# Hand-made multi-scale bridge with piezos... :O



## thinkpad20 (Oct 3, 2009)

I was looking around for the possibility of putting piezos in my planned multiscale guitar and came across this beauty:

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/showthread.php?t=391762


> Here's a shot of the instrument, its flamed mac ebony carvetop over black limba with birdseye maple board and pup covers (EMG 40TDCs). I ended up making my own laminated wood bridge (birdseye over ebony) because I wanted to use the Graphtech piezo saddles.










Now I know what I want on my build  if I can afford it of course.

I gotta get in contact with this dude to get more info on how he did it...

Anyway just thought maybe some here would find this interesting


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## Fred the Shred (Oct 3, 2009)

Oh, what a gorgeous instrument, and it exudes class all around.


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## whisper (Oct 3, 2009)

I remember seeing that no projectguitar.com
Project Guitar :: Guitar of the Month Winners for 2008


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## MaxOfMetal (Oct 3, 2009)

Roter does a bridge like this on the 9+ string instruments they make. Plus, they match theres to the top. It's a very clean look. 

I can't wait to get a Roter.


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## thinkpad20 (Oct 3, 2009)

MaxOfMetal said:


> Roter does a bridge like this on the 9+ string instruments they make. Plus, they match theres to the top. It's a very clean look.
> 
> I can't wait to get a Roter.



Funny you mention that, because Roter is who I'm thinking of for my custom 

Although, I know they make wood bridges but I've never seen a multi-scale from them... though, that's what it would be of course if I did it.


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## 7 Strings of Hate (Oct 3, 2009)

no knobs?


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## TimSE (Oct 3, 2009)

wow! that is beautiful!

now thats a lespaul id happily own


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## Dusty201087 (Oct 3, 2009)

Very cool guitar, I like


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## Erik Hauri (Oct 3, 2009)

Cheers guys - that's an 8 I built last year, love it - I've been meaning to put up some sound clips for....oh, about a year. EMGs and Ghost piezo, both on one stereo output jack (TRS tip is piezo, ring is magetics).

The knobs are hidden - the first one to find them wins a tub of lard.

The bridge was pretty straightforward - laminate birdseye maple on top of ebony, then rout out the space for the Graphtech saddles with a Dremel (Dremel router base attached). Cut the outside profile on the bandsaw, drill the holes for the saddle screws, then sand smooth & finish. It's a string-thru with a brass retaining bar underneath to hold the ball ends like on the Novax guitars.

If I had to do it over again, I'd use longer saddle screws to give me a little more room for intonation compensation (it is bang-on anyway) and I'd consider a brass plate underneath the saddle height adjustment screws to add a little more sparkle. But its great as-is.


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## daemon barbeque (Oct 3, 2009)

Gorgeous work there!! 
And Thinkpad20!! My Roter is multiscale and it's going to be finished soon. Stay tuned!


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## Waelstrum (Oct 3, 2009)

Erik Hauri said:


> The knobs are hidden - the first one to find them wins a tub of lard.



Are they on the side or back of the body, or is there a hidden compartment (James Bond style), or maybe some sort of remote control?


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## elq (Oct 3, 2009)

A very beautiful guitar.



Erik Hauri said:


> The knobs are hidden - the first one to find them wins a tub of lard.



The controls are placed on the top, like an acoustic.


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## thinkpad20 (Oct 4, 2009)

daemon barbeque said:


> Gorgeous work there!!
> And Thinkpad20!! My Roter is multiscale and it's going to be finished soon. Stay tuned!



Sweet! Any in-progress pics?


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## Daggorath (Oct 4, 2009)

That is beautiful. I mean, there are some nice guitars about these parts, but that really takes the cake and the bakery.


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## thinkpad20 (Oct 4, 2009)

Erik Hauri said:


> Cheers guys - that's an 8 I built last year, love it - I've been meaning to put up some sound clips for....oh, about a year. EMGs and Ghost piezo, both on one stereo output jack (TRS tip is piezo, ring is magetics).
> 
> The knobs are hidden - the first one to find them wins a tub of lard.
> 
> ...



Hey dude, any chance you could snap some close-up shots of that bridge?


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## Erik Hauri (Oct 4, 2009)

elq said:


> The controls are placed on the top, like an acoustic.



ELQ wins!






The controls are on the edge just behind the upper bout:





Neck-both-bridge toggle, neck V, bridge V, piezo/mag mix, mag-both-piezo toggle

Thanks for the props!

Here are some "in progress" shots of the bridge. It is routed out with a Dremel using a straightedge as an edge guide for the Dremel router base.






The outer profile was then cut out with a bandsaw and sanded.

There are holes for the strings (string-thru) and slots for the wires that emerge from underneath each piezo saddle, which were cut with a scroll saw after the holes were drilled.










I have the entire build thread published in an ebook - but beware, it is 600 MB huge because it contains a TON of high-res photos. It will take a LONG time to download - but the details are all there if you have the patience and the hard drive space.

Build ebook


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