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Simplify set up with a homemade adjustable bridge.

There isn't much about building a cbg that I find tedious but set up can be trying. I like a fairly low action on fretted cbgs and with that comes the requirement to refine bridge height and usually the nut (slots or overall height).

I was forever shimming or remaking bridge saddles trying to get the right height until I came up with this idea for an adjustable bridge.

The bridge is made of two fine thread, brass machine screws to which a brass rod has been soldered. Nuts are spun onto the screws and the projecting threads are set into a drilled piece of wood that acts as a foot. Height is adjusted at either end of the bridge by putting an 8 mil wrench on the nuts. Like most cbg bridges this one is not glued in place so that you can make some adjustments for intonation. Oh and for nut adjustment I don't spend a lot of time filing slots I make them out of brass threaded rod (softer than steel threaded rod) and simply file the backside to get the height right.

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Comment by bradley J Shannon on September 22, 2023 at 5:33am: Awesome idea! Can I ask if soldering the rod to the screws created any problems for height adjustment as the sides move independently and I would guess it might break the solder joint. Other than that I am going to attempt this myself! Where do you get your brass parts?

Comment by Rat Box on November 12, 2015 at 4:29pm: Good idea! I might have to give this a try.

Comment by Derek Rose on November 12, 2015 at 1:54pm: Great idea!

Comment by Bluesheart on November 12, 2015 at 1:33am: Cool idea, well done!

Comment by Seasick Mick on November 11, 2015 at 8:49am: Nice idea...Thank you

Comment by John Sawyer on November 10, 2015 at 3:51pm: Brilliant! I missed this in July!

Comment by Paul Craig on November 10, 2015 at 1:16pm: This is great and just in time too. I was thinking about making one like this, so thanks.

Comment by Rooster on November 9, 2015 at 6:31pm: Nice how-to John ;-)

Comment by john w on July 20, 2015 at 12:31pm: Richey - I think the epoxy idea may also provide a cleaner finish at least for those who solder like I do.

Comment by john w on July 20, 2015 at 12:25pm: In an effort to acknowledge the fantastic adjustable bridge pic someone just posted I seem to have deleted the comment. Damn. Anyway excellent work. Sorry about the other comment as well - I am a wrecking ball...