Brass Fingers?

Cliff Kane · Post by **Cliff Kane** » 23 Jul 2006 1:39 pm

I was thinking about the metal used for fingers, and it seems that most use aluminum. Although it is soft it seems to sound best to most people (from what I've read, at least). I know that on a Fender Telecaster, a lot of people like brass bridge saddles for the tone brass gives. Lately I've been playing with brass finger picks and I like the tone, and of course brass is used for bells, horns, etc, so I would say that it has a lot of musical properties. I know it's not the hardest metal in the world, but is it softer than aluminum? Just curious if anyone has tried brass as a metal for steel guitar fingers.

Steve Hinson · Post by **Steve Hinson** » 23 Jul 2006 2:51 pm

Seems like Buddy Emmons'single 12 basketweave push-pull('Rainbow album'cover)had brass fingers on it...

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Donny Hinson · Post by **Donny Hinson** » 23 Jul 2006 5:57 pm

Electric guitars have little in common with steel guitars, and what helps the sound on one may not help on another. The little brass bridges that go on a Tele are far smaller and lower in mass than the big changer fingers on a PSG. On a straight guitar, adding to the mass in this area (and using a softer metal than steel) seems to help the sound, while on most steels, reducing mass seems to have positive effects.

As far as hardness, brass is harder than most aluminum grades used on PSG's, and it's a lot heavier. Brass seems to give a very bright and sharp sound when used on the changer, but that sound is not in vogue today as it once was.

Though aluminum somewhat lacks durability, it seems to offer very a good tonal qualitity for sounds and stylings that are popular right now.

David Mason · Post by **David Mason** » 23 Jul 2006 6:35 pm

With all the foaming and posturing that goes on about the "tone" issue, there still seems to be a surprising lack of research and evidence. For example, I have never heard of anybody who has hooked up a Strat with the funky little bent-steel bridge pieces to an oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer and measured the response, then changed the bridge to brass pieces, solid steel ones, Graph-tech ones etc. The equipment is there, but apparently the interest is not.

One would assume that somebody has tried brass fingers sometime, somewhere and found them wanting, but maybe not. A whole lot of what has gone into electric instruments had to do with what was convenient and costworthy to manufacture, and once people are used to "that" sound, it becomes the "right" sound.

chas smith R.I.P. · Post by **chas smith R.I.P.** » 24 Jul 2006 9:14 am

To be honest, I don't hear much of a difference between the brass and the aluminum.

Erv Niehaus · Post by **Erv Niehaus** » 24 Jul 2006 11:54 am

I have an Emmons p/p with brass fingers and I have a set of brass rollers for the nut when I have time to get them on. On my Rains, I have the brass rollers.