Bass Bridges

[John Ross]

Hi,
A little tip I use to help, keep things in place while drilling.
Put two finishing nails into the bridge, cut them off at an angle,
with your wire cutters. (Short)
The points will dig into the soundboard, and stop it moving.
Regards,
John M. Ross
Windsor, Nova Scotia, Canada

-----Original Message-----
From: owner-pianotech@ptg.org [mailto:owner-pianotech@ptg.org]On Behalf
Of Joe & Penny Goss
Sent: April 4, 2000 3:01 AM
To: pianotech@ptg.org
Subject: Re: Bass Bridges


Hi Brian,
I think that the Baldwin that Ed is talking about has the bridge glued
directly on to the sound board.
Replaced one  by myself and had a lot of fun keeping the bridge in place for
the glue to set. If I were to do it again there would someone else there to
hold the bridge in place while I drilled pilot holes for screws that would
hold the bridge in place while the glue cured.
Then remove the screws.
As I remember the bridge is about 12 or 15 inches long with a slight curve.
Three small screws should do the trick.
Joe Goss
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Trout <btrout@desupernet.net>
To: <pianotech@ptg.org>
Sent: Monday, April 03, 2000 7:20 PM
Subject: Re: Bass Bridges


> Hi Ed,
>
> Normally, when I used to send out bass bridges, they would come back with
> the old apron and shoe attached to a new bridge body pinned and ready to
> install, unless I specifically asked them to duplicate the apron as well.
> That's good, if you're considering the old shoe may have small pieces of
the
> soundboard still attached.  It will mate up perfectly with the old
> soundboard.  It indexes itself.  (No filler needed.)
>
> I have always glued the bridges onto the soundboard, mainly using the
> soundboard screws as clamps to hold it all together while the glue dries.
(I
> can't remember ever having seen one that wasn't glued on.?)   If there are
> some major splits and cracks in the wood where the bridge came off, I'll
> usually be pretty liberal with the glue, trying to get it into those
places
> where it cracked and split and splintered, etc.  I definitely don't want
> anything loose in there to buzz at me when I'm all done.  Also, I believe
> that having a solid glue joint will give you a better tone quality than
just
> the screws alone. I would also worry less about whether those screws might
> be coming loose over the seasonal moisture swings that most of us
experience
> year to year.
>
> That being said, I have moved a bit farther with my replacements of bass
> bridges.  It's one thing to duplicate, but it can be another to build an
> appropriate bridge assembly.  When we duplicate, we are assuming that
> everything was right from the original.  But more times than not, I've
been
> disappointed in the results.  When duplicating, we duplicate whatever was
> there, good or bad.  It may or may not have had too much or too little
side
> bearing.  It may or may not have had downbearing.  When we make them from
> scratch, we have control over all of those factors, and then some.  It
only
> takes a couple of hours to make even some of the more complicated bass
> bridges.  To me it's worth it.  And you won't be waiting by your mailbox
for
> the next 3 weeks wondering where's my bridge??!
>
> Good luck with your bridge.
>
> Brian Trout
> Quarryville, PA
> btrout@desupernet.net
>
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