Tuffset Bridge
Frequently asked questions
Currently available
Orders and Shop
Notice to customers in the USA: Orders now open!
As of the 8th October 2025, we have reopened orders to the USA!
A massive thanks to our American customers for your patience while the shop was closed, we can’t wait to start shipping bridges across the pond again.
Will I be hit with a tariff bill when it arrives?
No – Tariffs will be pre-paid before sending, so we expect there will be no nasty surprises or extra bills to pay once the parcel arrives in your neighbourhood.
Why do I have to pay for postage now?
We now charge a $20 fee for shipping to the USA. This includes the tariffs, packing and postage. The truth is, we are eating a fair portion of the cost ourselves – but you’re totally worth it!
What if I order 2 or 3 Bridges?
If you order multiple bridges, there will still only be the $20 fee to pay – we will cover the tariff charges on additional bridges as a ‘thank you’ for doubling up on your Tuffset order!
I'd like to order a Tuffset Bridge!
Great!
- The Tuffset Original Bridge is currently in stock and available for order to most countries.
- The Tuffset Fixie Bridge is available for pre-order and will be shipping within 8-10 weeks (likely sooner).
Thank you so much to the amazing Tuffset community for your support!
When will my bridge arrive?
Orders are shipped from our workshop in Gloucestershire, England. The time it takes to get from the UK to you will vary based on country and shipping method.
Generally, for international orders, expect up to 10 business days for delivery on free economy shipping. Alternatively, you can choose the express shipping option at checkout for a 3-4 day delivery internationally.
For other common questions about shipping, please see the below FAQ section.
What is the price of the Tuffset Bridge?
Tuffset Original:
- Customers in the USA will be charged $209 USD.
- Customers in the UK will be charged in £209 GBP.
- Customers in the Eurozone will be charged €209 Euros.
- Customers outside these areas will be charged in the USD ($) price, converted to your native currency.
- Raw Brass saddles are $10/£/€ extra.
Tuffset Fixie:
- Customers in the USA will be charged $229 USD.
- Customers in the UK will be charged in £229 GBP.
- Customers in the Eurozone will be charged €229 Euros.
- Customers outside these areas will be charged in the USD ($) price, converted to your native currency.
WideBoy versions of the bridges (for Baritone or Bass VI) are $6/£/€ extra and come with an optional A-string saddle.
In all cases, customers are responsible for their own local tariffs and duties. For other common questions about prices and taxes, please see the below FAQ section.
Can I order brass saddles separately?
At this time, we are not offering brass saddles as a standalone purchase. There are a few reasons for this:
1. We are currently focused on offering the complete Tuffset Bridge and we’re not set up to handle the sale of individual parts due to taxes, export regulations and logistics.
2. Our inventory of brass saddles is allocated specifically for the quantity of bridges we’re manufacturing, so we’re unable to separate them from the bridge chassis.
I already have a Tuffset. Can I turn it into a Fixie?
Though it looks similar to the Tuffset Original, the Fixie is a bespoke design with its own unique chassis, saddle and post designs. So an Original cannot be converted into a Fixie by swapping the saddles or posts.
Frequently asked questions
About the Tuffset Fixie
Why a fixed-post bridge?
Some players prefer the chassis to be set in position for a variety of reasons.
- If they have a robust right-hand strumming technique, there is a chance of knocking a rocking bridge from its neutral axis
- If they prefer a more hardtail-type feel and sound – a more direct attack, longer sustain and thicker midrange
- Their guitar might have string geometry that is difficult to balance – for instance, an increased break angle that would make a rocking bridge unstable
How does it hold intonation?
With perfect precision. The whole bridge – from the posts to the chassis to the saddles – is locked together in a single, rigid structure. With the Fixie, that structure extends to encompass your guitar body itself, so all can resonate as one.
Is the tuning stable?
Tuning stability of the Fixie is great. If you have your arm constantly on the whammy bar and are looking for the ultimate in tuning stability under vibrato, the rocking Tuffset Original holds better tune.
That’s because a rocking-post/high-friction saddle design like the Tuffset Original requires only sufficient friction to prevent slippage and it’s theoretically perfect – whereas a fixed-post/low-friction saddle design like the Fixie needs zero friction to keep up with that, and zero friction doesn’t exist.
What it does have is a choice of two very advanced, durable and low-friction PVD coatings to get it as close to zero as possible.
What are the saddles made of? What's the difference?
- Black Ice is the highest performing coating we offer, up to 4 times more slippery than Hard Chrome electroplating of the kind our competitors use. It is a diamond-like amorphous carbon coating applied by physical vapour deposition – a process much less damaging to the environment than electroplating, which also doesn’t have the same risk of developing microfractures in the surface. PVD coatings can also be applied 95% thinner, and our Black Ice is up to 5 times as durable as Hard Chrome.
