TonePros TP6-C Nashville Locking Tune-O-Matic Bridge — Chrome

The TonePros TP6 (TP6-C) is a locking tune-o-matic bridge in the Nashville style — the small post and threaded insert format used as standard on current USA Gibson Les Paul and Gibson SG models. Built to TonePros' locking bridge specification with 10/32 imperial threads, 74mm post-to-post spacing, 12-inch radius, Zamak bridge body and saddles, and brass posts and thumbwheels. The TP6 uses un-notched saddles — the saddle string slots are not pre-cut, allowing professional installation with saddle notching to your specific string gauge and spacing requirements. This is a direct retrofit for most USA Gibson Nashville-format guitars without modification. Before ordering, confirm your guitar uses the Nashville small post format with 10/32 imperial threads — players with vintage or reissue instruments fitted with ABR-1 style bridges should look at the TonePros AVR2 range instead.

TP6 Series — Four Saddle Types Compared

Nashville Format — Understanding Post Style and Compatibility

The Nashville tune-o-matic format uses small threaded posts that screw into threaded inserts pressed into the guitar body. The inserts are pressed in permanently during manufacturing and the posts thread into them from above. This design became standard on Gibson USA production in the mid-1970s and remains the format used on current Les Paul Standard, Les Paul Custom, SG Standard and SG Custom models.

The Nashville format is distinct from the vintage ABR-1 format in several ways:

• Post size: Nashville posts are smaller in diameter than ABR-1 posts — the two are not interchangeable
• Thread type: Nashville posts use 10/32 imperial threads. ABR-1 posts are unthreaded — they simply sit in unthreaded bushings
• String spacing: Nashville bridges typically have slightly wider string spacing than vintage ABR-1 bridges
• Saddle style: Nashville saddles are retained differently from vintage ABR-1 saddles

If your guitar was manufactured in the USA after the mid-1970s with the original bridge intact, it almost certainly uses the Nashville format and the TP6 is the correct TonePros product. If your guitar is a vintage instrument from the late 1950s or early 1960s, or a vintage reissue, it likely uses the ABR-1 format and the AVR2 is the correct product.

Un-Notched Saddles — Professional Installation and Custom Fitting

The TP6's Zamak saddles are supplied without string slot notches cut into them. This is a deliberate specification choice that provides two advantages:

Custom notching for your string gauge:
A guitar technician can cut string slots to the precise depth and width required for your specific string gauge — producing a saddle fit that is more precise than factory pre-notched alternatives. Strings seated in correctly-cut slots stay in position, transfer vibration more efficiently and intonate more accurately.

Aftermarket saddle compatibility:
The TP6's un-notched Zamak saddles can be replaced with aftermarket saddle materials — Piezo pickup saddles, graphite saddles, bone saddles or other exotic materials — without the string slots pre-cut in conflicting positions. This makes the TP6 the most flexible platform in the TP6 range for players who want to experiment with saddle materials.

Important installation note:
Un-notched saddles must be professionally notched before the guitar can be properly strung and set up. This is not a step that should be attempted without the correct tools. At Angkor Music our guitar technician can complete saddle notching as part of a professional installation.

TonePros Locking System — Consistent Contact, Improved Sustain

The TP6 uses the same TonePros set screw locking system as the TP7 — set screws in the posts and thumbwheels lock the bridge in a fixed position once correct height is established. The locked bridge cannot rock, shift or move under string tension or during string changes, maintaining consistent contact with the guitar body and improving resonance transfer and sustain.

For Les Paul and SG players who have noticed bridge movement or inconsistent sustain from a standard non-locking Nashville bridge, the TP6's locking system addresses both issues directly and permanently.

12-Inch Radius

The TP6's 12-inch radius matches the fingerboard radius of most current USA Gibson Les Paul and SG production. Confirm your guitar's fingerboard radius before ordering — a bridge radius that does not match the fingerboard radius produces uneven action across the string spread.

Who Is the TonePros TP6-C For?

• USA Gibson Les Paul and SG players with Nashville-format bridges wanting a locking upgrade with Zamak saddles
• Players who want un-notched saddles for custom professional notching to their specific string gauge
• Players who want to fit aftermarket saddle materials — Piezo, graphite, bone or other — on a TonePros locking platform
• Players upgrading from a standard non-locking Nashville bridge who want improved sustain and consistent action
• Players who want brass saddle tone should choose the TP6B — vintage Nylon 66 tone choose TP6G — Bigsby/tremolo use choose TP6R
• Players with vintage or ABR-1 format bridges should choose the TonePros AVR2 range instead
• Players with metric (imported) guitars should choose the T3BT (6-string) or TP7 (7-string) range instead

Specifications

Expert Advice at Angkor Music

At Angkor Music Melbourne we stock the complete TonePros range — all four TP6 saddle variants across all finishes, the AVR2 vintage range and metric T3BT and TP7 bridges. Bridge compatibility depends on post format (Nashville vs ABR-1), thread type (imperial vs metric), post spacing and radius. Contact us with your guitar's make, model and year to confirm the correct product before ordering. Professional installation including saddle notching is available through our guitar technician.

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Frequently Asked Questions

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