Bridge Wood Weights By Species?

[GoodWood]

I think I want to run an ebony or ziricote bridge, but I have some peruvian rosewood that would make a nice one. What are the different weights per wood, that is, what would an ebony bridge weigh if its the same size as the cocobolo, etc? What weight should you shoot for on a dread? Can someone run down some weights of typcial woods used?

I think 35 grams is about at the top of the gram scale (beginner)

Thanks.

[fryovanni]

I think I want to run an ebony or ziricote bridge, but I have some peruvian rosewood that would make a nice one. What are the different weights per wood, that is, what would an ebony bridge weigh if its the same size as the cocobolo, etc? What weight should you shoot for on a dread? Can someone run down some weights of typcial woods used?

I think 35 grams is about at the top of the gram scale (beginner)

Thanks.

Hey GW,

Your question is one that I would like a clean easy answer to also. I have been working on controlling my bridge weights using different woods. Unfortunately this is what I have found. You have to take each blank and weigh it. I found Ebony, Blackwood and similar woods are heavier. I found EIR and Madagascar RW were ligter in most all cases. You can probably just take a look at weight per. cu. ft. numbers and get a good feel for what is generally typical for a species, but in the end you have to pick up blanks and weight them. If you want to get very specific. You need to weigh your blanks, then cut a bridge(to your specs) and compair weights. With this you can work out a formula blank to bridge that will get you very close. With "most" heavy wood(say mad. ebony) you will wind up in the 35 gram range(give or take 5 grams) depending on your bridge design. With "most" EIR you will get in the 25 gram range(give or take 5 grams) depending on bridge design of course. With both of those examples being subject to about 20% variance in weight by species(an ultra light piece of EIR may be able to produce a 20gram bridge based on design typically and a group of them may range from 16grams(extreamly light wood) to 24grams(extreamly heavy for the species). Mind you I just rattled off a 20gram example(that is an extreamly light bridge design, although not unheard of for some classical builders).

Peace,Rich

P.S. I cut up a whole bunch of bridge blanks, so that I could have a variety of weights. If you run across some nice smaller(usually less expensive) bits of EIR, Ebony, or whatever woods you want to use. Pick them up and make yourself a nice stack of blanks and group them by weight. Handy to have them on hand, and ordering blanks may make it harder to control the weights you want.