- Chrome Frost is a Chromium Nitride coating applied via the same PVD process, and has a vintage-compatible chrome appearance to the surface. Its fundamentals are not quite where Black Ice is, but on paper it’s still comfortably beating Hard Chrome. If you’ve had fixed-post type bridges in the past and been happy with the tuning stability they have offered you, you’ll be very pleasantly surprised.
Where are the springs?
Like the Tuffset Original, the Fixie’s patented design ensures that all height and intonation adjustments are locked rigidly into position, and do not depend upon flimsy springs to hold their place.
The result is a clean, clear and loud natural voice with no fizzing or rattling, whether you’re playing unplugged or sending the signal through a pedal-board labyrinth!
Do I have to lock the strings to the bridge?
What's it made from?
Every one of the Tuffset Bridge’s bespoke components is CNC milled from billet 303 and 304 Stainless Steel.
There are no stamped, folded or cast components whatsoever.
The saddles are coated via Physical Vapour Deposition in either Diamond-Like Carbon or Chromium Nitride – for more detail, see saddle section above.
The brass Core Clamp sleeves are likewise milled from solid Bell Brass. Over time, they will develop a surface patina – just like vintage brass saddles.
The Tuffset Bridge is proudly made in the UK.
What comes in the box?
The box includes your Tuffset Fixie and all the tools you require, and a few spare parts. You will also receive a fully-illustrated installation guide, so you can get the best out of your Offset Guitar from day one.
Frequently asked questions
About the Tuffset Original
Why a rocking bridge?
A rocking bridge allows the harmonics to grow and shrink proportionally with the speaking length of the string when using the vibrato.
So much of what we love about Offset guitars comes directly from the unique sound and feel that comes with an authentic rocking vibrato action.
How does it hold intonation?
With perfect precision, due to two factors.
Firstly, the 60° string slot is engineered to grip the string and eliminate slippage – this also gives the bridge a more sturdy feel under the picking hand.
Secondly, unlike any other bridge, every component of the Tuffset Original is locked rigidly to the chassis in operation and nothing can drift out of alignment. It functions and resonates effectively as a single piece.
Is the tuning stable?
With sufficient friction to prevent slippage, the Tuffset Original Bridge will stay absolutely in tune through anything the vibrato unit can throw at it, and will always return precisely to the neutral axis.
We have found it impossible to put out of tune using the vibrato alone.
In experiments, the high-friction saddle design required more than three times the force to induce a slip than a standard barrel bridge saddle – so even if other bridges have crumbled under your picking hand, the Tuffset Original won’t let you down!
Where are the springs?
Tuffset’s patented design ensures that all height and intonation adjustments are locked rigidly into position, and do not depend upon flimsy springs to hold their place.
The result is a clean, clear and loud natural voice with no fizzing or rattling, whether you’re playing unplugged or sending the signal through a pedal-board labyrinth!
Do I have to lock the strings to the bridge?
No – the Tuffset Original Offset Bridge’s adjustable components all lock together, but there’s no need to lock the strings to the bridge. You don’t have to unlock or adjust the bridge in any way when you change strings.
If you’re worried about altering the neutral axis, you can change your strings one at a time.
What's it made from?
Every one of the Tuffset Original’s bespoke components is CNC milled from billet 303 and 304 Stainless Steel.
There are no stamped, folded or cast components whatsoever.
Brass saddle components are likewise milled from billet Bell Brass. Over time, they will develop a surface patina – just like vintage brass saddles.
All Tuffset Bridges are proudly made in the UK.
What comes in the box?
The box includes your Tuffset Original Offset Bridge and all the tools you require, and a few spare parts. You will also receive a fully-illustrated installation guide, so you can get the best out of your offset guitar from day one.
Can you ship to my country?
We offer free, fully insured shipping to the UK, Canada, Europe, and Australia!
Shipping to the USA is $20, but that includes pre-paid tariffs – so there shouldn’t be any additional bills or surprises on the doorstep.
Other countries will be charged a flat rate of $15 USD for shipping.
Can you ship it faster?
Our goal is to get your Tuffset Bridge to your door as soon as possible. Bridges are shipped in the order they are received.
We offer Express Shipping (3-4 business days) option to Europe, as an additional add-on.
- Express shipping: 3-4 business days
- Free economy shipping: 7-10 business days
- Shipping to USA: 6-7 business days
We are unable to offer express shipping to the USA at this time.
Which currency will I be charged in?
- Customers in the USA will be charged in USD ($).
- Customers in the UK will be charged in GBP (£).
- Customers in the Eurozone will be charged in Euros (€).
- Customers outside these areas will be charged in the USD ($) price, converted to their native currency.
Will I have to pay customs or import charges?
