Official Luthiers Forum!

Hello,

What's the consensus on adding a bridge plate for a tenor uke? I'm usually using spruce or mahogany tops with fan bracing. Is it really needed? It it's skipped should the fan braces be maybe a little taller?

Brad

_________________
"Is this the one where I trot downfield and act like I'm lost ?" - Billy Bob

I use them because my first uke plans all had them. I can't really give you a reason why or why-not. I don't mess with success, I guess

I use them and even my Cordoba tenor has one. But it has no fan braces. I am currently using three fans and a bridge plate.
Ed

I didn't use one on one of my first tenors. I wish I had, because the bridge area is twisting a little more than I would have liked. It took several years before it started happening though.

The bridge was quite narrow at 11/16. The top is .07 Koa and it has heavy fiddleback which I suspect might be at least some amount of factor.

Pat

Cool, thanks. I'll stick with the plan. Was trying to avoid fiddling with getting them to notched out over the plate.

_________________
"Is this the one where I trot downfield and act like I'm lost ?" - Billy Bob

I tend to use maple veneer running cross grain to protect the softer soundboard, but I use the HanaLima tie-through bridge.

Unkabob

I just put my bridge plate pieces around the braces. It seemed more intuitive because the braces are holding down the whole north south rotation thing and the plate is just spreading out the load a little.


Pat

This works pretty well for cutting the reliefs in the braces for the bridge plate to pass through. I think it’s important for the plate to be continuous for stiffness across the top grain.

http://www.patfosterguitars.com/37hauser1/album/slides/DSC06833.html

The top surface of the vise jaws need to be flat and coplanar when closed. The slats of the spacer/jig are the same thickness as the plate. They gauge the amount the brace is raised above the tops of the jaws. Use the top of the jaws as a guide for the chisel and Bob’s your uncle.

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com

Voice of dissent here.

Nix it unless you are using a pin bridge.
The bridge patch on a fan fret uke is there probably as a throwback to its cousin the classical guitar. The patch on the classical was there as a throwback to when they used pin bridges and wanted to protect the top.

Especially if you aren't making it much bigger than the bridge itself, it isn’t going to offer a lot in terms of rotational torque support.
So it is nothing but a huge pita.

Nix it

dl

I'd say yes to the bridge patch.

There are also tonal considerations with a bridge patch.

_________________
formerly known around here as burbank
_________________

http://www.patfosterguitars.com