Ebony bridge caps

[David Love]

The mass loading that I've seen, or been party to, seems to be much more
substantial than would result from the differences in mass between the two
woods.  By the time the bridge is notched and considering the generally thin
boxwood caps that I've seen, how much difference could there be.  Do
epoxy-laminated maple caps approach the mass of boxwood, i.e., does the
epoxy itself contribute anything substantial or is mass loading with a maple
cap a requirement in your view for reasons stated?  

David Love
davidlovepianos at comcast.net 
www.davidlovepianos.com

-----Original Message-----
From: pianotech-bounces at ptg.org [mailto:pianotech-bounces at ptg.org] On Behalf
Of Ron Nossaman
Sent: Monday, June 04, 2007 4:56 PM
To: Pianotech List
Subject: Re: Ebony bridge caps


> 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.  
> 
> David Love


I think it was the sound, but not because Boxwood is harder 
and the little vibrations do more magic things somehow. Not 
that harder isn't a good idea, but I think it was, and is, 
because of the mass. With Boxwood being half again heavier 
than Maple, the bridge is effectively more heavily mass loaded 
right at the termination point. That will effect clarity and 
sustain, as those of us who have mass loaded bridges in the 
high treble have seen.

Incidentally, every wood imaginable has been called boxwood at 
one time or another. Anyone got a real name for this stuff?

Ron N