Radius bridge - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T14:53:36Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/radius-bridge?feed=yes&xn_auth=noFrank, do you see any signica…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-17:2177249:Comment:192462009-09-17T22:26:31.457ZBob Websterhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/BobWebster
Frank, do you see any signicant difference in the action with the two methods? Any different "windage" between the two?<br />
<br />
Bob
Frank, do you see any signicant difference in the action with the two methods? Any different "windage" between the two?<br />
<br />
Bob Well, here's another religiou…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-17:2177249:Comment:192442009-09-17T21:07:50.732ZFrank Fordhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/FrankFord
Well, here's another religious argument, I think. Seems there are those who really believe that fitting the bridge to the radius of the top is critical, and others who don't. Pretty clear to me it works either way.<br />
<br />
Me, I like to glue a flat bridge down with a fair bit of clamping pressure. The bridge is pretty stiff overall, especially in the center. The top, however is rather bendy, even with a solid bridge plate glued there, so it flattens out easily to conform with the flat bridge with a…
Well, here's another religious argument, I think. Seems there are those who really believe that fitting the bridge to the radius of the top is critical, and others who don't. Pretty clear to me it works either way.<br />
<br />
Me, I like to glue a flat bridge down with a fair bit of clamping pressure. The bridge is pretty stiff overall, especially in the center. The top, however is rather bendy, even with a solid bridge plate glued there, so it flattens out easily to conform with the flat bridge with a flat caul under the bridge, and some nice clamping pressure.<br />
<br />
Here's the religious part for me: ALL the force on the bridge is from the pull of the strings, which tend to bend it upward into an arch, so I figure that extra bit of tension I may have introduced when I clamped the top flat will actually help the bridge resist deformation.<br />
<br />
Here's the secular part: It's WAY easier to use a flat bridge. . . I use the same method as Dona…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-16:2177249:Comment:192322009-09-16T23:33:54.384ZMark McLeanhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MarkMcLean
I use the same method as Donald, and I think it is essential to get the foot of the bridge to be a good fit to the dome of the top. No danger to the top of the guitar to place the smooth side of a piece of 150 grit on the top and then rub the bridge around on that surface. You will need to take stock out of the middle, until the edges are touching the soundboard. Eyeball it first and if there is a lot to be sanded off you can get started with a scraper or (gently) belt-sander, then finish it…
I use the same method as Donald, and I think it is essential to get the foot of the bridge to be a good fit to the dome of the top. No danger to the top of the guitar to place the smooth side of a piece of 150 grit on the top and then rub the bridge around on that surface. You will need to take stock out of the middle, until the edges are touching the soundboard. Eyeball it first and if there is a lot to be sanded off you can get started with a scraper or (gently) belt-sander, then finish it off with the sheet on the top. Like Donald said, when you think you are close put lots of pencil marks on the bottom of the bridge and rub some more to make sure that all points are being sanded off.<br />
<br />
The only problem is that the radius of the top will change depending on the humidity status of the guitar. Just make sure that it is not too dry when you do the fitting.<br />
cheers<br />
Mark My first guitar is a small "c…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-16:2177249:Comment:192042009-09-16T06:15:16.485ZMark Riesshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MARKRIESS
My first guitar is a small "concert" size, short-scale steel string with a cutaway that I've aspired to build for over 30 years (that's how long I've had the wood). You can read about it and see some photos on my frets.net blog. I'm currently applying a french polish finish to the body and fashioning the ebony bridge.
My first guitar is a small "concert" size, short-scale steel string with a cutaway that I've aspired to build for over 30 years (that's how long I've had the wood). You can read about it and see some photos on my frets.net blog. I'm currently applying a french polish finish to the body and fashioning the ebony bridge. Not meaning to hi-jack the th…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-16:2177249:Comment:191982009-09-16T04:17:36.002ZRick Homanhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RickHoman
Not meaning to hi-jack the thread, but what are you building, Mark? I completed my first build in the spring of last year: a StewMac 000. It's not a great example of woodworking, but it's a fine sounding and playing guitar.
