Add Copper For Better Sustain.

[R0bbie]

Hi,

I own a book wich is written by Ralf Denyer (?) He writes that a Yamaha guitar has a copper plate under the sadle to improve sustain. Now I have seen a lot of pages on the internet about people building a electric guitar but never heard anyone speek of a metal plate under the sadle.

There is a drawing of such a guitar and it shows the plate, I would like to know if this is used often and perhaps some hints or tips, or just thoughts about it.

I have build two accoustic guitars and would like to build a electric but I think if you are going to build a guitar you should aim for the highest possible. So I believe that you need a good plan, good wood and so on.

If you want to build a formula 1 car you should not start with the plans for a stock car. I know I wil not end up with a formula 1 guitar with the experience of only 2 guitars but I dont have to win, just to go a lot faster than the stockcar is fine.

I live in holland and if I read back what I have writen here I see that it's not realy what I ment to write but hey, you should try to answeer me in dutch...

If I made a typo.. its the fault of my teachers

Rob.

[Mickguard]

vroeger kon ik wel een beetje nederlands schrijven (praten ook), maar dat is te lang geleden...

I think a lot of these theories about sustain and all that is a lot of hooey. Voodoo. I mean, you can try just about anything out --if it works, great, you can use it again for the next guitar. If it doesn't work, well that's okay, don't use it again.

I'm sure that's how Leo Fender ended up with most his standard designs.

So sure why not, put a bit of metal into your guitar. Have a look at Reverend Guitars, he seems to put just about everything but sand into his guitars.

As for the formula 1 bit...well, first off, if you can build an acoustic, then you'll have no problem building an electric...it's just a plank of wood in comparison. Second, I think you should follow your own dreams.

Personally, I'm not trying to build the world's greatest guitars...not this year anyway! But I like trying out different design ideas, see what works, what doesn't. If I wanted someone else's design, I'd just go buy it.

[unclej]

copper is a realatively soft metal and though i couldn't prove it i doubt that it would add a great deal of sustain to an electric. if you're really interested in good sustain put more thought into your choice of wood and electronics. the difference between basswood and mahogany for instance would be substantial. i make most of my guitars out of walnut, mesquite maple or mahogany. all fairly dense woods. i use necks, generally maple on maple or rosewood on maple, that are custom made by usa custom guitar and get about as much sustain as you'd ever want. choosing the right pickups rounds out the process and with the right combination of all of these things you should have a guitar that will please you.

[soulchaser]

Hi,

I own a book wich is written by Ralf Denyer (?) He writes that a Yamaha guitar has a copper plate under the sadle to improve sustain.  Now I have seen a lot of pages on the internet about people building a electric guitar but never heard anyone speek of a metal plate under the sadle.

There is a drawing of such a guitar and it shows the plate, I would like to know if this is used often and perhaps some hints or tips, or just thoughts about it.

I have build two accoustic guitars and would like to build a electric but I think if you are going to build a guitar you should aim for the highest possible. So I believe that you need a good plan, good wood and so on.

If you want to build a formula 1 car you should not start with the plans for a stock car. I know I wil not end up with a formula 1 guitar with the experience of only 2 guitars but I dont have to win, just to go a lot faster than the stockcar is fine.

I live in holland and if I read back what I have writen here I see that it's not realy what I ment to write but hey, you should try to answeer me in dutch...

If I made a typo.. its the fault of my teachers 

Rob.

←

Yes Rob, Yamaha did use a plate under the bridge on some of thier electric guitars to improve sustain. It was made of brass, not copper. I thought about doing this as well. Not for sustain, but to give the bridge studs something more solid to screw into than the press in deals. The brass plate screws into the top of the guitar with wood screws and provides the bridge with a stable mounting fixture that has lots of surface area. And you won't have to worry about loose inserts in the future robbing your tone. I think it's a good idea. But never let it be known that I knew what I was talking about.