Bridges & Saddles TONE TEST: Steel vs. Brass vs. Cheap Metal vs. Aluminum & Phosphor Bronze (Guitar)

In this video we compare the tone of 3 different fender jazzmaster style guitar bridges by Halon Guitar Parts made of 3 different kinds of premium metals (stainless steel, brass, aluminum and phosphor bronze) and also a modified fender mustang bridge made of a more generic cheap metal. The results are pretty surprising! Check it out and let me know what you think!

CHAPTERS:
Lesson Intro & About the Bridges and Testing Method: 0:00
Bridge A Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 6:27
Bridge B Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 6:54
Bridge C Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 7:20
Bridge D Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 7:46
Bridge A Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:12
Bridge B Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:22
Bridge C Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:33
Bridge D Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:43
Bridge A Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 8:53
Bridge B Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 9:20
Bridge C Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 9:46
Bridge D Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 10:13
Bridge A Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 10:38
Bridge B Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 11:15
Bridge C Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 11:52
Bridge D Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 12:29
Bridge A Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 13:06
Bridge B Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 13:34
Bridge C Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 14:01
Bridge D Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 14:30
BIG REVEAL, Review of Examples, Summary and Thoughts: 14:58

(This is an ear based approach to develop your phrasing before getting into larger scale shapes)

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#guitartone #guitarparts #jazzmaster

[mathewsonramsey]

This was probably the most thorough professional saddle comparison video I’ve seen, I prefer brass on my guitars and just by ear I preferred A especially the fingerpicking

[PowMusic]

Here's the time stamps! Let me know which bridge you liked the best, and why!
CHAPTERS:
Lesson Intro & About the Bridges and Testing Method: 0:00
Bridge A Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 6:27
Bridge B Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 6:54
Bridge C Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 7:20
Bridge D Clean Arpeggios Neck Pickup: 7:46
Bridge A Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:12
Bridge B Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:22
Bridge C Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:33
Bridge D Clean Pentatonic Scale Neck Pickup: 8:43
Bridge A Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 8:53
Bridge B Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 9:20
Bridge C Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 9:46
Bridge D Clean Strumming Neck Pickup: 10:13
Bridge A Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 10:38
Bridge B Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 11:15
Bridge C Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 11:52
Bridge D Clean Fingerstyle Neck Pickup: 12:29
Bridge A Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 13:06
Bridge B Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 13:34
Bridge C Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 14:01
Bridge D Overdrive Chords & Riff Bridge Pickup: 14:30
BIG REVEAL, Review of Examples, Summary and Thoughts: 14:58

[DrKevGuitar]

On first listen I thought the *very first thing* I heard (Bridge A clean arpeggios) was noticeably warmer sounding compared to bridge B. And that colored my judgement for every other test (confirmation bias is real and nobody can escape it). BUT, your comment on *how you played* making a bigger difference prompted me to go back and listen again, trying to take performance into account. In the end, I agree with your conclusion and if my students ask me if they should change bridge or saddles, my answer will be "no" and I'll send them here to watch this video. Great work, and many thanks!

[georgefromgreece]

I got spot on on all:
A had a deep low resonance that made me think of brass, B was honky (aluminum), C clarious with extened bass and highs (steel).

[Joe-tijx]

As a retired machinist, who has worked with/cut all of these metals, here's a potentially helpful comment. Phosphor bronze = brightest (used for bearings = hard), Steel a close second in brightness, & Brass warmest. I use brass on my B&E strings "if" the guitar is bright in the bridge. Then bright saddles on the next 4 GDAE strings. All of these metal vary considerably in hardness. So trust your ears. The names of these metals is only the ballpark that they belong to. Lastly, if it's made in China, none of it is to specification. The oilfield companies in Alberta accept ZERO Chinese steel, and neither should you.

[sergeyv]

For me И and mostly С were preferred type of tone. "С" has nice 3d complex tone.

[jeremiahfiek]

That is such a cool guitar. You just costed me a good bit of money by showing me that. Damn it!!

[TheDiaboliq]

Stopped listening after the Rumble on bridge C. IMO C is the winner here. B was a bit too bright for my liking, perhaps even the highs were too overpowering at moments. C was the one that was bright, with well defined lows and was overall balanced enough.
Just my 2 cents

[robertstan]

i think it's so subtle that any variation in your attack will swamp the signal, at least over youtube. in theory it should definitely make a difference. i would have expected a slightly bigger difference though

[StevenClements]

21:04 this is where that kitchen scale would come in handy ❤

[carlosalves]

I've come to the conclusion that the best approach to get great tone on virtually any guitar, is the Zappa method, shut up and play.Thats where the real Holly grail of tone is at.

[sorazmasterofdoom]

Great video. I definitely hear some more pronounced overtones when the chords ring out with B and C.

[joea]

Just a quick FYI.. You can cut the intonation screws shorter if they are sticking out enough to hit your strings.. I'll do it to Tele's for comfort too

[ParanoidGoblinoid]

Thank you for this video. It's helped me decide which bridge to go with. To my ears, from brightest to darkest they were : B: Aluminum/Phosphor Bronze, A: All Brass, C: All Steel, D: Mystery Metal (Modified Mustang).

[dananthony]

Johan Segeborn has a video comparing the original ABR1 1959 les paul bridge to the newer Nashville style bridge and the tone was very noticeably different. I thought there was no way it would matter but omg . Definitely wasn’t expecting that.

[schesbh]

Best channel I have found, thank you. I enjoy this type of analysis so very much.

[christophernoia]

Im a mastery guy all the way. I have them on 2 jazzmasters and have no tuning issues at all. They are actually the most tuning stable of all my guitars and they dont have locking tuners. Also, both of mine are a floating/rocking bridge that moves with the trem system. Which one did you get? Im not sure why yours didnt move unless it wasnt set up right. Di you have a shim in the heel joint if the guitar increasing the neck angle? Thats an important aspect to getting a jazzmaster set up perfectly.

I agree on the warmoth bridge, its a total waste of money.

[geraldponce]

Silver, copper and aluminum are the best conductors of electricity. Don't think it would be very far fetched to assume they are best at conducting sound frequencies as well. Of course, pure copper or aluminum would be too soft. It would have to be an alloy of some kind. Brass (60% copper 40% tin), bronze (96% copper, 4%tin, probably why the phosphor bronze saddles have an aluminum base, for structural integrity) or some kind of aluminum alloy. Believe silver would be the best conductor of sound since it is the best conductor of electricity. Would be quiet a expensive bridge though? Some sort of silver alloy. imagine that 😮

[boshi]

B was my favorite. A and C share the second place (C had a bit more going on in the treble, but also too much bass for me, hence it comes out even compared to A). D sounded a bit too muffled at times. But as you said, there are also some variations from playing.

[gregfelice]

Surprisingly educational. The 7 arpeggios were really interesting. Loved the warm overtones generated by b, c, d, with a preference for d.