Not meaning to hi-jack the thread, but what are you building, Mark? I completed my first build in the spring of last year: a StewMac 000. It's not a great example of woodworking, but it's a fine sounding and playing guitar. What you say is true for a re…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-15:2177249:Comment:191812009-09-15T22:50:41.947ZMark Riesshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MARKRIESS
What you say is true for a reglue if the top is fully laquered already, unless, like you say, one is really careful, (which one should always be!). I used 150 grit and shaped the bridge after only the sealer coat of shellac was applied to the whole top. I marked the bottom with a pencil, to be sure I had sanded the whole surface when the pencil marks were gone. I guess it wouldn't work if there was a .005" void of finish where an old bridge was being replaced. One would have to strip and…
What you say is true for a reglue if the top is fully laquered already, unless, like you say, one is really careful, (which one should always be!). I used 150 grit and shaped the bridge after only the sealer coat of shellac was applied to the whole top. I marked the bottom with a pencil, to be sure I had sanded the whole surface when the pencil marks were gone. I guess it wouldn't work if there was a .005" void of finish where an old bridge was being replaced. One would have to strip and refinish the whole top. I'm probably being naive, but the sanding marks on the bottom of my bridge blank seem negligible to me. I'll be using titebond. I won't be fastening the bridge down untill I finish french polishing the top and then scrape off the finish from the footprint of where the bridge is applied. Hi leparker-- This is the way…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-15:2177249:Comment:191782009-09-15T20:00:40.719ZDonald A. Fortunehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/DonaldAFortune
Hi leparker-- This is the way I do my bridge plates on a new dred. and I think that if you are going to replace a bridge it is done the same--<br />
Take a piece of 150 grit sand paper and mask it to the top of the box where the bridge is going to go, and then run the bottom of the bridge plate over the sand paper and it will conform to the top after a fashion. Run the bridge back and forth from the tail to the neck.<br />
Take and also mark the bottom of the bridge plate with a pencil to see when it does…
Hi leparker-- This is the way I do my bridge plates on a new dred. and I think that if you are going to replace a bridge it is done the same--<br />
Take a piece of 150 grit sand paper and mask it to the top of the box where the bridge is going to go, and then run the bottom of the bridge plate over the sand paper and it will conform to the top after a fashion. Run the bridge back and forth from the tail to the neck.<br />
Take and also mark the bottom of the bridge plate with a pencil to see when it does conform..when the pencil mark is gone, you are done.<br />
Just my 2 cents.. good luck with your fix...<br />
Peace,<br />
Donald There's more than one way to…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-15:2177249:Comment:191772009-09-15T19:43:16.285Znathan clarkhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/nathanclark
There's more than one way to skin a cat so all of our working methods should be taken with a grain of salt.<br />
<br />
That said, I have some concerns about using sandpaper for final fitting a bridge during a bridge reglue. 1) The particles from the paper could easily damage the lacquer if you're not careful. 2) The best glue for this type of job is hide glue and remnants of sandpaper particles and sanding marks are a hindrance to a hide glue joint (probably not the best for tite bond either...). 3)…
There's more than one way to skin a cat so all of our working methods should be taken with a grain of salt.<br />
<br />
That said, I have some concerns about using sandpaper for final fitting a bridge during a bridge reglue. 1) The particles from the paper could easily damage the lacquer if you're not careful. 2) The best glue for this type of job is hide glue and remnants of sandpaper particles and sanding marks are a hindrance to a hide glue joint (probably not the best for tite bond either...). 3) There's really no room to move the bridge accross sandpaper on the top. That sort of thing works on a lacquered mandolin where the bridge sits on top of the finish but on a guitar, the elevation of the surrounding finish and the inevitable .005" of top thickness loss necessary for cleaning up the spruce leaves an indentation at the bridge's footprint that would prevent that method from working.<br />
<br />
Just my two cents. Thanks guys,
The top has a g…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-15:2177249:Comment:191742009-09-15T19:15:18.863ZLarry Parkerhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/LarryParker
Thanks guys,<br />
<br />
The top has a good bit of radius to it. If I leave flat then I can not get the ends of bridge to lay flat for gluing. The bridge plate is new. I don't see how I could ever get a flat bridge to work on this top. Nathan's remarks sound the most useful. I have also thought about using Mark's method.<br />
<br />
Thanks again!<br />
Larry
Thanks guys,<br />
<br />
The top has a good bit of radius to it. If I leave flat then I can not get the ends of bridge to lay flat for gluing. The bridge plate is new. I don't see how I could ever get a flat bridge to work on this top. Nathan's remarks sound the most useful. I have also thought about using Mark's method.<br />
<br />
Thanks again!<br />
Larry Hello
To me the top should be…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2009-09-15:2177249:Comment:191702009-09-15T18:23:43.243ZMichael P. Lemieuxhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/MichaelPLemieux
Hello<br />
To me the top should be flat. Is your action seem high. Maybe you need to replace the bridge plate. Just a thought. Later,<br />
Mike
Hello<br />
To me the top should be flat. Is your action seem high. Maybe you need to replace the bridge plate. Just a thought. Later,<br />
Mike