Prepare yourself for the Schaller Hannes 8string bridge
- Thread starter ikarus
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So Schaller enforces their exclusive licensing of the Hannes design? SHOCKING 
That said given Schaller seems to be steadily adding options to the Hannes I'd be surprised if 7 and 8 string versions don't come out eventually.
That said given Schaller seems to be steadily adding options to the Hannes I'd be surprised if 7 and 8 string versions don't come out eventually.
HighGain510
Contributor
As for the bridge, it's a good unit for sure - it's obviously not the good old "heavenly choir starts singing the moment you play a guitar with one" nonsense, but then again nothing really fits that category outside of hype.
I lol'd!
Fred the Shred
Shrederick
So Schaller enforces their exclusive licensing of the Hannes design? SHOCKING
That said given Schaller seems to be steadily adding options to the Hannes I'd be surprised if 7 and 8 string versions don't come out eventually.
You know that isn't the real issue here, man. If such things were to be offered as commercially available products, it would be obviously correct from Schaller to intervene. As long as that isn't the case, it's pretty pointless - not that the suit would fly, but it's clearly a simple matter of knowing a small guitar builder can't afford the massive legal costs.
Their current MO is to proactively proceed to a) threaten to bring an immediate lawsuit, b) blacklist the guy who did the mods so that no Hannes spares can be purchased from Graphtech.
You're welcome to disagree, but this is as out of place as me getting sued by DiMarzio because I got a luthier to fit aftermarket covers on a uncovered set.
Totenkampf
Member
I was actually enquiring about buying loose bridge arms yesterday so i dont have to buy seven 6 string hannes to make six 7 strings and was told by Roland himself to expect the 7 and 8 string hannes from schaller as early as next month. i can wait but i was fully prepared to start drilling on some stuff.
i have played the 6 sting version on a carvin hardtail and the sustain increase was noticable, they are as comfortable as the hipshot that was on my schecter devil spine-8 and i do think they look cool. i also believe that the way the strings terminate at the string ball plate helps with this resonance and its also nice that you can ground there instead of at the bridge mounting screws.
the reason that there is some play in between the arms is so that you can angle the bridge for better intonation much like you might a TOM type. The arms themselves dont adjust forward and backward as much as i would like but rolands says that you can sand down the back of the arm for some flexibility. its the same material as a tusq nut so it sands easily.
what i would like to find is someone who will sell be the schaller stuff in the alternate finishes other than gold black and chrome, their global distrubtors have pretty much all told me they arent interested and i actually showed up on allparts doorstep to ask...they dont like that btw
i have played the 6 sting version on a carvin hardtail and the sustain increase was noticable, they are as comfortable as the hipshot that was on my schecter devil spine-8 and i do think they look cool. i also believe that the way the strings terminate at the string ball plate helps with this resonance and its also nice that you can ground there instead of at the bridge mounting screws.
the reason that there is some play in between the arms is so that you can angle the bridge for better intonation much like you might a TOM type. The arms themselves dont adjust forward and backward as much as i would like but rolands says that you can sand down the back of the arm for some flexibility. its the same material as a tusq nut so it sands easily.
what i would like to find is someone who will sell be the schaller stuff in the alternate finishes other than gold black and chrome, their global distrubtors have pretty much all told me they arent interested and i actually showed up on allparts doorstep to ask...they dont like that btw
downburst82
Well-Known Member
Ya I know its not plastic, I use graphtech stuff on most of my guitars (the company is actually based out of Delta which is less than an hour from me). I was joking because someone else had claimed it was made out of mainly plastic. My one question still stands though? anyone know the best term for the material graphtech stuff is made from?
Maybe I will have to take a trip out to there offices and ask them to spill all there secrets to me!!
JaeSwift
Of Blood and Sawdust
Ya I know its not plastic, I use graphtech stuff on most of my guitars (the company is actually based out of Delta which is less than an hour from me). I was joking because someone else had claimed it was made out of mainly plastic. My one question still stands though? anyone know the best term for the material graphtech stuff is made from?
Maybe I will have to take a trip out to there offices and ask them to spill all there secrets to me!!
I recall them describing it as graphite with a teflon coating; though it's not just a coating because its actually in the material itself.
You're welcome to disagree, but this is as out of place as me getting sued by DiMarzio because I got a luthier to fit aftermarket covers on a uncovered set.
Errr... That's not even at all the same thing.
