Bridge studs not parallel?? (T185MX)

[WildIsTheWind]

Has anyone with a T184/5/6 replaced their stock bridge with something other than a Gotoh or TonePros model?

I tried to replace the stock bridge on my T185, because there wasn't enough travel to intonate the E and A, and the Gotohs make it nearly impossible to reverse saddles. The replacement I bought matches the supposed specs (74mm post spacing) of the original, but it wouldn't seat at the necessary height, because the posts were catching on the inside of the holes.

It turns out that the studs are drilled about 2° outwards from parallel, and the Gotoh bridge was fitting either because of how loose the machining tolerance was, or because the holes in the bridge had a slight conical bore.

[Chris Pile]

How do you know the E and A strings wouldn't intonate? What device were you using to do this operation? What gauge of strings are you using?

[WildIsTheWind]

How do you know the E and A strings wouldn't intonate? What device were you using to do this operation? What gauge of strings are you using?

A strobe tuner and a screwdriver? .012s

I know it wouldn't intonate because when the saddles were set fully back, the 12th-fret harmonic and the fretted octave were still not lining up. It's not uncommon for tune-o-matic style bridges to need their lower 2 or 3 saddles reversed to allow the extra travel, it's just a feature that Gotoh unintentionally engineered away.

[Chris Pile]

Then a wider bridge with more travel is in order it seems. Also, has the string height at the nut been set properly with the guitar under string tension? If the strings are too high, they will tend to sound sharp.

[Rad]

What a shame, those studs should of course be vertical.  Find a quality bridge with slotted holes. I use a high end German ABM roller bridge on one of my Gretschs and it is slotted and has locking set screws. It is not cheap and generally must be ordered through Thomann in Europe. They are easy to deal with and shipping is actually as fast or faster than many domestic purchases I have done. 

It also has more adjustment travel than a regular TOM.  I needed that because the G string could not be intonated

[AlanSam]

It might be worth trying Thomann USA first?

https://www.thomannmusic.com/?partner_re...r_id=88388

[Rad]

I use the ABM 2400.  I have put them on a couple guitars with great success. I once ordered one from Thomann in Europe the same day I ordered parts from StewMac here in the States.  The bridge arrived  in less than a week, the StewMac order arrived a few days later...

[Lukew]

To answer your question, no, but I was wondering whether you tried to make the holes in the replacement bridge slightly larger to accommodate the angle of the posts?  You mention that you think the holes in the Gotoh bridge might be larger and that it why they fit.

I would also consider either talking to Eastman to see if they can do something about it, as it is a manufacturing fault, or even take it to a good luthier and get him to fit a new bridge for you.  

The other thing you might try is an Earvana compensated nut.  I put one on an Epiphone Dot and it intonates perfectly all over the neck and there is plenty of adjustment on the bridge for each string.  They are a high quality tusq material and available in black or ivory.