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Trying to move along on my Prairie State Jumbo Guitar I am building. Carved the bridge the other day. I had sent some Bridge Blanks to Andy Birkoniun to create bridge blanks that have the nut slot routed and bridge pins. I have done this part myself up till now, but find it easier/better to have that done first, so I can design the bridge, etc.

Here are a few pics of the bridge process:

First the design is drawn on the African Blackwood Bridge blank: Then I band Sawed around the shape, sanded to my lines. I don't have a pic, but i then turned on edge and with my rat tail rasp put the notches in the bridge Clamped to bench, and with the rat tail rasp, cut the grooves in the bridge:

Then I sanded/filed a ramp down the ends of the bridge. The pic doesn't show the completed stage, but gives an idea: Put the center lines back on: Filed/sanded the "points", trying carefully to keep a nice straight line: Where it sits right now. I have the bridge height a little higher than it will need to be, but will do that after I have the neck set, to ensure perfect. I also have to sand/file the ramp down in the back of the bridge to remove mass, and make it look "pretty", so a lot of work still. but you get the idea. Glenn

Body after top and back are on rims. Next up binding the guitar using the same motif as in the rosette. I sprayed the back and sides - cocobolo - with shellac to try to control the bleeding into the top, etc. I applied shellac on the top to seal as well. I will leave the shellac in place for when i route out the bindings. The Back with some shellac on it... note it is NOT pore filled yet, its just to stop the coco from bleeding, but gives a good idea of what it will look like under finish. Its a very dark coco - very Brazilian looking, in my eyes.

Glen

Great job on a cool looking bridge. You're right, the coco has a bit of BR vibe going on. ANy trouble bending it?

Ed

Thanks Ed!

The Coco bent rather easily. I used my Blues Creek bender, and was pretty uneventful - which is good :-). Only thing i noticed was the sides scorched a bit, and I didn't even take them very high in temp - sanded out with no issues. I believe i bent around .080".

Glenn

It's going to be a beautiful guitar.