Wood Upper Bridges aka "Nut"

[Dave Doremus]

Joe, boy did you bring back memories. 20+ years 
ago I put a big heavy brass bridge on a Hagstrom 
bass with similar results, less than a year later 
I got one of the very first G&Ls and wished I 
still had the original Hagstrom tone as a change 
up. Which raises the interesting question of how 
many piano tuners have some bass playing 
connection, it seems to be a  surprisingly high 
percentage.

I totally agree that different is not always bad, 
Im reworking a straight strung Erard at the 
moment, have worked on many pre 1900 instruments, 
the oldest a 1790s Broadwood square, and I firmly 
believe you should respect what you find in them. 
If you dont like what they were doing back then, 
there are plenty of Lesters, Aeolians, Brambachs 
from the modern era you are welcome to redesign 
and improve to your hearts content. Just my 
humble 2¢.

---Dave
New Orleans



On 12/14/06, Joseph Garrett quoth:

>Don said: "I feel that there is also a negative impact on
>the tone of having such a soft termination as a
>wood bridge at both ends of the strings, as with
>your Bl?thner. At least, it would be negative to
>me, but then perhaps a more muted tone quality
>with shorter sustain in the high partials (which
>can seem to enhance the fundamental) was the intention of the designer."
>
>Don,
>  I dunno if it could be considered "..a negative impact on the tone...."
>One major instance that comes to mind is my olde Hagstrom Bass Guitar. It
>came with a wood lower bridge and phenolic nut. The tone was very
>distinctive. At the time that I needed a bass with more "bite", I modified
>it by putting a brass bridge and an Elk horn nut. The tone was a totally
>different thing. More "bite" and the harmonics were less subdued.
>As I work on a lot of really olde pianer thingees, I've noticed that the
>pianos with a wooden Nut, have a completely different sound. I choose to
>think that this was a preferred sound pre-1900. I guess what I'm trying to
>say, is that the sound will be different but not necessarily "bad" ....just
>different.
>I don't think that a reversal of tone preference is anything that will
>occur,...but....it is interesting to say the least
>Regards,
>
>Joseph Garrett, R.P.T.
>Captain, Tool Police
>Squares R I