Amazing and timely video for me. I am at the beginning stages of building a neck- through with a TOM bridge and this solves an issue for me. Kudos.

Good video, some good information, and I am definitely a fan of mounting these styles of bridges in this manner. Mounting a bridge and tail piece that was taken off of a 78 or 79 LP onto a custom build for the owner of that LP was the inspiration behind one of our proprietary design bridge and tail sets, which has no grown into, because of that inspiration, for individual designs.

Great tips as always Chris! Thanks buddy 🎸🎸👍, Hope you get 30,000 soon you deserve it bro!

Really cool!! My 2009 Carvin has a bridge like this. They use to tilt the neck until some years ago they switched to the recessed style.

You can also use an inexpensive, but more precise and more accurate, small device called an, "edgefinder," that fits in your spindle (they come in 1/4", 3/8", or 1/2" diameters (metric sizes also, and years ago I saw a 5/8"), and these make it extremely quick and easy to accurately locate your instrument, centerline, and check alignment to your X and/or Y axis. Even more precision and accuracy can be achieved using an indicator, of which there are numerous types, and numerous ways to properly utilize them. Great video! I'd done this once, many years ago, and completely forgotten about it. Yeah, having my CNC vertical mill is absolutely going to make that job quicker, more accurate, a LOT cleaner, and safer. I think that would look incredible on the Flying V I'm building. It's more the vintage style body lines, like the ones KK Downing, or Micheal Schenker, used, but more modern amenities, like 24 SS jumbo frets, Hipshot locking tuners, 7 piece multi-laminate neck, not sure about the pickups though... Great idea to sink the tune-a-matic, just don't let an authentic playing Gibson Les Paul purist see that...

Great idea, and great to watch it play out. I don’t have a CNC machine (just a simple hobbyist here), but I can still apply these ideas to hand tools (it just takes a bit longer!). Thanks for not being a screamer, a smart-ass, or a know-it-all; there are waaaay too many of those guys on KZfaq. Also, it’s refreshing to see some original designs, not the trifecta of Strat, Tele, and Les Paul. Subscribed!

As always, great video buddy. Thanks for the insight and inspiration. !!!!

This video answered 2 questions I had. Thank you!

for anyone wanting to do this at home without a cnc or router: use a drill press and a forstner bit. use the bit do drill multiple shallow holes from one end of the pocket to the other, then just clean up the sides with a chisel. im in the process of building a tele with a tunomatic bridge and this is how i did it

Great video. I really am surprised the recessed TOM isn’t more popular, although it seems to be picking up steam. I’ve been playing TOM bridge equipped guitars my whole life, it’s what feels right to me. But I also prefer the weight and ergonomics of light Strat type bodies. Recessed TOM to the rescue. I’m planning a build right now with this bridge option.

Great video and I want one for my next guitar. I’ll take that one!

Hi Chris, very useful video. It’s making me think about different options for an old buggered up Warmoth LP style from the late 80s. I want to replace the standard scale neck with a 24.75” scale. It has a S style hard tail bridge, so I’m hoping I can use the existing string thru holes and back ferrules and then position a routed tune a matic a little closer to the bridge pickup. To compensate scale length. I messed up the neck pocket with a router back then not knowing about templates. But a couple of custom made templates and a block of mahogany to glue in I think I can fix the scale length from both ends. It won’t be look perfect but it should perform better. Thanks Chris

Did not know that you needed to pound those posts in and it was bothering the hell outta me. Building my first guitar and bit off more than I could chew haha Thanks this was very helpful.

I recessed the posts on a tuneomatic using a roundover bit one time. Looks different and performs just like you were saying.

I have done the recess with a router and template. Very easy to do once the template is made. Even on a carved top. I really would like a CNC I'm just completely out of room with some of the machines I've picked up lately.

Very good video 👍that’s exactly what I was looking for

This video deserves more likes!

