Question for, erm, engineers? 3D print a Strat bridge?

[Gordon]

Hello!

After a discussion with a friend, where I said I didn't like Strat bridges in general because I prefer fixed bridges (and I'm a bit of an OCD person, and the lack of symmetry doesn't help), we started thinking about 3D printing. Turning the tremolo into a fixed bridge is easy. However, the asymmetry would still be there, and the routing would be slightly visible at the back of the bridge. Saddles would be kept, as well as the block and springs, so in the end, the only thing to print would be the bridge plate. This (or a version of this, more precisely):



So I turned to Photoshop:

>>>

So, to turn the classic bridge (the red outline is the routing in the guitar):



into this modified version (design not final or anything):



It's technically possible, actually rather easy fron a design point of view, but the question is... in what material? Metal seems obvious, but then the price goes up. Would plastic (PLA I assume, maybe ABS?) do? It'd be quite cheap, and would offer access to colors.

How strong has the bridge plate to be? There's limited forces applied to that specific part... The six screws would hold it in place, the tremolo block would distribute the tension more evenly on the underside, and since it'd be blocked the bridge wouldn't move at all (no space between the body and the trem block, it couldn't move backward). My physics classes were a long time ago, but the only issue I seem to see is the pressure on the saddles... If the plastic is brittle, it may not like it.

What do you think?

[Grey]

I think you should get a hardtail Strat (which also has no tremolo cavity) unless you have a specific guitar that you really want to do this mod to. I'd be extremely skeptical of a plastic bridge holding up to the stress.

[leokula]

I personally wouldn't do this... what does your OCD tell you about still having the cavity and the springs on a guitar with no trem? lol

Unless you really want to do this just 'cause you want to... in this case I also wouldn't trust plastic for that.

[Gordon]

I didn't think it needed saying, but obviously it's in case i'd get a Strat, which is not the case. It's only a theorical question.

[kdanie]

Get a hard tail strat and be done with it or if you REALLY want to do this to a "normal" strat 3d printed metal would work fine but will have a little rough finish but that could be cleaned up easy enough with a lot of file/sandpaper work. I'm not sure just the 6 screws across the front would work all that well, adding a couple to the back would help counter the leverage of the string tension.

ken

[echobaseone]

I doubt ABS would hold up to the stress. Metal might, but it depends on how it's sintered. There're quite a lot of variables, which is why most large scale companies are sticking with machining for any structural requirements. Looking at your designs, I'd recommend buying some aluminum angle and getting it machined to your specs. I don't think it would be too expensive.

https://www.mcmaster.com/#aluminum-t-bars/=19fshpg

[hpr_hpr]

a. ABS is probably NOT the best material for a guitar bridge . . . I'm assuming you are still going to use metal set screws in the saddles and while in a stat bridge I would imagine that the saddles vibrate at the very least a little bit as they aren't 'fixed' (see e.g. a Schaller 475 bridge for an example of fixed saddles) and the metal set screws will wear on the ABS . . . how much I can't say but it will happen.
b. do you think the bridge influences the tone? if so ABS is more flexible than metal, it maybe doesn't seem that way but it almost certainly isn't as rigid, thus it won't transfer the vibrations of the stings to the body as well as a metal bridge, worse if it's "too" flexible it will have a noticeable effect on the length of the sustain.
c. plastics can be 'brittle' depending on their exact formulation - not sure how ABS stacks up in that regard -, brittle materials tend to fail catastrophically when failing under stress, not something I want to see in a guitar bridge.

So ABS works well for prototyping but I wouldn't want it as a permanent fixture due to the concerns above.

And if you want to go with the plan outlined above, working a piece of sheet metal into that shape isn't going to be that hard using a grider, a hacksaw and some files . . . add a dremel for some of the fine work and polishing and a drill for the holes and you're there, and honestly with the speed of most 3D printers it won't make any difference in time.

[Embenny]

You can get metal 3D-printed parts. A forum member printed a duo-sonic bridge for his Bullet Mustang.

Don't know how that metal will fare durability-wise, but for a strat with a trem rout, couldn't you just make it a string-through? E.G. have the string break over the saddle and then sit in a trem block just like a strat trem, but with a hardtail bridge and no springs involved? That way the forces on the bridge would be nearly entirely downward (pressure on the saddles, toward the body, through the bridge).

I doubt you'd run into any durability problems with that arrangement, but once again...why not just go with a hardtail strat? Strats and strat bodies are the most ubiquitous in the guitar world.

[Supa-Stang]

I think it would be easier to simply fabricate your own part - not to mention cost effective - by hand; it would be relatively simple to create the baseplate with some basic tools. 3D printing is expensive for one offs and plastic as you mentioned wouldn't be the best material, it's weak, has little mass and so adds nothing to the sound qualities of the guitar as well as it being a nightmare to set up with the saddles. However, as others have said the real question is why would you with the availability of off the rack hard tail strats?

[andy]

I think it would be easier to simply fabricate your own part - not to mention cost effective - by hand; it would be relatively simple to create the baseplate with some basic tools.

Agreed! Plus it is fulfilling and fun to make your parts. I've been making aluminum parts this past summer and it's been a blast.

[cmatthes]

The printed plastic part really won't hold up to regular usage - probably even light use.

I'd get a hardtail body and bridge if you really get bugged by the trem rout/bridge!

[Gordon]

Thanks for the replies.

The question popped up after a discussion, and is purely theorical. So, of course, going straight away for a hardtail Strat is the best solution, but discarded on purpose since it kills the discussion in case, that is offering options through 3D printing. And try to get creative. Food for thoughts, if you will. When 3D printing started to be more consumer friendly, I pictured guitar modders (among other users!) would see a ton of new and interesting parts, colors, shapes... I have to admit I'm underwhelmed on that matter.

It's a simple part, and metal machining would be indeed a better option in that case; better durability, and cheaper price. Though there's still a lack of option for colors.

[Grey]

3D printing is best suited to complex shapes and prototyping plastics, it doesn't have many uses for guitars that wouldn't be better served by more traditional skills and materials. Maybe knobs.

Also I don't think it was clear in the OP that this was a "hypothetical what-if scenario" it sounded like you wanted a Strat with a fixed bridge, and a hardtail is obviously the better option.

[echobaseone]

Though there's still a lack of option for colors.

Oh, I don't know...

[Gordon]

Though there's still a lack of option for colors.

Oh, I don't know...

But where are the bridges? The tuners? The control plates? Mastery offers (some of) them, but it's what, 0.1% of the offer?