American craftmanship at it's finest

[Christian Johnson]

Bridge reglue for a 1960s F##@@r King. Pulled the bridge off and look, ma, 12 holes. Either they were drilled in the wrong location, or they drilled it for 12 strings. Someone also modified the bridge for adjustable saddles. Crazy.

[Christian Johnson]

It gets better. There's no bridge plate. Just glued to the top with only braces (many of them) holding it stable. Unbelievable.

[Bob Webster]

That's almost as disgusting as the bird on the pickguard. So that patch on the backside of the bridge was to modify it for the adjustable saddles? Sounds a bit like a silver saddle on a jackass. But what do I know. I'm just a classical builder.

Bob

[Christian Johnson]

Yep. A real hatchet job. Looks like it was cut from the back of the saddle slot forward. There's 6 metal saddles with adjusting screws like a Tele.

[Jeffrey L. Suits]

Yep, and that's how they came, from the factory!

[Russell Vance]

Yoiks!......this is one of the reasons we all look old before our time and get cross at out peers - I suspect our customers think we are drama queens when we vent about others attempts - I wish they only knew what goes on when people think no one is looking - good luck! Rusty.

[Scott Supak]

Actually, it's probably a Kingman model and the adjustable saddles are factory original.
I believe all of the original run of California Fender acoustics from the '60s had them, except maybe the12 strings. Replaced by more "traditional" line of imports in the '70s.
Bolt-on necks, six-on-a-side tuners, adjustable saddles... just Fender doing thier rock-n-roll thing on acoustics.
They never were Martins, and didn't try to be, but fun can be had on a properly functioning one.
That one, however, appears to have suffered something serious "stuff".

[Christian Johnson]

Thanks for the additional info. That's what I love about this site. The decal on the headstock just says King. I'm familiar with these, and have seen a few. This is the first one I really had to do something to. Keep those cards and letters coming!!

[Scott Supak]

Christian,

My bad, there was an actual King model that later turned into the Kingman.
Ther is one listed on Gruhns site, formerly owned by a Grand Ole Opry star.
Maybe Fender realised that "King" was a bit lofty...

[Christian Johnson]

I'v seen that one. It's been on his site for a long time. Too much $$$