model 33 B&H Zenith archtop (photos added)

mr-mac

Bridge is fine it's just the white plastic/resin/bone bit that needs replaced but may need to change design depending on intonation which may benefit from a tweak... That being case I'd probs do a new upper section of bridge above the height wheels.  Probs keep original lower section as width and curve etc were made for guitar

ICBM

mr-mac said:

Yes but don't see any intonation adjustment at all...

The Powerbridge has height wheels just like a standard adjustable archtop bridge. It does come without the saddle top cut, yes - that way you can make it to suit your preferred string gauge/type. Which makes it somewhat more challenging to fit than a simple bridge replacement… but it does sound very good, both amplified and acoustically.

mr-mac

If I go for original or new top section made to sit on old base what would best piezo option then be?

ICBM

If you want to use the original you can fit a standard undersaddle piezo - just remember to make sure the bridge is in the right place when you drill the cable hole down through the top!

mr-mac

Not a problem but would correct intonation not usually need a split saddle for top two strings? Or is it not a huge issue? 

ICBM

mr-mac said:

Not a problem but would correct intonation not usually need a split saddle for top two strings? Or is it not a huge issue? 

Not a huge issue, especially if you use flatwounds - as you should be with this type of guitar - the intonation 'step' is smaller with flats. You can always cut the top of the saddle into an offset if you want, even on much a narrow saddle. Angling the whole bridge will take care of the rest.

http://www.strangeguitarworks.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/IMG_1220.jpg

I also forgot to say, make the cable hole in the bridge base and in the top on the treble side, not the bass - and a bit oversized to allow for a tiny bit of movement - since plain strings all intonate about the same, it's the wound ones that can vary.

(And you can use roundwounds if you like .)

mr-mac

I ain't a jazz player.. It will likely be round wound and nickel as plan on fitting a rhythm chief pickup (or neck mounted type pickup) at some point so for electric side I am looking for elmore James type tone (so round wound nickel probs the right way to go).  The piezo will be for amplified acoustic sound for versatility of instrument.  unamplified is just for practise so as ling as useable acoustically that's fine.
 
Read up on it and seems to be accepted that if your going jazz and want a warmer fuller tone flat wound is way to go and amplified slide with pickup use for blues etc round wound a better choice.

Yeah I know arch top isn't usual route but plenty blues and rock and rollers started with archtops.  Including muddy and Elmore James (though his was a round sound hole arch top iirc.

Tbh I play blues, rock&roll and a selection of other stuff and I adore archtops so I am happy with my unusual route.  And tbh this archtop has a lovely acoustic tone that I'd say is much closer to tone I want than most jazz boxes anyway

mr-mac

Tbh never even thought before... I assume if want round nickel strings I just by very heavy gauge electric ones?

ICBM

mr-mac said:

Tbh never even thought before... I assume if want round nickel strings I just by very heavy gauge electric ones?

Yes. They do sound pretty good on archtops too - it's bronze ones that sound too trashy and zingy, which is why a lot of people think old ply archtops sound like that… they don't really, if you string them how they were meant to be. You can get away with bronzes on solid-wood guitars which are inherently softer-sounding.

mr-mac

Yeah bronze on it and a little too zingy may experiment with flat wound and round and see what I like best

mr-mac

Would 13's pure nickel be a good starter for 10 or do I need to go heavier?

mr-mac

And thanks for help and advice. still wondering if should knock up a temp top to bridge to hold an old tune o matic which would allow me to at least adjust intonation so I can see if id need an offset or not.  Just map the intonation positions out as it were then build a permanent one with intonation spot on

ICBM

Good idea.

Pure nickel 12s or 13s is what I would go for, you probably don't need heavier.

mr-mac

Cool, assume that gives option of unwound or wound third around the 12-13 switch over iirc... Superb...  Tbh when got it this was gonna be a practise at home machine and maybe just a stick on piezo for odd use at the band jam/open mic I run...

Having played it though its too good to play and awesome looking not to do something with it to make it my go to slide/acoustic machine hence plan changed massively from sling on strings and have fun to hmmmmm ok what can it do.

Not even sure what scale length is supposed to be, guess that would be a good start and work out which string to measure that on to place bridge spot on (especially before I try and see where intonation needs to be)

mr-mac

Guess if I measure 0-12 and double it that would give me scale length but then which part of bridge do I place at scale length bass or trebble end or middle as saddle is curved along whole length

ICBM

Generally the top E needs to be almost dead on the scale length (within 1mm usually), the rest staggered back a bit from there.

mr-mac

Might try and source one of these bridges.  Actually seen a number of framus from that era with this type bridge 

mr-mac

mr-mac

Will figure out piezo after but maybe some compression type like what k&k do.

My bridge however touches arch whole size of bridge, would it need to be the same or would this type where it touches at either end be fine???? If has to be full width I'll just make new top part fit old bottom part

mr-mac

Electric pickup will come down to what I find, either scratchplate and pickup I was thinking or if see a cheap all in one framus scratchplate and pickup unit may go with that (though will depend on price and tbh design as some are nice others look silly)