Luthier Tips du Jour - Classical Bridge Making - O'Brien Guitars

[DemetreJosebeck]

Beautiful!



[themurkar]

Can you recommend any reading or videos on bridge making and what makes a good bridge? I would like to know more about the theory behind what makes a good guitar bridge good and what makes ab ad one bad :)

[OBrienGuitars]

@themurkar Try reading up on what Somogyi has tyo say about it. That should help.

[themurkar]

@OBrienGuitars ok - thanks! :)

[Hoopermazing]

That white strip (bone or whatever) on the back of the bridge is a great idea... strings always bite into that part of the bridge.

[kspianos]

I have a Hirade Model 30 with a top crack right next and parallel to a brace. It creates a buzz and is dangerously flexible. How to fix?

[OBrienGuitars]

@kspianos Check out my video called Murphy's law. That might give you some ideas on how to fix the crack. Good luck!

[kmh196700]

On my acoustic guitar that I just completed, I have a buzz on the B string open. It is not touching frets, what could be causing this buzz? The saddle is bone and the nut.

[OBrienGuitars]

@kmh196700 If you are sure it is not the frets then check the nut and saddle break angles.

[kmh196700]

@OBrienGuitars If this is the solution, what should be the correct break angles? Does this mean that the nut touches the string for sure at the side of the fretboard and does the saddle have a rounded point? I realize this may be hard to describe on youtube. thanks anyway.

[kerryalt]

Thanks, very much Robert! So, that makes the highest point of the wings approximately 5 mm. if my arithmetic is correct. You've a great gift at simplifying complex procedures for us novices. Thanks much!

[kerryalt]

Is it me, or does it look like the cut to remove material in front of the tieblock to be about 6 mm? At 4:02, the cut looks both deeper than 4 mm and wider than 2mm. Or is this an optical illusion?

[OBrienGuitars]

You are correct. Nice observation! In the video I say to make the cut you mention at 4mm, the same as the saddle slot because it is already set at this depth. Also, becasue if you go too deep then you have to remove more material from the wings until the saw mark is removed. Over time I have been able to "dial" my tolerances in a bit closer to my final bridge thickness on the wings, so I go a bit deeper in the cut. You can always remove material but it is hard to put it back.

Happy Building!

[Henders100]

Great video as usual.