Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by ChickenboneJohn on November 21, 2011 at 6:48pm

If you use a typical pin-type bridge you just need to be sure to get the saddle position right first time for accurate intonation.

If you use something like the StewMac fret calculator and measure accurately then you should be OK. I've made plenty of guitars with fixed bridges like this, using a smaller version of the pin bridge and they've all been fine.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 21, 2011 at 11:44pm

Hi Orpheus, you can also buy adjustable bridges for CBGs that kind of look like a Telecaster bridge. So you can go either way if you like.

 

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on November 22, 2011 at 12:31am

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Permalink Reply by Gary Williams on November 22, 2011 at 12:44am

Hi Juju where do you get your three string bridges from?

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on November 22, 2011 at 12:47am

hi Gary - i made them mate - cast alloy construction  hand smelted in my back yard lol !

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Permalink Reply by orpheus jones on November 22, 2011 at 4:57am

That is awesome Soundsogood. I might have to try a hand at hand smelting. 

 

Thank you Dan. I have seen those telecaster replica bridges, and I love them, but I was wondering how people who were not buying those bridges were doing it. I am probably going to pick some of them up in the future, but I wanted to build a CBG now!!! (To quote Veruca Salt, famed CBG builder.)

 

Thank you Chickenbone. That'll do.

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Permalink Reply by Dan Sleep on November 22, 2011 at 5:31am

I know some folks look down their nose at them, but I have made quite a few bridges just using a 1/4 x 20 bolt with a nut on the end.

 

Quick and cheap.

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Permalink Reply by Mark on November 22, 2011 at 7:21am

Dan is right, a simple nut and bolt bridge can be very effective. If you don't fix it down and just leave the string tension to hold it in place then you can move it back and forward to adjust the intonation. Like this...

If you're using a magnetic pickup then you need to find some way to connect the strings to ground. If the bridge is going to be free to move then it might be easiest to arrange the ground wiring where the strings are anchored.

Dan Sleep said:

I know some folks look down their nose at them, but I have made quite a few bridges just using a 1/4 x 20 bolt with a nut on the end.

 

Quick and cheap.

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on November 22, 2011 at 10:45am

Those are excellent man!  You have to stop making such cool stuff you are making the rest of us look bad.

JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD said:

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Permalink Reply by JUJU on November 23, 2011 at 12:43am

sorry mate i just have to keep pushing myself :) - cheers Michael

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Permalink Reply by MichaelS Country Boy Guitars on November 23, 2011 at 6:54am

Keep it up man, really nice work. 

JUJU AKA SOUNDSSOGOOD said:

sorry mate i just have to keep pushing myself :) - cheers Michael

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Permalink Reply by Skeesix on November 23, 2011 at 10:11am

The fixed saddles will have approximate intonation. On a three string, you might have two right and one slightly out. On the adjustable saddles you can get it exactly dialed in. It depends on how picky you are, and if you're going to be playing higher up on the neck where it will become more obviously out of tune. I see an awful lot of CBG's with saddles going straight across, which is not even close.

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