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I"m just wondering what the general consensus would be on how you treat the top surface of your SS bridges. It would seem to me that one would want to put the same radius as the FB. In this case 16". I think you would want the bridge to be thinner on the treble side since the saddle is lower on that side, but still keep the radius. Does that work for most people? I guess the same would hold true for the saddle? Same radius as the FB. Seems to work for me but I know there are more than one way to skin a beaver.

Can't answer but am interested in finding out


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I use about an 18 and go heavier to the bass side about 1/16 in.

the reason I use a slight mismatch on the radius is that the string do rise so this allows the saddle to appear more even across the bridge, using a 16 while it may match the fretboard because of the string action getting slightly higher it seems to match visually more on 18 than the 16. Especially on through saddles. If you do a 16 on a through the 1st string side of the saddle often looks too low.

_________________
John Hall
blues creek guitars
Authorized CF Martin Repair
Co President of ASIA
You Don't know what you don't know until you know it

What John Said.

I do the same thing for no other reason than aesthetics. Although I don't match the fretboard exactly I just make it visually more harmonious.

Bob

As was just mentioned I do the same not only for aesthetics but at some point in the future the saddle will need to be lowered. I actually try to build in the ability to lower the saddle 1/16th of an inch and still have a reasonable string break angle and this radius will help with that.

I just follow the radius of the fingerboard and slant it a bit at the treble end. No rocket science here, just logic.

Thanks. I guess it's not rocket science but I can never seem to bring myself to actually putting the same full radius of the FB. I think on a 16" it would be something like 18". I was just making up a few bridges and thought I would throw it out there since it seems a little quiet around here these days. Must be summer! It sure is here. The local swimming hole is finally warming up.

Cheers,
Danny

I just eyeball it...

Hey from the other landwash Danny
You said "I guess it's not rocket science but I can never seem to bring myself to actually putting the same full radius of the FB. I think on a 16" it would be something like 18".
To me this is sorta the effect of a conical fretboard, when ya go from say 12" at nut to 16" at body
you end up with something like 18"or so on saddle. To me it's all about playability, doing whatever
you need to make the neck more playable. By my standards this is as low as possible action with no buzzing
anywhere. I think you're on the right track

Ken

Here I thought you were a man of science.

Same here, it's a compound radius, eyeballed.

I usually do it after the bridge is installed. With the saddle installed I use a straight edge to mark the fretbboard radius on the saddle and also mark the bridge as well. When I have the saddlle done I then just use a sanding block and sand the bridge for asthetics. It usually only consists of sanding a bit off the treble side but i use the marks I made on the front of the bridge of the fretboard radius as a loose guide. When it looks good I sand the bridge with fine sandpaper and buff it up by hand and put a little lemon oil on it. Good to go...

I usually don't take much off the bridge being careful I don't have any issues with the saddle slot depth.


Bob

meddlingfool wrote:
I just eyeball it...

Here I thought you were a man of science.


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