Brass Vs Aluminium

[Hit&Run]

What are the pros & cons of brass Vs aluminium in bass bridge manufacture.

I was wondering what the audiable difference is, if any.

Sorry if someone's asked this before.

Thanks,
H&R

[Dubs]

Obviously a brass bridge will have a greater mass, so I'd guess that the transfer of any reverberations of the strings through to the body woods will be more efficient so you may hear more of the intrinsic tonal qualities of the body woods whilst playing? Dunno though...

[Hit&Run]

[quote name='benwhiteuk' post='607961' date='Sep 24 2009, 06:07 PM'](with brass)..I'd guess that the transfer of any reverberations of the strings through to the body woods will be more efficient so you may hear more of the intrinsic tonal qualities of the body woods whilst playing?[/quote]
...as I suspected. Cheers Ben.

Anyone else have any hardline metallurgical opinions? Or has the nail been hit firmly on the head?

[mrcrow]

[quote name='Hit&Run' post='607939' date='Sep 24 2009, 05:47 PM']What are the pros & cons of brass Vs aluminium in bass bridge manufacture.

I was wondering what the audiable difference is, if any.

Sorry if someone's asked this before.

Thanks,
H&R[/quote]

brass is dense and easy to machine
aluminium and more likely an alloy can suffer easily from certain metallurgical faults..precipitations
not imho a good candidate for a bridge...to light as well

the real solution is to go through body...then the bridge is just a mechanical height setting and intonation function
the strings being solidly anchored in wood...one wood hope

[GreeneKing]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='608035' date='Sep 24 2009, 07:08 PM']brass is dense and easy to machine
aluminium and more likely an alloy can suffer easily from certain metallurgical faults..precipitations
not imho a good candidate for a bridge...to light as well

the real solution is to go through body...then the bridge is just a mechanical height setting and intonation function
the strings being solidly anchored in wood...one wood hope[/quote]

Brass is an alloy too of course.

Aluminium is not a 'dodgy' metal due to precipitations generally.

I suspect that whatever the 'gut' feeling the actual difference is likely to be unnoticeable to the human ear.

Therefore go for the cheapest and lightest.

Thru body is another possible hype area methinks.

Hype rules okay

[dangerboy]

Aluminium everything, on principle.

But then, that's always my answer.

[henry norton]

Look at the FAQ's on the Hipshot website - it outlines the difference between brass, ali & maybe steel bridges.

[mrcrow]

[quote name='GreeneKing' post='608053' date='Sep 24 2009, 07:27 PM']Brass is an alloy too of course.
Aluminium is not a 'dodgy' metal due to precipitations generally.
I suspect that whatever the 'gut' feeling the actual difference is likely to be unnoticeable to the human ear.
Therefore go for the cheapest and lightest.
Thru body is another possible hype area methinks.
Hype rules okay [/quote]

you are right brass is an alloy
aluminium as commercially used comes in many alloying mixes
my guess the bridge stuff is low on stress capabilities...compression especially
and i mentions precipitiation since that is why aluminium structures have a lifespan...it suffers from fatique

so a bridge which needs to fly 30,000 hours with 2 million stress reversals will not be as good as a copper/zinc competitor
hence the new airbus is cost a lot of brass to produce..

ya got me there musssky

but i wont have an aluminium bridge...the plating will fall off easily and wont shine so much

[henry norton]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='610274' date='Sep 27 2009, 08:54 PM']my guess the bridge stuff is low on stress capabilities...compression especially
and i mentions precipitiation since that is why aluminium structures have a lifespan...it suffers from fatique

so a bridge which needs to fly 30,000 hours with 2 million stress reversals will not be as good as a copper/zinc competitor
hence the new airbus is cost a lot of brass to produce..[/quote]

Compression won't cause a piece of aluminium too much duress - no more than the zinc most 'chunky' bridges and machine heads seem to be cast from - I really wouldn't worry too much. As for Airbus, these days a fair proportion of a commercial aircraft structure is made from Composites. I'm waiting for the first Carbon Fibre bridges and machines to appear (probably for ridiculous prices on Ebay, just like the Titanium bridge parts discussed on the forum a few months ago....). Oops, I'm just off to the patent office again

[Mr. Foxen]

[quote name='henry norton' post='610338' date='Sep 27 2009, 09:08 PM']I'm waiting for the first Carbon Fibre bridges and machines to appear[/quote]

Graphite is common for bridges and nuts already. Carbon fibre isn't very suitable as is rubs away fairly easily.

[mrcrow]

[quote name='henry norton' post='610338' date='Sep 27 2009, 09:08 PM']Compression won't cause a piece of aluminium too much duress - no more than the zinc most 'chunky' bridges and machine heads seem to be cast from - I really wouldn't worry too much. As for Airbus, these days a fair proportion of a commercial aircraft structure is made from Composites. I'm waiting for the first Carbon Fibre bridges and machines to appear (probably for ridiculous prices on Ebay, just like the Titanium bridge parts discussed on the forum a few months ago....). Oops, I'm just off to the patent office again [/quote]

good idea...how about a cast iron bridge...its pretty dense and can be machined easily and cast to shape..

[mrcrow]

[url="http://www.bronze-ingot.com/aluminium-bronze.html"]lets compromise[/url]

[henry norton]

[quote name='mrcrow' post='616076' date='Oct 3 2009, 10:30 PM'][url="http://www.bronze-ingot.com/aluminium-bronze.html"]lets compromise[/url][/quote]
Hah! Isn't that used for boat propellers? I guess it means you can play your bass underwater and it won't corrode. You might have a problem with the 400 volts going through your valve amp though....