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 Post subject: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 9:07 pm 
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Walnut
Walnut

Joined: Thu Nov 26, 2009 5:32 pm
Posts: 32
First name: Dan
Last Name: Normand
State: Massachusetts
Zip/Postal Code: 02648
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Hello everyone, quick question.

Structurally, is it safe to build a multilayer (laminated?) bridge like the drawing (profile view) below?

Image

Would there be any major impact on tone? The woods would be ebony and maple, and a contrasting wood in the middle, maybe cocobolo. Thanks for any input guys.


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:24 pm 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Wed Oct 21, 2009 7:46 pm
Posts: 950
First name: Francis
Last Name: Richer
City: Montréal
State: Québec
Zip/Postal Code: H4G 2Z2
Country: Canada
Focus: Build
Status: Semi-pro
Glue is always stronger than wood, for sure. I don't know if you should cross the grain direction... not sure.
And from an acoustic view, i don't know the suitability of a laminated bridge.

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Francis Richer, Montréal
Les Guitares F&M Guitars


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Wed Mar 03, 2010 10:43 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Sun May 20, 2007 2:47 pm
Posts: 377
Location: Canada
check out some of michi matsuda's bridges. laminated - and classy.


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 4:36 am 
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Koa
Koa
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Joined: Wed Jan 23, 2008 8:05 pm
Posts: 1567
Location: San Jose, CA
First name: Dave
Last Name: Fifield
City: San Jose
State: CA
Zip/Postal Code: 95124
Country: USA
Focus: Build
Status: Amateur
Our buddy Charles Fox also makes laminated bridges. I tried it on one guitar (an MJ) and it didn't seem to sound any different from normal to me. I say go for it.

Dave F.

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Cambrian Guitars

"There goes Mister Tic-Tac out the back with some bric-brac from the knick-knack rack"


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 10:35 am 
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Contributing Member
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Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:30 am
Posts: 1792
Location: United States
Ti-Roux wrote:
Glue is always stronger than wood, for sure.

This is a highly arguable and controversial statement, to say the least…

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:53 am 
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Joined: Mon Jan 03, 2005 7:46 am
Posts: 1315
Location: Branson, MO
First name: stan
Last Name: thomison
City: branson
State: mo
Zip/Postal Code: 65616
Country: united states
Focus: Build
Status: Professional
Agree with Laurent. Based on what (either way)?

Having never built a lam bridge or for that matter hearing one, I won't get into that argument if the is one.

As far as tone/sound/volume or ehatever, I am thinking it would depend on ayers and thickness of lam's and layers of an how much of adhesives used.


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 3:30 pm 
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Cocobolo
Cocobolo

Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2008 3:29 pm
Posts: 213
Location: Meredosia, IL 62665
My first was a laminated bridge, an ebony/cherry/ebony. I liked it visually and think the guitar tone was very good. I did not cross grain the laminates, and used titebond III. After a few years now (I don't see it often) I am told you can feel the glue lines. I assume the cherry is less stable and shrinks a bit more in the winter.

Danny R. Little


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 Post subject: Re: Multilayer bridges?
PostPosted: Fri Mar 05, 2010 4:20 pm 
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Joined: Wed Aug 31, 2005 7:30 am
Posts: 1792
Location: United States
Danny, I would assume cherry to be more stable than any ebony. OTOH TBIII is known to cold creep.

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Laurent Brondel
West Paris, Maine - USA
http://www.laurentbrondel.com/


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