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Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Hi all - my first post.
I bought my dream guitar in 1979 (used)
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As you can see it is no longer original. I had a refret a few years ago - and unfortunatley the electronics died. A botched attempt by a luthier to repair them failed and I moved to passive humbuckers with split coils.
My main problem with the guitar is that it has no sustain - notes die very quickly. I am hoping that there is perhaps a setup problem that causes this..if so I would be grateful or some advice on fixing..
Alternatively I am considering some major investment and install a new bridge - assuming that this might improve sustain , new pickguard and some Gibson 57 Humbuckers. Whay bridge would fit? and would it improve sustain?
Is a new bridge possible? I am sure the current nylon bridge pieces suck sustain out...
I still love this guitar - it looks gorgeous - even if it is getting worn - it is light weight - and still very cool. I just wish it had the sustain of my PRS SC...
Hope u can help... |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Hey Jedi
That's a beauty
Welcome to the Club
No better info available on the Planet than here.
I have a number of these beasts BWs and Deacons
There a couple of choices of original type bridges.
Similar to what you have but with the gold metal saddles and then the all metal later Schaller bridge
What are the pups you have installed?
AJ |
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June 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Cheap Schaller vintage 50 or someting like that..do you think the bridge upgrade would fix my sustain problem? if so appreciate a tip on where i could buy one..Would a Gibson style bridge work? |
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Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Mate!!
Where in Oz are you?
I actually didn't read your sig when I replied
AJ |
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Posts: 498
| sustain issues can be a result of a number of factors. grooved and worn nut, grooved and worn saddles, break angle at the saddle, and loose connection at the neck, your BW has the oldest type of bridge/saddle combination with the nylon saddles.
also when Ovation assembled these guitars the neck was not only set in with the screw tension via the #10 machine screws and neckplate, they also glued the necks in with a piece of paper floated in the glue, the combination of screwed and glued helped with the sonic transfer from the neck to the body of the guitar. so if your guitar was re-assembled or if the neck has been removed you might want to glue it in as well.
the newer style Bridges had Brass saddles, and the newest version were cast and plated brass, I would think that you would get better sustain from the newer style bridges.
contact: Mwoody here on the board... (Mike),
or CrimsonLake also (Mike)
they each have an assortment of the older bridges and should be able to help you out.
Glenn |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | I have an assortment as well, so can probably help.
What Glenn said is good info
Hey Glenn , How you doing?
AJ |
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Posts: 498
| Hi AJ, I'm tired, but happy. Char is home, and is recovering a little more each day. she is getting home health care from the hospital, as well as home Occupational therapy, and physical therapy.
it's a two steps forward and one step back type of progress, and is very frustrating and taxing both on her and I, but she is making visible progress every day.
Thanks for asking.
Glenn |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | GH, glad hear some positives!
I would:
- Re-fasten the neck with the fore mentioned white glue and paper - a small area between the bolts. I like to place a scripture in there myself.
- Change out to the Schaller one-piece Bridge and make sure that your threaded posts and sockets are tight. If they aren't you may want to reset them so that they are "TIGHT"!
Do you like your pickups? If not there are a lot of "mini's" around that could yeild excellent results. Seymour Duncan has a few.
Do you still have your old pups and electronics?
Off hand, on ebay you could get $100 for your nylon bridge, $100 per pickup and $50 for your NF electronics!
Probably pay for the new bridge and pickups.
And Welcome! |
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Posts: 7247
Location: The Great Pacific Northwest | A simple mid-step is to just upgrade the saddles or get a brass bridge. The newer Schaller style is fine, but the same bridge you have with brass saddles instead of nylon is my favorite.
The nylon saddles seem to work much better on the Breadwinners with the large single coil pickups and the pre-amp. That combination works. OTher than that, the brass saddles is the way to go. |
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Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Thanks everyone for your comments. To respond - I am in Brisbane so would appreciate the name of a luthier you would recommend that would be great.
Yes I have all the original parts but would prefer to hang on to them.
I imagine the neck was removed for the refret so will get it redone with the new bridge and pickups.
Aussie James if you have a brass saddles/bridge I am keen to talk to you. Am PM ing you. |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Damon did a lot of research to find someone to fix his Mosrite. Apparently, there are only 2 people in the world good enough to do the work, and one of them is in Brisbane. Lucky you! :D
I know Damon recommended him for work on a Mosrite, but I'm sure he'd be able to do some magic on an O solid body.
