first acoustic guitar build cont'd...need to buy a bridge

[MaineGeezer]

Duplicate

[Tomcat]

Thanks, Maine. One of the two center strings, the G or the D,, makes sense, so the G is not a big surprise.

I think it's Edwinson Guitars or maybe another of my inspirational sites, that promises building in string-specific compensation, into the saddle. It never describes how it's done (proprietary? it's a selling site more than a teaching site, and fair enough. Fish gotta swim, birds gotta eat.) But I wonder, if you really wanted precision, and did Maine's test on both E's and the G, based the angle on fitting close to those three, and adjusted compensation in the bridge, string by string you'd have it just right.

What I *DON'T* have a clue about is whether this is even important and to who. Maine's 1/8th inch difference from E to E may very well all that is ever needed, and the string by string compensation just a useless distinction.

I do not have the kind of ear to have much chance at hearing any such distinction, truth be told. But somehow I hope to learn to make a guitar that I bond with. And maybe for others, as a bonus. Someday.

[BEJ]

Locating bridges - - - I've seen a lot of incantations uttered and incense burnt in association with locating bridges. Mr. Occam to the rescue: If you won't faint at the price, once the saddle's thickness is accounted for, I have found the Stew-Mac 'Saddlematic to be a very easy to use and accurate tool for locating bridges. I watched a luthier execute the bones-and-feathers ritual twice on my projects. Then he gave me a Saddlematic. I located the bridge using that tool on my next project and before I glued it down I visited him again and asked the luthier to do it his way. Identical. Been using the Saddlematic ever since then.

If you like to make your own tools, the Saddlematic page on the Stew Mac site has a tab labeled "Product Instructions." This has pictures with measurements and layout, makes it easy to build your own.

Bruce,

[phavriluk]

Locating bridges - - - I've seen a lot of incantations uttered and incense burnt in association with locating bridges. Mr. Occam to the rescue: If you won't faint at the price, once the saddle's thickness is accounted for, I have found the Stew-Mac 'Saddlematic to be a very easy to use and accurate tool for locating bridges. I watched a luthier execute the bones-and-feathers ritual twice on my projects. Then he gave me a Saddlematic. I located the bridge using that tool on my next project and before I glued it down I visited him again and asked the luthier to do it his way. Identical. Been using the Saddlematic ever since then.

If you like to make your own tools, the Saddlematic page on the Stew Mac site has a tab labeled "Product Instructions." This has pictures with measurements and layout, makes it easy to build your own.

Bruce,

Look at this before (figuratively speaking) trying on that wizard's hat. This tool removes all the guesswork. Hardest job Is locating the bridge side to side. If anybody WHO HAS ACTUALLY USED ONE, has a complaint, I want to hear it.