Banjo Bridges by Bart

Standard and Optional Features

"A bridge is a bridge, how can you even talk about features?"

Sure enough, a banjo bridge is a banjo bridge but it sure makes sense that different banjos, different playing styles, different hand postions, different size fingers etc. can greatly benefit from chooising one that is right for you and for your banjo. Clawhammer players have different needs than three finger style players. What if you're not comfortable playing a banjo with a bridge that's too tall, too low or has a string spacing that keeps making you pick the wrong string(s)? Often playability is just as, or even more, important than sound and/or tone.

Having said that, the bridge is the single most imporant item that has THE greatest influence on tone, overall sound and volume.

Here's what you can expect from a Banjo Bridges by Bart and some of the options possible to enhance playability for your own playing style and/or fingering ease:

Standard features for all Banjo Bridges by Bart:

  • available for all kinds of banjos: dulcijo, balalaika, tenor, plectrum, mandolin, zither, 5 string, gitjos/banjotar: if it looks like whatever kind of banjo, I can make a bridge for it
  • handcrafted
  • choice of age-dried woods
  • standard or custom string spacing
  • string slots cut and grooved to match the actual string gauges
  • available in standard or custom weights
  • choose bridge heights from 3/8" to 1 inch
  • centre leg slightly taller to prevent sagging (3 or more leg models only) and increase "horse power"
  • all styles tested and proven on a wide range of banjos and playing styles 

Custom Compensated Banjo Bridges by Bart

  • custom compensation for correct intonation for each string - I don't believe in one-fits-all compensated bridges 
  • same uniform thickness as straight bridges
  • feet shaped to follow the bridge's curve to prevent excessive mass

Custom options for all Banjo Bridges by Bart:

  • raised/bumped 5th string slot arched/radiused top
  • slanted (taller @ 5th string side)
  • raised/bumped 5th string slot
  • special features or needs for total customization

Here are just a few examples of the things I can do to bridges in order to custom tailor them to your playing preferences and/or needs. If you need something different and you don't see it here - let me know and I'll try my best to accommodate you:

Banjo Bridges by Bart Possibilities (illustrations exaggerated)
Standard features: string slots cut to string gauge, centre leg a smidgen taller (radiused feet since 2001) to improve tone and increase performance
Sloped bridge top, taller at the 5th string side
Radiused bridge
The 5th string raised 1/8 inch
Two-legger and of course, the same slant, bump etc. options are available for these two-leggers. No custom compensation available on these, you need three-leggers for that

Five legger "period" bridge modeled after S.S. Stewart bridges. Great for keeping older banjos looking and sounding authentic.

Custom Compensated Bridges by Bart

other than the shape, are made the same way as the straight bridges so they'll sound the same. They're custom tailored to:

  • your banjo
  • your way/style of playing
  • whatever feels most comfortable to your picking hand/fingers
  • your tonal preference
  • and most important - specifically crafted to simply make your intonation problems go away

Don't see the features you need?

That's always possible because so many people have so many special playability and/or sound requirements and that's why Banjo Bridges by Bart are such a great choice: incredible performance and totally customized to your playing - if you have special needs for a bridge I can build it or help you develop your own ultimate bridge. Just drop me an email and I'll be glad to help you address your specific needs, requirements and pricing.

Need to replicate an old, or even antique, bridge to restore a old banjo? Simple, I can work from sketches to make sure you'll keep it looking authentic.

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