High-transfer bridge design

[jtr654]

You could make saddle at different heights instead of having them all the same height.

[Sarah93003]

What if you split the saddle, horizontally, and added a height adjustment either with or without a shim between the halves.

Or, what if you had a little pulley/roller (ala Semie style) but drilled off center so you could turn the screw head and raise or lower the string. Kinda like an over-center cam.

Or, what if you made a "cap" in the same shape that would stack on top of the saddle and thereby raising it separately from the others. It would be like a full contact profiled shim, sort of.

[olrocknroller]

What if you split the saddle, horizontally, and added a height adjustment either with or without a shim between the halves.

Or, what if you had a little pulley/roller (ala Semie style) but drilled off center so you could turn the screw head and raise or lower the string. Kinda like an over-center cam.

Or, what if you made a "cap" in the same shape that would stack on top of the saddle and thereby raising it separately from the others. It would be like a full contact profiled shim, sort of.

All workable solutions Sarah, but unfortunately, in my experience, they all reduce total transfer of sound...small height adjusting screws and shims (small parts) seem particularly guilty of bleeding (lower frequency) sound. I strung up this new bridge on my shop surrogate guitar, and just about blew myself out of the shop...like I'd just installed hot Seymours or something... I'm not saying that your suggestions are bad solutions, they just don't provide the sound qualities I'm after. All those Tele's and Strats with saddle adjusting screws have been purchased precisely for the qualities those components give to the overall sound...even the Mosrite uses a relatively low-transfer bridge design, and produces a great, highly sought-after sound.

Thanks for commenting!

[Sarah93003]

Okay, I have another idea. Forgive me if I don't say the parts correctly.

Since you have two large wedges that work together what if you had six individual wedges going in the opposite direction. Would that allow you to raise the height of each saddle individually and yet retain your intonation capability with the screw adjustments?

[olrocknroller]

Okay, I have another idea. Forgive me if I don't say the parts correctly.

Since you have two large wedges that work together what if you had six individual wedges going in the opposite direction. Would that allow you to raise the height of each saddle individually and yet retain your intonation capability with the screw adjustments?

Hmmmm...I can see another prototype coming off before too long. This thing will be bristling with screws! I think I would make the lower plate fixed, and the individual, movable ramps on the top... I think this solution would retain the bulk of the surface contact, be easy to produce in quantity, and it just may be the "elegant" solution I am looking for... Thanks Sarah!

olrnr

[Sarah93003]

Cool! I'm anxious to see it.

[panther]

It would require a Little custom fitting, but why not just cut the saddle groove depth deeper as needed. that way all saddles would be identical until a groove depth change was needed. No more then working on a new nut.
Dan

[olrocknroller]

It would require a Little custom fitting, but why not just cut the saddle groove depth deeper as needed. that way all saddles would be identical until a groove depth change was needed. No more then working on a new nut.
Dan

Good suggestion! Exactly what I have done. I have "tilted" the 12" radius by lowering the treble-side strings 1/64" from their bass side counterparts. I chose this measurement after checking all of my guitars as I set them up normally...they were all within a hair of this measurement. Now I'm looking carefully at some maple and cherry that I've had several years...I have a neck-block that has been laminated for three months...but time is running short before I leave my shop behind and head for jam-sessionville in Yuma. This project may have to wait 'til spring for completion.

I'm currently tied up building a lapsteel for my buddy, if I get it finished, I just might have time...

olronr