If a luthier is copying Schaller's bridge design and appropriating it for use on a guitar that will be a commercial product (it is an instrument being built for a paying customer after all) - then that's the very definition of using someone else's intellectual property for commercial purposes. A lot of manufacturers may turn a blind eye to that kind of thing (for instance, welding two OFRs together to make an 8-string Floyd) when its a one-off some guy built for himself but i think Schaller is being quite diligent about it because they are trying to protect their share of the market - especially if they're planning on releasing a 7/8 string Hannes bridge soon.
Errr... That's not even at all the same thing.
It seems pretty similar to me. It's not like a luthier would be putting the covers on free of charge.
angus
Well-Known Member
As much as it sounds dickish, Schaller are right to protect their patent (or patent applied for). There is plenty of precedent, especially in the music realm, for problems incurred by not protecting your patent rights.
Why they don't do licensing deals for 7 and 8 strings, I don't really understand, but that's another story.
My point was that Skervesen just reposted a picture of a guitar someone else made, so it has nothing to do with them specifically. Skervesen aren't using the bridges or making guitars involved in the bridges, so their name isn't involved in this story.
Why they don't do licensing deals for 7 and 8 strings, I don't really understand, but that's another story.
My point was that Skervesen just reposted a picture of a guitar someone else made, so it has nothing to do with them specifically. Skervesen aren't using the bridges or making guitars involved in the bridges, so their name isn't involved in this story.
SkullCrusher
Well-Known Member
Is that Dildo Shaggins chum?
Totenkampf
Member
i wonder just how far that all goes. i can understand wanting to protect the technology but if someone purchased a couple bridges and then reused the parts to make one bridge that had three or more custom pieces on it then i would think there wouldnt be an issue...i mean schaller sold two bridges right? maybe reality doesnt work that way but if i am a big company and someone want to buy my product and resell a modifcation to it then who cares, i made my money right? now if crates of chinese tusq type swingarms start showing up then we have a problem
Zehailiu
Well-Known Member
I don't personally agree with that kind of business practice.
If you make a good product, you should be rewarded for it, that's fine.
But once you win some market share, and start to stagnate and stop innovating, then someone else takes your design farther than you intended, to fill a bigger market niche, then you shouldn't be sueing them, you should be trying to take that idea and taking it further still. That's how technology progresses and consumers benefit.
Companies sitting on a pile of patents and doing nothing with them, and ferociously sueing the absolute piss out of anyone else who tries to, stops innovation and hurts consumers, and it makes you look like a enormous tool. *cough apple cough*.
If you make a good product, you should be rewarded for it, that's fine.
But once you win some market share, and start to stagnate and stop innovating, then someone else takes your design farther than you intended, to fill a bigger market niche, then you shouldn't be sueing them, you should be trying to take that idea and taking it further still. That's how technology progresses and consumers benefit.
Companies sitting on a pile of patents and doing nothing with them, and ferociously sueing the absolute piss out of anyone else who tries to, stops innovation and hurts consumers, and it makes you look like a enormous tool. *cough apple cough*.
Ben.Last
Formerly Lern2Swim
And, as I'm known to point out, this is another example of how copyright/trademark law is a fucking mess right now.
I'm sorry, retrofitting 8 of Schaller's bridge pieces into a custom made back piece should not be call for legal action. As has been stated, it's not as though the company was mass producing these to sell.
I'm sorry, retrofitting 8 of Schaller's bridge pieces into a custom made back piece should not be call for legal action. As has been stated, it's not as though the company was mass producing these to sell.
guy in latvia
Well-Known Member
I have personally contacted Schaller on several occasions to ask for 7 and 8 string gear, unfortunately their current business model is only targeted at 6 string guitars.
It really sucks because Schaller bridges are awesome. The hannes bridge and the Schaller tremolo are really flagship market leading models and it pisses me off to have to use gear, other than what I prefer. Hope they change their mind soon. At least no regrets when going fanned fret, no alternative to using single saddles per string.
It really sucks because Schaller bridges are awesome. The hannes bridge and the Schaller tremolo are really flagship market leading models and it pisses me off to have to use gear, other than what I prefer. Hope they change their mind soon. At least no regrets when going fanned fret, no alternative to using single saddles per string.
Originally Posted by JaeSwift
Errr, it's the same material as Graphtech's String Saver saddles AFAIK, which are phenomenal upgrades over any other type of saddles IMO. I had a 6er with graphtech saddles and a graphtech nut and it resonated very, very nicely. Before I changed the saddles and nut, the nut was plastic and the saddles were solid steel. Needless to say, a lot suckier than Graphtech stuff.
