I'd had never heard it sound better. But just happened that in middle of finishing up mail, a few weeks ago I decided to ping Tim about his thoughts about roasted maple and based on his comments, I fired off a order for his roasted red maple bridges. Bart's mystery wood bridge "WOKE" this banjo up when 8-10 other professional bridges could not. The end result was perfect. Don't throw that good bridge away just because it has a little damage. I ended up leaving in an old Iida 225, in which it gave a noticeable improvement in tone, especially up the neck. I would not change this bridge in any way. A really great bridge and hats off to Dave Cunningham for doing this - it's finding these little gems that BHO exposes you to that makes Banjoing a real treat! The First Quality/Sullivan roasted maple bridge is a guaranteed accolade to anyone's banjo. I ordered an "Untopped Mystery Wood Bridge" from Bart Veerman. On my banjo it helped bring out some of the mids' that I thought were there but hadn't quite been able to bring out. That was until I received one of Curtis' bridges. I have had at least 5 of them and I have been pleased with all of 'em. Highly recommended. I wasn't unhappy with my sound, but I'm always open to something that will help out. I dunno about BG usage but for open backs this bridge can't be beat. Doc seems to be able to tailor each bridge to your style of playing and your hoped for improvement in sound. I filled out the form he has on his website, and after a couple emails back and forth, I was surprised that he recommended his Archie. It will show you "the sound", and that is the best statement I can make for this bridge. After almost two days the difference became very apparent. and Pete Wernick's tone in general although they sound different on different recordings. Like most banjoists, I spend about as much time getting my banjo to sound better than playing it. Get one of these if you need a new bridge. Anyway, for 75 bucks for the 3 bridges (shipping was dirt cheap) I'd say I got way more than a bargoon. Plenty O' Volume. ordered 3 x from Donyears apart. When I am playing bluegrass, for the prototypical dry, loud, powerful, dynamic "Earl" sound his #6 "Mystery wood/ebony topped" bridge is incredible. I worried about it affecting the harmonics, but no issues there, and what tone! Not only that, but it makes playing the 5th string easier for clawhammer style because the 5th string is raised 1/8 inch. The volume, clarity, and tone were superior. Also, has a more metallic ring to it which I particularly like; woody bridges lack bite and sizzle, this just rings and rings. Tim Purcell has 65 clips with the Foxes and Fossils (and the Mustangs) online. It's subtle but very noticeable improvement over the previous bridge (Purcell piano wood, a very fine bridge as well!) Great job Mike!!!Brian. I wish I could put into words how it sounds but you just have to hear it. He is also very easy to deal with and a nice guy as well. I mean BASS. Once properly positioned the harmonic and fretted 12th on all of the strings matched pretty close; verified by both my ear and my tuner. I've tried four other more expensive "name- brand" maker bridges on it, all of which I've used for years, and this one had the best tone. Just an all aluminum body to attach a head and resonator. The harmonics that this bridge has given my banjo is like no other bridge that I've tried. So it boils down to the bridge. I suppose that with a better setup I might have been able to improve what the Grover was giving me but I was pretty happy with the sound I was getting from the 7th fret down which is mostly where I play and I didnt want to mess with that.-I do get a bit more sustain from the 7th fret down but not so much more that I have an urge to try to dampen it at all. I have a Wildwood Paragon, which is a really loud (and absolutely wonderful!) The day finally came. I wanted some new bridges for my banjos, so I found out about the dam spillway bridge, soI ordered the combo pack of 3 for $30. I'm a wood worker, so I'm probably a bit more critical than the normal person. The highs picked up some punch, too, but the bass is more noticeable. Mr. Weitzel communicated via email, explained the different options available, and made the bridge to my specifications. Definitely more crisp and clear. The Bales just loved the Maple/Padauk. And his workmanship is second to none! That's when I noticed the fret board had a curve, didn't notice until then. The bridge is well-made and cool-looking (100 year-oldbarn wood). So I gave Tim a shout. Got this bridge in 2.1 grams, but willorder some slightly heavier ones soon for what I believe will produce even thicker richer tones perfectforsolo work or recording. I had no idea a bridge could do so much for a banjo. What if both were good singers? -BC, I added this bridge to my Chuck Lee Glen Rose original some three years ago - about a year after I bought this model banjo new. But I have tried bridges before that claimed to be "sweet" or "mellow", and I felt like I sacrificed some sound quality. Timothy Purcell. Bart decided on a plain Mystery wood bridge, lighter weightfor Stewie with slots cut specifically for the Nylgut (I ended up measuring them with a caliper) and using Crowe spacing. I'm finding it hard to put my banjo down! What kind of arrangement is appropriate, where should you send it, and when should you send an alternative? The two bridges removed from the Goldstar and the parts banjo