New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

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Telemnemonics
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Telemnemonics » Tue Feb 05, 2019 8:24 am

marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:36 am
One thing I’m wondering is if the saddles can be flipped around couldn’t the set screw be in front of/behind the slot? That would mean the string would need to come out of the slot to lock down intonation of course, but would allow heftier set screws to be used.

The bridge could then be shipped with the saddle in the correct orientation for E-E standard tuning and end users can flip them around if needed.
As I understand the design, the slot runs parallel to the strings so the saddles can move forward or back, while the set screw has to run 90 degrees to the slot in order to tighten against the side of the slot to lock it in place.
You can flip the saddle and tighten the set screw against either side of the slot.

I would be concerned that given the screw is pushing down as much as sideways, it may tend to push the saddle up out of the slot somewhat.
I would also be concerned that over time the metal would be galled by the set screw, and a small change in location would be hard to lock due to their being an indentation/ burr at the last setting location.
You could use a harder metal for the body and a softer metal for the screws, to allow the screw to deform/ gall under pressure, but with the need to machine the bridge body it would need to be hardened after machining. Brass set screws might be soft enough, but the allen heads would be easy to strip.

While the new design sorta cries out for a new adjustment/ locking system, maybe the old screw forward/ back adjustment could do the due while keeping the other improvements. Or maybe the set screws can be made to work on the bench, and bugs can be worked out.

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Con-Tiki! » Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:23 am

this is very cool.
i love the look of it, the spherical saddles are beautiful.

does the new set-screw design bring the possibility of the saddles dropping out during string-changes, or do you think they'll stay put without the tension of the strings?
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

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Deed_Poll
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Deed_Poll » Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:57 am

Con-Tiki! wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 9:23 am
this is very cool.
i love the look of it, the spherical saddles are beautiful.

does the new set-screw design bring the possibility of the saddles dropping out during string-changes, or do you think they'll stay put without the tension of the strings?
Hey Con Tiki! The saddles will stay in place when you remove string tension :)
marqueemoon wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 6:36 am
One thing I’m wondering is if the saddles can be flipped around couldn’t the set screw be in front of/behind the slot? That would mean the string would need to come out of the slot to lock down intonation of course, but would allow heftier set screws to be used.

The bridge could then be shipped with the saddle in the correct orientation for E-E standard tuning and end users can flip them around if needed.
It's an interesting idea and the symmetry appeals to me! A couple of things though:

1) I have since redesigned the saddles to take a 3mm diameter set screw instead of 2mm
2) The saddles actually can't be flipped over - only the whole bridge. This is because of the radius of the bridge 'chassis', the overlap of the sphere on one side of each saddle is deeper than the other.
Ceylon wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 5:28 am
If I can offer my 2 cents, the name is good but I'd consider stylising it as "Tuffset". Because this is tuff with two f's.
That's awesome. I had a logo idea like this

________________________
. I U F F S E I

with an arc over the 'T's so they look like an end-on view of an offset bridge ;)

Cheers!
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parry
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by parry » Tue Feb 05, 2019 10:36 am

As an isolated object, i wasn't immediately crazy about the design (I admit).
BUT i was just looking at the most recent renderings of the Juniorbird - and in context, I think it's a total aesthetic win.
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Con-Tiki! » Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:30 am

the logo idea is mucho fabuloso.
I have a project waiting for one of these bridges, so have at it!
(Christopher, also)
I've been to one World's Fair, a picnic, and a rodeo, and that's the stupidest thing i ever heard come out a pair of headphones.

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by DeathJag » Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:31 am

Ceylon wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 5:28 am
If I can offer my 2 cents, the name is good but I'd consider stylising it as "Tuffset". Because this is tuff with two f's.
The Troughset Bridge

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Embenny
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Embenny » Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:41 pm

Just thought of another question - how wide are the saddle slots? Would they accommodate Bass VI strings? If not, would it be feasible to have a Bass VI version with wider slots?

This looks like it has wide travel for intonation purposes, and with Staytrem being Staytrem, there's a hole in that market.
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Deed_Poll » Tue Feb 05, 2019 12:47 pm

Hey Mike, saddle range is 'only' 8mm. I could make it a lot longer (16mm) by getting rid of the front and rear lip, but that makes it look really modern and the saddle slots make this unsightly stepped shape from the end with the radius. I'm unsure what to do exactly with the saddle slots, part of me wants to keep it at 60° to grip the string, but that also makes it more height sensitive to using different string gauges. I could definitely do one with broader saddles, or change the standard to be a somewhat broader 45° that would probably accommodate the Bass VI strings no problem.
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by epizootics » Thu Feb 07, 2019 9:27 pm

Good idea to go for larger set screws for the saddles. Anything under M3 works for delicate applications like watchmaking or electronics but little else, and it's really easy to break the taps.

I like where this is going, the idea of your having access to a metal milling machine combined with your CAD skills is a comforting idea in those dark days for the European bridges! :)

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by PorkyPrimeCut » Fri Feb 08, 2019 3:00 am

Con-Tiki! wrote:
Tue Feb 05, 2019 11:30 am
the logo idea is mucho fabuloso.
Agreed.
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by marqueemoon » Fri Feb 08, 2019 10:01 am

Yeah. I really like where this is going.

Very curious about the tonal characteristics.

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by solfege » Sat Feb 09, 2019 5:54 pm

I'm very into this. The only thing I sort of miss from current designs is the way that using a screw to move the saddle back and forth for intonation gives you some leverage to make very fine adjustments without detensioning the strings. I worry that the the current version, even though adjustment from the top is possible, is going to be a bit harder to get that kind of fine tuning done with.

But given all the other advantages, this might be totally a minor nit pick. I'd definitely be *very interested* in trying one.

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by Deed_Poll » Sun Feb 10, 2019 9:08 am

Solfege, yes I know what you mean! I'm hoping they will be easy to manipulate pretty finely by hand with the strings on and the set screws backed out. Now that I have the saddle lock on the top, hopefully it won't be the end of the world if one is slightly off.
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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by surfin_bird » Mon Feb 11, 2019 11:53 am

GORGEOUS BRIDGE! :? I'm absolutely in love how it looks like. I do also have my worries for the wear and tear the set screws could suffer because it sounds like there is a very little sweet spot in tightness, where you clamp it down without damage or lifting the saddle out of it's socket.
If I'm wrong and it works its great. It sounds like a very comfortable position to adjust the saddles from.

But I can only applaud your efforts for coming up something entirely new, just so we can stay in tune.

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Re: New Offset Bridge Design - the Toughset

Post by YALCaster » Mon Feb 11, 2019 2:52 pm

Very cool

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