It's the "Leonardo" of bridge designs, for sure. ETimes is an Entertainment, TV & Lifestyle industry's promotional website and carries advertorials and native advertising. All 6 feet contact the head evenly with no undue stresses on the bridge. By 07:00 on Sunday morning, Tim had responded to my email with his recommendation based on the tone/sound I was after. After some research I decided to try out a heavier bridge. Ive been having a hankering to try one of these Beavers for a while now. Besides that, he is my neighbor.he only lives about 45 miles from me! The banjo sounded a bit thin on tone and didn't have good bass response, so I figured it was that it was new and needed to settle in. You hate to mess with something that works but I might go again. I may go another round at some point as I think I could have gone a bit further on the 4th string compensation, but that's on me and my measurements, not the bridge! They are all high end bridges - in the $35-$40 range I believe. No invoice was included, so I sent Tom an email. FYI, I'm currently using 10.5 11.5 13 20 10.5. I was lucky to win a drawing of one of Tim's new Town and Country bridges. MY friend still plays that banjo and it sounds amazing with Bart's Bridge. The biggest improvement was up the neckall the way up. Credit: Terry Heinlein The band was the latest and. The action can be raised or lowered by simply and quickly moving the strings to one of the three heights and they require a minimum of re-tuning in the new location. Increased ambient resonance. MyLife is NOT a Consumer Reporting Agency - You may NOT use this information to make decisions about consumer credit, employment, tenancy or any other purpose that would require FCRA compliance. I play a Reiter Special (a great instrument), but I always thought the stock 5/8" bridge led to the action being just a little high. Arthur makes a fantastic bridge. Being a native Detroiter I had to have one of these Bridges. Did I also forget to mention that it "plays in" with use? Just trying to spread the word here.these bridges and Bart are special. Now, it has that same great sound, but with added sustain. It's a big improvement over the well regarded brand name maple bridge that I had on it before. All three were outstanding. It was definitely on the tubby side with somewhat dull high and mid range. Recommended. Then again i do like the bass.At about the same price as Moon or comparable products, I would recommend Jason's bridges with confidence. I dunno about BG usage but for open backs this bridge can't be beat. Now the intonation is spot-on, note separation has improved and the instrument is louder. I really like this bridge and am happy to say that David did a fantastic job on this one. Without any problem, he said send it back and it was replaced with what he described as what many Bluegrass players use to just mellow the tone a little, so about a 1.5 on a scale of ten. I took the banjo and bridges to visit John Bowlin. Easy to deal with. 2 DAYS!!! When I got the final versions of each together last month I knew that I needed some more Cunningham bridges. I installed the new bridge as soon as it came in. The Babadook threatens to make Amelia kill her son and dog. I'm using it on a 12" Ramsey open back with a rolled brass tone ring and a John Balch skin head. Turned out that one of those bridges was exactly what I was looking for and worked out perfectly. Rachel currently performs with the Atlanta based all-female a capella group Octave.. Tim's bridges are very high on my list. Don't be affraid to pick it hard for the first few days, either. Given the excellent quality of his work, top-notch customer service and being a really friendly fellow, I strongly recommend him. This is the best bridge I've tried. The Babadook makes itself visible to Amelia, spooking her by hiding in the background at first, then by turning into a big black silhouette and cornering her in her bedroom. He is a joy to work with and encourages the best out of teams. For some people, the best send-off is one that they would have loved to attendthemselves: a big party. Just an all aluminum body to attach a head and resonator. I am very happy with the sound now. Can't say enough good things about it! The banjo was all-original but had a flat sound and thin volume. Sound, tone, volume, clarity, intonation and playability are all profoundly affected by bridge choice. Unlike other bridges I have tried, these do not contain chaff or burrs in them from poor slotting. If you are going to edit a lot, then make yourself a user and login. Not only did it balance the tone,enhancing the bottom end note's,it also cured some fret buzz problems i was having,and I have the best intonation up and down the board ever! Once installed and tuned, my banjo had a significant increase in volume, note separation, and brightness. Frankly, I was skeptical as to how much a mere bridge could affect the performance of this inexpensive but boy, was I wrong! Even with the .656 the 2 pennies are comfortably sliding under the first string at fret 12. Determining the correct bridge compensation was straightforward, but Bart spent a lot of time working with me to find the right bridge material to achieve the tone I wanted. It was kind of fun, my banjo still sounded great but I thought can it sound better? Bridge type: Mystery wood (plain top) with custom compensation and medium (B) weight. This bridge is extremely well made with a nice ebony "cap" with the "g" string compensated. He was extremely helpful in helping me figure out what would work best given my banjos and playing style. It makes a complete connection between all the strings and the head of the banjo. I bought one of Danny's Beech bridges on Ebay. It gives my banjo a solid sound, crisp but not twangy.. After owning the thing for 20 years I discovered it sounded much better when tuned down to E or E-flat, and that's where I've been playing it for last year or so. I requested a bridge that would add overtones and