The Unofficial Martin Guitar Forum-African Blackwood Bridge? (2025)

Hi folks,

I'm going to be replacing the bridge on my '75 D-18 (If you can believe it, it was replaced with a generic bridge sometime before I took ownership and they managed to stick it back on in the wrong original place without correcting the intonation).

Someone has offered me a few blanks of African Blackwood (Dalbergia melanoxylon) and I'm wondering if anyone has any positive or negative experiences with using it for a bridge? I know it can be difficult to work with, as it's prone to cracking and chipping when worked. But the density and colour seems to make it a pretty good candidate...certainly better than Indian rosewood.

Happy to be corrected or even told that I'm wasting my time because xyz is the best bridge for this era.

Nothing works as well as making one and seeing how you like it. It sounds like the big investment is time, which you'll have to invest anyway. I'd make one and see how it turned out - - - just put the saddle slot in the right place. No matter how much time I'd spend banging on a keyboard and gathering comments, it wouldn't help me on making a bridge,

Please tell us how it turned out.

phavriluk wrote: ↑

9:41 PM - 3 days ago

Nothing works as well as making one and seeing how you like it. It sounds like the big investment is time, which you'll have to invest anyway. I'd make one and see how it turned out - - - just put the saddle slot in the right place. No matter how much time I'd spend banging on a keyboard and gathering comments, it wouldn't help me on making a bridge,

Please tell us how it turned out.

Will do. I have quite a bit of fine wood working experience and I enjoy this kind of work.

On a related note, is there a good resource with detailed measurements for a Martin bridge? I’ve see a few resources with general measurements (I.e. 6” long, but I’m looking for side profile and exact details.

phavriluk wrote: ↑

3:01 AM - 3 days ago

You've got a pattern right in front of you! Especially after the bridge you don't want departs.

Peter, that generic bridgeisn't to Martin spec.
I'm sure someone has accurate measurements & photos of a Martin '70s bridge.
Also maybe Bryan Kimsey will check in...I know he's made bridges out of a lot of different woods.
https://www.bryankimsey.com/bridges/index.htm

Bluegrassdread wrote: ↑

3:05 AM - 3 days ago

phavriluk wrote: ↑

3:01 AM - 3 days ago

You've got a pattern right in front of you! Especially after the bridge you don't want departs.

Peter, that generic bridgeisn't to Martin spec.
I'm sure someone has accurate measurements & photos of a Martin '70s bridge.
Also maybe Bryan Kimsey will check in...I know he's made bridges out of a lot of different woods.
https://www.bryankimsey.com/bridges/index.htm

All true, but the bridge is glued on. and I suspect it's likely that the finish has been removed under it. An ideal response is of course to replicate or use an OEM bridge, located in the right place but the bridge as installed has the wrong saddle position and a choice needs to be made as to how much finish repair is acceptable and affordable, and installing an OEM bridge will perpetuate the incorrect saddle position while using a purpose-made bridge might avoid a finish complexity.

Todd Yates

Martin Bracing Library
Vintage Gibson Bracing Library
Bracing Library - All Other Brands

@Buck

If I recall correctly, wasn't Mario Proulx fond of using African Blackwood for bridges on his guitars? I seem to remember reading that somewhere.

Buck wrote: ↑

3:56 AM - 3 days ago

If I wanted a pattern for a bridge, it most certainly wouldn't be the one on that guitar. It's an offense to all that's good and right. Sure, there will be some finish touch-up, but it could not possibly be worse than the misshapen hunk of wood clinging to the guitar top now. Plus this is a '75 D-18. There's no guarantee the original bridge was in the right location. Reproduce a vintage bridge, fill the holes in the top and bridge plate, install new bridge, fix finish as needed.

I agree with all of this and that was what I was aiming to do.

Tony

Please fill out the 2025 MartinFest survey at https://forms.gle/TnD9V1zSynHxfgYM7

As David Drucker says, "Nov shmoz ka pop..."
My cure for GAS - my wife asking, "Which one(s) are you selling to get that?"
(Forum intro - page 11)

tonguy wrote: ↑

5:06 PM - 1 day ago

You could contact John Arnold or TJ Thompson for information on proper Martin bridge specs/dimensions.

Thanks. I've seen several good drawings for pre-war bridges (like here), but not later ones. Frank Ford has good instructions on frets.com, but it includes copying an existing one.

Stewmac has some dimensional drawings (see attachment) for their replacement bridges, but some details are missing - especially the details for the "wings." I've read that the radius of the wing curve is 1", so a 2" sanding drum works well, but exact location is kinda important. I'll keep mining the internet for more details.

That drawing above is not of a 30s-40s bridge, and StewMac only calls it a "standard" bridge. It's more like 70s. There is a drawing on the StewMac site for a prewar belly bridge that comes a lot closer.

I think AB can make a great bridge. That doesn't mean it necessarily will on your guitar. It has a lot less damping than ebony, but also greater weight (by about 30% on average). Both those factors need to be taken into account, along with the sound you are trying to achieve. I especially like AB for a rectangular or pyramid bridge, since the smaller size offsets the greater weight.