Bart's clawhammer bridge makes my inexpensive banjo sound great! Overall, the Sampson was a great purchase. Are you looking at Tim Purcell's height and Weight? I keep the head tight using the 10" ruler/coin method of measurement. Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Copyright 2023 Banjo Hangout. That is a huge compliment. I put one on my Mike Ramsey Bacon Model open-back and the result was astounding! If your looking for a slightlydarker, sweeter tone, give this bridge a try. I'm still fairly new to the banjo, so I'm not the best at describing the changes, but this new bridge just seems to make it pop. The Bullfrog was not quite as bright and had less bite than the Z/K. They sound great and Mike is a pleasure to work with. It is hand signed by Bart and is marked on the bottom of the feet for proper orientation. The teak bridge sounds great, but the Dark Star is in a class of its own. Back in 2014 I was put in contact with bridge maker David Cunningham, owner of DC BANJOWORKSby luthier John Bowlin with happy results. I'd heard that bridges make a difference so I tried a few. I have a very nice Nechville banjo that was very well set up but just shy of everything that it could deliver in the tone/sound department. I noticed it most with my hammer-ons which were much more clear. I was always impressed by her accurate pitch and remarkably pure tone. Tim Purcell - Co-Founder - Lykeion | LinkedIn Tim Purcell Principal at Halcyon Advisory Partners | Co-founder at Lykeion Austin, Texas, United States 2K followers 500+ connections Join to view. Curtis dries the stuff perfectly, and this results in a bridge that neither wanders, bends, or sags. ", Where Purchased: from Stringbean 45 / Don New. Again intonation all over the neck is much improved. I found that as others have mentioned, you should allowed the roasted maple bridgeto settle in for at least a day or so before making adjustments or judgements. This has caused her to distance herself from anyone who tries to talk to her about it, which leaves her isolated except for her son. The quality was outstanding! Because we had the instrument at hand; and I wanted to add a little height over the existing bridge (which was, I think, OEM,) Steve ended up making a custom bridge from an existing blank which he had prepared previously, essentially on the spot.Works just fine. David marked each bridge with height, material, and weight (2.928 for the American Cherry, and 3.768 for the Brazilian). Great to do business with. I won a bridge from Tim here on the hangout. In the event I find myself in the market for a bridge in the future, DCB can be assured of my business. Bart and i went back and forth a bit on the string guages as Aquilladon't say much beyond light, medium ,heavy. Height & Weight Height (in Feet-Inches) 5 Feet 5 Inches: Height (in Centimeters) 167.64 cm: Weight (in Kilograms) 56.0 kg: Weight (in Pounds) 123 Ibs: I emailed Tim for a recommendation and he was quick torespond. But then I realised I had the bridge back-to-front. Then there were two phone calls to clarify. I believe in the spirit of this family, this group as a force for good in a time when it is so sorely needed. Just received a new Scorpion 11/16" bridge fromSilvio. First things first, what I think is fantastic banjo tone might be different than you. We started to sing. Thanks Steve! I really like this bridge and am happy to say that David did a fantastic job on this one. Don't throw that good bridge away just because it has a little damage. Only reason I gave the Archie bridges a 9/10 and not a 10/10 is that philosophically there is always room for improvement ;). This is one of those rare thngs. I've put this on an RK Elite 75 and the results are fantastic. He also plays ukulele and mandolin. Since then, I have preferred heavier bridges on my banjos. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND Mike Smiths Katzeye Pegged Top banjo bridge. The Height is perfect for this banjo and its set up and the sound is exactly what I want from a 40 year old banjo. He was very good at speaking at length with me in my search. I had considered my new banjo to be a very responsive instrument, but the Dark Star put this banjo (12" Tubaphone) in an entirely different league. These bridges have the Mana (power). The grooves for the strings were cut exactly to the string size I use, so everything fit like a glove. Volume literally shot through the roof on a basic wood pot fretless. The sound was improved , the notes are more clear and the banjo is a bit louder than with the Maple/ebony. Smartened up the old Gold