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I've noticed some builders shape their bridges where the bass side has more surface than the treble side. Of what benefit does this design have over a "normal" shaped bridge. I'm talking of a s/s accoustic.

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RJS

Hi Richard.
It's mostly about having a distinctive bridge shape, I think, but different bridge weights can color tone.

If you think that the bass sound comes from the bass side of the guitar, then you'll play with the shape to make something happen over there. It's the same with just about every part of the guitar. I'm currently working on different thicknesses of heel-caps, something about the ultra-violet tone range.

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Patrick James Eggle created a 'wedge' in the bridge so that the saddle is uniform in height (subject to the radius of the fingerboard) so easier and quicker to replace - not sure what effect it has on tone, but having played and owned several of his guitars, he's doing something very right

Frank Cousins wrote:
"Patrick James Eggle created a 'wedge' in the bridge so that the saddle is uniform in height (subject to the radius of the fingerboard) so easier and quicker to replace - ..."

I'm not sure I get what he's doing that's different. Is the bridge itself taller on the bass side than the treble, so that the saddle sticks up the same amount from the top of the bridge? Or does he rout the saddle slot at an angle so that the saddle itself is the same height from one side to the other? Or has he followed what has been standard practice for some classical makers for years; building a twist into the fingerboard, so that the saddle height is the same distance off the top on the bass and treble sides? Of these, the only one that seems to me to be an innovation is the angled slot depth, and I'm not clear as to how that could effect the tone. Changing the height of the strings off the top will alter the tone, but that's another matter.

At any rate, the OP was asking about bridges that have 'more surface' on the bass side, not more height, and David's answer pretty well covered that aspect.