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| Author: | sprouseod [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 10:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | favorite bridge plate wood |
Just curious, what's your favorite bridge plate wood? Richard |
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| Author: | Tony_in_NYC [ Thu Sep 20, 2012 11:05 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
EIR or maple. I almost use some bloodwood once, but it seems a bit splitty. I would use any good hard wood though. I have some osage orange that might be good for them as well. But I have enough EIR and maple for now. |
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| Author: | SimonF [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 12:26 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I use Patagonian Rosewood (not a real RW) also known as Curapay or Curapau. The Scientific name is Anadenanthera columbrina. On the Janka hardness scale Indian is about 1800, Ebony is 3200, and Curapay is 3840. It is incredibly stable and split resistant and it is also very resonant and glues easily. It is used commonly for flooring applications. In my opinion, it is the most ideal wood species for bridge plates. |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 5:12 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I use sugar maple for traditional applications, and black locust for the others. Black locust is harder and stiffer than maple, but not as dense as most rosewoods or ebonies. I have tried several of the dense tropical woods in the past, including pernambuco, snakewood, and ebony. Though they are certainly hard, I found the density to be a disadvantage. IRW is probably my least favorite of the commonly-used bridgeplate woods. I have seen way too many 1970's Martins with chunks of wood missing between the pin holes. |
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| Author: | Tom West [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 6:52 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Concur with John on the EIR. One time I used it almost exclusively but the last 20 guitars or so I have not use it. I tend to think there are better woods tonally. I think part of the reason for woods splintering between holes is that cauls are not used when drilling holes. This is true especially for factory guitars where time is the master and the customer won't know because bridge plates are out of sight...................to some folks. Tom |
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| Author: | bluescreek [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:40 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I like Maple same as J Arnold and I 2nd the locust. I also used Osage Orange. EIR used once and not again. Also I don't use quartered prefer more a rift cut , and like to set the grain so there is an angle to it. I don't like to see the same grain line getting all the stress of the pins and ball ends. Just my 2 cents |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:57 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I love Brazilian for a bridge patch, but that seems to be quickly falling out of favor with the law.  I haven't tried locust but if John A. says that it is good, then no doubt it is. I think I would prefer a hard variety of maple to a soft maple though, and John Hall has it right for grain orientation regardless of species. |
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| Author: | Rodger Knox [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 11:32 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I've never used it, but persimmon has good properties for a bridgeplate. |
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| Author: | Mike Collins [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 2:33 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
How about thickness of the plate? I laminate Maple/EIR/& maple with the grains running 90 degrees to each other. Never had one crack. The overall thickness can be from 2.25mm-3mm depending on the string tension,top width & thickness;brace carving etc.. Just me 2 cents. ![[:Y:]](./images/smilies/smiley20.gif "Thumbs Up") MIke |
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| Author: | ernie [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 7:41 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Have cut up pecan for future use.But have not tried it yet |
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| Author: | Robbie_McD [ Fri Sep 21, 2012 8:03 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Great thread! SimonF recommended Curapay for some compelling reasons - also looking at Ipe. Rob |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 12:38 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
One reason maple is favored is because it is not likely to chip when drilling the pin holes....even without a backer block. Persimmon and dogwood also share that property. Black locust is a bit more likely to chip than maple, but using a backer block when drilling solves that issue. My distaste for laminated bridgeplates is based on my experience with Asian guitars. The outer lamination tends to flake off, and they can be a bear to remove. |
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 5:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I laminate hard maple (cross grain to the soundboard)/rosewood (grain parallel to top)/hard maple (cross). Laminate in a radius dish using epoxy. They are never going to delaminate or crack. Palo escrito is a good rosewood for the center laminate, because it is light weight. Total thickness under .100". Coated with CA for added toughness. Unslotted bridge pins (so that the ball end doesn't tend to creep into the hole and chew the edge, as it can with slotted pins). With reasonable care, this construction makes a plate that should never need repair. And, being lightweight, it's a good plate for sound, too. |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:09 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Todd, that sounds really strong, but do you feel it might possibly be adding too much stiffness to that area? I'd be tempted to try it, having thought about alternatives before but never branching out. I do really like that you're doing this in the radius dish, and that would seem to be a good thing to help maintain the dome of the top as an added benefit. |
