Official Luthiers Forum!

Chris,

I think you've just more or less invented the Tacoma Papoose bridge:



Works pretty well.

_________________
Dave White
De Faoite Stringed Instruments
". . . the one thing a machine just can't do is give you character and personalities and sometimes that comes with flaws, but it always comes with humanity" Monty Don talking about hand weaving, "Mastercrafts", Weaving, BBC March 2010

Interesting idea.... don't see any reason why it shouldn't work.

_________________
Peter M.
Cornerstone Guitars
http://www.cornerstoneukes.com

Chris-
There was a discussion about bridge pins a while back which was interesting.
I think that the pins tend to stiffen (and 'connect together') the bridge when inserted (kinda like the caulking in a traditional boat) and probably have some effect on the tone because of that.

Cutting slots through the bridge (Papoose) rather than holes with pins should have some tonal effect- for better or worse.

Chris- you could probably modify an existing bridge to your idea if it was one of the wider types by simply enlarging the string slots.

Let us know how the experiments go!

BTW, why do you dislike pins?

John

This essentially a bridge which uses unslotted bridge pins . (slotted bridge ) . If you remove the pins , the strings should stay put . It would do away with the extra weight from the pins , be that good or bad .
   A set of bone pins weigh 7 grams . Worth taking into account.

Craig Lawrence

_________________
CRAIG LAWRENCE of AUSTRALIA
_____________________________________________

There may be some potential for the ball ends chewing up or splitting the bridge plate with this design.

I would install some sort reinforcement at what you call the "divits", perhaps something out of brass tubing.

CrowDuck

_________________
Chris Nielsen
Soquel, CA.

i have seen old guitars where the bridge was so worn that the effect was just what your drawing describes. though most of the owners still used pins(i guess old habits die hard), i do know one gigging pro who sometimes foregoes them.