Tim Brennan
TYM Guitars
33 Fern Street
Buranda, Brisbane
QLD, Australia, 4102
Good luck.
5 active Australian members, 4 of them in SE Qld. Welcome. Hope you hang around. I don't know if AJ will be much help for you over the next few days/weeks as he's heading OS to meet some of the American members.
We're looking to arrange a get-together when he returns. |
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Posts: 2985
Location: Sydney, Australia | Jedistar,
Welcome to the OFC. As Muzza said, we seem to be gaining a critical mass around the Brissy area. Once that happens there will be Ovation fans coming out of the woodwork everywhere! |
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Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | If the pickups are too close to the strings, the magnetic field can kill sustain. Moving the pickups further away can help a lot. If the pickups are cheap, you could have a simple hardware problem.
Going to a low magnetic field pickup can help a lot, as well as just changing to a better pickup. DiMarzio makes an "Air Jordan" line of pickups that have an air gap built in to reduce the field. I've got a couple of them, plus one of their low magnetic field strat pickups. They all have a strong output for a passive pickup, and sound great with very good sustain. |
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Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | Correction: Air Norton, not Air Jordan! |
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Posts: 3736
Location: Sunshine State, Australia | Looks like we lost him already. :rolleyes: |
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June 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Hey - still here. Will have a look at the pick up height thing. Does anyone here experience a problem with their BW with nylon saddles? |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Jedi
I'm off to the US in the morning for 3 weeks.
We'll have to touch base when I get back and organise a get together with Muz and Richard(s).
Hey Muz, I didn't know about that guy in Buranda, that's only a stones throw from me.
I'll check him out when I get back.
AJ |
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June 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Well I've gone and bought some Seymour Duncan JBs on eBay - hopefully they will work well with the Breadwinner ..Is Aussie James back yet?
Is a Gibson Les Paul type bridge an option on a Breadwinner? |
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Posts: 4081
Location: Utah | NO, don't do that! There are original metal saddle bridges available, and that is what I would put on. Besides, the body is routed and drilled for the original bridge and I doubt another brand or style would cover it up.
Is your bridge at the correct angle? Is the bridge hardware attached to the body properly? Are the nut slots the correct width (not tight, but not loose)? Is the neck tightly attached to the body? Are the tuners snugly attached to the headstock? Are the strings new and of decent quality? How about the electronics? Are the pots, switches, and capacitors proper for the pickups? |
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Posts: 1132
Location: NW Washington State | DON'T PUT A GIBSON BRIDGE ON YOUR BREADWINNER IF IT REQUIRES ANY MODIFICATION TO THE BODY!!!
There, I feel better now. Check out everything FlySig has suggested, then post in the For Sale question for a replacement Ovation bridge. Several people here have spares. You might like to try one with brass saddles or the later all-metal version.
The Duncans should be OK if that's what you like. Your guitar might have originally had humbucker-sized single coils with chrome covers.
-Steve W. |
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Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | His fingers may be numb but his mind is as sharp as ever!
Some Gibson style one piece bridges actually do fit but yours isn't really broken yet so why do it.
Do you want to restore it to original?
I am in possession of some parts and what looks to be a repairable BW/Deacon/PD active board and may be able to "renovate" your Breadweiner.
Steve - expect some email! |
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Let me confuse things a little more by adding some options. But with yours, you need to restore it.
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December 2003
Posts: 13997
Location: Upper Left USA | Eventually you will want to be holding an early Breadwinner after being "lei'd" like this semi famous and happy guy:
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Yes I'm back now.
Mike that's the model I'm looking for the jack plate and pup screws for.
AJ |
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June 2008
Posts: 6
Location: Australia | Originally posted by MWoody:
Eventually you will want to be holding an early Breadwinner after being "lei'd" like this semi famous and happy guy:
Has Tym worked on BW's? |
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June 2007
Posts: 3084
Location: Brisbane Australia | Tym has one of my Vipers at the moment.
Jedi give me a shoutvia email or PM
You can have a look at the stuff I've got.
What original pups are yours?
AJ |
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Breadwinner rebirth - help needed