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 6:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Don Williams wrote: Todd, that sounds really strong, but do you feel it might possibly be adding too much stiffness to that area? No, because it's thin. But it does add a little more stiffness in the lengthwise direction, compared to a conventional plate, due to the center laminate of rosewood with the grain parallel to the soundboard, and that is intentional, to help resist the torque from string tension. My goal with the bridge plate and the bracing is an appropriate amount of stiffness to handle string tension with minimal distortion of the top, while also being very lightweight. I am very happy with the sound I get with this approach. |
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| Author: | Don Williams [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 7:01 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Yeah...I figured you had it all worked out. It sounds like a great approach to me. |
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| Author: | DannyV [ Sat Sep 22, 2012 3:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Todd Rose wrote: Laminate in a radius dish using epoxy. Well that beats the heck out of trying to sand a radius into one. Thanks for that. |
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| Author: | Otterhound [ Sun Sep 23, 2012 10:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Hickory anyone ? |
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| Author: | Todd Rose [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:46 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Todd Rose wrote: I laminate hard maple (cross grain to the soundboard)/rosewood (grain parallel to top)/hard maple (cross). Laminate in a radius dish using epoxy. They are never going to delaminate or crack. Palo escrito is a good rosewood for the center laminate, because it is light weight. Total thickness under .100". Coated with CA for added toughness. Unslotted bridge pins (so that the ball end doesn't tend to creep into the hole and chew the edge, as it can with slotted pins). With reasonable care, this construction makes a plate that should never need repair. And, being lightweight, it's a good plate for sound, too. BTW, if a voice in your head says, "What? Laminate the bridge plate? You mean, like, PLYWOOD? In a fine, handmade guitar? Won't that spell doom for the sound?" ... don't believe it. Remember, in guitar making, there is a very big difference between popularly held beliefs (what we might call lore) and reality.  
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| Author: | Joe Sallis [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 7:42 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Is flat sawn maple any good for bridge plates or would you only use quarter sawn? |
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| Author: | jfmckenna [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 8:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Joe Sallis wrote: Is flat sawn maple any good for bridge plates or would you only use quarter sawn? I prefer flat sawn or at least off quarter. |
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| Author: | rasmus [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 3:48 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
I had a along the grain crack in one of my quartersawn bridge plates. No quartersawn bridge plates for me anymore. I'm thinking about trying out flatsawn maple laminated with thin ebony on top. It should make it resist the wear of the ball ends better. |
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| Author: | John Arnold [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 4:45 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Quote: I prefer flat sawn or at least off quarter. The weakest plane in maple is perpendicular to the growth rings. In other words, flat sawn maple is a bit more likely to split between the pin holes than QS. For maximum resistance to splitting, the grain should be about 45 degrees. |
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| Author: | woody b [ Mon Sep 24, 2012 5:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
Osage Orange, Maple, Honduran Rosewood and Braz a couple times. Rift sawn, with the grain parallel to the bass X brace. I've never seen a reason to use a laminated bridge plate. That area is already a 3 play lamination. Bridge/Top/Bridge Plate. I'm sure builders using super thin Somogyi style tops have different requirments for bridge plates. The biggest bridge plate I've ever used was 1 3/4" wide, and they're usually somewhat smaller than that. Perhaps laminates are better for big bridge plates. |
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| Author: | Joe Sallis [ Tue Sep 25, 2012 7:21 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: favorite bridge plate wood |
John Arnold wrote: Quote: I prefer flat sawn or at least off quarter. The weakest plane in maple is perpendicular to the growth rings. In other words, flat sawn maple is a bit more likely to split between the pin holes than QS. For maximum resistance to splitting, the grain should be about 45 degrees. excellant answer, John. That's exactly what I'm going to use. |
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