After posting my first brudge I immediately got back to work and started building some more. I altered the design to be easier to carve with a knife. I also began weighing them. I weighed the first bridge I made and it was 2.23 grams! I can really lucky there considering i did not have a scale.
This is the second bridge, it sounded awful. I tried to make the cap thicker because I thought it would look pretty if the feet weren't connected. And it does look pretty but it doesnt sound good. I also had a heck of a time getting the weight down due to the ultra heavy cap and I ended up removing wood from the feet. Big mistake but a good learning experience. It also started out weight 2.31 grams, didnt sound good was very quiet. I took it down to 2.27 grams and it got louder but much too shrill and just amplified existing problems.
The Third bridge i made copied the second ones design but used a normal cap, it sounded good, especially great up the neck. Weighed 2.24 grams
The fourth bridge is designed just the same but with a very small cap and I made sure to perfectly align the grain. It weight 2.3 grams and its my favorite so far! Has the best bass respond but still sounds good up the neck.
All of the bridges use a maple base with a hedge(osage orange) cap, all have compensated 3rd strings and they are standard spaced, 5/8 of an inch tall
Have you tried making a few all maple versions, without the cap?
quote:
Originally posted by KCJonesHave you tried making a few all maple versions, without the cap?
No I have not. Should I? I thought the strings would dig in without the cap? Have you made any all maple ones? If so what needs to be changed? Should they be thicker, thinner, lighter, heavier, more footprint, less ect ect. If they sound good id be more than happy to try it!
quote:
Originally posted by RK-FenderPartsBanjo07quote:
Originally posted by KCJonesHave you tried making a few all maple versions, without the cap?
No I have not. Should I? I thought the strings would dig in without the cap? Have you made any all maple ones? If so what needs to be changed? Should they be thicker, thinner, lighter, heavier, more footprint, less ect ect. If they sound good id be more than happy to try it!
With steel strings and no cap, they want last as long.
Enjoy the experimenting. I went through multiple woods back when I bought my bandsaw and made a bag full of various bridges I don't use. I eventually ended up back to maple/ebony, but had a lot of fun for a few months and learned a little along the way.
I prefer the tone of an all maple bridge. I've got a few from Bart Veerman, they sound great and the oldest one is probably 7-8 years old and still functions fine. I've never made a bridge.
My thinking is that, if you're making them yourself, it's not a huge deal if you have to replace it ever few years. Might be worth it for trying.
Edited by - KCJones on 06/01/2026 04:30:03
quote:
Originally posted by KCJonesI prefer the tone of an all maple bridge. I've got a few from Bart Veerman, they sound great and the oldest one is probably 7-8 years old and still functions fine. I've never made a bridge.
My thinking is that, if you're making them yourself, it's not a huge deal if you have to replace it ever few years. Might be worth it for trying.
What are the differences in tone between a capped bridge and an uncapped one? It would be much easier to make them uncapped
Oh man, good question. Describing tonal nuance over text is difficult, to say the least. I guess it just sounds, richer, somehow. Like the tone is more balanced. They just sound better, idk why. The high notes aren't as "harsh", and the lows are more rumbly. Hard to describe like I said.
That's just my opinion, to each their own. Try it and see.
Murphy Henry's husband ""Red" used to make her Stelling bridges from solid maple.
They sound fine,but I didn't like how the strings cut into them over time.
All maple or other hardwoods work fine.
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