Tru-Arc Bridges now being made in glass. yep

Joined: Dec 03, 2009
Posts: 859
Sandy Eggo
United States

Posted on Nov 14 2013 08:35 PM

My friend Tim Harman has a side business to his day job in IT and makes the
Tru-Arc radius correct bar bridge. I bought a stainless steel and aluminum version for the bigsby on my tele and Dipinto Galaxie 4.. He's just come out with a glass tru-arc.. freakin glass. I've yet to see one personally but I thought I'd share a pict..

—

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969

Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 22:19:03

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TVTheWiredTurtle

Joined: Dec 03, 2009
Posts: 859
Sandy Eggo
United States

Posted on Nov 14 2013 08:38 PM

here's my stainless steel tru-arc on my Dipinto Galaxie 4

image

—

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969

Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 20:40:29

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kick_the_reverb

Joined: Feb 26, 2006
Posts: 1338
Escondido, CA
2 News Pins

Posted on Nov 14 2013 09:26 PM

I heard it makes the tone very transparent

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The Scimitars

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Nov 14 2013 09:42 PM

I looked up the Tru-Arc bridge and read about it. I can see how it's an elegant solution for string-height issues but as far as I can tell it leaves unanswered the problem of intonation – doesn't it?

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Squink Out!

Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 22:19:56

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TVTheWiredTurtle

Joined: Dec 03, 2009
Posts: 859
Sandy Eggo
United States

Posted on Nov 14 2013 10:09 PM

JObeast wrote:

Can you tell us about the design and its function? What is the price, etc.?

I dont about the glass ones yet but regarding my current ones they are super high quality polished stainless and aluminum.. no plating. You can order them in 12" radius or the more normal 9.5 fenderish radius. He began the whole shebang simply because there were no rocking bar bridges with 9.5 and they were either gold or chrome plated brass. He makes the metal ones in solid brass, copper, stainless steel and aluminum. Now crazy glass apparently.
You can also specify peculiarities like my preference of wanting the bottom of the bars to be flat so there is no rocking motion. I find I dont need that with my trem or bigsby when using flatwounds and I lube the slots with murrays pomade so I'm good to go.

I actually dont use these on my gretsch guitars as they were first designed for but as you can see I've found a real perfect match for them on my other guitars

image

you can read more about it hear
http://jefjamdesign.com/truarc/index1.html

—

http://www.thenocturnebrain.com
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Nov 14 2013 10:33 PM

What do you all think about the Compton Bridge with its similar concept? (Not to hijack the thread) I love the idea of the monolithic bridge, the antithesis of which is the Fender inelegance that nevertheless solves all the problems of sting length and height.
Thinking one of these monoliths would upgrade the coolness of my Bigsby-ed 60's Harmony Rocket, sort of a poor man's Gretsch. But reading how the break angle is designed to intonate with a PLAIN, UNWOUND 3RD STRING makes me do a double-take: my flatwound 12's which really compliment this archtop will not intonate properly with such a simple bridge. Guess I'll have to stick with the ABR.

—

Squink Out!

Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 23:09:20

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Thunderbolt

Joined: Sep 03, 2008
Posts: 27

Posted on Nov 15 2013 11:33 PM

Just be sure to keep a bottle of Windex in the guitar case!

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BJB

Joined: Jul 28, 2008
Posts: 413
United States

Posted on Nov 17 2013 12:08 PM

Have your friend give bronze a try. It is a low-friction bearing material and there is far less friction between steel and bronze than between steel and brass. I have trouble cutting bronze because my hacksaw just slides over the material instead of digging in. I have to use an abrasive wheel instead.

EDIT:

Oops, I forgot that these bridges are supposed to rock, so a low-friction material might not be a good idea.

—

If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.

Last edited: Nov 17, 2013 12:11:05

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JObeast

Joined: Jul 24, 2012
Posts: 2762
Finknabad, Squinkistan
Turkmenistan

Posted on Nov 22 2013 01:40 AM

I like the idea of going back to the bronze age: a Jericho Axe, a veritable Digging Stik for caveman rock.
Anyhow, I got the Compton Bridge in Aluminium and I have to say it's made my Harmony Rocket my new favourite. The Compton has proven to be a true tone saviour. And I saved on tyres by having them post it to me.
Seriously, the Compton does improve the guitar's playability over the previously-installed Tuneomatic. THe guitar is louder now and plays unapologetically as an acoustic – the TOM damped transfer of vibration to the top. The strings feel less taught somehow, perhaps radiused more exactly with the fretboard, and the amplified sound is more lively, also stronger and more focused – probably because of the top vibrating more through the bridge. It feels like a jazz guitar now and plays with a lighter touch. Where I used to pluck hard, now it needs less muscle to give it up. Good investment of $60.

—

Squink Out!

