The concept for this bridge, which I have used on all my guitars for many years, was suggested to me by a customer in Germany. The bridge has twelve string holes instead of the conventional six. The extra six holes are used to create a fastening loop through the tie block. The treble strings have an extra over-and-under loop to make sure the string doesn’t pull through under tension and damage the soundboard. (That happened one time on one of my early guitars with this bridge type: a Savarez Alliance e-string pulled through.) The wound strings have plenty of friction and don’t need this extra loop.
Why the twelve-hole bridge? Well, as you can see in this photo it helps maintain a consistently steep string angle against the saddle, which assures a clear tone free of any buzzing that might come from a loose contact with the saddle crown. In addition, the single string passing over the top of the tie block clears away string clutter which can make passages which require tapping the bridge more comfortable. The special string attachment used on this bridge, along with the tie block setback, also keeps the strings clear of the soundboard. The attachment is easier to do than a conventional loop. However, if you prefer a conventional loop you can do this instead of the extra loop through the tie block.
Good morning Paul,
I plan to drill my next bridge with twelve holes for all the reasons you state. I do notice, however, that you have placed your saddle on an angle relative to the tie block. This must be for intonation, but I have not seen this on a classical before.
Your thoughts much appreciated.
Cheers
Chris
The saddle slot is cut so that the Eb string is 1/16″ farther from the nut than the Et string. This makes it possible to create setback break points in the saddle in accordance with my intonation specs. The only other guitar I can recall that uses a slanted saddle is a Ramirez; however, the slant is not as much, and the only string that is custom compensated is the G-string.