Please note this is an archived topic, so it is locked and unable to be replied to. You may, however, start a new topic and refer to this topic with a link: http://www.banjohangout.org/archive/201349
Smurf - Posted - 03/06/2011: 13:54:47
Wath is the best Bridge to buy for a Gibson Earl Scruggs standard
I am looking for a sound that wont make the strings to buzz that much. I know there is some bridge that just dont work. I allready tried the scorpion bridge from my Goldstar100 and it didnt sound as good on my gibson there is so much to choose from where to start
plunka5 - Posted - 03/06/2011: 14:08:41
Your action may need to be adjusted (or neck bow)...sure it is your bridge? Possibly change to a slightly taller bridge as well?
Smurf - Posted - 03/06/2011: 14:12:34
The gibson sound really nice with the gibson bridge that came on I beleive its a grover my banjo is fairlly new i just bought it last May and it was set up properly! But I notice that the bridge is cave in a bit if I look at the bootom its bowed! its not sitting flat.
Edited by - Smurf on 03/06/2011 14:14:30
plunka5 - Posted - 03/06/2011: 14:26:23
quote:
Originally posted by Smurf
The gibson sound really nice with the gibson bridge that came on I beleive its a grover my banjo is fairlly new i just bought it last May and it was set up properly! But I notice that the bridge is cave in a bit if I look at the bootom its bowed! its not sitting flat.
May need to check your head tension...does it sound kind of "tubby"? And yes if the bridge is sagging in the middle, you probably should replace it. There are so many out there...Huber, Yates, Hatfield, Snuffy Smith, Cat Eyez, Scorpion, Grover, look in the classifeds and you may pick up a deal on one...It's usually best to try several, as all of them can be just a little different sounding on the same banjo! Good Luck!
Banjo40 - Posted - 03/06/2011: 14:41:21
I've had the Grover, a Hot Spot, a Moon and a Snuffy on mine, all 11/16ths except for the stock Grover. Of those, the Snuffy sounds by far the best, so good in fact that I quit looking at other bridges although I'm sure that there are others that are as good and some that are probably better.
Mike
youdye - Posted - 03/06/2011: 14:50:13
my gibson sounds best with the sosebee submerged wood. I use 5/8 standard spacing.
Vapor - Posted - 03/06/2011: 17:07:40
I would be checking the head tension, unless you like the sound, if this is the dcase, then you need a slightly higher bridge. The bridge will bow more, the looser the head.
HarleyQ - Posted - 03/06/2011: 19:26:54
Yes, tighten the head. You'll be surprised.
Hoyt
steve davis - Posted - 03/06/2011: 21:45:19
This sounds like your head is too loose.
Getting it tight enough will greatly change the tone and straighten the bridge.
quote:
Originally posted by Smurf
The gibson sound really nice with the gibson bridge that came on I beleive its a grover my banjo is fairlly new i just bought it last May and it was set up properly! But I notice that the bridge is cave in a bit if I look at the bootom its bowed! its not sitting flat.
bluegrass 22 - Posted - 03/06/2011: 21:54:07
i am always looking----- for hot spot bridges bluegrass 22
Smurf - Posted - 03/07/2011: 07:03:20
My head tension is set to a G# wright now witch sounds nice
stelling man - Posted - 03/07/2011: 07:05:39
I have an Arthur Hatfield compensated bridge on my ESS, and It sounds great..
STELLING MAN
Ronnie - Posted - 03/07/2011: 07:11:50
Try a Veerman "Archie" I think you will like it!
Jody Hughes - Posted - 03/07/2011: 09:28:23
I use a Gary Sosebee 5/8" on mine.
Banjophobic - Posted - 03/07/2011: 09:36:31
Smurf
There is no real answer for that question. You just need to try as many bridges as you can and find one that works. NO one can predict how any bridge will sound , on any banjo, regardless of the maker.
One bridge can sound killer on a particular banjo and then sound really bad on another. Theres some 'x' factors involved in mating a bridge with a banjo that no one can quite figure out. 
Roll Player - Posted - 03/07/2011: 09:51:00
I have one of Don New's Bigfoot bridges on mine. Very nice lows and highs, along with great note separation and quick decay.
banjonz - Posted - 03/07/2011: 10:53:35
Smurf, I have to agree with Banjophobic on this one. I recently tried 14 bridges on my ESS. They were sent by a friend here on the forum from Australia for me to try. I could not have afforded to purchase all the bridges I tried. These bridges were some of the best available. Some were awful, but I finally decided on the Snuffy Smith 3 and she is a beauty. It has made my banjo sound great. I don't know if you have any music stores near you that supply bridges but if you can get yourself to such a place and they allow you to try various ones, then you should find one or two that will suit your particular banjo.
Possom - Posted - 03/07/2011: 12:39:42
theres no good answer for this other than to try out a bunch and see what happens...if you are close to somebody that does setup work perhaps you could visit them and try out what they have on hand take the pick of the litter. When Banjophobic put mine together he went through every bridge known to man and settled on 3...a Snuffy, Sullivan, and old Grover...Had I said i want a Snuffy on it and he took my word for final say so i would have been dissapointed. (although i have 2 that sound great on my other 2 banjos) We tried those 3 and i went with the Grover. Sounded best to my ears from behind and in front of the banjo. See if you can hook up with someone who has a few to try and whichever one you like leave it on there! A Snuffy you try @ Joes Banjo Shop might sound totally different than the one you order from FQMS...for the better or for the worse. Its a crap shoot with no garentees.
lazyarcher - Posted - 03/07/2011: 13:13:14
There are SOOOOOOO many good bridges out there that almost any of them can give you the sound you want. trouble is, trying them all...and trying different bridges of the same model from each builder. Mind boggling...but fun.
