Brass studs weigh more than steel...

[Lewguitar]

I think we all knew that. But I did replace the steel bridge studs on my Bernie Marsden with brass yesterday.

Hmmm...can't read it in the photos. But it's 15.3 grams for the brass. 30.6 grams for two.

https://imgur.com/CKUYK3Z

And 13.7 grams for the steel. 27.4 grams for two.

https://imgur.com/pjhpihZ

I don't hear or feel a difference in tone. What's the brass supposed to do?

Add a little warmth or bass or thicken the tone?

I just did it for the heck of it I guess!

 

[Senor Verde]

I have a set of steel studs that went on a McCarty, for about 30 minutes. Brass is a thicker sound. If I remember correctly steel was kind of bright. It's been a few years though, so I don't remember exactly. The newer brass studs, with no plating on the bridge contact area sounds best to me.

 

[Lewguitar]

I have a set of steel studs that went on a McCarty, for about 30 minutes. Brass is a thicker sound. If I remember correctly steel was kind of bright. It's been a few years though, so I don't remember exactly. The newer brass studs, with no plating on the bridge contact area sounds best to me.

That's what I used.

I've been sick though and not myself the last few days.

I left one Bernie with steel studs.

I'll compare them again and see if I can pick up on anything.

Paul has mentioned that the string crossing a brass saddle on a bridge warms and thickens the tone and my experience with Strats has verified that.

Eric Johnson used to use a brass saddle for just his high E string to fatten it it up.

But these are just the studs that hold the bridge/tailpiece to the body.

 

[Senor Verde]

I realize a Bernie is not a McCarty, so things might be a little different. I like steel studs on my Les Paul and '335.

Feel better soon dude.

 

[veinbuster]

I think we all knew that. But I did replace the steel bridge studs on my Bernie Marsden with brass yesterday.

Hmmm...can't read it in the photos. But it's 15.3 grams for the brass. 30.6 grams for two.

https://imgur.com/CKUYK3Z

And 13.7 grams for the steel. 27.4 grams for two.

https://imgur.com/pjhpihZ

I don't hear or feel a difference in tone. What's the brass supposed to do?

Add a little warmth or bass or thicken the tone?

I just did it for the heck of it I guess!

The theory is that the density of brass gives a better transfer of vibrations between the body and the strings.
About 10 years ago there were some guitars that used different combinations, and even put an agony block under the bridge. I don’t recall any definitive results of comparisons.

 

[Lewguitar]

The theory is that the density of brass gives a better transfer of vibrations between the body and the strings.
About 10 years ago there were some guitars that used different combinations, and even put an agony block under the bridge. I don’t recall any definitive results of comparisons.

I was just trying to beef up the sound of my Bernie Marsden that has the Antiquity pickups in it.

Trying to get it to sound more like the Bernie with the 57/08's. That one also came to me with the $200 MannMade bridge on it.

I know the diff is mostly the pickups tho.

Those 57/08's are really something.

 

[László]

Feel better Lew! Sorry to read you've not been feeling well.