MannMade Virbrato bridge vs PRS trem bridge

[sergiodeblanc]

As a side note I'm interested to know if the Core models still use a US made bridge.

Dave Burrluck writing in Issue 439 (November 2018, page 30) of Guitarist says 'I can think of a prestigious US guitar company that no longer makes any of its bridges in the US. Yet I see endless forum posts about fitting that 'USA bridge' because it's better than the lower-level import bridges used on the brand's mid- and lower tier guitars. Perhaps both are made in the same factory. The difference is how they are made and their materials.'

He doesn't mention which guitar company he's referring to but I can think of one it might be.

John Mann's bridges are made in the USA btw so the above comments are about bridges fitted as OE.

Yeah, I’m kinda curious too. I know for a time (and it may well still be this way) the company Excel made their bridges.

No idea who makes them now, but I was slightly intrigued to know if there was a change when I received my White Westy. The arm that came with it was the same diameter as SE arms and when I inquired with Shawn about it, he said something about them reaming the trem bushing for US arms and something about “vendors”, which I assumed meant that perhaps there are more than one? I really didn’t feel cool about asking much more than that because of the whole gift horse and mouth thing....

I don’t really have much more than that to base any speculation on but, given the fact that manufacturers for tuners have changed a bunch of times, the general improvements made to the SE/S2 hardware (I’m lookin’ at you adjustable stoptail), the fact that there are some really legit looking aftermarket trems available on eBay now, and the fact that it would just make business sense to have more commonality of parts.... maybe that sh!t is made “offshore”?

Not that it’d be a big deal or anything, tuners were always mostly made outside of the US, and while technically true... the stuff made by Gotoh and Schaller hardly belongs in the same negative space of what most refer to as “import” hardware.

I guess we’ll never know, unless we ask.

 

[dogrocketp]

The big question is whether or not you're happy with the sound of your current bridge. I have an S2 that has the import bridge and screams. I also have an SE 24 that I put the milcom on and it improved the sound significantly. No change is automatically an improvement, but some definitely are an improvement.

 

[bodia]

In my mind there’s only two choices; the 2000 NOS and then everything else.

Lets say three choices on the outside chance we can convince him to do another batch of the 1980!

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Yeah, I’m kinda curious too. I know for a time (and it may well still be this way) the company Excel made their bridges.

No idea who makes them now, but I was slightly intrigued to know if there was a change when I received my White Westy. The arm that came with it was the same diameter as SE arms and when I inquired with Shawn about it, he said something about them reaming the trem bushing for US arms and something about “vendors”, which I assumed meant that perhaps there are more than one? I really didn’t feel cool about asking much more than that because of the whole gift horse and mouth thing....

I don’t really have much more than that to base any speculation on but, given the fact that manufacturers for tuners have changed a bunch of times, the general improvements made to the SE/S2 hardware (I’m lookin’ at you adjustable stoptail), the fact that there are some really legit looking aftermarket trems available on eBay now, and the fact that it would just make business sense to have more commonality of parts.... maybe that sh!t is made “offshore”?

Not that it’d be a big deal or anything, tuners were always mostly made outside of the US, and while technically true... the stuff made by Gotoh and Schaller hardly belongs in the same negative space of what most refer to as “import” hardware.

I guess we’ll never know, unless we ask.

We have it on good authority that the tuners are made by Gotoh. If the same company is making the trem bridge, then I think it’s safe to say that it will be well made.

I don’t own phase III tuners, but I have two sets of Gotoh tuners on guitars (both locking and non-locking). Absolutely no complaints, beautifully made and really smooth operating.

 

[sergiodeblanc]

Lets say three choices on the outside chance we can convince him to do another batch of the 1980!

He was ready to do another run a year or two ago and asked me to ask around and see if enough people wanted them... I did and maybe the demand wasn’t there..

 

[bodia]

He was ready to do another run a year or two ago and asked me to ask around and see if enough people wanted them... I did and maybe the demand wasn’t there..

I'd be down for 2, or maybe 3.

