Jazz Up My Martin Travel Guitar

jonpowl

Not much excitement around here lately, so I thought I would throw out the idea of a Gypsy Jazz conversion for my Martin Travel guitar. This is one of the Mexican made "stick" like guitars with steel strings. I guess the first step would be changing the strings to, perhaps, a set of Galli Silk & Steel 10s. Has anybody ever added a GJ tailpiece to one of these guitars? I would probably have to change the bridge, as well, which could bring the resell value down quite a bit, perhaps to $0. Anybody already try these things? If so, pics?
Thanks!
JP

pmh425

It would probably not be braced correctly for the switch to a trapeze tail piece having the strings put downward pressure on the bridge.

Jazzaferri

Flat tops are designed to work with a rocking bridge motion, not an up and down one a la trapeze tailpiece.

jonpowl

Thanks for the input. A set of Galli Silk and Steels will probably give me all of the gypsy sound one might need from a $100 guitar. I'll report back on the new sound once I restring the Martin. I would be ahead to buy a used Cigano CJ-10 for travel.