Anyone ever hear of this?

[ratdog8o8]

I was going through some papers today, and ran across something I learned of a few years ago. I had to go to Carlsbad NM in 2000 to visit my Dad; he was in the hospital. While there, I went to a nearby town (Artesia) to check out one of the few guitar shops listed in the phone book. I met Lynn Wooldridge, who owned the store. He spent quite a bit of time showing me about this interesting item for acoustic guitars, called the "JLD Bridge System".

 

I looked online just now, and found this website:

 

http://www.jldguitar.net/

 

They've apparently moved to Roswell, which is still in the general vicinity.

 

I was wondering if anyone here had heard of this, or could offer some thoughts about it? I have a Kramer Ferrington acoustic bass that could possibly benefit from it.

 

Thanks!

[dhanners623]

They've been around since the '80s. Or early '90s, at least. Some Breedlove guitars even come equipped with them, and I doubt a builder like Breedlove would dive into some fad.

 

From what I've read and heard, they work as advertised. The physics behind them seems fairly straightforward, based on my admittedly limited knowledge of guitar physics and acoustics.

 

If you use the metal bridge-pin option, you could try one out without altering your guitar at all. The other option involves drilling a hole in the bridge (covered by a MoP dot) to secure the thing to the guitar, and that's one of those operations best left to a pro.

 

Stewart MacDonald sells them, and again, they're not the type of outfit to traffic in fads.

 

Were I you, I would e-mail the JLD people to see if they think it would work on an acoustic bass.

[ratdog8o8]

Cool......I'm going to try to get in touch with them about the possibility of it working with my Ferrington. Plus, later this year I'm going to be going to Roswell (so I'm told by my other half......) while on this thing she calls "vacation".

 

Appreciate the input!

[dhanners623]

Beware of the crashing UFOs and extraterrestrials....

[fenrirlupus]

http://www.jldguitar.net/warped_tops/fixtop.html

 

hmm

 

 

if i get an acoustic, something like that would be nice... no warpage...

[ratdog8o8]

Checked with the email address on the site, got an answer back. One of the 3 inventors is still in Roswell, so I'm going to call him and see what he thinks about the Ferrington application.

[brianh]

Ratdog, I put a JLD Bridge Doctor in my Epiphone 6832 and it worked like a charm, see post # 13 in this thread:

 

http://forums.epiphone.com/default.aspx?g=posts&t=13608

[Ship of fools]

While it looks like it would work to some degree you have to remember also that you are going to loose a lot of volume once you have that set up, it cannot and will not allow the top to vibrate so in essence you end up with really no more then a laminate top guitar.

As for Breedlove they had stopped using them shortly after they started to use them from what I heard and for that very reason lose of top vibration deadens the sound, but hey if you have no choice because your guitar is fried and buckling then go for it at least it will make it playable.Ship

Here are some other opinions also. http://theunofficialmartinguitarforum.yuku.com/topic/93314/t/JDL-Bridge-System.html

[zombywoof]

Seems to work as every guitar I have seen with the Bridge Doctor is doing just fine

[brianh]

While it looks like it would work to some degree you have to remember also that you are going to loose a lot of volume once you have that set up' date=' it cannot and will not allow the top to vibrate so in essence you end up with really no more then a laminate top guitar.[/quote']

I thought exactly the same thing - coupling the top to the side should have a deadening effect, but it did not hurt the volume at all, and I would say that the tone has (subjectively) improved. Not only does my 6832 sound noticeably better than it did with the belly bulge and lifting bridge, but the action has also improved.

 

I should mention that I tossed that metal saddle base and built an ebony replacement, installed bone bridge pins, refinsihed the neck and installed new tuners in addition to regluing the bridge.

 

But without the JLD Bridge Doctor, none of it would have been worthwhile and the guitar would be sitting in it's chipboard case unused. As it stands I have a very playable and pleasant sounding acoustic to kick around for short coin.

 

Would I use it on a vintage Martin D-45? Probably not, but it saved my $145 Epi from the graveyard.

[peeper]

I agree with Ship here. I have had Breedloves with them, and I have installed them in a few guitars. They DO deaden the sound, more on the bass end than anything, and it does dampen the top vibration.

This is a cheap fix for a serious problem. If your top has bellied, just cranking it down is not going to help too much,as you have surely done other damage to the instrument. But not all guitars are worth a $1000+ repair, and that is the niche this gadget fills. Just cause a reputable company sells something does not mean you should put it in every guitar you own. This thing is a last ditch effort to "fix" a guitar on the cheap, but do not idolize this thing either. It will not make a fine guitar better only worse. I equate it to that vinyl patch crap they sell on T.V. Sure, it looks better than a gaping hole in the upholstery, but would you really want that stuff all over your couch?