Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

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cyberprimate
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Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by cyberprimate » Wed Apr 18, 2018 5:24 pm

Has anyone tried this idea?

https://store.factionguitars.com/produc ... ail-bridge

I don't understand "the holes will be hidden under the plate and won't intrude with the original vibrato, should you choose to revert back to the stock layout." Considering a typical Mustang body, i can only imagine the new bridge posts pointing towards the cavities for the springs, not actually wood… How could the bridge posts and the guitar body hold together?

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by Horsefeather » Wed Apr 18, 2018 6:44 pm

It looks like the new bridge post location might have them partially free floating in the existing vibrato routes maybe just a smidge but apparently not enough that they don't stay in place. I mean I assume these guys have tested the product before bringing it to market.

Is that what you're even asking about? It's not entirely clear.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by cyberprimate » Thu Apr 19, 2018 2:24 am

Thanks. Yes, it looks like it should work.

I wonder if the tremolo could still work. The distance is shorter but the string angle is steeper which is a good thing…

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by MechaBulletBill » Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:08 am

I think the conversion plate *assumes* that you've filled (or at least covering) the vibrato route. the only reason it's the same shape as the Stang vibrato plate is to cover that. Looks like it also assumes that you're gonna route for a JM/jag vibrato or another tailpiece further down the body (for a Belinda-style full-length on a stang body) as there seems to be no way to fit a floating stang tailpiece to the conversion plate?

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by Stereordinary » Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:05 am

I believe it was designed for using with a wraparound bridge.
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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by Horsefeather » Thu Apr 19, 2018 10:08 am

I don't think it would work well with the stock vibrato configuration if you tried to retrofit it back in. The extreme break angle over the stock bridge down to the tailpiece would put a whole lot of forward pressure on the bridge and probably render its intended free floating nature impossible to achieve.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by Strider13 » Fri Apr 20, 2018 10:00 am

Stereordinary wrote:
Thu Apr 19, 2018 8:05 am
I believe it was designed for using with a wraparound bridge.
Paul is correct, the intention was for the plate to be used with a wraparound bridge that has 3.25" post spacing. By moving the bridge back to work with a 25.5" scale neck, I didn't figure there would be enough room for the Mustang style vibrato to work properly. I was also concerned with the 2.875" post spacing on a Mustang bridge not leaving much wood for the bridge thimbles to fit into anyways. So it made sense to make the bridge a Gibson wraparound style in order to get things to work properly.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by threewordname » Sat Apr 21, 2018 3:56 am

MechaBulletBill wrote:
Thu Apr 19, 2018 4:08 am
I think the conversion plate *assumes* that you've filled (or at least covering) the vibrato route. the only reason it's the same shape as the Stang vibrato plate is to cover that. Looks like it also assumes that you're gonna route for a JM/jag vibrato or another tailpiece further down the body (for a Belinda-style full-length on a stang body) as there seems to be no way to fit a floating stang tailpiece to the conversion plate?
You could use a drill press to drill a larger hole than you need, dowel it, then drill your bridge mounting holes. This would fill part of the trem route and give you enough support for a rocking bridge.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by JagInTheBag » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:07 am

Instead of going through all this ass ache, just buy a G&L SC-2. They have USA and Tribute models to choose from.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by vandahm » Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:31 pm

JagInTheBag wrote:
Sat Apr 21, 2018 8:07 am
Instead of going through all this ass ache, just buy a G&L SC-2. They have USA and Tribute models to choose from.
From looking at pictures of the SC-2, it doesn't look like it uses Mustang pickups or switching and, aside from the outline of the body, it doesn't look like a Mustang. If you want an SC-2, then it seems like a good guitar. But if you want a 25.5" scale Mustang, it's way easier to install the conversion plate on a Mustang body than it would be to take a G&L SC-2 and modify it to resemble a Mustang.

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by cyberprimate » Mon Apr 23, 2018 4:39 pm

G1L guitars are great but it's a Mustang I own that I want to convert.

By the way, forgive my ignorance but do I need to use a specific neck or will a standard Strat neck do the job?

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Re: Mustang 25.5” Scale Conversion Plate

Post by Strider13 » Tue Apr 24, 2018 6:30 am

cyberprimate wrote:
Mon Apr 23, 2018 4:39 pm
By the way, forgive my ignorance but do I need to use a specific neck or will a standard Strat neck do the job?
Any standard 25.5" scale Stratocaster or Jazzmaster neck should work with the conversion plate. Basically any 25.5" scale neck with a rounded heel.
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