Official Luthiers Forum!

What is the impact of different shapes of bridges? I am thinking about starting with a typical stock Martin style bridge and reducing its width to approximately that of a pyramid bridge (on an OM). ...Perhaps angle the ends somewhat. Should I be careful not to reduce the width or length too much? Does the mass of the bridge effect the tone (I guess it does to some degree...)? Any thoughts or comments...?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

The bridge is the last top BRACE you put to a guitartop!
It's weight ,length ,width(if excessive) will have allot to do with the final sound!
Your idea of reducing a standard Martin bridge is fine!
NOT to small!!
Just make sure you have enough of a glue joint (bridge-top)
for steel string pull!!!!

Mike

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Mike Collins

The bridge design has to take a lot into account, as Mike has noted. You need a good footprint for gluing. The bridge is a significant part of the instrument's tone. Changing its weight, stiffness or footprint is going to affect the tone. My suggestion would be to stick with a standard design and make changes for a specific reason with a particular goal in mind.

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

Thanks Mike,
You see a lot of various shapes on bridges and some that are kinda wierd. I believe some of the Breedloves have an odd shape (my opinion...). I would assume that for an OM, as long as the bridge is at least no smaller than a pyramid style it would work okay... I'm not quite at the point of making my own bridge, but I thought I could modify a stock bridge (to some degree) and give it my own artistic flair...

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

David,
What goals do you refer to? ...and how could you modify it to reach those goals...?

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Steve Sollod (pronounced sorta like "Solid")
www.swiftcreekguitars.com

Steve, I would consider myself an early intermediate builder, working on my second handful of guitars. On this topic I have heard different builders with more experience than I give differing opinions. I think this is due to the fact that a certain builder's style may have adapted to and hence requires say a lighter bridge and a different builder's style may have adapted to something which requires a heavier bridge. Ask those two builders what happens when you add a few grams to a bridge and they will give you two different opinions.

If you want to learn, the bridge is an easy item to change out - build a guitar with one bridge, listen to it then swap the bridge with another.

My personal (limited) experience is that a bridge made out of heavy high dampening wood like ebony will sound round, bassy and full. A similar sized bridge made out of rosewood (and hence a few grams lighter) will sound crisper and more responsive.

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David White, Toronto

"All my favourite singers can't sing."

Be sure your design has the bridge wings crossing both halfs of the X-brace and beyound by 3/8" of so