While most banjo manufacturers pre-install the bridge, occasionally you may need to readjust or replace it. It is not glued in place like a guitar bridge but is a “floating” bridge like on a violin.". At least in the world of open-backs, it depends a lot on the individual banjo and what else are its characteristics. Es besteht aus Ahornholz mit Ebenholz-Einlage. Thin bridges will also dig into the head more, sit lower than a bridge with a wider footprint and generally have a harsher tone. banjo bridge. I tried my first Snuffy bridge and have never shaved another bridge. The material the vibrations move through can enhance the tone, ballance and power or they can dampen it. 'Aquila Nylgut 7B Minstrel Strings Discontinued?' I like a richer fuller sound now. A high quality maple banjo bridge will even make a less expensive student model banjo sound a lot better too. If you use the rules of thumb, decide which direction you want to go, and listen to your tone with each bridge, I think you will find the punch, power and sweetness that you are after. I showed my new build to a local mando player, who liked it, but suggested sanding the bridge, (top and bottom) thinner, in the width, and told me that it had to do with fiddle set up. This is the easiest and quickest way to improve your banjo's tone! Weekly newsletter includes free lessons, favorite member content, banjo news and more. My other banjos are parts projects, one with a no-hole RK tone ring on a Cooperman rim and one with a Gibson 4-hole archtop ring on a 1970s Janzegers rim. For example, a thin, light bridge with Purple Heart will likely produce a brighter tone than a thick, heavy bridge with Ebony or Snakewood. Banjo Newsletter was as good as it got for sharing information. This is the rebroadcast of the 6th episode of our series Deering Tech Live. To get the bridge set at the “sweet spot” for best intonation, you will want to use the harmonics. Maple and ebony bridge for 4 string banjo. Installing a banjo bridge takes a little concentration but, when done properly, it can greatly enhance the sound of your instrument. The Nichols Banjo Bridge . If you have been used to playing with a 5/8” bridge and move to a taller bridge, it may challenge the established “muscle memory” of your picking hand. The thin edge, however, led to stripped-out string slots so I used to regularly replace my bridges.I was also a fan of clear heads. I glued it back together. To get the bridge set exactly, use harmonics: On the first and fourth strings, play the 12th fret harmonic by lightly touching the string above the 12th fret while plucking the string. SKU: BVKELT-1/2. And I was putting them on a clear head arch top masterclone & cranking down the tail piece. Take what you can from these basics and see what kind of fun you can have with your banjo. In this week's episode,  something a little different. Compensated bridges come in various shapes. If you have some favorite “bridge tips” of your own, don’t forget to send them to me at info@deeringbanjos.com. Made with aged maple & ebony that gives these bridges a deep, warm, well rounded tone. Please give me your opinions on the tonal effects of thinning your bridge. While these rules of thumb are interesting and can offer some guidance, the best approach is to try bridges until you find the sound you are after. Edited by - Porter Claxton on 09/03/2018 17:03:07. This is the rebroadcast of the 5th episode of our series Deering Tech Live. I don't think it made it louder. A general starting point on any banjo is to place the bridge the same distance away from the 12th fret as the nut is from the 12th fret. You can leave the top as thick as 1/4". If you feel like thinning bridges first get a set of scales that measure 2 decimal points. SKU: SSNG-5/8-S. $29.95. Get it as soon as Fri, Feb 12. You will notice that one side of the ebony saddle is rounded, while the other is not. SKU: SSNG-5/8-C. $29.95. Banjo Bridges - fine tuning them. Customers can usually tell right away that they have Old Hickory - Posted - 09/03/2018:  17:57:59. Does it remove unwanted overtones (as in less ringy)? It just depends on what sound you like. Every banjoist has a different touch and draws out of each banjo a different sound. Once the strings are off, use a clean dry cloth to remove all the dust, dander and debris that can be wiped off the banjo. Otherwise, it is a crap shoot and you will need to ruin a few to find what is too light for your taste. Click here to order Bill’s book … Back then I used to sharpen the top edge of the bridge to a knife point, but left the feet as is. Some banjos, and/or because of the way they're setup, simply do and some simply do not need compensation. The bridge, which is usually formed of a thin, hand crafted wooden slab, has a set of grooves along one of its edges in which the strings are tautly