Mitchel's PlateMate

[rjane04]

Originally Posted by Bridgepin

Lets remove the fact that I and others have said that we feel it improved the sound and go off the job it was intended to do and that is preventing any more damage to your bridgeplate and that alone is worth it to me.

Exactly! I'm planning to put one in my D18 soon (plate's in transit now)

[Bridgepin]

You will be very pleased with results.

[Bridgepin]

Here is a method that I have used many times when installing the Platemate

1) install both of your E string pins 1 and 6 this will insure that you have placed the platemate it in the proper position. you might have to file the platemate a little to accommodate the size of your pins. I use a small half oval file I got from Harbor freight

2) Once you have it affixed to the guitar I put a old towel and a very low wattage light or flash light inside the guitar, I will hold the platemate up against
the bridgepate and file the remaining holes and the towel will catch the brass filings and that's it.

[Tremolo Arm]

Another happy user here.

I installed the Plate Mate on my Martin OM-42 yesterday.

Now, granted I put on a fresh set of strings at the same time, I can hear a substantial increase in volume after the installation.

My previous strings were a 3 week-old set of D'Addario 80 /20 (uncoated). The new set are Elixir Nanoweb - same gauge and alloy. I don't think the change of strings alone has contributed to such a volume increase.

I can also definitely hear more bass / body. Definitely keeping the plate on!

One thing I was not so fond on during the installation was the adhesive on the plate. This was very weak and the plate detached when putting the first two pins in. I ended up having to manually press from underneath while putting the first two pins. I am guessing (hoping) the plate is now firm and won't detach anymore as the adhesive has hopefully properly bonded with the wood now that it's been held by all 6 strings under tension.

[1Charlie]

My luthier uses a different approach:

A thin 1/8" maple strip is applied to the bridge plate with a minimal amount of hot hide glue, just wide enough to cover the worn holes, then re-drilled. Adds almost nothing in terms of weight, gives the ball ends something to grab that is the same species as the original bridge plate, and is easily reversed.