tone like you wouldn't believe. got a select spice, ebony topped, 2.5g, standard spaced bridge in his original design from Mike. An easy recommendation if you're looking to try a new bridge or two! On my banjoI heard wonderful harmonics (complex) that really was a joy to hear on the first 3 strings. These bridges are not compensated in any way however I have achieved perfect intonation (12th fret harmonic vs 12th fretted note) on all 5 strings, very cool! Overall I am pleased. Many times he provided me with good advice borrowing from decades of his life experience. I absolutely love it and have it in now, but the thing that most surprised me was the maple! Send simple, comforting meals with Home Chef. Bart estimated seven to 12 days. Strings buzzed until we could get the ebony grooves ready. In the 21st century, it's not just urns and gravestones anymore. Frankly, I was skeptical as to how much a mere bridge could affect the performance of this inexpensive but boy, was I wrong! Believe it or not the first bridge Tim sent me, our puppy Frida bit the envelope and broke one of the legs off. He is also very easy to deal with and a nice guy as well. That helped give me the resistance I needed to get the volume up some, but I lost some of the sweet tone and the highs weren't as apparent. There are no rough edges anywhere and the string slots are flawless. I bought an 11/16 standard spacing Roasted Red Maple bridge. Bart's communication was also excellent. I got one of the Zebra wood/ Ebony bridges. I could go on and on about it, but I know you've got better things to do than read for the next 30 minutes.."All I can say is that the Sosebee "submerged wood bridge" has been great on my archtop for the past (almost 2 years), so I was almost bewildered as to why I wanted to try something different. I had replaced a Sullivan roasted maple that sounded great, but the a/k brought it up a notch! I dont know what Barts method is of matching a bridge to a banjo, but he does a masterful job. Usually there is at least one who leaves a negative comment. Highly recommend Bart's work. The depth of the good harmonics was not harshbut audible enough to be a major difference between the two bridges. If you are looking for an archtop bridge, consider the Veerman "Archie". Bridge for years. After installing Randall's bridge I tuned it up a bit and the sound became a bit more crisper and added some more vibrations to the neck. Added volume and tone to my banjo. It is purrrrrrfect And just mellowed the tone/brightness a little. I prefer the tone of a Remo Renaissance head on my flathead banjos, but that combination needs a very light bridge to bring out the crispness needed for bluegrass without losing the rich tone. The notes seem clearer on the low end than before. Amazing. Thumbs up to Dave Jack for his top notch craftsmanship on this bridge. Join Facebook to connect with Tim Purcell and others you may know. After having it on a few days and running it through it's courses, let me offer the following:CRAFTSMANSHIP: neat looking and well made bridge. I had already switched to a Fiberskyn head and Rickard tailpiece, both of which made major progress toward the clawhammer sound I was seeking. Increased volume and improved tone on Deering Hartford. I had a snuffy smith on before so it was no slouch, but now it is just amazing. Bart's bridge made a big change to my banjo. Mike suggested the McCormick spice bridge, ebony top, and I wanted to go with an 11/16 over the stock 5/8 and went with the pegged top. Good guy.great product! The volume, clarity, and tone were superior. this bridge turned ok banjo into a POWERHOUSE amazing difference. Best $18.00 I ever spent! Now , when Virgil sent me the Frog Bridge , he also generously sent a European Beech bridge that he made and sent me to try. Just a few of the woods offered are Zebra Wood, Maple, Padauk, Cherry, Rosewood, and Katalox. For my Goldtone kit OB250+ bluegrass banjo, I got the 5/8 old maple wood, with medium width, ebony top. 10. Better tone and less harmonics AND in tune. I had a scorpion bridge on it at the time which I love, but I think the Frog is gonna stay on the RB for now. I'd say the bridgemade the biggest difference on the RK-75 as opposed tot he Gibson and Fender. But it will stay on for a while, and I am enjoying the shifts that it has brought to the instrument in terms of playability and sound. From start to finish I think the whole process was five days. If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. I tried many of the other maple (and a persimmon) bridges I have collected over