sustain to by super-dry RB4and after a brief exchange of information, he custom-built not one, but two bridges to try. A 10 to me is a product that is truly an impact item with the best performance in it's class. I purchased a set of bridges (3) from Dan and I have to say that I was very impressed with the design and craftsmanship. After some thought, I decided on Cherry with a Rosewood top. Volume, clarity, fizz and vibration through the Banjo are much improved over what was a very good bridge. That is a huge compliment. I've reviewed Tim's bridges once before, but I had to send in another one. The banjo reviews database is here to help educate people before they purchase an instrument. It is very attractive bridge, somewhat evocative of the Art Nouveauperiod, with graceful sweeping arches and a slightly wider stance than other bridges. A fantastic product backed up by great communication/ advice and timely shipping/ delivery. But this is the bridge that very quickly brought me improved results in my set up, so I recommend it. I highly recommend Tim for his great customer service and excellent product. Well, after some changing out and comparison tests. there is NO contest. The smaller 5/8" bridges have always sounded better to me, since the smaller mass brings out the kind of tones I like to hear in a banjo. A few days ago I notice BHO member David Cunninghams ad for bridges: http://www.banjohangout.org/classified/39405, I asked David to build me four 5/8 Zebra bridges with a Katalox cap, two in Crowe spacing and two standard spacing. My banjo went from very good to unbelievable. Don is a great guy and a great craftsman. Once the material was selected, Bart made the compensated bridge and it works wonderfully. I didn't thing a bridge could make such a difference. I thought that was a very modest way of phrasing it. I have ordering different size of bridges for my different steel strings banjo ( one for my Ballard and one for myGoldtone), i speciallyrecommandthe laminated/compensated bridges which give a very good warming tone with my goatskin head. My Whitestar never sounded so even, so loud, so full, so bright, and so alpine crisp. Sound wise I noticed a pretty significant increase in highs and a slight decrease in lows, with an overall boost in volume throughout. No complaints whatsoever. In other words, it is not going to remidy that lack of power in your open strings, or give you that 40DBs of volume you have been missing. This banjo just barks, tone so nice and forward but not brash, quite sweet. I had an issue with some buzzing on my new Goodtime Classic scooped neck banjo. Check all background information that MyLife has gathered. He shipped my custom order within a few days and I love the look and sound of this bridge. Tim sent me this 5/8 "piano wood" bridge, with ebony top. It's like a whole new banjo. Nice workmanship and sounds great. I've just recently begun using bridges made of woods other than the traditional maple/ebony. First off, dealing with Bart was a pleasure. Leon Ballard from UK built handsome custom banjo with a beautiful tone . I put it on my 1962 Vega Seeger and WOW!! After the installation, there was almost no tonal difference, but during the next three days and 13+/- hours of picking, the sound became more opulent and complex, but still very dry with strong note separation. He graciously agreed (Id love to be a Fossil). The Sampson has returned balance to my banjo. Bummer! Plus, all the edges are rounded slightly, eliminating the potential for gouging your fingers or palm. Happy picking. Join Facebook to connect with Tim Purcell and others you may know. I've tried Wadsworth, homemades, CatEyz, Sosebee, Snuffy Smiths, and others. It's compensated. Strings are D' Addario Nickel Wound Medium Gauge. Well it did!!!! One was mellower, one kind of a warm sound. 1444 245th St, Winsted, MN 55395-6564. It is hand signed by Bart and is marked on the bottom of the feet for proper orientation. Gary Sosebee's manufacturing quality is excellent . My initial impression is that this bridge has solidified the bass and is overall a little brighter than the walnut bridge. Needing a bridge for myGold Tone Cello banjo CEB-5 I contacted Bart via his online request form. The overtones were cleaner, the sound was fuller and "rounder" and the high end tone was strong and clear. Have fun. Selection: Bart offers a wide variety of bridge styles with a long list of options to customize each bridge order. I was pleasantly surprised by how much this bridge mellowed out the sound of my banjo. I've been using 11/16" bridges forever, simply because I like that particular height, but I have never been satisfied with the tone they give. I told mike that it would be nice to have the banjo sound a little bigger, fatter, rounder (although I know since the banjo is maple, it will be a bit more bright, perhaps harsh than mahogany.) Whenever Amelia tries to ignore or get rid of it, the Babadook comes back even scarier than before. I put this on a maple Gibson five string. These are nice bridges. I may lost a SMALL amount of volume, and I mean small amount, but much clearer, cleaner tone, not harsh at all, more balanced and no harsh overtones. This is a GREAT banjo bridge,thank you MUCH!! I'm very pleasantly surprised.thanks Greg! Dave Cunningham bridges exceeded my expectations - by a mile. This bridge gave my banjo the growl I had been searching for. There she has a vision of her dead husband, but it is really the Babadook in disguise. I tried a couple capped bridges, but decided to give Mr. New's Big Foot a shot, mainly 'cause it looks unique. I own a Recording King OT Madison with a scoop that I like very much but felt could be tickled to have a little better tone. First, Bart is a consummate professional, while it might be a bit challenging to navigate his website it's not hard to get in touch with him directly. It gives a good clean sound. Everything else was good, even with the new height. Going to get another for my open back. Thanks