Chris, great video regarding using tune-o-matic bridges that got me thinking. I'm building my 1st guitar from scratch and plan to use a hybrid neck thru/set neck design very similar to the PVX neck design. I was planning on using a tune-o-matic bridge and keeping the neck parallel to the body. To address the tune-o-matic ~1/2" height, I was planning to use a 3/8" vs 1/4" fretboard with jumbo frets to raise the neck/fretboard height to match the bridge. Is this another good option or do you foresee any issues with this approach? Thank you.

I am planning on doing this on my next build.

It looks very good. How difficult is it to get to the saddle intonation screws?

I have been wondering about this, except I am curious about making the fretboard level with the guitar body also. It seems like you would get more tones from the woods if the strings were closer to the body

A bolt-on neck=easy to set the neck pitch with a shim, set necks, not so much, but some companies like ESP do countersink their TOM's for a nice, clean look.

Very interesting, thanks.

Wow, awesome thanks

Thanks, a great idea :) I hate how high is the TOM compared to the body and all the problems of the design it has. Recessing is fixing a few of them. But there are still a lot of cons to it compared to the hardtails like hipshot and similar. Cheers :)

Thank you very much for your video. It is extremely useful. I have a question. How do you calculate the correct depth of the bridge depth?

Interesting process! Do you have a video on recessing the volume and tone controls and why it’s necessary. If not, that might make a good one. Thanks!

I have no experience with TOM bridges, so a question out of ignorance: are there any posts available for TOM bridges without the thumb wheels, given that they are slotted at the top and so can still be adjusted for height with a screwdriver? Eliminating the thumb wheel should shave off a few millimeters, which might be all you need to lower the profile of the bridge such that there is no need to recess it. Does anyone know of such an option?

Thank you for a video! Very useful ! I'm just planning to recess tunomatic into telly. One quiestion: what do you use for string-through ferrules on top side ? really like the idea...

Got me thinking of trying this with my Flying V bass. Way too high action and I'm adjusted to the limit. Even shaved the neck pocket.

How do the strings exit the holes on top, is there another “ gadget” as such and do you have the Feral’s on the back for the strings to bed into, hopefully you can decifer what I’m asking 😃thanks really appreciate your vid, just the info I was after

How deep do you route your neck pockets in comparison to your heel to get a nice low action ?

I have a Sx Chinese strat it has a 13 radius and a tune o matic with tail peice. The neck looks just like a strat

Is there any Lp style guitars that has recessed bridge?

hi chris! clever idea. question for you about a bridge that sits too low. even with adjusting screws all the down (highest saddle position) the strings still rest on the fret board. would it make better sense to raise the bridge, shave the neck to lower it in the neck pocket, or take some material out of the neck pocket itself to bring the neck down. i appreciate your input!

What depth would be appropriate to rout? I have a JM style with a S style tremolo/bridge.

Thanks this is what I needed . Question would this eliminate the need for the angled back headstock also ?

Great video, and great content as a whole. Thanks for the videos! I'm starting my first build very soon. I'm doing a 58 V replica, and I already have a template. I'm at the point of buying all of my parts now, and I would prefer to build it with a Fender style bridge. Do you have any recommendations on how I need/should modify the template? For example, the neck would no longer need to be at an angle(?), so what would be the most efficient way to go about changing the design? I'm brand new, so please forgive my ignorance :) TIA

Excellent idea and solution - was looking for such a remedy. How did you know how deep to make the recess?

Brilliant

Just watched recessing a ton bridge , you spoke on how the post are still adjustable because they're slotted , how does the recess effect the individual saddle adjustment ?

I have just ordered a Fishman TOM power-bridge and it is going in a new slab body that I am building. I have been thinking about doing the recess thing and this video just confirmed it :), Thank you, by the way, what is or how do you know what depth to make the recess. Nope, I don't have a CNC, just a couple of handheld routers.

Very cool, what make and model is your cnc, looks like a good unit.

This is pretty sweet....! Who'd of thunk...!? 😀

Just wondering how accessable are the intonation screws this way?

