HELP: Banjo bridge for open back

Subject: HELP: Banjo bridge
From: GUEST,Redhorse at work
Date: 12 Feb 04 - 08:47 AM

On Monday I broke the bridge on my SS Stewart Amateur. I replaced it (temporarily) with the bridge off my Ozark resonator. Sound is now horrible: bright and tinny instead of mellow and plunky. Broken bridge was a strange very light hand-made affair built like a sawhorse. Question: what sort of bridge do I need to buy to get the mellow tone back?

Subject: RE: HELP: Banjo bridge for open back
From: Leadfingers
Date: 12 Feb 04 - 09:49 AM

Redhorse, If you are in UK try John Alvey Turner in Ware Herts. Doug Parry who runs the business should be able to help you out. Phone is 01920 466924.

Subject: RE: HELP: Banjo bridge for open back
From: Arnie Naiman
Date: 12 Feb 04 - 11:27 AM

The thicker the wood generally, the more mellow and less resonant the the tone. Contact Donald Zepp http://zeppmusic.com/ for best advise.
Arnie

Subject: RE: HELP: Banjo bridge for open back
From: BanjoRay
Date: 12 Feb 04 - 11:35 AM

The bridge that really worked for me on my Cedar Mountain open back is the Moon bridge, shaped like a crescent moon if you look at it from above. In theory it's a compensation bridge, but I bought it for the tone - nice and plunky old-time sound. You can get them from Stewart McDonald. Expensive but worth it.
Cheers
Ray