the years but they were also too trebly for me and also lacked the full sound I was getting with the Snuffy Smith and McPeake bridges. The bridge was marked on the bottom with a 1 on one foot and a 5 on the other to indicate the proper orientation in relation to the strings. Love it.10 $ fast ship and blows some $45 bridges away. Well, after some changing out and comparison tests. there is NO contest. Bart is a pleasant person to communicate with, and will help you out quickly if you have questions or anything should occur with your order. All my banjos have Stearn calfskin heads I either get from John Balch or Bob Smakula. I needed a 4-string bridge with a special height (3/4") and spacing (41mm), and I'd had one of Bart's two-footers before (that one doesn't fit in this application), so I knew what I was getting. Its the only Hatfield bridge I've ever owned. But $2 won't keep me from buying again if I want a 3rd Steve Davis! I had a country recording session to do, and knew that the head on the SwallowTail was too stretched out and past its use-by date. Best bridge by far I've ever used. The poem tells Amelia that the more she resist it, the more it will haunt her. Barks. it's a maple capped ebony bridge with rounded feet. Yes. Punch and intensity galore! The simple fact is that bridges will sound good/bad on any banjo. It was a pleasure to recently meet and work with Tim. I think you really don't know until you try a few. Where Purchased: Directly from Silvio Ferretti. I will not likely go back to the Moon.I would definitely recommend this bridge for a nice bright sound, but only if you do not use a banjo mute on a regular basis. One of the best bridges on the market today (2015) for 5-string Bluegrass banjo. Sacrifice tone for volume or vice versa. But I do remember replacing that Groverbridge with a higher end Deering bridge and string buzz went away. I must have given him 20 different specs, and he nailed it. Banjo sounds great! Virgil is a real stand up guy and easy to work with. So I E-mailed Tim and he sent me another one. Timothy Purcell. I have the untopped mystery wood bridge 5/8 tall, B weight with 46mm clawhammer spacing. I didn't know it was possible for my banjo to have such clear, loud tone. This lack of sagging is particularly nice as it keeps my 3rd string in more stable pitch. I havent seen anything that resembles a downside to the bridge and really no reason to rate it at anything other than a 10.I will say that I live in Canada and I wanted to mention that the bridge cleared through our customs people without being opened and without attracting import duties and no attempt was made to collect sales tax on it, so Canadians who buy one can probably look forward to not having to pay any additional charges involved with importing one. I had the extreme pleasure of hanging out a bit with Bart and trying out a few of his bridges. Would recommend to anyone looking to try a new bridge at a very reasonable price. I trusted him on it, and Im glad I did. The tonal qualities are well balanced an clear. ), and it gives me that "early jazz" sound - it seems to me (subjectively at least) that the two-footers are a little more hollow and punchy-sounding than the three-footers. You won't be disappointed. The volume is perfect for me,no over ring any where on the neck.and, all the strings blend perfect.The 4th string has that special growl that everyone seeks,but doesn't stand out over the sound from the other four strings.Try one of these bridges and you will be very pleased and very surprised ! These are really great bridges at less than 1/2 the cost of the others. I eventually went back to light gauge and now play into a mike with our band.But now I have this Sosebee 5/8", std. He is truly interested in providing a quality product that is right for your playing and your banjo. I KNOW EACH BANJO HAS THEIR OWN CHARACTERISTICS BUT THESE BRIDGES GIVE IT THE BEST CHANCE. as usual perfect processing by tim! It did not do as much for my Deering Maple Blossom. Ordered a bridge from Tim and had it in my hand less than a week later. When I was looking for a banjo bridge I had a very specific set of requirements in mind. This was well worth the money and I would highly recommend Tim's bridges for anyone. This banjo bridge is a standard 5/8s size and is also made from the curly maple Tim harvested from an old turn of the cenrtury Milton piano. Great craftsmanship, classic lines, and solid sound. It's definitely a keeper. A really nice touch is Doc is obviously a really nice guy- and wonderful to do business with. Some of you may or