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Bridge design/materials discussion

I usually use a hardwood bridge. But sometimes a threaded rod with nuts on each end. Sometimes that is sitting on top of a thin piece of hardwood.

I was looking at two of my diddley bows last night. One sounds real good, the other like crap. The only major difference was that the good one had a wood bridge and the bad one had the threaded rod atop a piece of hardwood. I quickly made a walnut bridge and replaced the threaded rod. Voila. Sounds real good and louder too. You just never know. I have found on some builds that the threaded rod sounds better.

I use the CB Gitty Zerbrawood bridges a lot and like them. I also Make some of my own out of Walnut. They also work good.

My bridges are almost always floating.

My conclusion is that if you don't like the sound of your instrument, try changing the bridge material. Sometimes it is an easy fix.

Don't get stuck using one method unless it always works out well..

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Monterey on March 16, 2015 at 12:13pm

I used Peruvian Olive on my Appalachian Mountain Dulcimers- it's really hard, and kinda green looking, really pretty, works good. Got some free flooring samples of it a couple of years back. I was going to try Walnut for the nut and bridge on the License Plate Guitar- had a sample of that too, that I used for the tail block. Still have a couple of nice Rosewood samples too. And I had some Appalachian Hickory from them that made up the tail on my Dulcimer, and some More Olive and Red Oak in my scroll. Actually you can still order free samples online from www.builddirect.com if you're interested

Permalink Reply by Brian Revels on March 16, 2015 at 1:08pm

Good info... just ordered some free samples too!

Permalink Reply by gary sheldon on March 16, 2015 at 1:17pm

I like the sound of that. Although I have been getting quite a bit of free wood from the tall ship we are building here. Some Walnut, Doug Fir, Pepperwood (aka Myrtlewood), Oak, etc.

Permalink Reply by Monterey on March 16, 2015 at 1:16pm

Cool! You'll be happy with them I hope- mine were really nice, and they came fast

Permalink Reply by Monterey on March 16, 2015 at 5:45pm

NP- the samples I got from them were sure nice, and the price was right!

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