Gibson Nashville vs ABR-1: how to tell them apart and why it matters
Nashville and ABR-1 are both Tune-o-matic bridges, they look almost identical in a photo, and they are not the same part. Buy the wrong one and the posts won't fit the holes, or the bridge won't sit on the posts you've got. Here's how to tell which one your Gibson has, and what actually differs.
The short answer
Faber, who make replacement bridges for all of these, sort Gibson Tune-o-matics into three systems:
- Vintage ABR-1: threaded posts screwed straight into the wood, with separate thumbwheels. Used on vintage Gibsons from 1957 to 1974, Historic and Custom Shop models, various reissues and the 1990 to 2003 Les Paul Classic.
- USA/ABR-1: an ABR-1 bridge on metal bushings pressed into the body, with one-piece post and thumbwheel units. Faber list 2017 and later Les Paul Traditionals, some 2017 to 2019 Les Paul Standards and Classics, 2019 and later "Original Collection" Les Paul Standards, the SG Standard '61 and the ES-335 and 345.
- Nashville: a wider bridge on larger posts that screw into metal inserts in the body. Gibson have used it since around 1974, and Faber name the Flying V, Explorer and Firebird among current models.
How to tell them apart
Look at the top of the posts where they come through the bridge.
- Nashville: Faber describe the post tops as smooth and flush with the bridge.
- ABR-1: Faber describe the post tops as rough.
To tell the two ABR-1 types apart, take the strings off and lift the bridge. A vintage ABR-1 has a thumbwheel threaded onto a long post that goes straight into the wood. The newer USA/ABR-1 has a metal bushing in the body, and the post and thumbwheel come out as one piece.
What actually differs
Gibson's own replacement bridges show the difference. These figures are from StewMac's listings for the Gibson Accessories parts:
| Gibson ABR-1 | Gibson Nashville | |
|---|---|---|
| Post spacing | 2-29/32" (73.66mm) | 2-15/16" (74.61mm) |
| Post thread | 6-32 | M5 x 0.8 |
| String spread | 2-1/32" (51.56mm) | 2-1/32" (51.56mm) |
| Saddle radius | 12" | 12" |
So the strings sit in the same place, but the posts are about a millimetre further apart on a Nashville and they're a different size. On the bushing-mounted guitars, Faber measure the factory USA/ABR-1 posts at 3.65mm across above the thumbwheel and Nashville posts at 3.90mm, and say the two aren't interchangeable.
The thread question
This is where even the makers disagree. Gibson's replacement Nashville bridge is listed with M5 x 0.8 studs. TonePros, whose NVR2 is a Nashville replacement, give the thread as 10-32 US and say it's what Gibson use on Nashville models. Until one of them changes their listing, the safe route is a replacement bridge that comes with its own posts and inserts, or checking your existing post thread before you buy anything that reuses it.
Which Gibson has which?
Gibson's own spec pages list an ABR-1 on the Les Paul Standard '50s, Les Paul Standard '60s, SG Standard '61 and ES-339. They list a Nashville on the SG Standard and Les Paul Modern, and Gibson's 2019 spec sheets give the Explorer and Flying V an aluminium Nashville.
Two models show why you should check your own guitar rather than go by the name:
- SG Standard vs SG Standard '61: same body shape, different bridges. Gibson list a Nashville on one and an ABR-1 on the other.
- Les Paul Classic: Faber's guide puts it in all three groups depending on the year. If you have one, look at the posts.
Replacement bridges
Aftermarket makers sell separate bridges for each system. TonePros, for example, make the AVR2 for ABR-1 guitars (6-32 thread, 73.75mm post spacing, a drop-in for most vintage and reissued USA guitars) and the NVR2 for Nashville guitars (74mm post spacing, with posts and inserts included).
If your guitar is one of the bushing-mounted USA/ABR-1 models, check that an ABR-1 replacement comes with posts made for those bushings, because vintage ABR-1 posts are made to screw into wood. Faber sell conversion posts for exactly this situation.
Epiphone is its own thing
Epiphone call their bridge a LockTone Tune-o-matic, and their hardware isn't Gibson's. Faber note that the regular Epiphone Inspired by Gibson models use bushing-mounted posts, while most of the Inspired by Gibson Custom models use a different, direct-mounted post (the single-cut Les Paul Custom is an exception), and parts for one won't fit the other. Don't assume a Gibson part fits an Epiphone, or that two Epiphones match each other.
How to measure your own
- Post spacing: measure centre to centre between the two posts. On a Gibson, around 73.7mm points to ABR-1 and around 74.6mm to Nashville, going by Gibson's replacement parts. Other makers' figures differ slightly.
- Post diameter: measure the post just above the thumbwheel with calipers.
- What's in the body: with the strings off and the bridge lifted, see whether the posts go into metal bushings or straight into wood.
Not sure what your guitar has? Find your guitar to see the bridge we've recorded for it and the replacements we've matched, or get in touch.