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Permalink Reply by Slowpaw Steve T on April 10, 2013 at 2:33am

Good idea, though it is not necessary to cut slots into the bridge if the break angle is steep enough (-:

try turning the bridge around, no slots, and hear if there is still a buzz...

next time have the bridge nearer the back of the box and string anchors lower, without slots the break angle should be enough to stop the buzzing. 

 

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Permalink Reply by Dano Collins on April 10, 2013 at 2:45am

Thanks for the input Steve. I didn't calculate the scale length...I used my Shane Speal 3 string as reference for the scale length. The box on mine was a bit longer than the SS 3 string, so the bridge fell where it did. The vintage jailers key I used for the bridge was flattened on the bottom side for string height, so flipping it over wasn't an option. All in all, it was a great learning experience. And she's a screamer now! :)

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on April 10, 2013 at 3:18am

That key is too cool - I'm glad it's working well!!

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Permalink Reply by ron carlson on April 10, 2013 at 3:43am

Nice, elegant solution.  I have a question. How did you go about putting a flat on the back of that key?  I have one of those and was thinking of trying to do the same, but figured that I would just mess it up using a grinder or similar.

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Permalink Reply by Dano Collins on April 10, 2013 at 3:49am

Thanks Ron, and Jawbone! @ Ron: The key is brass, and I just used my belt sander to flatten the backside of it, taking off a little at a time until the bridge height was correct. I just made sure I kept an equal amount of pressure on the entire key, paying close attention that it remained even. Then polished it, and chemically patinaed it dark to match all the other hardware.

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Permalink Reply by jawbone on April 10, 2013 at 5:16am

I was going to mention a belt sander - I have a stationary one as well as handheld - I just built myself a little gizmo to hold small stuff flat - keeps my knuckles and fingernails much safer!!

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Permalink Reply by Dano Collins on April 10, 2013 at 7:14am

Yes, mine is a stationary belt/disc combo. :)

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Permalink Reply by T A Norman on April 10, 2013 at 3:52am

I would be interested how you chemically patinated the brass

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Permalink Reply by Dano Collins on April 10, 2013 at 7:17am

www.reactivemetals.com  TA Norman.
Browse the catalog, and on page 17 is the "antique patina" I used. I use it all the time on my nonferrous tattoo machine builds.

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Permalink Reply by Ted Crocker on April 10, 2013 at 8:29am

Great idea, I've done something similar many times to overcome the break angle problem when anchoring strings to a neck thru.  Did it eliminate the buzz or just tame it?  I notice that your slots for the strings are way too wide, way too deep and way too long - which can give a kind of sitar buzz.  I've done that on purpose at times to get that sitar or banjo like twang.

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Permalink Reply by Dano Collins on April 10, 2013 at 8:51am

Yes Ted, they are waaaay deep. After restringing it with thicker strings the action was way high, so I ground the back of the key/bridge, and cut the slots a bit deeper to lower the action. I'm no luthier...just a craftsman playing around. :) It did stop the buzz all together though. And your right, it did have a sitar kind of chime to it before.

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