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Sweet! The worst part for me is actually cutting the slot for the bridge...I tried the sliding cross vise ala John Mayes, but between my drill press and the cheapo vise, too much slop...I've gone back to the lam trimmer and jig...

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http://www.presnallguitars.com

I love that bridge...very nice, smooth lines, that's gorgeous. Say, what kind of bit are you using for that slot cut? Is this the same bit you use for your rosettes? Thanks.

Bill

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Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.

Very Nice bridge
I love the smooth line look

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Andy Z.
http://www.lazydogguitars.com

   Stealthy indeed! Hesh, that bridge is drop dead gorgeous! Very elegant and tasteful. Hmmm, I just might have to 'borrow' that one off of you...

   I also share your design philosophy of trying to have it 'melt' into the top...

   By the way, that new avatar of yours is very trippy!
   
    Alain Desforges38871.9223263889

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Hesh, that looks great. And I'm not just 'jerking' you around, either.
I see you've gone back to your earlier avatar.
That commode's a lot easier on the ol eyes.

I'm gonna guess that at least the router base is from Stew-Mac. And my bridge routing jig from LMI looks totally different from yours. So...I'll go out on a limb and say that yours must have come from John Hall.
No wait, Stew-Mac. Looks good, and I like your use of it.

Steve

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From Nacogdoches...the oldest town in Texas.

http://www.stephenkinnaird.com

Nice looking bridge, Hesh. And glad to see the old avatar back, too. That one has "Hesh" written all over it.

Ron

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OLD MAN formerly (and formally) known as:

Ron Wisdom

Somewhere in the middle of Arkansas......

Looks great Hesh!

Nice and subtle...but gorgeous


Jordan

Beautiful design Hesh, i definitely gotta come up with my own now, gonna be lurking around and gather some ideas, yours and Alain's are truly great to look at.

...Ah yes, Kind of Blue... Miles had the melodies in his head. He'd lay them down for the guys, practice the in's and out's and they recorded the album in two days, mostly first takes. Amazing.

   I thought you'd like that avatar, Hesh. I get the feeling though that I'm starting a change the avatar often phase... I have a few good ones 'on deck'.

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I'd like to be able to prove, just for once, that money wouldn't make me happy...

Hesh, that is quite simply the nicest bridge shape I have ever seen. Nuff said.

'Kind of Blue', probably the most important contribution to music of the 20th century (discuss). If you haven't got it yet get the 1997 Columbia re-issue. It has been reprocessed from the original three track tapes on an old tube three track mixer but, and this is the important bit, at the correct speed! Previous issues had three tunes out of key with all the sounds slightly sharp, ever tried playing along to it. The 1997 issue also has the proper richer sound, not as thin as previous recordings, plus a bonus of a second take recording of Flamenco Sketches.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

I agree with Colin about both the the record and the bridge. Good job Hesh!

I use the same bits as you Hesh, but I like to use the lam trimmer instead of the Dremel, I think it is sturdier and gives cleaner results. I made a guitar with a bridge that looked almost like that a while back to, only in BRW (sorry about the lousy picture).

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Rian Gitar og Mandolin

Hey you guys peaked my curiosity with that Jazz music there, Alain, you gotta make me a copy of this album, i feel i'm missing something in my music culture here!

[QUOTE=Hesh1956] Al your avatar is as classy as it gets - a real
masterpiece - Kind of Blue!!

No other artist could ever play one note three times and evoke such
feeling! I have a Miles poster in my office here in the condo surrounded
by two of Jimmy.[/QUOTE]

Miles had some classic sayings..my favourite: "whatever note you play,
youre never more than a semitone away from the correct one".

Hesh,
I like your bridge too...nice lines/curves. That jig is definitely a StewMac...I've got the same one. Now knowing that you have the jig why in the world would you slot the bridge prior to knowing your intonation marks. I always attach the bridge, intonate with the SM intonator, and then cut my slot.


p.s. enjoy the wood!

pps I too like using the lam trim rather than the dremel. The dremel is light, but a little too light and sloppy for this job...maybe I just have a bad one...Dave-SKG38872.7885069444

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Dave Bland

remember...

"If it doesn't play in tune...it's just pretty wood"

Very nice, Hesh. I dig it!

Mike

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Mike

"The Dude abides. I don't know about you but I take comfort in that. It's good knowin' he's out there. The Dude. Takin' 'er easy for all us sinners. Shoosh." The Stranger

Nice job of contouring on your bridge, Hesh!

Regarding slot cutting: Without a plunging base, how do your start your cut? The "tip it in" method?

FWIW my method of slotting using a cross sliding vise and a drill press
the spiral bits worked HORRIBLE for me. I could not get a clean cut. I
then tried a cheap Ace hardware straight cut bit and it was like magic...

Now I have JOhn Watkins make them for me.. that's easier then all of
them..except on the pocketbook :)

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John Mayes
http://www.mayesluthier.com