How much should a bridge weigh?

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ChuckBarnett

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I saw where a guitar builder weighs his bridges and has a target weight range for them. Got me curious; this tenor Ebony bridge weighs 14 grams. What means that? Do you put any store in heavier, lighter, denser, etc.? How about footprint? This one is about 3 1/4" long by a short inch wide by 7mm tall.

IMG_20201105_205823__01.jpg
 
This mahogany bridge, 48 mm x 19 mm x 7.5 mm tall, for a Santo Soprano, weighs 3 g. on precison scale, without bone saddle.

cqFwFbk3GqziTpdlSe70fnF554I.jpg
 
gerardg said:
This mahogany bridge, 48 mm x 19 mm x 7.5 mm tall, for a Santo Soprano, weighs 3 g. on precison scale, without bone saddle.
Click to expand...

To my simple eyes the design and execution approach perfection. The design is truly functional with superfluous detail striped away, lovely looking piece of work too.

For a bridge I’d have thought a hard wood was essential (to better transmit vibrations) and a low weight beneficial as that allows freer vibration of the top. However how relevant the weight really is I don’t know and sometimes folk do get concerned by ‘how many fairies can dance on top of a pin head’ type problems.

Chuck, you’re the Luthier not me but I would have thought that there’s some excess wood there that could (if you wish to loose weight) be chamfered away.
 
Last edited:
gerardg said:
This mahogany bridge, 48 mm x 19 mm x 7.5 mm tall, for a Santo Soprano, weighs 3 g. on precison scale, without bone saddle.

cqFwFbk3GqziTpdlSe70fnF554I.jpg
Click to expand...

Gerard, that top looks like Koa. Did you fill the pores? I'm still trying to figure some of this out and they don't look filled.

Thank you,
 
Danish Oil with sandpaper, in wet application, so, sanding dust with D.O. make a sort of smooth and lite filling pores.
See your other thread about that question,
and also on my blog ( in French, but so many pics ).
This sort of finish isn't vernish,
but let the wood "live, breathe"....
Ok for you ?

Fg9P_uwPpK9mGGm5PXzkNDPJmw0.jpg
 
Last edited:
gerardg said:
Danish Oil with sandpaper, in wet application, so, sanding dust with D.O. make a sort of smooth and lite filling pores.
See your other thread about that question,
and also on my blog ( in French, but so many pics ).
This sort of finish isn't vernish,
but let the wood "live, breathe"....
Ok for you ?

Fg9P_uwPpK9mGGm5PXzkNDPJmw0.jpg
Click to expand...

Interesting, looks like a maple top. How does that sound? It looks very nice.
 
I follow a banjo building forum too, and they can be pretty obsessive about the weight of bridges. But I think, with banjos, it really matters (not to mention that it's easy to experiment by instantly swapping out bridges and seeing what difference it makes). With ukuleles and guitars, there are different variables in the system, including the stiffness of the top (determined by thickness and wood species), the type and thickness of bracing, and size/shape of the top. I suspect there is a reasonably wide range of acceptable choices as far as ukulele bridge weights goes, as well as opportunities to trade off design variables.
 
Uke-alot said:
I follow a banjo building forum too, and they can be pretty obsessive about the weight of bridges. But I think, with banjos, it really matters (not to mention that it's easy to experiment by instantly swapping out bridges and seeing what difference it makes). With ukuleles and guitars, there are different variables in the system, including the stiffness of the top (determined by thickness and wood species), the type and thickness of bracing, and size/shape of the top. I suspect there is a reasonably wide range of acceptable choices as far as ukulele bridge weights goes, as well as opportunities to trade off design variables.
Click to expand...

Thank you. That's helpful perspective.
 
I just took a photo of some rough bridges for another thread. I weighed a few when I saw this. I have some in maple which were between 6 and 7 grams, and some in ziricote which were between 8 and 10 grams.

The side wings get thinned out and there is some final shaping of the center, so they probably lose a gram or so before they're finished.

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