Acoustic Guitar Construction

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.

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!!

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.

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!

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.

Tony, I think it looks awesome!

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

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