Bridge Thickness???

[Hux]

I just got a new Eminence bridge blank for my DIY EUB project and have planned to shape this bridge myself. I know EVERYONE will recommend a pro luthier to do this, but I am firmly in the DIY zone on this project. And really, how hard can it be? Seems like time, patience, and some research is all that is really needed (and of course some basic woodshop items).

There are plenty of sources/recommendations related to string spacing, bridge height, and radius shaping, but I am now in my 4rth hour scouring the web for bridge thickness dimensions. I've seen mostly 'not too thin and not too thick'.... and other non-specific statements.

I've searched all the 'Bridge' threads on this site and many others....

My blank is 10 mm at the top which is clearly far too thick, even my ignorant eyes. Unfortunately, I do not have a DB bridge to compare to.... I suppose I could drive down to the music shop with my calipers and start measuring, but there are so many experienced folks on this site, I'm hoping to save the gas and start a productive discussion.

Is anybody willing to get out some calipers and measure their bridge thickness at the strings (and slightly below)?

[bigolbassguy]

6mm across the top should be about right.

[derft]

Trying to attach gif. Hope it works.

[tstone]

FWIW, here's what Chuck Traeger has to say on the subject:

"The bridge top thickness should be a uniform 6mm. From there the bridge thickness should be tapered down to the bottom of the feet. I do not taper my bridge as a simple wedge. Rather, I do all of my tapering in the top part of the bridge above the waist, not in the legs. Thinning the bridge overall will also produce a brighter sound. Too much thinning and the bridge will be flabby, thus destroying the amount of stiffness necessary to transmit sound.

"The bridge feet can be anywhere from 1 inch to 3/4 of an inch thick [25.5mm to 19mm] in the north-south direction. I make mine 1 inch thick. The thicker the feet, the darker, warmer the sound will be. The thinner they are, the brighter and more trebly the sound. I once cut them only 5/8ths of an inch thick [16mm] in an effort to brighten an extremely dark bass."

[bigolbassguy]

What is the height of the bridge going to be? I missed the fact that you were building an EUB the first time around. My recommendations were also based on CT's book. If the bridge is going to be shorter, though, I think the top should be thinner. An EUB isn't going to carry the same load as an acoustic bass, so the bridge won't need to be as strong.

By the way - fitting a bass bridge is hard. Count on a 6+ hour job the first time around.