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vandenboom
 Post subject: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Sun Nov 02, 2008 11:53 pm 
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Mahogany
Mahogany

Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:03 pm
Posts: 85
Location: Australia
It was suggested in an earlier post a month ago that I seriously look into using a slotted bridge rather than relying on the slots in bridge pins.
I was reading about this further at www.bryankimsey.com
For those of you that use this, how do you create the slots?
Until now, I have used a coping saw blade to create a bit more room between the bridge pin slots and the hole, but I would have thought this approach a bit rough for slots to take the whole string.
Do you drill the holes before drilling the bridge pin holes - you couldn't do it after. If so, do you use different drill bits for different string widths?
Frank
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David Collins
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:18 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood

Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 10:04 am
Posts: 2060
Drill all holes to 3/16", taper from there to fit pins, cut slots with a saw, appropriately widen slots and final fit strings in slots by file. Slotted pins are bad, solid pins are good.

http://www.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10102&t=15024

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vandenboom
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:27 am 
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Mahogany
Mahogany

Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2005 2:03 pm
Posts: 85
Location: Australia
David - thanks - perfect. I should have done a search on this first.
Frank
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Mike Collins
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:04 am 
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Brazilian Rosewood
Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Mon Mar 06, 2006 10:10 pm
Posts: 2485
Location: Argyle New York
First name: Mike/Mikey/Michael/hey you!
Last Name: Collins
City: Argyle
State: New York
Zip/Postal Code: 12809
Country: U.S.A. /America-yea!!
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
I use a Dremal with a #113 bit!
works great.
Mike

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Hesh
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 7:35 am 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13631
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Frank to expand a bit on what David and Mike said I use this little saw marketed specifically for this purpose by our friends at Stew-Mac:

Attachment:
Bridge_Pin_Hole_Saw_Detail.jpg


Attachment:
Bridge_Pin_Hole_Saw_Detail2.jpg


You can make one too out of a saber saw blade but the SM ones are very inexpensive and work great.

From the pic below you can see that each individual string is fitted for the respective slot. The low E will require more swipes with the saw than the high E which may require only one swipe with the saw. It goes very fast and makes a horrific noise too that I find rather disturbing...... :(

Attachment:
DSCN2430.jpg


Also when fitting the pins for height prior to cutting the slots in the bridge/top/plate not all pins are always exactly the same in terms of fit. Mario suggested that when you fit your pins write the number of placement on the pin (part in the guitar) once it is fitted. At least you will be able to get the pin that fits each spot in it's respective hole each time at at equal height.


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Sylvan
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 9:31 am 
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Cocobolo
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Joined: Sun Jan 09, 2005 8:49 am
Posts: 389
Use a jig saw. Find a cheap one at a garage sale. Dedicate it to this task. Glue leather to the bottom of the jig saw. Grind a blade that will fit in the 3/16" hole. You will find that you have much better control of the cut.


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http://www.wellsguitars.com
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Peter Pii
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 10:07 am 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Tue Jul 17, 2007 1:52 am
Posts: 140
Location: B.C. Canada
laughing6-hehe Hey Sylvan, did you apprentice with Norm Abram
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Hesh
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 12:39 pm 
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Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
Old Growth Brazilian Rosewood
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Joined: Fri Nov 02, 2007 9:49 am
Posts: 13631
Location: Ann Arbor, Michigan
First name: Hesh
Last Name: Breakstone
City: Ann Arbor
State: Michigan
Country: United States
Status: Professional
Norm apprenticed with Sylvan..... :D
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Todd Rose
 Post subject: Re: Slotted bridges
PostPosted: Mon Nov 03, 2008 8:30 pm 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Fri Nov 11, 2005 3:32 am
Posts: 2687
Location: Ithaca, New York, United States
Excellent needle files for fitting each slot to each string are available from:

http://www.contenti.com/products/files/ ... files.html

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