Bridge Material

[Tj Turner]

All...

I know there is no easy answer to the following question, so I'll throw it out there anyway if for nothing more than discussion sake. And I realize it's an entire process that needs to encompass more than what I'm asking, i.e. accounting for back and side material, soundboard, etc...

When selecting a bridge material, it seems that a general consensus is to find a material that is light so as not to encumber the soundboard and all that wonderful time we all put into our magical bracing, yet at the same time is fairly stiff so as to transfer the string energy well. I was reading Somogyi's book yesterday, and he seems to lean toward brazilian rosewood and wenge for those reasons. In engineer speak, that would put us with low density and high elastic modulus.

So has anyone tried making a bridge from Osage Orange, or even Maple? Both of those have a density about 30% less than Ebony, and have a higher elastic modulus (depending on which source you reference).

Also, just thinking out loud, has anyone tried a rift sawn or flat sawn bridge? Is there a reason it always has to be quartersawn? I can see that perhaps the transfer of the string energy could be different depending on the cut, but wouldn't a non-quartersawn orientation buy you something in terms of keeping the bridge from cracking?

I'm sure I will realize the flaw in my questions as soon as I push the "post" button...

[ken cierp]

I'd guess that there are plenty of bridges in use that were made from flat/slab and riff sawn material. The slab cut material is more prone to curl along the width -- take a look at the material in the wood rack at the Depot or what ever, that suff is usually flat sawn and cuppped. 1/4 sawn wood even in small chunks is usually more stable and though it may expand and contract it does so more uniformally and does not curl like slab cut -- which in the case of the bridge may peels off the surface at the edges.

[Herman]

I never used Wengé as bridge material, but I think it is highly underrated as a tonewood. I made a guitar with a Wengé fretboard, as it is one of the most ringing guitars I made. It prone to splitting/splintering, but in a "quatered" bridge that won't be an issue, I guess.