 

[dkilpatrick]

I believe that the Mann one-piece bridge is cast brass, then machined and plated.

Whichever way it’s produced, it’s a top quality bridge

 

[Casi1]

The MannMade NOS is sure to make a difference that you can feel and hear if you are going from an import bridge to this one.

I recently had a NOS bridge installed on a core PRS and didn’t notice as much of a difference. The main thing that jumped out at me was that the guitars tone became much brighter and it had more string definition. I have since sold that guitar (but I restored the core bridge ), and since I have more stoptails than trems now, I’m selling the NOS bridge.

 

[Tag]

We have it on good authority that the tuners are made by Gotoh.
.

Does this mean they are or are not made in the USA??

 

[dogrocketp]

Does this mean they are or are not made in the USA??

My understanding is that Sperzel, Waverly, and Hipshot are the only 3 who make tuners in the US these days. Please correct me if you know otherwise. The only tuners I use that are not PRS are Hipshot.

 

[dkilpatrick]

We have it on good authority that the tuners are made by Gotoh.

+1

 

[JimmyDee]

I've done two guitars with Mann 2000NOS bridges.

My CE24 made a noticable difference in sustain and tone.
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/2000nos-upgrade-and-a-few-other-mods.28321/

I liked it so much that I did my Tremonti SE as well.
I actually didn't even play the Tremonti with the old bridge, so I can't comment on before/after.
But, rest assured, the 2000NOS performs incredibly well on this guitar too!
https://forums.prsguitars.com/threads/ngd-tremonti-se-full-rebuild.30507/#post-390068

 

[Tag]

My understanding is that Sperzel, Waverly, and Hipshot are the only 3 who make tuners in the US these days. Please correct me if you know otherwise. The only tuners I use that are not PRS are Hipshot.

This means they are not?? Can we get a clear yes or no??

 

[dogrocketp]

Can anyone confirm?

 

[Alnus Rubra]

Does this mean they are or are not made in the USA??

I’m just saying the tuners are made by Gotoh, in what country I don’t know.

As far as the trem bridge is concerned, I only offered the hypothesis that if it were made by Gotoh that it would be well made. This is from personal experience of their products, which I’ve found to be good quality.

 

[dkilpatrick]

I’m just saying the tuners are made by Gotoh, in what country I don’t know.

As far as the trem bridge is concerned, I only offered the hypothesis that if it were made by Gotoh that it would be well made. This is from personal experience of their products, which I’ve found to be good quality.

I believe Gotoh tuners are made in Japan

 

[Alnus Rubra]

I believe Gotoh tuners are made in Japan

Wherever they are made, I like them!

 

[Outlier22]

The MannMade NOS is sure to make a difference that you can feel and hear if you are going from an import bridge to this one.

I recently had a NOS bridge installed on a core PRS and didn’t notice as much of a difference. The main thing that jumped out at me was that the guitars tone became much brighter and it had more string definition. I have since sold that guitar (but I restored the core bridge ), and since I have more stoptails than trems now, I’m selling the NOS bridge.

so I tried to send a private message but I think I may have posted this to your profile??? ...anyway, i'd be interested in your NOS bridge. How much are you selling it for?

 

[Casi1]

so I tried to send a private message but I think I may have posted this to your profile??? ...anyway, i'd be interested in your NOS bridge. How much are you selling it for?

Awww man... unfortunately a fellow poster beat you to the punch. The trem was packed up last night.

 

[Big Mike]

I haven’t met John yet, but my feeling from his posts is that he’s a straight-up good guy.

Good guys make good things.

I wore out the stock CU22 bridge on my 02. (Might have had some help from a bad tech). the knife edges were shot, and wouldn't return to pitch.

The 1 piece MANN was less expensive than the current Core 2 piece bridge, Improvement in tone is debatable.

Now I did once buy a used Std 24 that had a SE trem installed (someone changed it out for gold SE bridge...).
The change to the 1 piece mann there was significant in sustain. I also feel like it was more lively sounding.