Despite the fact that I dabble in bridge cobbling, my go-to bridges are still Scott Zimmermans Elite Z bridges...because they are SO consistant one to the next. My RK 75 Elite is wearing a Z as we speak...and its staying on...
shmoss - Posted - 03/07/2011: 14:25:58
Since I just got an ESS and have also been wondering what bridge would sound best, I figure I'll chime in here. I recently had the banjo set up and the guy who did it did some shaping of the original grover bridge it came with. It sounds damn good now, somehow he made it so the bridge actually tilts back a little towards the tail piece. Looks different than how it originally came but sounds good.
I used to have a sosebee bridge on an old RB_250 and it sounded great. I have heard the sosebee 5/8 is a good match for the ESS, so I might swap out the Grover for the Sosebee just to experiment. I figure there can't be too much of a sound difference, though I could be wrong!
Bob Murphy - Posted - 03/07/2011: 15:08:49
I agree about the Sosebee bridge. I've tried most of the popular bridges on my 2000 Scruggs, and ended up with the Sosebee. The original Grover was my second favorite bridge on this banjo.
Bob
Frisco Fred - Posted - 03/07/2011: 16:17:51
Like a lot of other people on this site, I tried a half dozen bridges and ended up with the one that sounded best.
I don't name which bridge I ended up with because there's too many variables.
What I have noticed is:
Moving the bridge (any good bridge) small amounts effects the harmonics.
How well planted the feet are effects the harmonics.
The angle the strings come off the bridge effects the harmonics.
How...etc, etc.
Can you change from bridge to bridge and keep these things constant? Then consider that a different bridges sound may not be optomized with the set-up of the previous one.
Smurf - Posted - 03/07/2011: 16:41:20
Thanks for all the reply but Here were I live the local stores only carry the grover ones, How can I try diffrent ones and find the wright one without paying for all the ones I want to try I guess I will Start with one or two and see.
stormoveroklahoma - Posted - 03/07/2011: 17:50:51
"How can I try different ones and find the wright one without paying for all the ones I want to try I guess I will Start with one or two and see."
You can get in touch with Arthur Hatfield by email through the hangout or his website. Ask him to make you a 11/16" compensated bridge...he used to charge twenty dollars. Not sure these days. He will mail it to you to try..... if you don't like it you can mail it back...they fit in a regular business size envelope.
Best sounding bridges in the world. I have them on two Gibsons.
Storm
...and if you didn't know or read it here already remember:
that correct bridge placement is also key to a great sound. There is only one place on the head that is in tune everywhere on the neck. You have to take the time to find that spot for every different gauge strings you use. Light gauge and medium gauge would require a different spot.
Edited by - stormoveroklahoma on 03/07/2011 17:56:47
Smurf - Posted - 03/07/2011: 18:10:18
Yes thanks I have that mark with a pencil. I just sent Arthur a Email Thanks stormoveroklahoma.
dpbaker - Posted - 03/08/2011: 03:53:41
I have a Sosbee Submerged wood on mine. Sounds great.
Dave
Fishrrman - Posted - 03/09/2011: 15:48:37
Stellingman wrote:
"I have an Arthur Hatfield compensated bridge on my ESS, and It sounds great.."
Here's one more vote for one of Arthur's compensated bridges.
I've got one on my 1990 Scruggs standard and it sounds fine, too.
After you get used to the intonation "clarity" of a compensated bridge, you won't want to go back to a "straight" one.
It's my opinion that having compensation smoothes out the instrument's overtones and "side-tones", as well.
Just ordered another bridge from Arthur today, that will go on a Fitch Master's Five 1930's wreath replica I picked up here on the hangout....
- John
El Dobro - Posted - 03/09/2011: 16:05:25
Grover.
Smurf - Posted - 03/09/2011: 17:45:28
PickaFive sent me 15 bridges to try out One of them is a Arthur Hatfield compensated ,Cant wait to try them on the Gibson ESS.
I think there is going to be a lot of picking and sound testing to do.
Dan-O - Posted - 03/09/2011: 18:45:24
I think that trying a lot of different bridges is the way to go. But I also think that setup needs, including head tension and tailpiece height/angle might change from bridge to bridge. Thankfully, it's fun to tinker. That said, I cast another vote for Sosebee. If you can get one of his cotton mill bridges, I think those are pretty nice. They might have them at Banjo.com.
Kurt Kemp - Posted - 03/21/2011: 04:48:36
smurf, you can't be done! You can only get to the place where you leave a particular bridge on until you see something that catches your eye and you try it and keep it. I don't see any Beavers or Smittys or Wadsworths or, my personal favorites, Purcell bridges in the lot. You've only scratched the surface. You haven't lived until you have tried a Purcell Red Maple on your banjo.
I have a boatload of bridges but I have a little box with what I call the "cut above" bridges. There is 2 Purcell (cutting board and red maple),1 Wadsworth, 1 Beaver and a Walnut Smitty in there that seem to me to be exceptional sounding bridges.
I currently have a Purcell McCormick Spice 5/8's on my banjo that is the reigning champion...at least until Tim comes out with another material for me to try.
beegee - Posted - 03/21/2011: 05:11:09
quote:
Originally posted by Banjophobic
Smurf
There is no real answer for that question. You just need to try as many bridges as you can and find one that works. NO one can predict how any bridge will sound , on any banjo, regardless of the maker.
One bridge can sound killer on a particular banjo and then sound really bad on another. Theres some 'x' factors involved in mating a bridge with a banjo that no one can quite figure out.
A voice of reason in the wilderness of banjo despair.
