Spruce for bridges??? - FRETS.NET2024-03-29T14:20:23Zhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/forum/topics/spruce-for-bridges?commentId=2177249%3AComment%3A128676&feed=yes&xn_auth=noI'm not sure why Kerry is rep…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1286762014-03-15T20:23:47.897ZSteve Williamshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveWilliams53
<p>I'm not sure why Kerry is replacing it. My guess is cosmetic issues. It looks like it would still work fine to me. Even the saddle slot is still nice and crisp. I would guess the string slots were caused by a low saddle. Had it been hard wood someone would have had to do the same thing with a saw. Still, i don't plan on knocking the bridges off of my martins so i can try a spruce bridge.</p>
<p>I'm not sure why Kerry is replacing it. My guess is cosmetic issues. It looks like it would still work fine to me. Even the saddle slot is still nice and crisp. I would guess the string slots were caused by a low saddle. Had it been hard wood someone would have had to do the same thing with a saw. Still, i don't plan on knocking the bridges off of my martins so i can try a spruce bridge.</p> It seems to me that Kerry is…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1288482014-03-15T19:32:01.195ZNed Knepphttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/NedKnepp
<p>It seems to me that Kerry is replacing it now because it didn't hold up so well over the years. The string slots are disturbing and it appears to have been screwed down in three places to hold it in place. I know that a lot of old bridges get replaced but this one was bulky to begin with and still didn't appear to hold up so well.</p>
<p>Personally, I'd rather make a hard wood bridge as light as I can than make a bulky softwood bridge and worry about it. </p>
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<p>It seems to me that Kerry is replacing it now because it didn't hold up so well over the years. The string slots are disturbing and it appears to have been screwed down in three places to hold it in place. I know that a lot of old bridges get replaced but this one was bulky to begin with and still didn't appear to hold up so well.</p>
<p>Personally, I'd rather make a hard wood bridge as light as I can than make a bulky softwood bridge and worry about it. </p>
<p></p> It could be years from now Ru…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1288322014-03-15T04:52:53.932ZSteve Williamshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveWilliams53
<p>It could be years from now Rusty at the speed i go now. I mostly just think about this stuff these days and don't spend much time in the shop. Age is catching up with me. But i still love it. Nothing in the world like stringing up something you built yourself.</p>
<p>It could be years from now Rusty at the speed i go now. I mostly just think about this stuff these days and don't spend much time in the shop. Age is catching up with me. But i still love it. Nothing in the world like stringing up something you built yourself.</p> Steve,
Tell us how it goes.
R…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1287612014-03-15T04:00:13.136ZRussell Vancehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
<p>Steve,</p>
<p>Tell us how it goes.</p>
<p>Rusty.</p>
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<p>Steve,</p>
<p>Tell us how it goes.</p>
<p>Rusty.</p>
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<p></p> Of course i understand the di…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1289272014-03-15T02:09:17.616ZSteve Williamshttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/SteveWilliams53
<p>Of course i understand the difference. either way, torque or pressure, the strings still have to shake the top. The lighter the bridge the louder it should be. I Built my last mandolin (#24) just because i read Franks story and i wanted to try it. It worked well. That was 15 years ago. I've though about how to do it on a guitar ever since. Then Kerry let us know it had been done and i thought "hey, maybe i should try it".I've seen a lot of ideas over the years to take weight out of guitar…</p>
<p>Of course i understand the difference. either way, torque or pressure, the strings still have to shake the top. The lighter the bridge the louder it should be. I Built my last mandolin (#24) just because i read Franks story and i wanted to try it. It worked well. That was 15 years ago. I've though about how to do it on a guitar ever since. Then Kerry let us know it had been done and i thought "hey, maybe i should try it".I've seen a lot of ideas over the years to take weight out of guitar tops, and this one looks interesting to me. I'm old and most likely wont get to it, but you never know. I'm still struck by Kerry's picture of a 90 year old spruce bridge that's still one piece.<i><br/></i></p>
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<p>*apples and oranges compared (not so different)</p>