may not like this, but I think the sustain is nice with this bridge. After hearing so much about Purcell bridges I decided to try a couple of them. I am new to banjo and just figured the bridge, that came on the instrument was good enough. A really nice touch is Doc is obviously a really nice guy- and wonderful to do business with. Tim Purcellhad been around the musical block a number of times, all the way from his first band, American Apple, and including (but not limited to) Lou's Blues Revue, Perfect World, The Riley Hawkins Band, and The Mustangs. Got the 3 pack. For my Goodtime Crow banjo, this is my second Tim Purcell banjo bridge that I have ordered from Tim after having such excellent results with the .656 bridge that he crafted for my Classic Goodtime scooped neck banjo. David is an incredible guy to deal with and even sent a video of the bridge being made when I asked if he could snap a picture. He suggested two possibilities, and I tried both. They both sound great and the craftsmanship is outstanding. Just purchased a 9/16 custom compensated ebony-topped mystery wood bridge with 46 mm (clawhammer) spacing from Bart Veerman and installed it on my 12" Enoch Tradesman (with Rickard Dobson-style tone ring). I wanted to try an alternative with ebony top, and Bart sent it to me right away. I will go even further to say I have never received a bad bridge from anyone. I really like the bridge. I got a heavy weight, 9/16 ths inch with Crowe spacing. Tim is a great banjo player and you can hear his sound bites on his web site as he demonstrates his bridges. I could not be more satisfied. WellI told Bart I'd do a review on the 3 bridges he sent me so it's time I got off my kiester and did so since I've had them for probably 5-6 weeks already. Well worth the money. The entire spectrum of tone is drier than kiln wood yet more sustaining. I wanted a brighter sound, which Bart clarified as "exuberant"rather than bright so as not to confuse the effect of the tome ring. I bought the three pack to swap between my two 'josand the Pineywood has found a permanent home on my. I would recommend it to anybody experiencing issues similarto what I have described. I had Bart build me a 9/16 teak bridge for my Deering Classic Goodtime Special. I could highly recommend Tim's banjo bridges and his profesional and friendly customer service. I put this on a maple Gibson five string. in computer science from the University of Utah in 1998, an M.S. Really very nicely crafted and he's a fine fellow to do business with. And Gary shipped it lightning fast! I dunno about BG usage but for open backs this bridge can't be beat. I have used a wide variety of bridges over the years. to see possible family members, friends, co-workers, and associates found from multiple government records, social and public sources. Clean, clear and strong. In short, there is nothing I don't like about it. Tim Purcell is currently a member of the architecture group at NVIDIA. Hard to put into words. He graciously agreed (Id love to be a Fossil). At first glance it is a unique and eye appealing piece of banjo candy finely crafted. The bridge I was using was making the banjo sound muddy with no note separation. The volume is also impressive. With a height like that, they're hard to find! I've used a lot of bridges over the years and the Dark Star is a huge step forward. They give a better note separation and a distinct boost in volume.They deliver a nice crispness to the overall sound of the banjo. Both bridges were exceptional, but I was especially impressed by David's two-footed model. I just put one of his Ambrosia Red Maple bridges, 11/16 height with a compensated third strong top, on a maple custom Nechville I have had for a few years and I must say it is an outstanding bridge. Bart is a real pleasure to deal with and a genuine craftsman. It proved a way to "fine adjust" the amount of sound that was transfered from the strings to the banjo head. This is the best sounding bridge out of a whole handful that I've tried, including a standard Grover, a medium and a heavy Moon bridge, a Fielding and a few other generics. Well, after playing the heck out of my banjo the last few days and carefully listening to the differences..The new Sullivan Factory Floor bridge is ALL of that plus! 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Short, there is always room for improvement ; ) a glove CHARACTERISTICS!, owner of DC BANJOWORKSby luthier John Bowlin with happy results me with advice... Now, but he does a masterful job than with the Maple/ebony bends, or sags fast ship and some!