Chris to attempt putting a TOM on a strat body how deep would you say that I would have to recess it? and good video by the way!

So is the hardtail a much better design than the TOM? What about if you wanted to do a flat neck with a carved top and still put the TOM, do you still need to recess it? sorry for my ignorance.

Have you seen how the strings seem to just hover on Wes Montgomery's guitar on youtube(string gauges (058-15 flats). That means well below specs and Id bet Wes would have liked that on those long scale L-5's. Also GB's guitars were set up with no relief and very just above frets from top to bottom on his stage guitars.

Would it take too much sustain away if you shaved the bridge?

Question: Is there a mathematical formula for how far back from the bridge you drill the string-through holes? Also, I've seen them staggered, at an angle, straight and curved like you did, is there some rhyme or reason for this? I ask because I'd like to match the curve of the back of my guitar but I've only installed Fender-type bridges, this will be my first Tune-o-matic and I love your recess idea, I'm going to do that for sure (although I'll have to do it without a CNC)...Great videos, you're my #1 go-to for instructional vids, especially all your finishing ones (would love it if you did a video on apply solid colors? )

Hi Chris, thank you for sharing. Which posts are those?

Hello Chris. Quick question. How much do you typically offset the bass side of the bridge (from perpendicular to the guitar's centre line) to create the angle to help with intonation? I've heard anything from 3 to 6mm. I also like the curved ferrule pattern. If you don't have a jig to do them 100% straight (like me) that method is way more forgiving and looks way better. Thank you.

Can you talk about how the decision of whether to angle the neck pocket or recess the bridge would play out, on a 72 deluxe, with t-o-m, where the objective is to be able to switch to a vibramate/bigsby if the mood strikes? (Primary configuration would be the regular TOM/stop tail, but want to be able to switch if a band situation needs a bigsby some of the time.)

Are there any differences in tone between stop tail tune-o-matic bridge vs string through hardtail bridge?

I thought I was crazy when I did this. Just couldn’t get the action low enough without shimming the neck

Nice. How did you compute the depth of the recess?

what happened to your recent video on the bass guitar you were starting ?im assumming they didnt like the wording of the video ,went to watch and removed maybe just reword the title was looking forward to it

What do you do for dust control on your CNC? I have one, use my shop vac manually as it runs. Have considered a boot, you? Love your info!!

hi! what is the depth for de bridge?

Seems like way more work than just filing the bridge itself. I have lowered tunomatic bridges by filing in 10 mins. Unless its stainless steel it is pretty simple to use a hand file.

Great info but most people dont have a CNC machine.

Interesting - but if you are planning to recess the bridge or set he neck flat, wouldn't it make sense to either prepare the template - the one you use for the neck and pick-up routing - which would be easier to do before you commence the build and the carved top or, if you are using CNC, have that recess added to the template so its all done at the same time. Then you don't have to refinish that recess either... As an afterthought, I can see why you have issues with regular templates on a carved top but if you had planned this from the start, it would make sense to adapt the existing template if that's what you use for neck pocket and Pup cavities before you carved...

Did you move you shop from your garage to your basement?

Hi Chris, I only build thru necks & don;t like the idea of back angle ( Gibson owners who have dropped their guitars will tell you why). I wanted a bigsby on my 4th build & ToM roller bridge was most logical choice. This was a no brainer & it was easy to cut rebates for wires( earth soldered to bottom of post) before gluing the body wings on. One big annoyance I have with Bigsby is why do they have a stop to prevent the arm coming across the top of the strings? Surprised me to see "made by Fender" on the Bigsby box! greetings from downunder, Kiwi

What was the frothing your route?

A lot of trouble for a badly designed bridge...ever try a Babicz? The OEM type would probably have worked and looked 100% better...IMO.

That made me nervous when i saw that collet get so close to the edge or the route on the wood.

this is a bit crazy

I can't stand the feel of the high sitting TOM's, just uncomfortable to me. This would be a game changer :)