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Topic: Bridge Question |
Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 28 Sep 2018 12:46 pm |
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I don't have a great deal of experience under my lap steel belt. I am working on a lap steel with a traditional guitar shaped body. I thought it would look nice if I made the tail of the bridge curved to mimic the tail of the body. I also staggered the strings by .100 steps. Is the staggered strings a bad idea? I am asking because at this point it will be an easy fix. Later on, not so much. I would appreciate your opinions on the staggered strings.
I also plan to use a 3/8" Delrin rod with a 1/4" stainless "spine" for strength. Any thoughts on the delrin. I already have stainless bridge and nut rods made, but was wondering if anyone has tried the delrin and how does it affect the sound?
The piece to the left is just me messing around with some leather dye.
Thanks in advance.
Last edited by Bill Groner on 28 Sep 2018 2:56 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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Joe Elk
From:
Ohio, USA
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Posted 28 Sep 2018 2:53 pm
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Nice Bill The bridge impressed ME!!
Joe Elk Central Ohio |
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Nic Neufeld
From:
Kansas City, Missouri
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Posted 28 Sep 2018 5:17 pm
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Honestly, I stared a little too long at that "cherry sunburst" for me to feel particularly comfortable about it. Very pretty indeed! And that's just leather dye??
_________________
Waikīkī, at night when the shadows are falling
I hear the rolling surf calling
Calling and calling to me |
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Larry Carlson
From:
My Computer
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Posted 28 Sep 2018 5:34 pm
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Hi Bill,
If I am looking at things correctly, on the bridge it appears strings 1,2,5 and 6
will not be directly aligned with the slots in the bridge for the appropriate string.
If that is accurate there will be an awkward bend as the string goes into the slot.
It may be enough to not want to keep the string in the slot, especially
strings 1 and 6 since the bridge is basically a round rod.
I try my hardest to keep strings as straight as I can from the bridge to where they anchor.
Like I said, I may not be seeing it correctly but you asked......so here I am....... 
.....and it's going to look awfully pretty when you are done. I love that sunburst.
_________________
I have stuff.
I try to make music with it.
Sometimes it works.
Sometimes it doesn't.
But I keep on trying. |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 29 Sep 2018 1:56 am
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| Larry Carlson wrote: |
Hi Bill,
If I am looking at things correctly, on the bridge it appears strings 1,2,5 and 6
will not be directly aligned with the slots in the bridge for the appropriate string.
If that is accurate there will be an awkward bend as the string goes into the slot.
It may be enough to not want to keep the string in the slot, especially
strings 1 and 6 since the bridge is basically a round rod.
I try my hardest to keep strings as straight as I can from the bridge to where they anchor.
Like I said, I may not be seeing it correctly but you asked......so here I am.......
.....and it's going to look awfully pretty when you are done. I love that sunburst. |
Good eye Larry. I made the Bridge holes at .400 spacing, the grooves in the bar are at .375. The bar is from a previous build. I just threw it in there for the picture.
The new Bridge bar won't have any grooves, only the nut will have them, and I will probably use the bar in question. 
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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Bill Groner
From:
QUAKERTOWN, PA
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Posted 29 Sep 2018 2:05 am
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| Nic Neufeld wrote: |
| Honestly, I stared a little too long at that "cherry sunburst" for me to feel particularly comfortable about it. Very pretty indeed! And that's just leather dye?? |
Nic, it is Angelus Leather dye. Yellow, Orange, Gold, Burgundy, and Cordovan. It was fun to try and blend them and get it to look OK. A lot playing around. Basically my first attempt and didn't want to try it on the piece of wood I was using for the build. It's not all that hard and if it isn't coming out the way you want it, you can take a clean rag with denatured alcohol and go over parts you don't like. At one point I took my palm sander to the middle of the whole thing to lighten up the peanut shape. It has 2 coats of wipe on poly on it and needs a lot more. I used this dye on one I built close to 2 years ago. I talked to another builder who used it, his was a deep blue color. He thought over a couple of months time it faded. I can tell you mine looks the same today as it did 2 years ago. He did use a different brand of dye than I did, so maybe that is what happened with his? This was straight turquoise out of the bottle.
_________________
Currently own, 6 Groner-tone lap steels, one 1953 Alamo Lap steel, Roland Cube, Fender Champion 40 |
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