5steve - Posted - 09/16/2012:  04:20:52

I just finished putting strings on an old Bruno banjo that I fixed up for a friend .      New Nylguts, Skin head made a new bridge imitating the  moon bridge that was on it before when it had steel strings. It sounds fine but was just wondering what the conventional wisdom on bridge weight with the nylon strings.

Better to be heavier or lighter? I might fool around with different tbridges but just wondering what everyone elses experiences were.  Steve

maneckep - Posted - 09/16/2012:  04:50:32

maneckep - Posted - 09/16/2012:  04:53:20

I make real light ones out of poplar using the spillway dam design. Not sure what they weigh since I don't have a small scale but they sound way better than a standard ebony topped/maple bridge.

Paul

5steve - Posted - 09/16/2012:  07:23:42

I seem to recall reading that somewhere that  a lighter bridge was better . I think I'll leave this one on for now to see how she likes it. The banjo had steel strings on and I put the nylon on because the action was getting quite high .I managed to lower it down and hope she keeps the nylon on it. THanks   Steve

mikehalloran - Posted - 09/16/2012:  08:55:26

Less mass allows more of the string energy to be transmitted to the head. The advantage is a fuller tone; the disadvantage is less sustain (anyone go gut for sustain? Of course not). Thin maple is traditional - there's a reason why violin makers have used it for centuries. No reason to use ebony on top unless you like the sound since wear isn't an issue.

mikehalloran - Posted - 09/16/2012:  09:03:36

A good source for aged violin maple is a luthier who works on upright basses. Bass bridge blanks are quite tall and the top inch is often lopped off before shaping begins.

5steve - Posted - 09/16/2012:  09:30:42

 thats a good idea on the bass bridges, I currently a nice stash of maple from different sources. I have a chunk of beam out of an 1840 or so barn I think I counted the rings past 200 in the piece I have so it came from a tree that was very old at the time it was cut. ii also have some old maple flooring . Some one gave me couple of boxes of maple wedges about 6" long.   hmmmm...

 On second thought I have some beech that came out of an 1840 house that were too bright for my bluegrass banjo. ight be the thing to try for the nylon.  Stay tuned.  Steve

dfwest - Posted - 09/16/2012:  16:39:26

I had good luck with a Morris bridge, available through Elderly.

Dave

shannonhearne - Posted - 09/17/2012:  09:33:01

I tried several bridges with nylon strings, including a medium and a heavy Moon Bridge. I did not get the tone I wanted until I put on a Will Fielding Bridge, which worked very well.

You might also want to contact Bart Veerman. He is the best I have discovered at making a custom bridge that produces the sound and play characteristics you are looking for.

Bart will make it and custom slot it for you at a price that is generally lower than what you pay for "off the shelf" bridges".

Also, Bart is a great guy to work with.

Good luck,

-shannon