I would like some help with this test if you could help me out.

I posted this thread yesterday...

Click Here

I wanted to see if there is a difference between setting the bridge flush and the way that I blocked it in the above thread, so I recorded test clips of each way.

I recorded all the tests through a Fishman SoloAmp and used a large diaphragm condenser mic about 4 ft. in front of the SoloAmp. I have the Strat strung with D'Addario Chomes 12's (flat wound) strings and am using a Fender heavy pick. Volume and tone controls on the guitar are all set to 10, and everything on the SoloAmp was set flat.

The first test clips are recorded with no effects except for the last little part which I added chorus and delay. Both tests are the same pattern in each of the 5 switch positions.

Test 1: Bridge Set Flat

Test 1: Bridge Blocked With Bone Saddle


The second test clips are recorded with the same chorus and delay. Both tests are the same pattern in each of the 5 switch positions.

Test 2: Bridge Set Flat

Test 2: Bridge Blocked With Bone Saddle

I would like to know if you hear a difference between the bridge being flush and it being blocked with the bone saddle, and if you do hear a difference, what your opinion is.

Thanks in advance for your participation...

I couldnt hear any discernable difference between the two that couldnt be attributed to picking slightly differently.

I suggest you reperform the test with a guitar straight into a clean amp, or if you can DI straight to a board. Dont muck about playing passages. A single note for sustain purposes. You could even measure the length of the sounding note with Audacity to disprove the sustain myth. Or chord struck once should do the job and not throw the ear off, regarding tone. You have to find some way to regulate your picking though. Ensure the string/s is/are hit the same way with the same amount of pressure each time.

Personaly I've never heard any difference between a blocked and floating trem. The building industry bases all of its soundproofing technology on isolation of sound transfering walls/floors/roofs. Or they rely on the different densities of materials to distort a soundwave to the point of irrelevance. Much like a soundwave passing from inertia block to tremblock to cavity wall.

I for one thankyou for this test. Their about my favourite topic on these boards. Cheers mate.

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No no and no

First of all if you do a test like this forget putting any chorus or delay it only confuses the issue more. You should play as clean as you can.

If you REALLY want to see the difference then set all your EQs to noon take two recordings and look at the wave forms on the PC. If you have the right application you can filter the frequencies. Scientific huh?

Anyway unless I'm imagining things I can hear more sustain (before it starts to fully decay) on the notes in the second recording. It sounds like its sustaining right into your next pick and strum. There also sounds like there is more dynamic range, more low end.
If there was slightly more attack it may produce a bit more sustain so yes it is hard to tell.

So you tell me did you hear the same?

I agree the only way to prove/disprove a difference is by checking the waveforms. I couldn't tell one way or another from your samples. It would be easier to hear a difference (if any), if you placed two strums samples back to back ... block strum/no block strum, block strum/no block strum, etc., in an A/B fashion. But the waveform patterns will tell the real story.

Which brings me to ... if you have to rely an image of the sound, rather than the actual sound to know the difference, is there really a reason to make the mod? As most of you know, I'm pretty new to this world, but there seems to be sooo many variables, and sooo many ways to alter the sound w/o resorting to physically changing the instrument, some of these mods seem pointless to me.

That said, I LOVE to tinker so please carry on!

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Then again, what do I know ... I've only been playin' for 6 months ... !