ShortScale.org

Hi all

1st of all let me introduce myself: I'm Chris Winsemius from the Netherlands, modding and building tube-amps is my dayjob and I'm also playing guitar/etc. whenever possible. I used to have a '68 Mustang Bass (unf. stolen from me) and a '64 MusicMaster II (sold).

I did purchase a '71 Bronco some time ago and I really like the looks, vibe, feel and the unique tremolo of that guitar. The original tremolo-arm is missing (so I'm looking for it) and the guitar needs some TLC...
Oops: one original knob will be send to me by the former owner so I'm also looking for such knob.

Here's a picture with some other single PU-axes (hope to post something about my 1st electric ever, an Aria 1832T asap):



How to adjust that tremolo?

Good luck finding a trem arm.
Nice Collection by the way.

the trem arm is so... damn hard to find.
but at any rate, the collection is rather nice.

Chris Winsemius wrote:How to adjust that tremolo?

What do you need to adjust on it?
If it's the tension the larger philips head screw in the middle will tighten the spring.

welcome aboard! and... NICE collection!

Pat.

(what's the story on the esquire?)

Thanks to all for your very kind words!

So the trem.-arm is a pita to find, I'll try using a stock (or modified) Strat-trem-arm.

Regarding the collection: this was just one pic, got more axes but those are mostly boring long scales...

About that "Esquire":
fake, a modified/reliced Squier Affinty Telecaster I bought from a populair ac/dc-style dutch band a couple of years ago.

bridge-PU: SD Jerry Donahue
selector, pots and cap: replaced with usa stuff
custom (own designed) switching:
1) Volume & tone on
2) only volume on
3) PU directly to output

Did put a new logo on it (don't know how the keyboard from this pc works but it's a T R ' E S Q U I RE (thingy is above the E) in Fender spag. style. I also wanna replace the bridge(-plate) in the future, maybe an old post '67 one I do have or a Callaham.

The Silvertone was bought on 9-11, while I was visting an amp-modding buddy, at Rumble Seat, Ithaca/NYS (1st visit to the usa for me) and it's a nice little axe for slide/etc. The Bronco also seems great for slide btw.

nice stuff! i have a telecaster and a 2 PU silvertone and a mustang (well, in the house, its the lady's)... kind of like 2 pickup versions of what you have.

that is a really really nice looking esquire. amazing that you made it from a squier tele, great project. im pretty sure robroe on these here boards made an "esquier" (see what i did there? actually, im pretty sure i stole that from him...) from a sherwood green squier tele a few years back, to good results.


i dont know anything about broncos, but i wanted to welcome you to the boards and comment on your cool stuff!

YOu can take your bronco to a "hardware" store that will have a tool that will measure the "thread pitch" then find a trem arm that is proper thickness and have that hardware store cut threads into that arm that match your tremolo's thread.

You're very kind!!!

It's just a small part of my collection, I think I have about 20 guitars/basses/acoustics right now, if it's ok (regarding rules/etc. over here) I can post some more pics from other guitars.

Regarding the tremolo: I did try a couple of Strat-arms and one seems to fit decently.

Regarding the Tr`esquire: some people tought it was a real old one but (imho!) it's just an noob-way-of-relicing. I really like used guitars and/or guitars "with a story". The Bronco does have some missing screws, two more stringretainer-holes, it was even used lefthanded afaik and there's a small hole in the pickguard for a mini-switch left to the volume-control. I surely wanna try a "P90 in Strat PU size" size from BG(?) because I like the stock PU more for neck position-duties but the routing is still stock so no two-PU-routing like a MM II.

The 1st time I did see a Bronco was in a Fender book from Bacon and Paul Day. Paul Day is helping me to find some missing parts from that (24 3/4" scale) Aria 1832T guitar.

I also hope to find a Bronco-amp-faceplate (repro or original) so I can build a "matching" amp into a VibroChamp-chassis/cabinet altough it won't be a 6 Watt amp, planning to use a 10 Watt circuit with tremolo.

Cool forum and very nice members!!!

Chris Winsemius wrote:The Bronco does have some missing screws, two more stringretainer-holes, it was even used lefthanded afaik and there's a small hole in the pickguard for a mini-switch left to the volume-control.

I just bought a Bronco, too, and it was also drilled to fit a string retainer! Apparently it's more common of a mod than I thought. Fortunately the holes are refilled on mine.

Welcome dude! I restored a bronco a couple years ago and I don't have a trem arm either. My theory is that there is a secret race of gnomes (a sub-species of the underpants gnome if you will) that has been sneaking around stealing everyone's bronco trem arms over the years and hoarding them underground somewhere.

If the bronco arm is smaller than the strat arm, I'd suggest getting a strat arm and wrapping it with teflon tape. That'll work if the arms are *pretty* similar.

It may seem a bit sacrilege, but I wanted my damn trem working. I pretty much drilled out the trem hole a wee bit to fit a strat trem bar on it. Works flawlessly. Definitely my favorite system second to the Jazzmaster trem.

Again thanks for your suggestions! (great forum!!!)

I'll use a certain Strat-trem-arm (did try a couple) when this axe is finished (nut needs to be replaced and some adjustments are needed).
I'm gonna order a BG Strat-P90 PU for this guitar because I think/feel such PU would be a very nice match for this guitar, compared to such stock PU at the neck at the bridge I'm missing some output/fullness/etc.

Anyway: I'm very happy with this old short scale and lots of (amp-)clients do really like the look & vibe of this Fender.

Loving that esquire