Anyone selling fitted shims for dupont bridge?

bm7b5

I've got a big tone installed and would like to have quality fitted shims instead of the substandard ones I cab make with old bridges or metro pass paper. Anybody wanting to sell some clean, fitted shims in different sizes for a dupont bridge? Message me.

crookedpinky

I've never heard of or seen shims for sale. I've shimmed almost all of my bridges and I always use a hardwood veener - these come in sheets between 0.6 and 1mm thick. The procedure runs like this

cover the upper part of the bridge with masking tape to stop glue getting where it should be
cut off enouch of the veneer - with the grain running parallel to the bridge - so that it overlaps the bridge foot all the way round
apply glue to the bottom of the foot and each layer of veneer
stack up the veneer - as many as needed - and lay the bridge feet on top of the stacks
then either place enough weight on top of the bridge OR apply masking tape so that there is slight pressure bearing down to ensure good contact and therefore a good joint.

Leave the glue ( I like Titebond ) overnight and then - carefully - trim off the overhanging veneer and gently sand the whole thing down.

I know it's a bit long winded but you end up with a really strong joint which aids in transferring the string vibrations to the top.

Apologies if you're already aware of this method and if you find someone who sells ready made shims please let me know.

Alan

redblues

if you find someone who sells ready made shims please let me know.

http://www.gypsyguitar.de/index.php?pag ... =4&lang=en

Translates as 'Ebony strip to shim, Various strengths, price on request'

I assume that means various thickness

KarenAnn

My security software kept blocking an attack (black hole exploit kit) from the website link above.

redblues

My security software kept blocking an attack (black hole exploit kit) from the website link above.

I had a look over the site and the scripts seem to be fairly standard. I block them all anyway so they don't even get to my AV. Which AV are you running? Do you get a blocked response from the site homepage?

People do enter card details etc on there so any notification should be taken seriously. I'll email Norman who runs the site with the details.

KarenAnn

I use AVG. It blocked the threat at the home page and would not let me past it.

Jeff Moore

I don't glue cause: 1. glue is another something through which vibration must pass (probably a silly reason but..) 2. my guitars change gradually but continuously with the seasons (despite a fascist dictator attempt to control humidity).
I think they'd change a little no matter what. So..... you need to adjust the shims - If you want big control over playability. If you glue em on, you might have to sand em off, and reglue em again in the spring. Why?

crookedpinky

I suppose my thinking is that by gluing I'm getting a denser joint and therefore more vibrations transfer through. I could be totally wrong but I haven't noticed any diminuition in sound or volume after raising bridges in this way.

I suppose as well we may have less climate/humidity related problems than elsewhere - certainly here in Scotland it's usually just wet all the time so I haven't needed to adjust bridge height once it 's set.

I did say that gluing was my preferred method and it works for me and my situation but I appreciate that it might not appeal to everyone.

Alan

Jeff Moore

Crookedpinky, I don't think gluing will hurt the sound. I just have the nagging (maybe ditsy) idea that the fewer materials in this place - the better. Don't think It'll matter either way. I do think that whether or not you glue, the trick is to get good contact between bridge, shim, and top. I look at it with the guitar between my eye and a light so I can pick up slight gaps.

I've seen a video of Stochelo choosing shims for his Selmer before recording. I think shims are just part of playing these guitars. As long as the neck is straight, and once you have a little collection of shims, you can dial in the string height, by just loosening the strings some and slipping something in there - as in quickly. We've all heard about the paper ticket Django used!

I think its one more smart choice Maccaferri made in his brilliant design. Easy adjustments of string height. There's plenty of down pressure to create the connection between bridge, shim, and top.

I have tapered shims also so that I can differentially change string height, raising either side of the bridge a little more than the other.
I really worry about string height. It makes a lot of difference in how long I can practice before my hands give out. I'm also convinced guitars change enough with the humidity - seasons, that unless you don't practice much, or you've got iron hands, changing shims as much as a couple times a year is the way to go. I don't worry to much about the materials but I've got hardwood so that's what I use. I've also got a table saw and stationary sander but I've used anything and only when the physical connection was compromised by a gap was there any noticeable change in the sound. To keep with the tradition, you might want to try Paris Metro tickets though.

Steveareno

What about bridges with a Big Tone? Isn't there some kind of wire on the underside of the bridge? Do you just cut a hole or slot in the shim for the wire? I've never looked.... Just left the action where it is, which is a little on the low side. Wouldn't mind raising it a mm or so.
Swang on,

Craig Bumgarner

I think most bigtone wires come down and through the top around the middle of the bridge, not at the feet, but if it is does, that would be problem. I suppose you could drill a hole in the shim and then split it into to halves and fit it around the wire. You need to be careful though as I can envision the shim acting like scissors on the wire if there was movement.

Regards shims, I have had very good luck with cut up credit cards. Very consistent thickness, the plastic is hard enough to transmit vibration pretty well, but soft enough to not scratch the finish. A guitar almost always sounds better when the bridge is shimmed up, so the shim can't be hurting too much. Not always as playable if you get it too high, of course.

My self imposed rule of thumb though is that if a bridge needs more than one credit card shim, I should probably put a new bridge in. Or at least, I should not use multiple shims, maybe just a thicker shim. Otherwise, maybe a new bridge is in order. Bridges are fairly easy to come by and not that hard to make if you set your mind to it. The main thing is fitting them well. There is sticky on fitting bridges in this subforum I believe.

I see no problem with gluing vs. not gluing the shim. Personally, I prefer not to as this gives the flexibility of removal later. If you are worried about the filtering affect the glue might have on the sound, consider using hot hide glue or epoxy. Both get pretty hard compared to white or yellow glues.

Bridge shims are just a fact of life with these guitars. Don't worry, just shim it with something of substantial density. Credit card stock, hard wood, etc. Not sure I would use paper tickets for instance unless you shared Django's knack for making anything sound good.

Completely aside, I once had a pretty well made Asian Selmer style uitar and upon close inspection, the bridge was made of two pieces stacked horizontally and glued together. No idea why. Cheapin' out by using bits of wood? Seemed to work okay.

When you look at some archtop bridges with multiple piece of wood separated by screw posts, I begin to wonder how they work at all, but they seem to. Our little shims are a pretty minor aberration compared to that.

CB