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drcello
Registered User
Posts: 482
(7/12/01 5:43:50 pm)
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Rebuilding a
bridge
My strings have sunk into my bridge, the A string in particular. I
don't want to get a new bridge. How can I build up the area under
the A string? Any ideas that are easy and do-able by the average
cellist? Right now all I can think of is a chunk of leather in the
slot.
Marshall C. St. John
drcello@vei.net
Wayside Presbyterian Church
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Todd
French 
Moderator
Posts: 215
(7/12/01 6:03:10 pm)
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Re: Rebuilding a
bridge
Marshall,
If the string height is still ok (5mm or so on the
A, at least 7.5 on the C) you can cut (or sand) away the top of the
bridge so the strings are not sunk in so horribly and detract from
the tone production. If the height is too short, you can take some
maple dust (just sand down a piece of hard maple from an old bridge
or something, but keep it clean) and mix it with cynoacrylate (thick
super glue - the kind that does not dry in 2 seconds, but rather 15
or so), rub the compound into the guides and pack it down, forming
it a bit with your hands if you have rubber gloves, or inside a
baggie if you don't. (don't want that on your fingers) Be sure to
pack it down well, and don't worry so much about the extra hanging
off the edges because you just clean that off later with an exacto
knife or similar once it is dry. You can sand it as well, but that
takes a while. A good sharp blade will scrape the additional
material off nicely.
I'd stay away from leather because it
will dampen the sound, and the maple/glue mixture is very similar to
that of the natural maple and might even improve the
tone!
Email me if you have any problems!
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drcello
Registered User
Posts: 486
(7/13/01 2:59:28 pm)
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thanks for the
tip about maple dust and glue!
Thanks Todd!
Marshall C. St. John
drcello@vei.net
Wayside Presbyterian Church
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Andrew
Victor
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User
Posts: 356
(7/14/01 9:14:26
am)
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Parchment?!
I still think it is a good idea to protect the bridge under the A
(and possibley D) string with a parchment patch before sustaining
(or after repairing) damage to the bridge.
With careful
monitoring, the patch can be replaced before the bridge wood is
cut.
I think the bridge should be examined for angle of lean
and condition of the top at least every week. One could make it a
daily (or however often you play/practice) habit every time you
reach over to pull out the endpin.
Andy
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lblake
Registered
User
Posts: 406
(7/14/01 11:14:45
pm)
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Re:
Parchment?!
I just had this same problem fixed with parchment a couple months
ago. Helped tremendously, and was very cheap ($10?), and only took a
few minutes for the luthier to do, as I recall.
I also agree
with Andy about checking the angle and condition of the bridge
habitually. Those things are my typical "fidgeting" activities....
That, and wiping the dust and fingerprints from my cello or strings.
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Laura
Wichers
Moderator
Posts: 1069
(7/15/01 8:23:21 am)
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Re:
Parchment?!
My luthier goes beyond the call of duty and makes bridge checkers
for his customers. (I know he has a better name, but I can't
remember it.) The checker is designed to be placed between the
fingerboard and bridge, with its notches fitting on the end of the
fingerboard and the top and side of the bridge. If the notches don't
fit correctly, then the bridge has moved. It's a great little
gizmo.
Laura
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Todd
French
Moderator
Posts: 216
(7/15/01 9:18:38 am)
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Re:
Parchment?!
Andy is right - after the bridge is repaired (or for others of you,
before it needs the repair) parchment or goatskin patches on the
bridge for the A and D strings, which often cut into the bridge
wood.
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Andrew
Victor
Registered
User
Posts: 357
(7/15/01 11:29:10
am)
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Re: Parchment?!
(Do it yourself?)
Personally, I have found it easy and economical to apply my own
parchments. The biggest problem, initially, was finding a
source.
Quinn Violins (an internet business - http://www.quinnviolins.com/
) provides them for a very reasonable cost. They come in various
sizes and thicknesses -to cover violin, viola, or cello.
I
apply them with a dab of wood (for porous surfaces) super (Krazy)
glue.
I hold the patch and one edge with a small
(needle-nose) clamp (hemostat) although a good forceps would do. I
apply the glue to the patch, tocuh it to the side of the bridge that
would be under the holding clamp, and then center the patch holding
it down with a finger, release the clemp and the fold it holding the
sides to the bridge while the glue dries for about a minute. I've
done violins, violas, and cellos. Cellos are easiest because you
have more room to work.
If you do this with the bridge on the
instrument, be sure to surround the bridge with cloth to prevent
getting glue on the instrument or on the strings.
Andy
Edited by: Andrew
Victor at: 7/16/01 8:57:38 am
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MaryJM
Registered
User
Posts: 13
(7/27/01 3:09:34
pm)
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Which thickness
is best for cello?
(This message was left blank)
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ecmlee
Registered User
Posts: 7
(7/28/01 12:05:11 pm)
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Re: Rebuilding a
bridge
Terry, regarding the height of the string, 5mm on the A, at least
7.5mm on the C, where to measure it? From the bottom to the
fingertboard? Eddy
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Todd
French
Moderator
Posts: 219
(7/28/01 2:52:46 pm)
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Re: Rebuilding a
bridge
Eddy,
You need to measure from the top of the fingerboard to
the middle of the string cross-section. Essentially, you need a
metal ruler (or another type that has no extra border on either side
but starts at 0) and you lay it right on the top of the fingerboard
at the area nearest the bridge. Find where the center of the string
is located on the ruler.
(You can get those metal rulers at
most school supply and hardware stores, and the 6 in. varieties are
the best because they are fairly compact - should run about $1.00,
so if you find them, buy two in case you lose one)
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ecmlee
Registered User
Posts: 8
(7/29/01 12:17:15 am)
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Re: Rebuilding a
bridge
Todd
Thanks! Just want to clarify one more time. Does the
distance of CGDA (6,7,8,9mm) mean the highest distance between the
strings and fingerboard? If so, then this is the distance at the end
of the fingerboard. I could place the ruler underneath the bottom
edge of the fingerboard to measure it. I just did this but I found
that the distance is 10, 12, 14 and 16! Did I do something wrong?
If I am right, then the bridge is obivously too high. How
could I cut the excess? What kind of tools can I use? Sand paper? As
I have to take the bridge out, anything I should bear in mind?
Please advise. Thanks very much!
Eddy
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Todd
French
Moderator
Posts: 220
(7/29/01 9:59:00 am)
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IMAGE EXAMPLE -
how to measure your string height
Eddy,
I am working on some educational tutorials for the
next StringWorks CD-ROM, and this is one of the sketches that will
accompany the videos - showing you what I am talking about. It is
much easier to see it as a sketch than trying to explain it.
http://www.stringworks.com/images/stringheighttmf.jpg
Let
me know if you have any questions...
Edited by: Todd
French at: 7/29/01 1:15:36
pm
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ecmlee
Registered User
Posts: 13
(7/31/01 7:09:22 am)
Reply
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Re: IMAGE
EXAMPLE - how to measure your string height
Thanks Todd!
Eddy
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Todd
French
Moderator
Posts: 223
(7/31/01 7:53:51 pm)
Reply
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Re: IMAGE
EXAMPLE - how to measure your string height
Eddy,
My pleasure - was it clear enough?
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ecmlee
Registered User
Posts: 16
(8/1/01 2:09:08 am)
Reply
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Re: IMAGE
EXAMPLE - how to measure your string height
Todd
Yes, it's very clear and I have done the work already.
My cello sounds much better afterwards. Thanks!
By the way, I
have learned a lot on how to improve the sound quality of my cello
since I joined this board. Thanks guys!
Eddy
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