Floating Bridge

[Steve Bettesworth]

I'm having to make a new floating bridge, I think that's the correct term, the type which is used with a tail piece, for an old parlour guitar. In the past I've been able to source them or use the original. However this time I'll have to make one. There is any amount of information out there about pin bridge but little or nothing on its humble cousin. 

If anyone can direct me to, or provide me with information on making one this would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

[Thomas James]

See my attached photo. Is this what you're searching?

[Paul Breen]

There many ways to go about it. The only rules are to have the end string height give you a good playable action and a way to hold the string spacing constant. It could look like whatever you want, although, you should be sensitive to weigh tissues and try to keep it fairly light weight. Some are all wood; Ebony, Rosewood, Maple, ect. Some have saddles made from bone or a fret on top. Some are simple shapes, some elaborate with decorative details. It should have width footprint a bit wider than the string spread bu there is no hard rule about this either. If there is no bridge plate reinforcement, you might make it a bit wider for the top to more easily carry the load. I would get on the internet and stare at pictures of guitars that have these for inspiration.

[Steve Bettesworth]

Yes Thomas that is the sort of thing, I've got several guitars with this type of bridge and all I really wanted to know as a novice/amateur/idiot was is there any criteria other then its a bit of wood, if so what was the best sort to use.

As you say Paul I do have some edged with bone fret wire or just the wood and I'll have another look at the guitars in my collection and dig out some timber, thanks. Steve

[LARRY KLOSE]

I made a new bone bridge on a bandolim (Brazilian mandolin) I got from a builder in Sao Paulo.  The ambient humidity there is about 70% and even though he built in a shop with better climate control, the top dropped enough that the original was too low in a drier environment--near ideal 40-50%.  I used a belt sander for most of the work with the usual tools for finishing and final shaping.  Not too hard other than the stink (use a mask...).

Picture attached.

[Thomas James]

Thie bridge in that photo has little spikes on the bottom. The spike on the treble side seems to have caused the long crack running unerneath the bridge. It is as Paul describes simple and made of a light colored wood finished in a dark color. I have a probably a dozen old stock new ones with a fret insert bridge. However, it would be easy to make a better quality one from rosewood, etc.