bridges

[Ron Nossaman]

>
> I am interested in the way bridges work. What an engineering marvel to have 
> the strings placed so expertly placed as to exert maximal vibrational 
> movement onto the sounboard via the bridge! 
>
> Here's my question: what is superior? capped or uncapped bridges?



Superior in what way? Acoustically, there shouldn't be an obvious difference
either way, though a laminated cap gives you a more firm bridge pin anchor and
better string termination. From an designer/engineer's standpoint, the superior
bridge is the one who's stiffness, mass, length, and placement on the
soundboard best fits the string scale, rib scale and panel assembly -
ultimately providing the overall performance he had in mind during the design
phase, and still retaining a conventional enough configuration that someone
will actually be willing to build it.  From a manufacturing standpoint, the
superior bridge is the one that does the desired job with the least time and
material waste. Contrary to the designer/engineer's intent, the manufacturer is
more concerned with the impression of quality than of performance. From a sales
standpoint, the more multicolored vertical laminations there are, or different
kinds of wood caps, or the shinier the pins are, or the farther from where you
are the materials are imported from the better. Sales folk need something to
point to that's different from the other guy's product, and if the bridge looks
like any other, that's the limit of interest.

Now it's my turn. Who are you? 


Ron N