> > I am interested in the way bridges work. What an engineering marvel to have > the strings placed so expertly placed as to exert maximal vibrational > movement onto the sounboard via the bridge! > > Here's my question: what is superior? capped or uncapped bridges? Superior in what way? Acoustically, there shouldn't be an obvious difference either way, though a laminated cap gives you a more firm bridge pin anchor and better string termination. From an designer/engineer's standpoint, the superior bridge is the one who's stiffness, mass, length, and placement on the soundboard best fits the string scale, rib scale and panel assembly - ultimately providing the overall performance he had in mind during the design phase, and still retaining a conventional enough configuration that someone will actually be willing to build it. From a manufacturing standpoint, the superior bridge is the one that does the desired job with the least time and material waste. Contrary to the designer/engineer's intent, the manufacturer is more concerned with the impression of quality than of performance. From a sales standpoint, the more multicolored vertical laminations there are, or different kinds of wood caps, or the shinier the pins are, or the farther from where you are the materials are imported from the better. Sales folk need something to point to that's different from the other guy's product, and if the bridge looks like any other, that's the limit of interest. Now it's my turn. Who are you? Ron N
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