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Old 09-24-2017, 08:14 PM
kaspforeva kaspforeva is offline
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Default How to Ramp a Bridge

I'm thinking of ramping a bridge on an acoustic guitar. I am following the advice on someone's website which said to use a Dremel and a 1/16 inch drill bit. I'm not sure this is the best way to cut good accurate ramps into a bridge. Does anyone out their have some of their own advice that could illuminate?
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Old 09-24-2017, 09:52 PM
charles Tauber charles Tauber is offline
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I use a needle file and a thin keyhole type saw that fits in an X-Acto knife handle.

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Old 09-24-2017, 11:57 PM
Frank Ford Frank Ford is offline
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First, I'd make the distinction between the slots we make in bridges to accommodate unslotted pins as used in older guitars and the ramps we add later to increase the break angle on bridges with relatively low saddles.

For slotting bridges, the conventional tools are small saws and/or files.

For adding ramps, the Dremel is an outstanding choice, because of ease of control, and the need for shallow, sloping cuts.

The problem - no break angle, poor string/saddle contact




The general hand position when making ramps with Dremel:




Ramps completed - good string contact:





The rest of the article I posted on FRETS.COM 19 years ago. . . .http://www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luth...tringramp.html
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Old 09-25-2017, 02:55 AM
kaspforeva kaspforeva is offline
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I wonder, after the ramps have been done, is the newly exposed wood of a different colour to the rest of the bridge, which I assume was stained in the manufacturing of the guitar? What I mean is, will I need to apply some stain to the newly exposed wood so that it matches in with the rest of the bridge?
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Old 09-25-2017, 05:07 AM
John Arnold John Arnold is offline
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Quote:
......which I assume was stained in the manufacturing of the guitar?
Not necessarily. Staining or painting a bridge is something I associate with cheaper manufacturing.
Many bridges are natural color...either rosewood or ebony.
But if it has been stained, you can color it after cutting the ramps.
I would use a smaller bit than 1/16", though. A bit that large will make slots that are wider than necessary on the smaller strings.
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Old 09-25-2017, 06:47 AM
murrmac123 murrmac123 is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by John Arnold View Post
.
I would use a smaller bit than 1/16", though. A bit that large will make slots that are wider than necessary on the smaller strings.
It would, but would that really matter other than aesthetically? I would have thought that anything smaller might be too fragile to withstand the lateral pressure.
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Old 09-25-2017, 05:12 PM
Ned Milburn Ned Milburn is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kaspforeva View Post
I'm thinking of ramping a bridge on an acoustic guitar. I am following the advice on someone's website which said to use a Dremel and a 1/16 inch drill bit. I'm not sure this is the best way to cut good accurate ramps into a bridge. Does anyone out their have some of their own advice that could illuminate?
I use a jig-saw blade mounted into a file handle to start, then finish with coarse then fine needle files. The blade sets the spot, the coarse file makes it go FAST, the fine file cleans it all up.
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