so much Bart! It was a real improvement for the sound quality of the instrument, and a cheap way to make it really shine. Dealing with Tim couldn't have been better. I was disappointed if her choir performed and she didnt solo. Note seperation is very good, and there's a nice woodiness to the sound. I own two other Veerman bridges and highly recommend them to anyone wanting to improve the sound of theirbanjo! After a few years of buying (waiting) and trying, I decided that the Emerson Sweet Power II was the bridge for me. He graciously agreed. Also, has a more metallic ring to it which I particularly like; woody bridges lack bite and sizzle, this just rings and rings. Just a few of the woods offered are Zebra Wood, Maple, Padauk, Cherry, Rosewood, and Katalox. Follow & watch Tim and Foxes and Fossils ontheir YouTube channel, Past/current religious/spiritual influences: There are no words. I sold Randall a tone ring a while back,and when he sent the check he also sent a 5/8 in.bridge. His communication is great and I had it within a week (to the UK over Christmas too!). View the profiles of people named Tim Purcell. My RB-3 rings with more sustain, it's crisp and clear with lots of treble but no loss of bass. Bart's clawhammer bridge makes my inexpensive banjo sound great! Ill never go back. I notice much better note separation, much better volume and a tone that was a very nice surprise-crisp maybe is a word I would use for it. All of this customer service and my favorite custom banjo bridges for a very reasonable price. I have not been one to really play around with the set up or components of my banjos. 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. Working with Tim was easy, I communicated with him about my banjo, setup info, preferences and what I was looking to achieve. OK, it's a cheap banjo, and what can you expect. When I first put it on, I think I noticed a bit of loss on the bottom end, low on the 4. Really folks it's just a banjo bridge. Man that roasted red maple REALLY blew the doors off. See The next day, BAM! It took about a week to make it to Georgia. HOLY CRAP. It is the nicest bridge I have tried to date, replacing a moon bridge I was previously using. I have one on a maple and one on a mahogany. 813 times On the plus side, Mike is a good guy to boot. Tyler was professional and very easy to do business with, and the bridge arrived a few days after I placed the order. Sound is always so subjective but if your looking for a new bridge, I can only say it improved my tone enough that I was impressed with it. I contributed to the design on Jerry Rabun's Bamboozler and Bigfoot bridges. Let me tell you, this thing went from a cheap knock-around introductory banjo to a sweet-toned loud professional sound like there was some magic going on. Very bell like on both banjos I've used them on. Do you want to switch? So Itook him up on his offer, made the trip to Hamilton and spent a wonderful afternoon exploring the world of banjo bridges as guided by Bart. Now , after a couple of weeks of playing I could say this bridge tottaly complies in characteristics mentioned on Tim's web page. When we were negotiating the acquisition, I thought I heard Bart to say that the top would mellow a bit with the Enigma. The depth of the good harmonics was not harshbut audible enough to be a major difference between the two bridges. Tim Purcell is a Service Technician at A&R Mechanical Contractors based in Urbana, Illinois. You won't go wrong getting one of these new Snuffy Smith bridges. No doubt I'll be buying a second Dark Starfor another banjo very soon. A better bass player never walked the earth. One morning in January of 2010 Sammie and I were eating breakfast at the Chic-Fil-A when I saw the now sixteen-year-old Maggie hanging out with her friends. The bridge cost me around $25. I have the untopped mystery wood bridge 5/8 tall, B weight with 46mm clawhammer spacing. The end result was perfect. The compensation is amazing. For me, it was the difference between night and day. I now have volume far beyond what I have ever experienced on my banjo. My Scruggs model naturally has a bright sustained sound. When I was looking for a banjo bridge I had a very specific set of requirements in mind. Like a lot of banjo players with access to the internet at work (uhhh), I've read a fair amount about how different bridges can affect tone. Almost as if the strings are at slightly higher tension (although I'm sure the strings are at the same tension as with other bridges). It makes the lighter stock Deering bridge look abysmal in comparison. I have two of the non-topped mystery wood bridges with the 46mm spacing, and I am going to get one more. I was looking to improve the sound of my GoldTone BG-250. Makes an annoying buzzing sound when capo as second fret or higher, or when playing hard. -3. I play a Mastertone ESS and thought it sounded about as good as it was going to get - WRONG. There is an immediate difference in the voice of the Banjo. An excellent bridge, everything you would expect from a Sosebee Bridge .. woods, craftsmanship, everything is first rate. I corresponded with Bart ahead of time, gave him the full specs of the banjo and went with his recommendation. I have the heavy weight model.I immediately noticed an improvement in volume and sustain. Then I tried a moon bridge by RandyStockwell. 11/20/2022 9:03 PM. It also is an outstanding bridge. The bridge is compensated, and the top is flat to match my flat fretboard. This bridge really does the trick! Just love this guy's voiceslaps me square and stops me in my tracks. Dark powersPossessionTelekinesisTeleportationShapeshiftingManipulation, Animal CrueltyStalkingPossessionAttempted Murder. They resist sagging well, are very strong, yet light weight, transmitting sound very quickly and efficiently to the banjo head. My Nechvillenow has the clarity, strong 4thand up the neck power that I knew was there to be uncovered. 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