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OK, let me preface this by saying yes, I KNOW that you're supposed to place the bridge after finishing after doing a load of measuring.

My first build was an electric bass so the bridge had maybe 3/4 " adjustment to make up for getting it wrong.

My second was a les Paul with a floating bridge.
then 3 mandos, all with floating bridges

then a Reso which didn't work

then 2 more mandos with.... you guessed, floating bridges.

After all this floating I was faced with placing a Dread bridge.

So, I rigged a tailpiece made from a crosswise base clamped to the top and a string holder behind that.

the string holder can move sideways, even under tension, to get the strings straight up the fingerboard, regardless of where the bookmatch join is relative to the neck (!)

once the strings are straight the intonation can be set by sliding the bridge on the top.

a little mark and then glue it in p0lace, using the string tension as a clamp.

IT WORKS!!!!!!

here's some pics of the same technique used to put the bridges on the doubleneck I'm swearing at (sorry, building)

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Cool idea!!! I like the idea of checking the intonation before I glue it all up. That is a really cool guitar by the way. How was it to build a double neck? I like the shape a lot!

On a different note, does everybody set their bridge after they finish the guitar. I set my bridge placement before I finish so that I can tape off the area for gluing down the bridge and I dont have to take off finish to glue. I also tape off the area for the fingerboard extension. Does anybody else do this or is it verboten?

Sorry for the hijack. Thanks for posting pics of this idea. Are you gluing your bridge with just the string tension? Is that what you meant or tension and a clamp?


HomeboyHomeboy39034.5176967593

Sweet idea! And nice guitar! I really like the looks of that, and would love to build a double neck one day. I was wondering though - is that the final size of your soundhole and if so is it ported as well?
Keep up the good work and by all means please keep posting pics - we are all heavily into the guitar pron around here.
Cheers
Charliewood

that's the soundhole cos of the bracing inside. there is gonna be a TON of tension on there, so if anything it's overbraced, but as it's definitely a live onstage sort of beast, the under saddle peizos will make it plenty loud enough.

the BIG problem at the minute is that the guy I'm building it for (sadly for mates rates)wants the top stained. He WANTED a koa top like the one Richie Sambora got made by Taylor, but he's a poor student so wasn't keen on $500 wood bill......

I don't have spray facilities so I tried Danish oil and a little stain on some scrap spruce and all was well.

then I did the top and it's horrible. Ther are a load of lines and marks that weren't visible to the eye but REALLY showed up with the stain. when I get the chance it's being sanded off again.

Ah well, this is a learning experience right?

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[quote=martinedwards]here's some pics of the same technique used to put the bridges on the doubleneck I'm swearing at (sorry, building) [/quote]

Has it been a toughie, then? What challenges have you found on the build so far?

*EDIT* OOOps I posted this at the same time as the post above...

It's an ambitious project.

That jig looks like something I could build myself. I just cannot let loose another ?40 on a manufactured jig.

Sam Price39034.5642361111

Martin,

What a splendid solution to a problem! Thanks for sharing your insight.

How brillently simple. Thank you for sharing.

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Aoibeann

i wonder whether string downpressure alone will be sufficient clamping pressure to get a good adhesion in your bridge/top join.

i can see why this idea would be very attractice since the tiny soundhole gives very little room and poor angles for conventional clamps. but i think these bridges are perfect candidates to be vacuum clamped.

Thanks for sharing this simple approach with us Edward. I have struggled with this and when I saw your idea and how simple it is, I thought of how I have a tendacy to make things more complex than they need to be