held. Somewhat similar to the current Renaissance heads. Banjo Bridge, RiToEasysports 2Pcs HA02 5-String Rosewood Maple Banjo Bridge Wooden Accessories. I believe makes this a 1980, which falls into the most respected time period of the japanese made Goldstars, it has been a great sounding and playing banjo for many years, i am thinning the herd as i only play claw-hammer anymore. Much of these differences can really only be discovered by experimenting. It was years later that they came out with the water-clear heads--which I can't abide. If you have strings 1-3 in good intonation, numbers 4 and 5 will be out just a little and vice versa. The Deering bridges are 3/16” thick at the feet which is a popular dimension used in banjo bridges. Other features of this banjo include sealed guitar, Maple Bridge, Black ASB bracket, Dot Star rim, 12 Buttons, Metalware, and more. Thinning the bridges reduces the weight and mass of the bridge to create a thinner, crisper or less bass sound. Now I just read the part again where you're not asking about brands, so skip that part. Some might say that it increases the volume of the banjo because of the sharper tone. That is something every banjo player can decide for himself but there are a few “basics” that I hope can help lead you to the best choice for your playing needs. You need to thin the bridge from the sides and remove some of the maple under the ebony top. I also used to bake the bridges until they just started to turn brown around the edges, and I would finally give them a quick spray with Krylon spray fixative, to keep them from absorbing moisture. You can still take a bridge that you want to weigh, say 2.0 grams and thicken the feet and thin the top or vise-versa. Snuffy Smith New Generation Banjo Bridge, 9/16" High with Standard Spacing. Nineteenth century bridges were all over the place, but many were narrower than modern bridges, and many were two-footers. MORE. It is a matter of compromise in setting the intonation when using a straight line bridge. I liked it for a while, but I'm wishing now I'd had it made in a more standard weight and thickness. Farquhar 4-String Banjo Bridge Vega Vox-Style with Inserts $25.00. http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/346097, 'Aquila Nylgut 7B Minstrel Strings Discontinued? Because a banjo neck is not very wide nor are the strings very stiff, this type of bridge is easy to use and adjust on your banjo head. With small files and elbow grease, he shows how to create the fret-end "binding nibs" for … Before we go any further, I want to make one thing perfectly clear: intonation inaccuracies do NOT reflect on the quality of the instrument. If you don't like a ringy banjo, I'd lower the tailpiece so it's nearer to the head. Depending on the style they play, four string fans use a huge variety of string gauges making guessing at compensation values impossible so custom is the proper way to go. The tradition thinking on banjo bridges is that maple is extremely hard and good for all banjo tones. A banjo bridge is the single member of a banjo that transfers the energy from the vibrating strings to the head of the instrument… but it is also a filter. As to how thin to go, you're going to have to experiment. This helps give the banjo a clear, crisp sound.The front side of the Deering bridge (the side with the name on it and the side which should be FACING the peghead for proper placement) is cut at an angle. Bridges do play a critical role in the sound of a banjo. The little 2 leggers that  used to come on the old S.S. Stewarts, etc., and many people still prefer, weighed less than 1 gram - nothing evil or thin about them whatsoever. TOWARD the nut if the fretted note is lower/with more bass than the harmonic (the string distance is too long). This bridge will work best at about 5/16" thickness at the feet, but as little as 1/4" will also work fine. I used to buy those Grover bridges a half dozen at a time. A 1 ¾” spacing is sometimes referred to as “Crowe” spacing. Banjo Bridge, RiToEasysports 2Pcs HA02 5-String Rosewood Maple Banjo Bridge Wooden Accessories. I’m not that far away and if you hear what you’re looking for you could order one for yourself.  Other Banjo-Related Topics Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. Should it be thinned equally top to bottom (keeping the pyramid shape) or should it end up the same thickness at top and bottom (like a thin plank)? 