Bridge Positioning/Installation

[Bucketheadtwo]

I'm currently in the organizing/drawboard-y stage of making my good ol' Ibanez GSA60 into a much sexier guitar. I'll be re-shaping the body into more of an ESP Horizon shape, filling in the middle pickup, and the trem cavity. Since I've decided against using a tremolo bridge, I'm either going to use a Hipshot or recess TOM + string-through bridge. For this, of course, that means I need to do some proper drilling to keep the bridge in place for proper scale length (25.5" in this case).
Now, the question is, where do I measure to on the bridge for positioning (saddles, saddles slots, etc.)?

1. For the TOM, do I need to push the saddles into a certain position and then measure them from there or do I measure just the cavity?
2. Does it need to be angled or perpendicular with the frets?
3. How deep do I recess for the TOM?
4. Where do I measure to for the Hipshot bridge's placement?
5. Would the Hipshot have to be at an angle?

Thanks in advance for dealing with my craziness

 

[Gregori]

I'll tell you what I know about installing a Fender-style bridge(which is what a hipshot is). You install the bridge perpendicular to the neck(no angle). Extend one saddle all of the way toward the nut and set the distance from that saddle to the nut at your scale length.

Now I haven't installed a TOM, but I believe that it does have to be at an angle. As for the routing depth, you can figure that out by lowering the bridge all of the way and measuring the distance from the bottom of the bushing flange(the thing the height adjustment posts screw into) to the saddle. Then measure from the top of the guitar to the top of the last fret. Then subtract that measurement from the other measurement. What you're left with is the difference between the 2, and the depth that you'll have to route.

I'll admit that I've never done that, but I'm pretty sure that method will work just fine. Someone please correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[OfArtAndArsenal]

In theory:
For the TOM you want the center of the treble side post to be about 25.5" from the nut and the bass side about 1/8" - 1/16" further. The hipshot you will want the mounting screws to be about 26.125" from the nut. You do not need to angle the hipshot.
In reality:
For whichever bridge you decide on, the best way to tell is to string up the two outside strings and secure them to the base of your guitar somehow. Try sandwiching them between two small scraps of wood and clamping them to the body. Take the bridge and move the high e saddle all the way forward minus a mm or two. Place the bridge under the strings so they fit into the outside saddles at the above dimensions. Tune high e string (don't worry about the low right now) to pitch and make sure it intonates. If not, move it forward or backward (depending on sharp or flat) a fuzz and try again.

 

[AwDeOh]

Both the above comments for routing depth and intonation work perfect. I'm all for setting the position based on a real world test of the intonation over what the measurement "should" be as the installation instructions suggest.

 

[Gregori]

Both the above comments for routing depth and intonation work perfect. I'm all for setting the position based on a real world test of the intonation over what the measurement "should" be as the installation instructions suggest.

I actually hadn't heard of that method until now. I'll have to use that next time I'm mounting the bridge, sounds safer.