Official Luthiers Forum!

hi all
what would the optimum bridge weight to aim for on a spruce top / fan braced classical, it’s Madagascar rosewood and I would like to experiment (very slightly) with the design.
regards Geordie

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some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams

Well I'm not sure about the 'optimum' height, but on me classicals, I make the bridge 3/8'' high, in order to have a little less than 1/2'' between the top and the strings.

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I usually shoot for somewhere around 20-22 grams, and try to keep it below 25. 18 is a little on the light side, IMO, but would probably be good on a Flamenco. I have heard of bridges going as low as 12 grams, but I've never used one that light as far as I can remember.

Oh boy! I guess I didn't sleep enough last night. I mixed 'height' with 'weight'...

Sorry....

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Alain Moisan
Former full time builder of Acoustics, Classicals and Flamencos.
(Now building just for fun!)

I completely agree with Alan ( )

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Build log

My bridges typically weigh 21-22 g and are made from Madagascar rosewood having a density between 0.80-0.88 g/mL. This is fairly high density but the wings are on the thin side in order to keep the weight down. They have worked well on spruce.

I aim for 20 grams, and would ditch it if the weight approached 25gm. I always use BRW, though that weight should be achievable with Madagascan RW. Don't forget it's also another, and heaviest, brace so your bracing will influence what weight bridge will be best for your guitar.

Colin

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I don't believe in anything, I simply make use of a set of reasonable working hypotheses.

Btw densities vary so it is important to use a scale or at least get a feel for it. I have Mad rose lighter than maple at 630Kg/m3 and I put this aside for future flamencos. I made one bridge weighting 17 grams while it looks like a big and thick classical bridge. Not very stiff either.

In my latest guitar I used a very dense piece of Brazilian, it measured over 1000 Kg/m3 (and it did sink in water when i wanted to make sure i was right). Final weight was 24 grams and maybe down to 23 now (i like to live on the edge so I tweak the bridges after they are glued to the guitar ) It is quite a stiff bridge as I wanted to compensate for the top plate which was not dead on the quarter thus a little floppy across the grain.

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Build log

many thanks too all who “weighed in”, 20 gms it is.
best regards
Geordie

_________________
some tunes on acoustic and guitar synth.
http://www.youtube.com/user/TheGeordieAdams
http://www.myspace.com/geordieadams