Question for the Luthiers

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Jim Opfer

Posts: 1876
Joined: Jul. 19 2003
From: Glasgow, Scotland.

Question for the Luthiers

Anyone ever thought to cut the bridge slot right through, so that the bone sits down directly onto the soundboard?
If packing the bridge saddle up is a bad idea because this reduces contact then conversely, improving the contact between bone and soundboard should improve the sound?
Just a thought.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2008 10:00:18

Ron.M

Posts: 7051
Joined: Jul. 7 2003
From: Scotland

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to Jim Opfer)

Good thought Jim!
Makes sense in Engineering terms anyway.
Personally, I've never found building the bone up with slivers of wood etc had a particularly detrimental effect, but I'm just talking about cheap/medium price guitars here.
I've no idea how that would affect top end guitars.

Interesting point.

cheers,

Ron

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2008 10:57:40

srshea

Posts: 833
Joined: Oct. 29 2006
From: Olympia, WA in the Great Pacific Northwest

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to Jim Opfer)

Hmn. Interesting question. I would wonder if, in such a scenario, the pressure from the strings would press the saddle down onto the soundboard and eventually start cutting into it? Maybe strings don't actually exert that much pressure? Interesting idea, either way.

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2008 16:27:15

TANúñez

Posts: 2559
Joined: Jul. 10 2003
From: TEXAS

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to Jim Opfer)

I may be wrong but I would imagine that since spruce is soft, the downward pressure of the strings on the saddle would just push the saddle through the top. That would suck. Again, this is just my guess but maybe a real luthier like Anders, Blackshear, Shelton, Green or someone else would know exactly why this is not done.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2008 16:45:40

krichards

Posts: 597
Joined: Jan. 14 2007
From: York, England

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to TANúñez)

quote:

I may be wrong but I would imagine that since spruce is soft, the downward pressure of the strings on the saddle would just push the saddle through the top.

I think this is right.
You could make a bridge with an integral saddle but the wood would wear away too quickly. The point about the bone saddle is that it is hard wearing and stiff and being removeable you can change it easily to suit different players or when it wears too much

I agree with Ron about the use of shims. They don't seem to make much difference. I've used thin veneers, waste golpe material etc. and the sound doesn't change to my ear.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 13 2008 23:37:39

Tom Blackshear

Posts: 2304
Joined: Apr. 15 2008

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to Jim Opfer)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Jim Opfer

Anyone ever thought to cut the bridge slot right through, so that the bone sits down directly onto the soundboard?
If packing the bridge saddle up is a bad idea because this reduces contact then conversely, improving the contact between bone and soundboard should improve the sound?
Just a thought.

Jose Rubio used a conical cut into the bottom of the bridge right beneath each string so that it would give a more sensitive effect to the tone. And I've seen some bridges with the saddle relief like you described but I think the basic idea of the traditional bridge and saddle is to let the tone homogenize in the bridge to some extent so as not to cause too much sensation.

I've actually tried Jose's idea, and it did cause a higher frequency to the sound but I didn't continue with it as I didn't feel it contributed that much to improve sound.

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Tom Blackshear Guitar maker

REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 16 2008 7:59:39

kovachian

Posts: 506
Joined: Jan. 30 2008
From: Americanistan

RE: Question for the Luthiers (in reply to Tom Blackshear)

quote:

Jose Rubio used a conical cut into the bottom of the bridge right beneath each string

Is there a picture of this somewhere? Because I can't seem to visualize what you're describing here.

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REPORT THIS POST AS INAPPROPRIATE | Date Dec. 16 2008 11:28:22