dealing with too much neck angle

[mirwa]

Originally Posted by Hot Vibrato

it sure seems that the angles in which the force is directed would affect how the force is applied to the top. What am I missing?

In some ways you are correct.

You mention you have never done a physics class, not a big deal, physics simply explains what we see as a natural phenomena and it can be explained with formulas and mathematics.

If a bridge and saddle make a thickness of 1/2 inch, then it does not matter what percentage is bridge or saddle, the resultant force to the top is the same, this is what charles has said and it is true...

But....

If you have a bridge with a thickness of 3/8 inch bridge and have an additional 1/8 inch saddle projection (total 1/2 inch), then swap it with another unit where say the bridge is 1/4 inch thick and the saddle projection is a 1/4 inch (total 1/2 inch) then the top will deflect differently under the same tension and have a different bulge.

The break angle actually is a critical angle and it has a resultant moment centre which will move accordingly with a change in said break angle, the bridge itself also has a centre of gravity which plays an important role in our equations, the load (moment) has a centre point, the distance between the bridges gravity point and the "moment" centre point moves the ""twisting force" of the bridge, the total amount of the force is the same in both bridge examples but the effect on the top will be different.

In a perfect world, the centre of gravity will be the same as the centre of the moment, but with the construction of a bridge that just does not happen, so the closer we can bring the centres together the less a guitar top will deform.

Hopefully my explanation has not made it more confusing, to this end, what I have said is still only part of the answer, so much more happening which unless we were an engineering discussion forum and everyone has a good grasp it's kind of pointless bringing up here.

The important part of my explanation is you are some what right, the change in break angle will deform a top more or less

I normally do not comment on these sort of topics (physics related), my tetirary qualifications date back over 30yrs and I have not truly exercised my brain in this field for at least 20yrs, so I will always default to someone who practices in this field daily as they will always have a better grasp, so rarely do I reply to a physics comment that i actually checked my facts with my son today before posting, he finished his bachelor of mechanical engineering only last year and currently redesigns aircraft components.

Steve