Jazz Guitar Bridges

**Patrick2** · 06-10-2012, 01:57 PM

These are about the best I've seen currently available. My newest Golden Eagle has this bridge on it, but, I had them inlay MOP on the base. This company's work is impeccable. I'll *shamelessly* post anpother pic of my newest Golden Eagle with this bridge on it. I just couldn't possibly have lived with the bridge abd bridge base Heritage is currently using.

Archtop guitar bridges.

**Patrick2** · 06-10-2012, 02:00 PM

This is the bridge and base I got from Ultima. GREAT people to worl with.

**oldane** · 06-10-2012, 02:08 PM

Originally Posted by PTChristopher

As much as you can admire Benedetto for his hands-on designing and building, I think his willingness to actually look into (and test) concepts - AND adapt as needed based on results, is way beyond anyone else. Amazing. A long career and seemingly never stuck in a rut.

Chris

One can also admire him for sharing his trade secrets with others. What would have become of numerous other luthiers if he hadn't written his book "Making an Archtop Guitar"?

That book got a lot of people started as archtop makers, and we all know how many Benedetto look-alikes there are out there.

Eventually it also ended up being a huge advantage for Bob himself. If so many built guitars right out of his book, he must be the best, right? So by writing the book and "give away" his trade secrets, he established himself as a leading builder of his time, by then only second to Jimmy D*Aquisto, and it sent his prices and waiting list upwards when D'Aquisto died.

I have said it before and I'll repeat it: Bob is a very talented luthier and he is at the same time a very clever buisiness man. A case where intelligence, character and empathic sense of his market goes hand in hand. It's the same stuff which, say, Duke Ellington was made of.

**Patrick2** · 06-10-2012, 02:19 PM

Bob Benedetto is a great builder . . no doubt. He's no slouch as a jazz player either. You talk about giving away secrets . . . I remember at the Long Island Guitar Show, John Montelleone, taught a master class on arch top building, made an arch top guitar at the 2 day show . . (almost) from scratch .. then raffled it off to one of the attandees of the show. It was a bare boned guitar, no finish at all on it, but, it was a functional John Montelleone arch top, none the less.

GOD . . how I miss that show. Another thread mentioned James Mapson. He always had a booth there. Trefor Owen was always there at his booth playing . .. bad hair piece and all.

I wish Jimmy could have been around for it. But, he was well represented. Many of his guitars were there .. . especially when Scott Chinnery showed parts of his massive collection . . . but, I digress.

**PTChristopher** · 06-10-2012, 02:42 PM

>>> we all know how many Benedetto look-alikes there are out there

I have been carefully pulling out my hairs to get his look. I am pretty much there. It has not improved my skills though.

On Patrick's bridge pics:

In my opinion, the OP will find that these angled, but otherwise straight (from E to E) bridges will provide very, very good intonation using most wound G sets from .012 and above.

(Lighter gauge sets require more critical bridge compensation. No, really.)

Sure, in principle a bit of a stagger between the B and G (or as discussed, a B "set back") will be more accurate.

But considering the lack of nut compensation on most guitars, and the variation from one manufactured individual string to the next (and the effects of string aging, dirt, etc.), the bridges in Patrick's pics will be fine, and a significant improvement over the hyper-compensated bridge in the OP's guitar.

Set such a straight bridge for best results on the B and A strings, vs. the traditional E strings.

In my opinion.

Chris

**.02$** · 06-10-2012, 05:04 PM

Originally Posted by PTChristopher

>>> we all know how many Benedetto look-alikes there are out there

I have been carefully pulling out my hairs to get his look. I am pretty much there. I has not improved my skills though.

I did the factory tour in Savannah winter of 2010 and Bob has all his hair.

On Patrick's bridge pics:

In my opinion, the OP will find that these angled, but otherwise straight (from E to E) bridges will provide very, very good intonation using most wound G sets from .012 and above.

OP must decide on the Patagonia Rosewood or Jataba.
Match the pickguard and pickup rings of go for the harder Patagonia Rosewood.

Chris

OP Abides

**PTChristopher** · 06-10-2012, 05:42 PM

Oooh. Weird quote box in the post above. A few lines are true quotes, then there is a lot of non-quote stuff in the box as well.

**.02$** · 06-10-2012, 06:00 PM

Sorry my bad! Learning the posting system. I decided on an Ultima Bridge replacement. Either the Patagonia RW of Jataba.

Origional Poster Abides!

**PTChristopher** · 06-10-2012, 06:09 PM

>>> I did the factory tour in Savannah winter of 2010 and Bob has all his hair.

Oh crap. I wonder if I can stick mine back in with CA or something.

Best of luck on the new bridge; please let us know how it works out.

Chris

**vejesse** · 06-10-2012, 06:27 PM

The best wooden bridge in my humble opinion is one where the top wooden "saddle" is custom carved to intonate correctly for your string set, as well as your string spacing and string height/curvature preference. There are good instructions on how you might go about making one in Don Teeter's books. Nothing more frustrating than hearing your guitar slightly out of tune with your factory wooden bridge and knowing you can't make it any better.

I've seen a couple solid bridges but couldn't tell any difference in sound. If you like to adjust your string height according to your mood or with weather changes they're impractical of course. Anecdotal evidence seems to suggest that a one piece, non adjustable bridge being less flexible might give you more highs in the sound. Or that the flexible, two piece adjustable bridge bright might give you a darker sound. More low end gives the perception of more volume.

For something possibly related here's a link to a study of the acoustics of upright bass bridges with and without adjusters:

An Acoustical Study of Double Bass Bridge Height Adjusters

**.02$** · 06-10-2012, 06:38 PM

Guess the cut is more like a "Larry"

**PTChristopher** · 06-10-2012, 07:02 PM

Hee-hee. Give me another 10 or 12 years.

Anyway, the Ultima bridges look rather tall, which is probably fine for you. If not, shortening the bridge is quite easy.

Do you have a reasonably competent luthier in your area who can help if needed?

Chris