conflated the 90's bridge and the NS bridge but I don't think so. Since I have stopped claiming @lungimsam is wrong when he asserts two generations of NS Starfire I it might also be something that applies to the CMG NS SF but not the FMIC NS SF or visa versa. If I had to search for a source of my recollection I would look for 2013-2015, when the NS bass was new and possibly someone who got the part and tried to install it on a vintage 1970's or earlier bass, not necessarily a Starfire.

If I am, however, wrong, my advice to buy the saddles instead of the bridge is also suspect.

 

[mavuser]

the saddles from the 60's/Bisonics are actually slightly different in shape than the saddles from the 70's/Humbuckcers.

But it makes no difference. order the new set for $20, and replace all 4. That is your answer!

 

[lungimsam]

28mm on my 1970 Starfire

So its the same! Cool! So you could use it as a drop in on yours.

I've bought two sets of replacement saddles. I think next time I wll just get the whole new bridge since its only 30$ more than just getting saddles and since I am so committed to having Guild basses at this point.

 

[mavuser]

I would not replace the original bridge on that bass with a Newark Street bridge, unless I had absolutley no other choice, and no, I am not eluding to the extra $30. Just change the 4 saddles to new ones, and keep the 3 originals for safe keeping. You can file the new saddles however necassary. I would want the original bridge on there. New saddles are simply maintenace of wearable parts. Many of us had to track those down before, when it wasn't so easy! or inexpensive...I paid $50 for a set of 4 delivered around10 years ago, from someone here that was making them on his own. I felt like I overpaid for sure, but really had no other choice.

 

[nadd]

28mm on my 1970 Starfire

Same in my 1972

 

[nadd]

I would not replace the original bridge on that bass with a Newark Street bridge, unless I had absolutley no other choice, and no, I am not eluding to the extra $30. Just change the 4 saddles to new ones, and keep the 3 originals for safe keeping. You can file the new saddles however necassary. I would want the original bridge on there. New saddles are simply maintenace of wearable parts. Many of us had to track those down before, when it wasn't so easy! or inexpensive...I paid $50 for a set of 4 delivered around10 years ago, from someone here that was making them on his own. I felt like I overpaid for sure, but really had no other choice.

I'm thinking to buy whole bridge set considering new saddles gaps might not get in or be lose in the old one extra 30 better than 70$ and losing time also I'm buying the master volume and 1x bridge pickup volume knob
anyway this was very helpful thanks to everybody