Ebony bridge caps

[John Delacour]

At 3:39 pm -0700 4/6/07, David Love wrote:

>They might have used denser boxwood in the treble to compensate for the
>increased bearing and shorter speaking and backscale lengths which, during
>expansion, would put a greater amount of compression stress on the cap from
>the strings.

I doubt it very much, as I have suggested.  This business of 
"expansion" seems to be a be a peculiarly American phenomenon, if I 
understand it at all.  The sort of movements due to humidity 
variation that have been mentioned in various posts this year would 
be very rare in Europe.  Besides, I regard the whole idea as suspect.

When they began to use boxwood etc. in the treble I don't know, but 
it was common by 1880 and continues to this day.  The easiest way to 
find out is to ask a maker who still does it.  To my mind it has a 
tonal significance and none other.

JD