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I just strung up a new OM, lutz and ziricote. It's a little brash, but boy, is it loud!

Not to mention lively. The notes seem to jump out.

I used a wenge bridge and fretboard for the first time, and wonder if they might be the reason why.

Does anybody have any experience with wenge in this role? I've used wenge back and sides in the past, and it turned out to be one of the nicest guitars I've made.

Next steps, maybe a wenge bridge plate. Any thoughts?

Steve

No thoughts. I''d love to see some pics though. I've been buying Wenge here and there as back and side sets over the last year. I have yet to use it but it's absolutely beautiful stuff and the tap tone, for what that is worth, is bright and glassy almost crystalline. I'll be sure to keep side cutoffs for bridge plates in the future, sounds liek a good idea to me.

Where are the pictures, Steve? Do I have to drive out to Cobourg to see it?
I used wenge for the FB, bindings, and neck accents on my "taking forever guitar". I was ogling a piece 4"x8"x27" at WoodChuckers, next door to Lee Valley, today.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

Thanks Alex, pics are coming. I actually have a real live photographer on the case

And if you want to think about how we might wanna carve up that big chunk of wenge, I'm in.

S

Next time you're at Lee Valley in Scarborough, pop in at WoodChuckers. It's in the next unit north of LV, at the back. They sell lots of interesting woods and tools for turners, but they also have some exotic lumber at really good prices. That block of wenge was rift sawn, and only $88. Lots of FB's and bridges, or back sets. They have other longer pieces, as well. One of these days, I'll get a band saw, and.... I'll be going back next week to exchange the drawer slides that I bought today - wrong product number, on my part.

Alex

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"Indecision is the key to flexibility" .... Bumper sticker

I would attribute most of the zing to the ziricote. FB and bridge have an effect, no doubt, but not as much as back and sides.

I would definitely not use wenge for bridge plates unless laminated. Seems way, way to splitty along the grain for that purpose, IMO.

Hey Ed, great point about the bridge plate. Thank you.

But the liveliness is not something I've run across before, and I'm hesitant to ascribe it to the ziricote.

I've built with cocobolo that wasn't nearly this lively.

I'm assuming the wenge has a bunch to do with it. Either its inherent brightness, or its lightness compared to a standard ebony bridge.

I am, as always, prepared to consider other opinions

Steve

Try adding some weight to the bridge and see what happens to the sound. That may help you figure out if the bridge or the sides are playing a bigger role (I suspect the bridge but I'm far from knowledgeable in these things). I would think that you could temporarily tape several grams to the bridge fairly easily. You could even try comparing the effect of added weight to the middle and/or wings. Any difference intone would be attributable to mass but not stiffness. With a healthy dose of luck you might find a point that lets you keep the liveliness while still taming the brashness.

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Bryan Bear PMoMC

Take care of your feet, and your feet will take care of you.

Thanks Bryan, good thought. The brashness has already started to recede as the guitar gets played more.

It's finally getting the idea that it's no longer a tree

Steve