And still another discussion about bridges

[Brian Glass]

I have competed my second banjo and based on a lot of what I have read about bridge construction, I cut into the 200 year old pine boards that I recovered from my old house floor boards. They are quartered pine and have some nice tight annular rings. I based my design on that shown in the Briggs book and strung up the banjo and I have to say that I can't really tell if there is much improvement between that and my modern maple and ebony bridge. In fact I would say it has a little less carry and duller tonality. Does anyone have any input as to what species of old growth pine I should try? This is likely white pine due to its location in NH. I was thinking some old heart pine flooring might produce a clearer sound since it is denser and more rigid. Someone else mentioned poplar and I am sure I have some turn of the century poplar that I have recycled from somewhere. What about thickness of the bridge?? Please feel free to chime in with your successes and failures!!

[Joel Hooks]

I find the best comes from the cheapest 1Xs that I can find at the big box home stores.

[Bell Banjos]

After about 200 bridges, I can say that a softwood bridge three times wider at the bottom (than the top) sounds best. If the bass string is overbearing, thin the whole bridge so the top is just under 1/8" thick. A solid wood rim, a minimum 27" scale and a bridge as described will get you a sound close to Tim's.

[Brian Glass]

Looks like i need to widen up the base of my bridges to 3/8" or so according to you Terry. I will head to the shop first thing and try the wider version. Thx.

[Bell Banjos]

Here's a photo of my bridge and the way I make most of them. It's a full bodied sound with clarity. Listen to Tim's tunes in his Rice collection on his site.

[Ian Bell]

I tried a lot of different things and have settled (for now) on 1/8" basswood which they sell in little boards at hobby stores for about 3 bucks. (a byproduct of other nerdy activities)

[Tim Twiss]

I have a lot of this really fine soft sugar pine I had cut into unshaped pieces.

If somebody wants to try one and shape your own bridge, give me an address....I'll shoot one out in an envelope. It is soft and makes a nice bridge.

 

[Brian Glass]

Well it was very easy for me to cut up a very wide old pine board into a large bridge blank and I made two different shapes out of them and all I have to do is cut off the appropriate thickness for the bridge and i am nearly done. I must have a big enough piece to make 40-50 bridges and the height can be anything I like up to 7/8" with just a few passes with a hand plane. I used to make them one at a time but decided I spent too much time for only I bridge at the end of the process and decided I could make lots of them for just a few minutes more work. Tim, if your reading along, do you still use the bridge that came with your Bell and Sons Banjo? How does it compare to those you make with the soft pine?

[Steve Jeter]

 After reading this I made a   overpass LOL , instead of a bridge. Huge,  I kept working it down until it had some tone and a lot of bass. I believe it still need to be lighter.   My idea is the BG guys are always talking about super light bridges for the piercing tone,,, so I thought Id go the other way.  Results still inconclusive, but fun