<p><a href="http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i3/air-1-3-apples.html" target="_blank">http://www.improbable.com/airchives/paperair/volume1/v1i3/air-1-3-apples.html</a></p> Steve, its not the same idea…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-15:2177249:Comment:1289252014-03-15T01:35:29.561ZRussell Vancehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/RussellVance
<p>Steve, its not the same idea - that's a different system with a tipped/reinforced load bearing area - if you asked me about that specific bridge system you would get a different specific answer. You are comparing apples to oranges. Still, it's a free world brother, tell us how it goes.</p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Rusty.</p>
<p>Steve, its not the same idea - that's a different system with a tipped/reinforced load bearing area - if you asked me about that specific bridge system you would get a different specific answer. You are comparing apples to oranges. Still, it's a free world brother, tell us how it goes.</p>
<p>Regards,</p>
<p>Rusty.</p> Frank's photo essay is one of…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-14:2177249:Comment:1289122014-03-14T19:08:38.842ZNed Knepphttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/NedKnepp
<p>Frank's photo essay is one of the things that lead me to experiment with the mandolin bridge I mentioned earlier. </p>
<p> Of course it's fairly easy to experiment with a floating bridge but I'm not sure that it's a direct transfer to a fixed bridge. The dynamics are different. A floating bridge is more in compression and, IMO, not under the same sort of twisting, pulling, distortion inducing stress that a pin bridge endures. I can see where hard maple would work but I don't think I'm…</p>
<p>Frank's photo essay is one of the things that lead me to experiment with the mandolin bridge I mentioned earlier. </p>
<p> Of course it's fairly easy to experiment with a floating bridge but I'm not sure that it's a direct transfer to a fixed bridge. The dynamics are different. A floating bridge is more in compression and, IMO, not under the same sort of twisting, pulling, distortion inducing stress that a pin bridge endures. I can see where hard maple would work but I don't think I'm interested in using soft wood there when I know it must endure years of that stress, at least not when I can use something that I know is stronger.</p>
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<p>BTW, I didn't drill the holes that Frank shows in his bridge into my bridge because I didn't think the material in my bridge would hold up under the pressure with that much material removed. In other words, the maple bridge Frank made is probably lighter than mine. I was going to drill out the ebony bridge that I never got around to making. </p> That was a good photoessay S…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-14:2177249:Comment:1287412014-03-14T16:29:01.287ZKerry Krishnahttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/KerryKrishna
<p> That was a good photoessay Steve... </p>
<p> Andrew, is just an idea to do it, just like you said... . </p>
<p> That was a good photoessay Steve... </p>
<p> Andrew, is just an idea to do it, just like you said... . </p> Surely we understand the role…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-14:2177249:Comment:1287362014-03-14T12:07:01.784ZAndrewhttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/Andrew715
Surely we understand the role of bridges and the strength requirements that role demands. I think the answer to 'why' would be simple interest. Simple might be the operative word - sometimes one just wants to see 'what happens if I...', despite that predictable conclusions can be drawn from what is already known. I dont think anyone here is actually going to dedicate time and resources to reinventing the bridge wheel. We're more likely just putting ideas out there in the interest of discussion.
Surely we understand the role of bridges and the strength requirements that role demands. I think the answer to 'why' would be simple interest. Simple might be the operative word - sometimes one just wants to see 'what happens if I...', despite that predictable conclusions can be drawn from what is already known. I dont think anyone here is actually going to dedicate time and resources to reinventing the bridge wheel. We're more likely just putting ideas out there in the interest of discussion. I'm w/Rusty on this one......…tag:fretsnet.ning.com,2014-03-14:2177249:Comment:1287292014-03-14T10:07:49.234ZTim Macehttp://fretsnet.ning.com/profile/TimMace478
<p>I'm w/Rusty on this one........although a "floater" may hold up...but I'd rather have a dependable</p>
<p>piece of tree to latch 6 wenches to ! jus'sayin'</p>
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<p>I'm w/Rusty on this one........although a "floater" may hold up...but I'd rather have a dependable</p>
<p>piece of tree to latch 6 wenches to ! jus'sayin'</p>
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