Custom CNC bridges

[ken cierp]

Ditto on the weight issue --- I favor Rosewood over Ebony and Walnut over Rosewood --- the math says lighter is better. Lowden uses a pretty small bridge - pinless with a very thin plate. Can we humans hear the difference? I can't answer that -- I do know that Kaman (Ovation Guitars) was an aero space acoustics expert for NASA I believe, and he determined that a light bridge and a very rigid neck (aluminum) had significant sonic impact.

[TonyinNYC]

Bob, how thick is your bridge in the center? This prototype is about .30" and I want it a bit thicker for profiling on the soundboard. I dont want more than .125" of saddle sticking up over the bridge but I want the strings to be about .5" over the soundboard when all is said and done.

I am going to watch the weight. I know it will kill the responsiveness of the guitar if I have a heavy bridge. Nobody wants an unresponsive guitar! You want your guitar to respond to butterfly farts!! That's responsive!!

[ken cierp]

Tony this is a real cool thread! I love it when guys like you and Bagwill (and others) step out of the box and talk about the more modern approaches to guitar making --- way to go!! Its troubling to me when I see "I made "X" number of guitars this way so that's how it's done -- the end of conversation" bull! When the results are better and the process is more efficient -- in my view that's how it's done at least until something better comes along. And because of the human spirit its never ending change and improvement that drives the arts and sciences -- I digress.

[TonyinNYC]

Thanks Ken!
I would never have my soundboards mass produced but I figure the bridge, while it contributes to the overall tone, does not care who carved it!

[Ken Hundley]

Awesome look, Tony! I'd love to refine my teardrop shaped one, but just haven't got that creative with it yet. Nice job, cant wait to see the finished product.

[Robert Hosmer]

Tony, I think it looks awesome!

Good luck moving forward with it as you refine the design.

[ken cierp]

Here's Irving Sloane's SS Bridge theme similar to Tony's