42 mm "Standard" used to for most mass produced bridges (distance between the 1st and 5th string) About 30 or so years ago, I was in my little wood shop and broke my banjo bridge. If you have a straight bridge tipping over probably won’t break it in spite of the huge noise it makes. But relaxing the strings a bit might be needed. All Forums If the notes are not the same, move the bridge. Kostenlose Lieferung für viele Artikel! If the bridge of your banjo moves during tuning, it can cause your intonation to be off, causing fretted notes to go sharp or flat. Banjo Bridge | Snuffy Smith | Improve Banjo Tone | All Sizes Only 5 left in stock - order soon. Then measure from the 12th fret down to the banjo bridge. The lyrics “like a bridge over troubled waters” might well have been written by a banjo player and his search for the Holy Grail of bridges for his banjo! Modifications to the shape of a bridge can alter the sound of your banjo eg. 5.0 … All are the thickness they came from the maker and all weigh over 2 grams. FREE Shipping on orders over $25 shipped by Amazon. Edited by - steve davis on 09/05/2018 16:37:05, Bart Veerman - Posted - 09/05/2018:  21:13:19, Only your own ears are the final judge as to how thin is too thin. This angle causes the bridge to lean toward the tailpiece. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/346097, Porter Claxton - Posted - 09/03/2018:  17:00:52. The "outrigger" legs make it possible for the head to vibrate more from the center of the head and the "wave" moving outwards … That is so the player who rests his fingers on the bridge will have a smooth, rounded surface against his fingers instead of a sharp point. You can go up or down but you should understand that you might not be able to set the action of your strings to a comfortable playing action. 6. Traditionally it is made of an ebony “saddle” or top portion and a maple “body” with three feet. Click to browse current inventory! Goldstar archtop banjo. Snuffy Smith New Generation Banjo Bridge, 9/16" High with Crowe Spacing. Some folks use weight as the one and only important feature of a banjo bridge and in doing have to make their bridges according to self-imposed limitations. Step 1 Study the string slots on the bridge, noticing that the slot for the 4th string will have the widest gap. The thinner and lighter a bridge is the faster and crisper the response, and the brighter the tone. Available in 9 to 20 inch, radius, is a $10 upgrade option for most of the bridges I make. The banjo uses a “floating Bridge” system, which means that the bridge is held in place only by the string’s down-pressure against it. I once made a bridge that weighed less than 1 gram.Beyond thin sounding...it was evil sounding. Besides, again as a bridge maker, I sure as heck couldn't promise, or guarantee a shop tolerance of 1/100 of a gram - that just wouldn't be anywhere near realistic... desert rose - Posted - 09/05/2018:  22:12:27, NO this is NOT popular, it was fourty years ago when everybody wanted a LOUD BRIGHT in your face banjo with no tone.You will loose richness and depth and the mids and bass tones by thinningScott, Rawhide Creek - Posted - 09/06/2018:  22:28:14. Everything these guys are telling you is true. I not only thinned them down, I enlarged the cut outs! Yes, definitely - totally custom compensated at that. Newsletter Sign Up. At Deering our compensated bridge is only $12.95. Then use a tape measure to measure the distance from the inside of the nut to the 12th fret. Only 5 left in stock - … Deering uses this height on our. First you will fret the 1st and 4th strings at the 12th fret and pluck the strings. There is a type of compensated bridge that is essentially a straight line bridge with a little notch bumped out at the 3rd string, which is the string that should be farthest from the nut. 3.9 out of 5 stars 11. CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 65 WARNING. Perhaps the density of the bridge is more significant than the weight? Always remember that the final gram weight affects tone much more than top wood choice. Normally on a standard banjo it’s somewhere around 4 inches from the bottom of the rim, or the same distance your banjo has from the nut to the 12th fret, the bridge should also be from the 12th fret. Snuffy Smith Banjo BridgesI highly recommend the Snuffy Smith Banjo Bridges. The string should come across the top of the bridge and only impact the top front edge and then fall back down toward the tailpiece. Positioning the bridge Find bridge placement for any scale with our free online tool fret position calculator. When I started out in the 60s thin bridges were nearly standard. Beginners don’t think they will “hear” this but once you have mastered the technique of “chiming” or creating the harmonic, you REALLY will hear it! Bart Veerman "Mystery Wood" Banjo Bridge, Crowe-Spaced, Heavier Weight 5/8" SKU: BVBM-M-5/8. Ebony has traditionally been used for the top/saddle portion of the bridge. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you continue, we will assume that you agree to. Follow your bridge foot outlines as closely as possible in this step and the next. My main banjo may not be the loudest of my three, but to my ear it has the most pleasing and impressive range of tone.