making my own ebony bridge

[Greg Martin]

Id rather make my own bridge and would like some info on making a z saddle style bridge. Is there a formula for the shape of the z? thickness of the saddle at the top etc? got pics ?? thanks

[Michael Lewis]

Z saddle? Do you mean intonation compensated?

I make a fairly wide (about 3/8" or 10mm) saddle blank and wait until I have the guitar strung with the gauge of strings I plan to fit to the guitar. Then, with the guitar strung up on the bench, cut the intonation for each string so the bridge sits perpendicular to the center line of the neck. Once the intonation compensation is established I remove the saddle and refine it to make it look nice.

[Greg Martin]

How is compensation figured,is there a formula? ill use 12 guage set of flat wounds my scale is 25".Are there any articles floating around? Any basic specs? I just need some basics to get me going. Attached is the type of bridge Id like to make. Ive seen a couple of variations on this style.

[Dave Weir]

I make a different type of Z bridge. The step is 1/8". Scale is 25". The high E is just over 25", the low E is about 25 1/8". I use it for 10,11,and 12s. My tuners and ear can't detect any error. You flip it around for wound G. Height is adjusted by moving the ramp up or back.

[Michael Lewis]

Greg, use the ultra simple method of striking the harmonic at the 12th fret and then the fretted note at the 12th fret, and they should be the same. You adjust the saddle forward or back to achieve the correct intonation. Depending on the strings you use the intonation may differ. Stiffer and heavier strings require more compensation than more flexible and lighter strings. Does this help? I don't know of a 'formula' for setting the intonation, just use your ears or a sensitive tuner.

[Jim McConkey]

Michael is correct, compensation varies with the strings. Rather than rely on a fixed formula, I put a block of wood about where the bridge will be, lay a short length of an expired string on top perpendicular to the strings, and move that back and forth until the intonation is correct (fretted vs. unfretted 12th fret). I measure the distance from the nut to the string-bridge, and repeat the process for the other strings. I use the different lengths to custom make a bridge like Greg shows. That being said, I build a variety of instruments and rarely the same thing twice. I would probably standardize if I kept building one model over and over.

[Greg Martin]

ok I get the method now.That seems easy enough thanks