BASS BRIDGE BUILT FROM AN IRON MANGLE COG

[customstocker]

I built a new Franken bass recently & wanted to use a cheap modern bridge that was chromed, I thought that if I could remove the chrome with a gas torch & patinate the brass? beneath, it might look interesting as the bass in question was to look weathered. I heated up the saddles first & saw a dimensional change as the thing distorted, let out a puff of gas & collapsed. when it cooled down It was just a blob of white crystal. ! has anyone else tried this ? what a load of rubbish !!!!!!!
I had the idea for a while to build an industrial looking bridge from a lathe cog but the only ones I have are for my lathe for screw cutting & needed. I did have a massive cog from a mangle & have used it, best I could.[attachment=224302:DSC_0006.JPG][attachment=224303:DSC_0033.JPG][attachment=224304:DSC_0047.JPG]

as you can see, the cog wasn't ideal as the internal holes cut the corners off. I am finally getting the hang of silver soldering though & got a couple of brass sections to fill the gaps. The saddles are made from a steel which has an addition of another metal to help the finishing & is heat blued, the brass has been patinated to roughly match the iron that the cog is made from with a Gunsmithing patina ( which stinks ) the saddle grooves in the base were cut on my mill, a bit deep actually, if I do another one like this I will just skim the surface. The worst bit on this project was machining down the back of the cog. Iron needs a very slow cut & the shape has probably helped to knacker the bearings on my lathe. All in all, though , quite pleased for a first attempt. The bass itself has an ash body which is quite small, the electronics are passive 1x V 1x T & the pup is one of mine, a split-p 4 coil humbucker with a 12 K ohm output. for more images of the bass you can find it here .

http://www.herrickpickups.com/gallery-demos/builds-work-in-progress/

Thanks for looking

[Dood]

I'm afraid I don't have any 'gear related' puns in response, but I have read this post with interest! I find it fascinating to see people taking an idea, even if it is slightly crazy or just well thought out and running with it. This is certainly a proper 'high mass' bridge!

With regard to the melted blob bridge, this would certainly support my theory about cheap high mass bridges discussed in another thread. Sometimes, they had be big and hefty, certainly look the part, but instead are just made from a cast using some cheap material. I can't imagine they will sound as good as a chunk of brass - I wonder what an iron one sounds like in comparison!

[paul h]

Very steampunk!

I think it looks great and much kudos to you and your imagination. Well done that man

Edited July 26, 2016 by paul h

[Grangur]

[quote name='paul h' timestamp='1469520345' post='3098891']
Very steampunk!

I think it looks great and much kudos to you and your imagination. Well done that man
[/quote]
Just what I thought. It would be great to get tuning heads and knobs to match.

[scojack]

Looks pretty cool, agree with grangur... a complete set would be brill.
I'm off to a steampunk festival soon (it's the kids..they want to see Steam Powered Giraffe).. would go down well there.

Ian

[Trueno]

Always hated the "bent bit of steel" bridges. That is superb.

[customstocker]

thanks for the comment on the knobs, these are next but I want to use something as a basis, not just turn them from steel, I guess the rigidity of a material has an effect on the tone & the sustain , Iron just breaks if you try to bend it, unlike brass so there must be some effect on sound, after all, some bells are iron ! Interesting thought.

[paul h]

[quote name='customstocker' timestamp='1469547511' post='3099275']
thanks for the comment on the knobs, these are next but I want to use something as a basis, not just turn them from steel, I guess the rigidity of a material has an effect on the tone & the sustain , Iron just breaks if you try to bend it, unlike brass so there must be some effect on sound, after all, some bells are iron ! Interesting thought.
[/quote]

What about using smaller cogs for the knobs? It would tie in with the bridge rather nicely

[Grangur]

You could have wing-nuts as tuning heads.

Maybe as knobs too. Although I like the idea Paul H has had of using cogs for that too. Or just a more rustic finish knurled pot knob?

[customstocker]

i tried wing nuts, looked awful. here's the machine heads after heat treatment [attachment=224341:DSC_0065.JPG] & the jack output [attachment=224342:DSC_0052.JPG] 1 thing about this bass, the tone is really deep & I've got the action to the point where it's really nice to play, on The Greek's advice I changed the strings to the lightest gauge I could (30-85) which has allowed the neck, which is 30+ years old, to relax. From the horrible state it was in when I bought it, it's starting to get there. Just need to find some interesting industrial parts to finish it off

[Mykesbass]

Fabulous job, love it.

[FlatEric]

[quote name='customstocker' timestamp='1469514255' post='3098836']
I built a new Franken bass recently & wanted to use a cheap modern bridge that was chromed, I thought that if I could remove the chrome with a gas torch & patinate the brass? beneath, it might look interesting as the bass in question was to look weathered. I heated up the saddles first & saw a dimensional change as the thing distorted, let out a puff of gas & collapsed. when it cooled down It was just a blob of white crystal. ! has anyone else tried this ? what a load of rubbish !!!!!!!
I had the idea for a while to build an industrial looking bridge from a lathe cog but the only ones I have are for my lathe for screw cutting & needed. I did have a massive cog from a mangle & have used it, best I could.[attachment=224302:DSC_0006.JPG][attachment=224303:DSC_0033.JPG][attachment=224304:DSC_0047.JPG]

as you can see, the cog wasn't ideal as the internal holes cut the corners off. I am finally getting the hang of silver soldering though & got a couple of brass sections to fill the gaps. The saddles are made from a steel which has an addition of another metal to help the finishing & is heat blued, the brass has been patinated to roughly match the iron that the cog is made from with a Gunsmithing patina ( which stinks ) the saddle grooves in the base were cut on my mill, a bit deep actually, if I do another one like this I will just skim the surface. The worst bit on this project was machining down the back of the cog. Iron needs a very slow cut & the shape has probably helped to knacker the bearings on my lathe. All in all, though , quite pleased for a first attempt. The bass itself has an ash body which is quite small, the electronics are passive 1x V 1x T & the pup is one of mine, a split-p 4 coil humbucker with a 12 K ohm output. for more images of the bass you can find it here .

[url="http://www.herrickpickups.com/gallery-demos/builds-work-in-progress/"]http://www.herrickpi...rk-in-progress/[/url]

Thanks for looking
[/quote]

Impressed!!!

I love things like this - take something that is nothing to do with what it ends up as.

Imaginative!

[Twincam]

Excellent!