Why a Banjo Bridge by Bart

There are a lot of awesome bridges on the market, here though are some reasons I hope you'll consider in selecting one of mine:
  • I use woods that have the perfect density for maximum sound and tone capability. They're harder and denser than the mass produced no-frill bridges that have softer fibers that absorb too much sound and tone . If your banjo happens to like a heavier bridge you don't need to settle for something that looks like a 2 X 4. The denser woods let me make the bridge's feet skinnier - a smaller footprint doesn't deaden/muffle the banjo's head and allows more of the string vibrations to reach the tone ring
  • The various rare woods (except the ebony) are old pieces that were exposed to, and abused by, the brutally harsh Canadian climate: hot humid summers and boot freezing winters (temperature ranges from -40C to +40C, or -40F to 100F) - they are aged and dried to perfection
  • I'm totally committed to try and help you squeeze the most out of your banjo, whether it's a Goodtime or a Granada
  • Banjo Bridges by Bart are bright but delicate, respecting, retaining and enhancing the depth and qualities of the masterly crafted banjos they are put on
  • I'm available by phone, or email, to assist you in making the best choices
  • I take great pride in my work and immensely enjoy any improvements in sound quality and/or playability that I can facilitate for you
  • If the prospect of better sound doesn't get you interested enough, then if nothing else, your banjo deserves a bridge that looks nice. Many banjos are worth a tidy sum of money and having an unfinished plainly cut bridge on them, well, to me it looks out of place. Sharp edges are nicely rounded off and I finish-sand them right down to 400 grit so they look and feel great. The oil finish not only brings out the beautiful grain of the wood, it also prevents the common build up of grime that makes bridges look icky over time. If you're concerned about the oil finish affecting the tone, don't. The way I finish them and the materials I use will not affect sound and/or tone. If you're still worried - no problem, I don't charge extra for skipping the oiling stage.
  • Banjo Bridges by Bart are handcrafted in Canada by yours truly and I take great pride in delivering consistant performance for each of the bridges I produce, I'm real fussy about sticking to exacting specifications: a bridge made today will be the same height and thickness as the ones made a month earlier. A 5/8" bridge will be 5/8" tall-always, it'll never be almost 11/16" or whatever. If I flub one I'll save it for the fireplace (yup, they really do last only about seven seconds...) and make a new one-you'll never be shipped an "oops."

I've made quite a few bridges by now and the more I play around with them, the more it's becoming predictable what will, and what won't, affect sound/tone in a desirable way. On the other hand, I'm also getting more convinced that banjos are critters with minds of their own, sometimes they simply refuse to adhere to the laws of physics for this universe. Fortunately, that don't happen too often but if or when it does and your new bridge just isn't working out, no problem - I'm allergic to unhappy customers and have no hesitations to offer you a money back guarantee. That's easy for me to do because they simply are darn good bridges. I still won't guarantee you'll get more volume but I gave up being surprised at it long ago. Since the bridges I make do tend to make banjos louder, and I'm quite serious about this, please consider using hearing protection while picking your banjo.

I'd sure consider it a privilege if you'd let me make one for you and you shouldn't be surprised if it's the best sounding and performing bridge you've ever treated your banjo and ears on.

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Copyright © 2009 Bart Veerman
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