Bridge Change

[Eilif]

1987 Vintage Ernie Ball Musicman Silhouette guitar rare - eBay (item 280244659775 end time Jul-11-08 01:02:33 PDT)

I was looking at this old Silhouette (by the way, D.K., nice score! ) and saw that it is not strings-thru-the-body. I didn't realize that the old Silhouettes were built this way.

What does the current setup bring to the table vs. the old bridge where the strings didn't go through the body wood?

 

[D.K.]

Thanks a lot - I am also very happy I could find a silhouette as old and rare as this one!

Now, to Your question. Let me venture a guess - the more of the string's vibration goes through the body, the more the body swings with it and amplifies the oscillation of the strings, the longer the guitar "holds the tone" (the measure of "sustain"). That means there is more to "pick up" magnetically.

In terms of a feeling, the string-through-body bridge also differs form a stoptail mounted onto the body - for me, the latter gives a better picking control, as the strings seem to sit a bit stiffer in/on the bridge. At least that's how the Morse feels in comparison to the non-trem 20-th silo.

Also, AFAIK there was an issue with the licensing of guitar parts somewhere in the early months and years of EBMM, resulting in the dismissal of the Schaller pick-ups - so, maybe that was also one of the reasons why the schaller roller bridge was gone, too.