Acoustic looking Strat bridge...AKA "Scartozi Bridge"

[scartozi]

I'd mentioned to Doug that this type of bridge would look awsome on a Tele since it would have a little more room around the bridge....that's why I'm looking for a Tele body. :toothy12:

I'll probably get a natural wood body, ebonize it, make the bridge and anodize it black. Then either use black, silver or gold Graph Tech saddles. I'm kinda leaning towards black acoustic bridge with gold saddles and countersunk gold socket head intonation screws:dontknow:

 

[DangerousR6]

Looks awesome Adam, but how does it sound.... :icon_scratch:

 

[scartozi]

Haven't had time to plug it in but acoustically it sounds great. 12th fret harmonics really ring out and the sustain is great. Now I'm even more anxious to make my oversized solid aluminum trem block. I'm going to record the guitar just slowly strumming it a few times, then install the aluminum trem block and record using the same process just to see if it produces any "hard evidence". To many projects!!! The trem blocks will be before the Tele project. If I have good results with my first trem block I'm going to make two more to put in my other guitars. Which would leave enough material for probably 5 or more trem blocks.....hint hint :icon_biggrin:

 

[DangerousR6]

Haven't had time to plug it in but acoustically it sounds great. 12th fret harmonics really ring out and the sustain is great. Now I'm even more anxious to make my oversized solid aluminum trem block. I'm going to record the guitar just slowly strumming it a few times, then install the aluminum trem block and record using the same process just to see if it produces any "hard evidence". To many projects!!! The trem blocks will be before the Tele project. If I have good results with my first trem block I'm going to make two more to put in my other guitars. Which would leave enough material for probably 5 or more trem blocks.....hint hint :icon_biggrin:

Ya, I got it...But may I add that bell brass would be a better medium than aluminum... :icon_biggrin:

 

[scartozi]

I agree but holy crap its pricy. The 2' of aluminum is $17 and brass is $65. Unless you know where to get it at a reasonable price??? I'm looking for 3/4" x 1 1/2"....probably 1-2ft in length.

 

[DangerousR6]

I agree but holy crap its pricy. The 2' of aluminum is $17 and brass is $65. Unless you know where to get it at a reasonable price??? I'm looking for 3/4" x 1 1/2"....probably 1-2ft in length.

The place I normally buy raw metals from sells 3/4  x 1 1/2 x 1 ft. for$46.00

 

[Cagey]

2' ought to make you 4 or 5 bridges, so your raw material cost for the base would be roughly $12/part. Considering the most basic bridge you can buy is probably a TOM, whaddaya worried about? Check the prices on those miserable things. Anything else goes up from there. So, one of your units needs the base and if you went first class you'd put Graphtech saddles on it, so add about $35. Now we're up to $47 base cost. Need some handling costs and profit, so add 30 points and you're up to $60 or so. Beats the snot out of a lotta choices out there for the discerning builder.

Except I forgot to add in the machining cost. Dammit! Well, Doug'll probably do that for nothing out of the goodness of his heart, so... <grin>

 

[DangerousR6]

2' ought to make you 4 or 5 bridges, so your raw material cost for the base would be roughly $12/part. Considering the most basic bridge you can buy is probably a TOM, whaddaya worried about? Check the prices on those miserable things. Anything else goes up from there. So, one of your units needs the base and if you went first class you'd put Graphtech saddles on it, so add about $35. Now we're up to $47 base cost. Need some handling costs and profit, so add 30 points and you're up to $60 or so. Beats the snot out of a lotta choices out there for the discerning builder.

Except I forgot to add in the machining cost. Dammit! Well, Doug'll probably do that for nothing out of the goodness of his heart, so... <grin>

Ya, if you're talking about ones that are to be sold, but I think these are just to put on existing guitars he owns... :dontknow:

 

[scartozi]

Doug...I just found that....and u can buy a 2" piece for $10....I may look into that.

Cagey.....I hear ya, I'll probably order a brass one and aluminum one since I can just order what I need. Not like I have orders to fill.....maybe someday.

 

[DangerousR6]

Doug...I just found that....and u can buy a 2" piece for $10....I may look into that.

Cagey.....I hear ya, I'll probably order a brass one and aluminum one since I can just order what I need. Not like I have orders to fill.....maybe someday.

aluminum or brass?

 

[Cagey]

Ya, if you're talking about ones that are to be sold, but I think these are just to put on existing guitars he owns... :dontknow:

In any event, you're not working for free so I still missed that cost.

 

[Cagey]

Cagey.....I hear ya, I'll probably order a brass one and aluminum one since I can just order what I need. Not like I have orders to fill.....maybe someday.

It's a nice design. I can see some demand for it. Most of the hardware makers are working off of old designs that don't make much sense or aren't attractive. You put that rascal out there, I'll bet you'd be surprised at the take-up.

 

[scartozi]

Doug: I forget the metal supplier, I'd have to look it up again. I'm going to order aluminum and brass. That way I can do some A-B comparisons between the two metals.

Cagey: It would be a wonderful thing if I could pick up a couple orders for the bridges...or the trem blocks. I'm not really pushing the issue until I get a few more done wth different options and work out any issues that may arise, I guess we'll see what the future holds. Of course members of this forum would get discounts  :icon_biggrin:

 

[DangerousR6]

Just from being familiar with the properties of both metals, I'd say that with the aluminum you'll probably get more of a ringing sound. And the brass will have more sustain because of its density. I'd imagine that's why some of the early strat and san dimas brass bridges are so highly coveted..

 

[Cagey]

Cagey: It would be a wonderful thing if I could pick up a couple orders for the bridges...or the trem blocks. I'm not really pushing the issue until I get a few more done wth different options and work out any issues that may arise, I guess we'll see what the future holds. Of course members of this forum would get discounts  :icon_biggrin:

Lemme know as soon as you have a brass one up for sale. I'd use that as an excuse to build another guitar.

 

[bagman67]

Cagey: It would be a wonderful thing if I could pick up a couple orders for the bridges...or the trem blocks. I'm not really pushing the issue until I get a few more done wth different options and work out any issues that may arise, I guess we'll see what the future holds. Of course members of this forum would get discounts  :icon_biggrin:

Lemme know as soon as you have a brass one up for sale. I'd use that as an excuse to build another guitar.

Like you ever needed an excuse.

 

[Cagey]

I always need an excuse. Luckily, they're easy to come by <grin>

 

[scartozi]

cagey....I plan on doing two different types of trem blocks.
1.) For those of us who don't use the trem and block it: It will be called "The Big Block" and made of brass and will be slightly longer than normal but the big difference will be the thickness....it'll be 3/4" thick (only cause I can't find 7/8" thick). I thought about rounding the back to see if it can be uses with the trem but don't know yet. My goal is to keep an 1/8" to 3/16" between the block and body all the way around.

2.) Will be a standard trem block but I'm going to squeeze as much material as I can in it and the trem still function as it should. At this point I'm not sure of the thickness.....more research required.

For "trial and error" I'll be using aluminum then make the final trem block out of brass since aluminum is much cheaper. I'm going to use two MIM strats for the test guitars, one will have an aluminum block and the other brass. Both will be recorded from the guitar straight to the computer before and after to do A-B comparisons. Whichever one I like best I'll then make for my MIA strat. I'm also thinking of a hybrid nut, half bone half brass....why, no reason...just curious.

 

[DangerousR6]

:headbang:

 

[scartozi]

Where duh hoes at Doug.....drill them holes and I'll accept it as an Xmas gift :icon_biggrin: that definitely needs anodized black. Excellent job.....I still think at some point you need to get your hands dirty :laughing7: :laughing7: