How to transfer a bigtone?

BluesBop Harry

I have a Dupont bridge with a Bigtone, it's the quick and dirty type that has the element glued in with clear epoxy.
The problem is the bridge is too low for my taste, I already have another taller bridge and would like to transfer the piezo element.
Anybody knows how to do this?
This might be a good time to do the proper installation of the piezo, splitting the bridge. Help needed with this too.

Thanks in advance.

Craig Bumgarner

Enrique,

My guess is you will have to cut the bigtone element out of the bridge, destroying the bridge. I wonder if it is worth that. Considering you might damage the element as well, it seems like other alternatives should be considered.

Why not shim up the existing bridge. Lots of players do. I use hard wood like ebony or rosewood for shims and as long as they are machined well, I don't notice a difference in the sound. I cut my own, but if you don't have the tools, thin maple box board, wood veneers, Popsicle sticks, credit cards have all been used successfully.

Another idea is to buy just a bigtone element and install it in the new bridge and either sell the old one or save it for another guitar.

Craig

BluesBop Harry

Thanks Craig,
The epoxy used on my bridge is a soft kind, like silicon. I think I could carefully scrape it away and get the element out.
Truthfully I'm a bit fed up with piezos, yes they are loud and cut great but i'm not crazy about the sound.

I'm not sure it'd sell because I modified it to suit my playability preferences at the time... unfortunately that has changed and I want higher action now.
I might take your suggestion and just use shims for a while.

Craig Bumgarner

Okay, I pictured hard epoxy. If soft enough, you might get it out. Keep in mind the element is pretty fragile. Josh Hegg pointed out to me earlier not to bend the element or the crystals inside will crack which introduces noise or worse. Prying on it will not do.

Roger on the tone of the bigtone. I tried one, but I've gone back to my AT183 mic that I have used for a couple years now. Fortunately, I don't need amplification often and when I do, I haven't needed so much volume that feed back is a problem.

Craig

A.K. Kibben

Henry,
Thought about heating the joint up and then separation the element?
Might work. Yes? No?
That's how we separate other glue joints...
Chime in others...

richdaigle

I'd consider "retopping" the old bridge...I've done it...sand or plane the top of the bridge PERFECTLY flat to create a seamless joint and great contact with a piece of rosewood that you can reshape at the new top...you don't need to go too deep an 1/8th of an inch should be fine...add whatever height you need, blend the sides etc. I'd only suggest this if you've word with wood of course...but it works great.

Rich

BluesBop Harry

Thanks for the suggestions.
I think i'll take the BT bridge off that guitar for a while, to see if I can live without it, and meanwhile try to work on getting it fixed to the proper height or moved to another bridge.

I'm gonna go with a Schertler Basik, installed with putty on the inside of the soundboard and with a modified cable going to the end block jack.
I'll post my findings here.

Thanks again to everyone for chiming in.