The single cutaway LP style guitar of the early 1950’s utilised a trapeze style bridge, combining the traditional jazz/arch top style tailpiece with a bar bridge that the strings were inserted through, this unit was quite quickly replaced by the stud/tailpiece bridge which remained the standard until it was replaced by the tune-o-matic bridge assembly that added a separate tailpiece to anchor the strings.
Over time, guitar builders and players realised that the single combined bridge and tailpiece stud unit was a much better transfer method of string energy into the body of the guitar, and consequently created a more resonant device than the tune-o-matic bridge.
The stud bridge however suffered from the inability to be able to intonate the strings properly due to its design style.
Rethinking the original stud bridge /tailpiece design saw a fixed intonation unit being used throughout the 1960’s. This unit was cast with a raised intonation line across the top of the bridge and could be further adjusted via the two grub screws inserted at the rear of each claw of the bridge.
While a great solution for the time, the development of a multitude of string gauges and the replacement of the wound G string to a plain G string in many cases meant that the newer developed stud bridge was not fit for purpose.
Being a big fan of the original stud bridge/tailpiece unit, Trev Wilkinson knew that he could develop a better way to intonate and created the GTB100 stud bridge/tailpiece to offer all the benefits of the original in sound and tone transfer with the added benefit of a movable intonation point for the G and B strings.
The original Wilkinson design GTB100’s moveable G and B section once set to the correct intonation point for your strings choice is locked in place by a central screw.
The GTB100 can be further adjusted across its whole angle by the grub screws at either side of the bridge stud claws.
Beautifully crafted from Zamac 3 the GTB100’s is designed to offer long life for your strings with its underside chamfered guide ways and is the ideal replacement bridge for a vintage/modern or self build instrument looking to capture all the tone a stud mount bridge/tailpiece can offer!
$61.99 – $67.99
