Making a wooden piezo bridge using the graphtech units

I'd like to see how you do this.

 

Assuming you want each saddle in it's own pocket, there are a few of options I can think of:

-cut a slot for each pocket using a router with 5/32" bit and clean up the corners using a chisel
-cut a single slot for all 5 bridge pieces at once using the 5/32" bit and glue in spacers between the saddle slots (probably only works well with certain woods)
-depending what you have for chisels you might be able to drill the slots and clean up using a chisel, but this is going to be considerably more work, I would think

You could probably do the routing with a dremel and base if you have that as well.

 

You will probably need at least one metal part to support the adjustment screw, otherwise they will puncture through wood eventually.
Also needed is a way to ground strings in your design.

 

I made a slotting jig for jobs like this.





I used a simple undersaddle piezo bar pickup (an EMG AT125), so my saddle has a shallow 1/8" slot routed on the bottom. But you could easily place the saddles in the slot and use shims to set string spacing.

 

I am not trying to derail the thread, but what measurements did you use for the angle for the bridge? Is the treble side right at the scale length?

 

Yes, the G string passes the center of the saddle at the 34.0" mark.

To get the angle, I measured a few guitars and acoustic basses and did a bit of mathing and came up with "about 5 degrees", so I used that. And I made the saddle 1/4" thick so that I could compensate it if necessary.

 

I'm doing a similar bridge, but with a different saddle idea,
but using a single slot with spacers between the saddle sections. Haven't settled on a spacer mat'l yet, tho. Some under saddle piezos use a metal strip for consistency, and the hieght adj screws will need something solid to ride on.

 

Dunno if this helps Tom, but it made me think of this Ritter...

http://www.talkbass.com/threads/list-of-piezo-only-bass-guitars.573361/#post-7845282

 

Yeah sorry. I couldn't find a better pic

 

I know I've seen in-depth photos of that bass on Jens' site, I think it's from the Royals series which are usually pretty extensively documented.

 

The piezo's on the Ritter are "RMC Pickups", and look like they are the 'Bass Excellence" model.

 

Yeah, not the easiest to navigate, for sure.