Jerryc41
Well-known member
Have any of you removed the bridge from a Fluke? It would be easier for me to put a graphic on it if I remove the bridge, but I don't want to permanently damage the top.
Is this a wooden bridge or one of the plastic bridges? If it's plastic, I'm not sure how you'd even heat it up without damaging it. Either way there would be some risk involved. I mean you'd have to get it cleaned and reattached firmly too. Perhaps ask the company. I don't own any of their products now (have in the past) but I've always found them very responsive.
If you got any pics with the bridge off, I'd be curious to see that. I like experimenting too.
The distance from 12th fret to saddle should be very slightly more than the distance from the nut to the 12th fret. Compensation is necessary for good intonation. I'm not sure of the exact formula to find how much compensation is needed. Thankfully when I've had to do that myself it was with movable bridges so easily adjusted.
Thanks for those pictures! It is really neat to see what it looks like under the hood, so to speak. I'm always interested in how things work and are put together.
As for the new bridge changing the sound, it's possible...but hard to say.
Another thing to consider: To get the best bond you'd need to remove the finish from the top in the shape of the new bridge before installing.
...My only hesitation is about the size and thickness of that bridge. Will it dampen the vibrations of the top?
I have no way to know if it will sound better or worse, but would suggest that you are in uncharted waters here Jerry, and are sort of a maverick with this modification to your Fluke in changing the bridge
Thanks for your comments. I'm leaning toward using a smaller bridge or making one. The holes in the standard bridges I have are a bit closer together than the holes in the Fluke bridge, but I'll probably use one of them.
As for the sound, I'm not using this to make and sell CDs.
EDIT: Here's the Fluke so far. I'm going to see how it sounds without cutting out the sound hole. That's an adhesive sheet of vinyl on top. I might cut a sound port into the top side. I think I'll add geared tuners, too.
View attachment 125001
That looks pretty cool! Where did you get that vinyl graphic? Do they have others?
My only concern would be to make sure that you are gluing bridge to "actual" wood on the top, and not to vinyl or paint, otherwise the bridge is likely to fly off once the strings are tuned up to pitch.
From what others told me, the Titebond glue when used properly, with wood-directly-to-wood, makes a bond that is stronger than the wood itself. I do not know if this is true, but sounds legit to me.
Thanks for your comments. I'm leaning toward using a smaller bridge or making one. The holes in the standard bridges I have are a bit closer together than the holes in the Fluke bridge, but I'll probably use one of them.
As for the sound, I'm not using this to make and sell CDs.
EDIT: Here's the Fluke so far. I'm going to see how it sounds without cutting out the sound hole. That's an adhesive sheet of vinyl on top. I might cut a sound port into the top side. I think I'll add geared tuners, too.
View attachment 125001
Is that a replacement maple fingerboard too? Don't think I've seen a Fluuke with a maple board before.