So yea, definitely not just ''plastic''.
There are many types of plastics, as is the case with graphites - which isn't baked clay, as some may think (one graphite example is circoniom-oxide)
Interestingly, Graphtec makes products from both graphites, resins and teflons.
The Hannes bridge was designed by, well, Hannes, a designer, who believes that strings should be anchored directly to the body, while using a low-weight, low-resonant saddle, resting directly on the body via two height-adjustment screws.
This would be preferable to the more classic more massy bridge/saddle approach, where the saddle usually rests on the complete bridge, which is then mounted onto the body.
The rationale is that any bridge/saddle will vibrate with the strings.
Vibrations can only occur by stealing energy from the vibrating string, so reducing the saddle mass, while using a low-weight material, also having low resonance properties, would allow the string to vibrate more freely, and with longer sustain.
I haven't tried those as yet, so I can't testify to how they work in real life.
The Hannes saddles, AFAIR, are made from teflon, but which specific teflon I don't know.
I don't remember if the bridge part is also made from this, or if they use some carbon/resin/teflon.
Also note that the saddles are hinged, greatly easing string replacements, as you'll simply flip-up the saddle.
It's interesting to note that some old-school ToM's used a semi-heavy bridge with thin, pointy, low-weight, low-resonance saddles, made from some fibre (don't know which), which would likely produce semilar results as the Hannes, while using either a heavy tailpiece or through-body as the solid anchor.
Errr, it's the same material as Graphtech's String Saver saddles AFAIK, which are phenomenal upgrades over any other type of saddles IMO. I had a 6er with graphtech saddles and a graphtech nut and it resonated very, very nicely. Before I changed the saddles and nut, the nut was plastic and the saddles were solid steel. Needless to say, a lot suckier than Graphtech stuff.
So yea, definitely not just ''plastic''.
Ya I know its not plastic, I use graphtech stuff on most of my guitars (the company is actually based out of Delta which is less than an hour from me). I was joking because someone else had claimed it was made out of mainly plastic. My one question still stands though? anyone know the best term for the material graphtech stuff is made from?
Maybe I will have to take a trip out to there offices and ask them to spill all there secrets to me!!
There are many types of plastics, as is the case with graphites - which isn't baked clay, as some may think
(one graphite example is circoniom-oxide)Interestingly, Graphtec makes products from both graphites, resins and teflons.
The Hannes bridge was designed by, well, Hannes, a designer, who believes that strings should be anchored directly to the body, while using a low-weight, low-resonant saddle, resting directly on the body via two height-adjustment screws.
This would be preferable to the more classic more massy bridge/saddle approach, where the saddle usually rests on the complete bridge, which is then mounted onto the body.
The rationale is that any bridge/saddle will vibrate with the strings.
Vibrations can only occur by stealing energy from the vibrating string, so reducing the saddle mass, while using a low-weight material, also having low resonance properties, would allow the string to vibrate more freely, and with longer sustain.
I haven't tried those as yet, so I can't testify to how they work in real life.
The Hannes saddles, AFAIR, are made from teflon, but which specific teflon I don't know.
I don't remember if the bridge part is also made from this, or if they use some carbon/resin/teflon.
Also note that the saddles are hinged, greatly easing string replacements, as you'll simply flip-up the saddle.
It's interesting to note that some old-school ToM's used a semi-heavy bridge with thin, pointy, low-weight, low-resonance saddles, made from some fibre (don't know which), which would likely produce semilar results as the Hannes, while using either a heavy tailpiece or through-body as the solid anchor.
Miek
POSTING ON INTERNET
Are you thinking of the old nylon saddles on the TOMs? Those things are cool.
UnderTheSign
Well-Known Member
Yeah, might be because we're in the EU but Schaller stuff is just as expensive if not cheaper than Hipshot.
Apart from the price, I prefer it over the Hipshot bridge because of the overall feel and look. Like Fred said it's nothing out of the world but IMO it's a very solid bridge.
JaeSwift
Of Blood and Sawdust
This pretty much confirms my theory that anything German made (ENGL) is more expensive in the US while anything from any other country is cheaper there
Sepultorture
Murder Machine
so i'm guessing the hannes 7 and 8 strings bridge were no shows at NAMM
google shows me notta
google shows me notta