As the customer, you are responsible for any customs duties, taxes, or importation fees that may apply, depending on your country’s regulations. Please make sure you are aware of the rules that apply where you live.
If you are in the USA, our shipping method pre-pays the tariffs for you – so we hope you will not face any additional fees.
If you order from the UK in £GBP, the price you pay includes VAT and free delivery.
The item cannot be sent as a “gift” – the price paid for your order is in the customs documentation, and all shipping is tracked and covered by extended liability.
Please note, Tuffset is not liable for any customs charges and cannot pay them on your behalf.
Do you have alternate payment methods?
Currently, we can only accept debit or credit card payments via Stripe, our secure payment processor. We are investigating other payment methods for future implementation.
What's your returns policy?
We want nothing more than for you to be delighted with the way the Tuffset Bridge feels, sounds, and performs.
Within 14 days of receiving your order if you are unsatisfied with your purchase for any reason, simply return it and we will give you a full refund.
Frequently asked questions
Compatibility and Installation
Will it fit my guitar?
If your offset guitar came from the factory with bridge thimbles (hollow metal cups in the body) and the bridge falls out of the guitar when you take the strings off, then the Tuffset Bridge will fit.
If your bridge adjusts with thumbwheels and has threaded inserts in the body, the Tuffset Bridge won’t fit – but we’re working on a version in future that will, so stay tuned!
Will I have to modify my guitar?
No – the Tuffset Bridge fits directly in your old bridge’s thimbles in the body, so it can be swapped in or out completely harmlessly when you change strings.
How do I make adjustments?
Does it take long to install the Tuffset Bridge?
Not at all – it should take around fifteen minutes to complete your installation.
Is it the right radius for my neck?
The saddles are individually adjustable, so the Tuffset Bridge is compatible with any neck radius from 5″ to 22″. This range comfortably includes any and all Offset and replacement necks, whether they are vintage, compound, or even shredder-flat!
Which thimbles shall I use?
We’ve had lots of questions from builders about thimbles!
If you’re replacing the bridge of an existing guitar, you don’t need to worry. But if you’re making a guitar from scratch, please read on!
We hope to start manufacturing our own thimbles in future, but both of the main thimble types (import: 8.9mm diameter; USA: 3/8″ diameter) are fully compatible with the bridge.
Currently, we recommend the import type simply because the USA type are so expensive at the moment. When our Tuffset thimbles are available, they will come in both sizes – so just make sure the body fits the thimbles and they’re 73mm (2-7/8″) apart (centre to centre) and the Tuffset Bridge will fit.
Later on, if you want to replace your thimbles with Tuffset thimbles, we’ll have you covered!
Frequently asked questions
What's Coming Soon
Can you make one for Tune-O-Matic?
Soon! This is currently our main focus for R&D – not just for Offset players who have a TOM/AOM model, but hopefully many other instruments that have a similar bridge mounting with vibrato behind.
It’s very important that we maintain the authentic rocking action of the bridge, so you can expect the same clear sound and signature tuning stability you get from our Original Offset Bridge.
Are there any other materials or finishes available?
As of October 2025:
- Tuffset Original Offset bridge is available with either original stainless steel saddles or raw brass saddles.
- Tuffset Fixie is available with either a Black Ice or Chrome Frost, PVD-coated stainless steel saddles.
You can clean more about these materials in their respective FAQ sections.
We continue to experiment with other saddle materials – feel free to drop us a message if there are materials you’d like to see in future waves.
Can you do a fixed-post version?
You asked – so we did! We do understand there are many players out there who prefer the idea, the sound, and the functionality of a fixed-post bridge option – so a fixed-post Tuffset Bridge is now available for pre-order.
Will you make a Vibrato unit?
Yes, we certainly plan to. We’re currently in the process of developing the Tuffset Vibrato, and we’ll engineer it to retrofit a standard Offset vibrato cavity.
We can’t share much about the design yet! But expect it to feature a compressive spring, and to do without the string lock. The emphasis will be on atmospheric sound, loose-and-easy action, wide range, and set-and-forget stability.
Does it work for Bass VI?
Yes!
- The Tuffset Original Bridge allows you to purchase ‘WideBoy’ version, which has wider string slots and custom mounting hardware for the low E and A strings.
- The Fixie is compatible with Bass VI out of the box.
The maximum string size is 120 gauge – so it will fit even the fattest sets without fuss (and you can even intonate them properly!)
Do you offer a discount for luthiers and techs?
We hope to officially introduce a small batch quantity discount for luthiers and builders soon. If this applies to you, please get in touch through the contact form.
The coolest part of doing this is seeing and hearing your transformed instruments – and the same obviously applies to the many talented builders and techs in the Offset community making and servicing some of the most desirable guitars in the world!