Top

TVTheWiredTurtle Joined: Dec 03, 2009 Posts: 859 Sandy Eggo	Posted on Nov 14 2013 08:35 PM My friend Tim Harman has a side business to his day job in IT and makes the Tru-Arc radius correct bar bridge. I bought a stainless steel and aluminum version for the bigsby on my tele and Dipinto Galaxie 4.. He's just come out with a glass tru-arc.. freakin glass. I've yet to see one personally but I thought I'd share a pict.. — http://www.thenocturnebrain.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969 Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 22:19:03 Top
TVTheWiredTurtle Joined: Dec 03, 2009 Posts: 859 Sandy Eggo	Posted on Nov 14 2013 08:38 PM here's my stainless steel tru-arc on my Dipinto Galaxie 4 image — http://www.thenocturnebrain.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969 Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 20:40:29 Top
kick_the_reverb Joined: Feb 26, 2006 Posts: 1338 Escondido, CA	Posted on Nov 14 2013 09:26 PM I heard it makes the tone very transparent — The Scimitars Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Nov 14 2013 09:42 PM I looked up the Tru-Arc bridge and read about it. I can see how it's an elegant solution for string-height issues but as far as I can tell it leaves unanswered the problem of intonation – doesn't it? — Squink Out! Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 22:19:56 Top
TVTheWiredTurtle Joined: Dec 03, 2009 Posts: 859 Sandy Eggo	Posted on Nov 14 2013 10:09 PM JObeast wrote: Can you tell us about the design and its function? What is the price, etc.? I dont about the glass ones yet but regarding my current ones they are super high quality polished stainless and aluminum.. no plating. You can order them in 12" radius or the more normal 9.5 fenderish radius. He began the whole shebang simply because there were no rocking bar bridges with 9.5 and they were either gold or chrome plated brass. He makes the metal ones in solid brass, copper, stainless steel and aluminum. Now crazy glass apparently. You can also specify peculiarities like my preference of wanting the bottom of the bars to be flat so there is no rocking motion. I find I dont need that with my trem or bigsby when using flatwounds and I lube the slots with murrays pomade so I'm good to go. I actually dont use these on my gretsch guitars as they were first designed for but as you can see I've found a real perfect match for them on my other guitars image you can read more about it hear http://jefjamdesign.com/truarc/index1.html — http://www.thenocturnebrain.com https://www.facebook.com/pages/Nocturne-Brain-Preamp-Zombies/240721872969 Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Nov 14 2013 10:33 PM What do you all think about the Compton Bridge with its similar concept? (Not to hijack the thread) I love the idea of the monolithic bridge, the antithesis of which is the Fender inelegance that nevertheless solves all the problems of sting length and height. Thinking one of these monoliths would upgrade the coolness of my Bigsby-ed 60's Harmony Rocket, sort of a poor man's Gretsch. But reading how the break angle is designed to intonate with a PLAIN, UNWOUND 3RD STRING makes me do a double-take: my flatwound 12's which really compliment this archtop will not intonate properly with such a simple bridge. Guess I'll have to stick with the ABR. — Squink Out! Last edited: Nov 14, 2013 23:09:20 Top
Thunderbolt Joined: Sep 03, 2008 Posts: 27	Posted on Nov 15 2013 11:33 PM Just be sure to keep a bottle of Windex in the guitar case! Top
BJB Joined: Jul 28, 2008 Posts: 413	Posted on Nov 17 2013 12:08 PM Have your friend give bronze a try. It is a low-friction bearing material and there is far less friction between steel and bronze than between steel and brass. I have trouble cutting bronze because my hacksaw just slides over the material instead of digging in. I have to use an abrasive wheel instead. EDIT: Oops, I forgot that these bridges are supposed to rock, so a low-friction material might not be a good idea. — If it ain't broke, fix it until it is. Last edited: Nov 17, 2013 12:11:05 Top
JObeast Joined: Jul 24, 2012 Posts: 2762 Finknabad, Squinkistan	Posted on Nov 22 2013 01:40 AM I like the idea of going back to the bronze age: a Jericho Axe, a veritable Digging Stik for caveman rock. Anyhow, I got the Compton Bridge in Aluminium and I have to say it's made my Harmony Rocket my new favourite. The Compton has proven to be a true tone saviour. And I saved on tyres by having them post it to me. Seriously, the Compton does improve the guitar's playability over the previously-installed Tuneomatic. THe guitar is louder now and plays unapologetically as an acoustic – the TOM damped transfer of vibration to the top. The strings feel less taught somehow, perhaps radiused more exactly with the fretboard, and the amplified sound is more lively, also stronger and more focused – probably because of the top vibrating more through the bridge. It feels like a jazz guitar now and plays with a lighter touch. Where I used to pluck hard, now it needs less muscle to give it up. Good investment of $60. — Squink Out! Top

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Tru-Arc Bridges now being made in glass. yep