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Is there a particular weight that some of you shoot for with your ebony bridges?

-j.

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“If God dwells inside us like some people say, I sure hope He likes enchiladas, because that's what He's getting”
-jack handy

I like about 34 grams for an ebony bridge.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

Not much response here, but I'll also add that I think bridge weight is a way of helping tailor the sound you want. You can think of as a brace if you will.

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Jim Watts
http://jameswattsguitars.com

[QUOTE=highdrawlicks] Oh, and regarding bridge weight. My old teacher, who was mostly famous for his 12 strings, had a bridge design that incorporated a chunk of ebony that would have sunk a bass boat (okay, I exaggerate a tad). His guitars sounded incredible. No offense to those whom I'm about to offend, but I really think that concerning oneself with bridge weight considering all the other variables is really unimportant. Speaking only for steel string construction, that is. [/QUOTE]

No offense taken but I would not consider bridge weight unimportant at all. A heavier bridge can add to sustain while requiring more energy to move therefore reducing attack. I typically don't make my bridges any heavier than required. It's another tool one can use to help achieve a desired result.

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Tickle your guitar daily, and it'll tickle you back.

Why cant bridge weight be just as important as all the other variables.
Although I just closed my first box today, I dont see any reason not to
consider something before glueing it on. If you never try something different
than what youve always done, you shouldnt come to any realization imo.

Referring to the Journal of the Guild of American Luthiers Number 79, there is an article by Brune that includes bridge weight and design considerations for classical guitars. It's qulaitative, and does not give explicit instructions.

As I remember Mario Proulx was pretty insistent that BRW was the wood of choice for SS bridges. I would think that this choice relates to it's mass or density.

It was mentioned by John that a heavy bride increases sustain but decreases attack and with a light bride the reverse is true. If this is so, I would think that a moderately SIZED bridge of medium density material, such as BRW would indeed be about right.

The point I am trying to make here is that I reckon if we are to discuss the effects that the weight of the bridge is going to have on the tone of a guitar, surely we would need to first identify the material intended as I feel that when talking about this component size really does matter.

Cheers

Kim

Heavy BRIDE increases sustain

That was meant to read heavy BRIDGE folks.

Cheers

Kim

at least in my unexperienced mind.

All this talk of bone vs. corrian vs. kryptonite vs. ??? for saddle and pin materials may just be supporting the thought that bridge weight (bridge + saddle + pins) affects tone/sustain/attack.

a simple test might be to try pins with varying head masses from normal to outrageously massive lead heads.... Should become readily apparent at what levels how much an affect there is, if any.

Rob