Only available here!

I have done the impossible: I have found a topic to write upon peculiar to this blog, found nowhere else on the internet, which means it will likely be of no interest to the vast majority of humanity, but to those few searching souls, you have found the answer at last.  No, not THAT answer, rather let us speak of guitars, specifically the Jackson-Guldan 'Chris-Adjustomatic.'  I acquired just such a specimen at a flea market for $2, thus beginning my acquaintance with guitars (note to you professional musicians, I am a complete novice and hack so I will probably offend your musical sensibilities no end, please forgive me and feel free to move along if this sort of thing gives you pain, as my practice sessions no doubt give my hearers).

The poor thing had only 3 strings but that was about all I could tell you about it.  Then began 'the search' for the history and healing of my vintage guitar.  I scoured google and ebay, for pictures and information, finding very little save a few pictures and a few sentences here and there.  The company went out of business in 1971 and was better known for their violins, the children's version of this guitar has a little value, but the full-size specimens not so much.  They were a cheaper, readily available 'parlor guitar' popular in the 1950's and 60's.  And thanks to one ebay ad, I discovered mine is missing a bridge (as are several of the guitars in the google picture search).  Peculiar to these guitars is a floating bridge and a tail piece instead of the combined bridge/peg apparatus of modern acoustic guitars.  I found the part on ebay for $35 but as that was more than the value of the guitar (whole and functional), I decided to experiment instead.  I found a rosewood floating bridge for a flattop guitar, and as it looked similar to the picture and was only $5, I gave it a shot.  I also ordered some nylon strings.

The bridge came, but it was too tall, though I could remove the actual bridge part and use just that and it fit pretty well (as far as I can tell in my ignorance).  For a total of $15 I had a hopefully functional guitar; at least it looks nice.  It sounded awful though, but after a few days and more tuning, it finally sounded like something other than a dying elk.  It is probably me that sounds horrid rather than the abused instrument.  It goes out of tune pretty readily (not uncommon with either nylon strings or a floating bridge I guess) but far better than I thought it would be.  I can't use it for my professional performances, but to learn on, it will be just fine, and since I won't be hitting the State Fair/Casino circuit for about a thousand years, I'll have plenty of time to get a nicer one.

So there you have it folks, the only (that I can find) account of how to replace a floating bridge on a Jackson Guldan Chris Adjustomatic guitar available anywhere on the internet.  File this right next to the latest sighting of Elvis or the Loch Ness Monster!  But I have actual photographic evidence.