i was poking around on the bill lawrence Wilde pickups site and he speaks about diferent bridge plat materials for a telecaster. many metals have a property that creates eddy currents. my understanding of eddy currents and other magnetic properties is limited at best but i do know that it has to do with a magnetic field having some resistance to moving through a metal object. eddy current brakes are used in modern rollercoasters and simply consist of copper plates that the magnets in the coaster pass over. the property can be demonstrated by holding up an aluminum or copper plate diagnally and letting a powerful magnet slide down it. the magnet is not attracted to the aluminum/copper but it will fall slower than a non metalic surface like plastic or glass. this is most clear with a thick section of aluminum and a strong magnet like used in a hard drive.
ok that was wordy so i'll get to the point. titanium has little eddy currents. i have tested it to make sure although not with any sensitive instrumentation i know it must be lower than most common choices. according to bill the eddy currents can kill highs, this is why covered pups sound diferent and why bill uses a chrome looking plastic cover. so i ask why do we put tele pup's in a steel or brass bridge and expose them to eddy currents? no eddy currents would allow more highs and therefore hotter pups to get the right balance and therefore more output to drive our amps.
i have some scrap pieces of titanium Ti 6Al 4V (although it is not sheet metal) that may be big enough to make a bridge plate and i can make saddles from brass or aluminum or hardened steel and plan to make one for myself.
i can maybe make a couple more if anyone is interested. i would offer them at a fair price as the metal was free but it will require time consuming work as this stuff is harder on tooling when cut manually and i dont have access to a cnc any longer.
ok that was wordy so i'll get to the point. titanium has little eddy currents. i have tested it to make sure although not with any sensitive instrumentation i know it must be lower than most common choices. according to bill the eddy currents can kill highs, this is why covered pups sound diferent and why bill uses a chrome looking plastic cover. so i ask why do we put tele pup's in a steel or brass bridge and expose them to eddy currents? no eddy currents would allow more highs and therefore hotter pups to get the right balance and therefore more output to drive our amps.
i have some scrap pieces of titanium Ti 6Al 4V (although it is not sheet metal) that may be big enough to make a bridge plate and i can make saddles from brass or aluminum or hardened steel and plan to make one for myself.
i can maybe make a couple more if anyone is interested. i would offer them at a fair price as the metal was free but it will require time consuming work as this stuff is harder on tooling when cut manually and i dont have access to a cnc any longer.