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#1
10-26-2023, 03:56 AM
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Bridge location
Hi folks,
One of the tasks that makes me the most nervous, and hence I like the least, is finding the correct bridge location. I pre-slot and radius the bridge. I was wondering if some of you knowledgeable folks could share some of your process/tips/jigs to help make it a less stressful step... Thank you!! 
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#2
10-26-2023, 05:50 AM
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Your bridge location depends on your saddle location. We don't know what shape your bridge is or how far from the edge your saddle is. I will tell you how I do my saddle location for a steel string guitar.
Once my neck/fretboard is together and fit to the body, I bolt it on. I measure half the scale length plus 1/16" from the centre of the 12th fret. This will be the location of the first string at middle of the saddle/slot. The 6th (bass) string is half scale plus 3/16" from the 12th fret centre. If you want to double check you can measure full scale plus 1/16" or 3/16" from the nut face. You can use online or app calculators for your particular scale to get a finer compensation value. I put masking tape on the guitar top, then double stick tape the drilled and slotted bridge in the above position. I drill 3/16" through the 1st and 6th bridge pin holes through the guitar top. I use my cell phone to take a picture inside to make sure the first hole went through the bridge plate before drilling more. I bolt the bridge on and use an Xacto knife to cut the masking tape around the bridge. Remove the bridge and excess masking tape and you are now ready to finish the guitar top with bridge position masked. The 2 holes can be used later with a bolt through bridge clamp when gluing on the bridge. I drill the remaining holes through the top after that. If you still don't trust yourself, you can atttach a temporary trapeze tailpiece and float the bridge/saddle on the strung guitar to confirm intonation. https://www.flickr.com/photos/194462...7720296961058/
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#3
10-26-2023, 07:17 AM
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Thank you for this!
I guess my question could have been more precise. I understand where the leading edge of the saddle goes measure-wise (I've relied on Stew Mac's scale based calculator with good results). It's more that I have an issue with finding a reliable way to position the bridge properly with regards to squareness vs centerline of the top and horizontal placement so that the strings' course is where it needs to be. It's a lot of variables and I don't have a good system yet... Thank you!!
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#4
10-26-2023, 07:33 AM
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Quote:
For getting the side-to-side center, I take a 6" ruler and place it centered on the end of my fingerboard just above the soundhole. I then take a piece of thread, hold one end on the corner of the fingerboard at the nut slot and the other end over the bridge pin hole (or string hole for a pinless). Note where the thread passes over the ruler. Do this on both sides and adjust the bridge until the thread passes over the same point on either side. To get the bridge perpendicular, I take a plastic triangle and set one edge along the center line with a small gap (1mm or 2mm) between it and the leading edge of the bridge. With a small gap like that it's easy to see if the bridge needs to be twisted into alignment. If the center line is hard to see, I'll take two small cut pieces of tape with the corners on the center line and use that as a reference to line up my triangle. Hope that helps!
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#5
10-26-2023, 08:19 AM
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Quote:
When I fit my neck, I use an 18" long straight edge against each side of the fretboard, extended to the bridge position. When the neck is fit straight, the distance from centre line to the straight edge will be equal on both sides. This should keep your strings centered in your fretboard and an accurately made bridge in the centre of the soundboard.
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#7
11-01-2023, 06:18 PM
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I was given a Stewart-Macdonald 'Saddlematric' tool and I've used it on a half-dozen builds . I had a real luthier do his own bridge location on a couple of mine, and his magical calculations put the bridge in the same place as the Saddlematic. Dead easy to use after careful initial alignment and no alignment changes unless the saddle thickness changes.
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