Sufficient glue surface?

[Dave Bagwill]

I'm messing around with a bridge shape for the parlor guitar, trying to mimic one I've seen on old, really old, Martins.
So I had this beat-up belly bridge, and worked it a bit, and - aesthetics aside, obviously, as it's very rough yet - is there enough glue surface left after I have cut down the old belly bridge?

[Bob Matthews]

Yes, imo there is enough glue area on that bridge for a parlour guitar - you don't want to be using a big fat belly bridge on a guitar with only so much soundboard area, or it will sound too bright and thin - but do bear in mind that the really early Martins were built for gut strings that had much lower tension.


Bob

[Dave Bagwill]

The parlor bridge could also be somewhat shorter, I think - 6" might be overkill for that small top area - I may shorten it to 5". Thoughts?

[John Parchem]

Two thoughts,

The bridge in the picture looks about the same size as a pyramid bridge which are on the Martin 0 size guitars so I think no problem for size.

I am not sure how you are bracing you parlor, If it is an X then I would make sure the bridge wings still tie into the x braces.

[ken cierp]

The Martin pyramid bridges I have encountered are 1x6 -- that's the size of the one's we maker here at KMG.