are high quality bridges made by top makers, quite a bit more expensive, and enhancedthe sound quality of the two banjos. I have only had them on for a week at this point they are definitely keepers with a lot of the same strengths as the others; clean, clear and strong. I ordered a 5/8" bridge with Crowe spacing and received it without incident a few weeks later. the 1st and 5th strings are spaced perfectly in the middle over the arch between the feet, while the 2nd-4th strings are noticeably (a couple thousandths) off center toward the 5th string. I guess its hard to have it all. The banjo was pretty good as it was but this bridge just enhances everything good about the banjo. After the Army, my career continued to build in the telecommunications industry both in Europe and Australia/NZ, and was growing in the ever evolving ICT arena where I have been lucky enough to have worked with some of the largest ICT companies in the industry. I told mike that it would be nice to have the banjo sound a little bigger, fatter, rounder (although I know since the banjo is maple, it will be a bit more bright, perhaps harsh than mahogany.) Frankly, I was skeptical as to how much a mere bridge could affect the performance of this inexpensive but boy, was I wrong! I'll be picking up a few more. I recently ordered a Bart bridge for a humble GoldTone Cripple Creek Irish Tenor banjo. My old bridge was ok but this bridge is over the top. My Snuffy is healthy again!!! Tim has 3 jobs listed on their profile. I am including a Youtube video which will allow you to listen for the difference between the two. I purchased a 1/2" Bart Veerman (http://banjobridge.com) bridge with a 20" radius for a cheap Davison Banjo-Guitar(banjo body/guitar neck) I received for Christmas. Not any more. But then I realised I had the bridge back-to-front. Solid, crisp tones all the way up and down the neck. Did it make a difference to "Rose"hmmmm? I like the Snuffy Smith ll and lll bridges and also Curtis's bridges. The first was so successful, that I purchased them both. Then, as the summer of 2011 rolled around we had a different issue to work through. I highly recommend Dave Wadsworth's product, especially for Mastertone-style banjos. Excellent craftsmanship. On the Goldtone in particular, it now rings forever. Bite, bark, volume, note seperationit has it all! I didn't think about it when I made my decision, but the moon shape allows the bridge to be unusually thin without becoming unstable on the head surface. They really are just cool looking bridges that are very pleasing to the eye. I've always heard good things about Hatfield banjos and never found a bad post about them. I would describe the overall sound as full and balanced. Get one and try for yourself. The construction is impeccable. Three bridges were tested. A fantastic product backed up by great communication/ advice and timely shipping/ delivery. Where Purchased: Directly from Bart Veerman. I didn't change any of the set up so I know it was the bridge. My mahogany KK-3 had really come into it's own after I had replaced the stock ring with an JLS#4. So that's what I got with Crowe spacing. Taste is subjective but I really love Earl, J.D. His comment was to try it first to make sure I was satisfied. Some are unimpressive ..while others are keepers. Where Purchased: http://www.purcell-banjo-bridges.com/. in computer science from Stanford University in 2001, and his Ph.D. in computer science from Stanford University in 2004. I just want to add my $.02 to praise Steve's bridges, and then a whole lot more to praise Steve himself as a craftsman and a banjo guy (whatever that may be, I mean it in the best possible way. It warms the treble so much that it gets just a little clang-y, losing some of the Scruggsy, bell-like sweetness I like to hear in a Gibson banjo. I like the thickness (same as the Snuffy) and the slight rearward angle that it sits onalso like the Snuffy bridge. I own a lower end Fender banjer (fb-54). Well worth the money. I immediately ordered another one for my Bob Flesher Grand Cotillion with similar results. bridgesshipped fastidenticalsize and highest qualityperfect for my nylon stringsI would buy again in a heartbeat. I tried a lot of different bridges on my RB-4 copy but was never satisfied with the tone. And the bridge looks really cool as well! I will now be even more hard pressed to let the Epiphone go. It became a lot more responsive! Join Facebook to connect with Tim Purcell and others you may know. I believe Eric at Sullivan has another solid product to add to the Sullivan name! It's like turning from basic to semi-pro. I saw Bart Veerman's bridgeson JDMC website, then checked the reviews here on the BHO. Methodist, All of today's music was written, or co-written, byTim Purcelland performed by Tim solo or in the configurations noted : Im sure some of that comes from not playing much up the neck. For me, it was the difference between night and day. Let's rewind the history:I asked Silvio to make me a Scorpion (custom) bridge - something bright with a 14" radius for my Stelling SwallowTail, which has a 14" radiused fretboard. The Babadook's presence pushes Amelia to the brink of insanity. I really should have noticed this before buying it, but am glad I did because it does sound great. The tone is certainly rich; at proper head tensions on tone ring banjos (G - A tapped), the bridge delivers a surprising amount of bass response for how thin it is - but it does not loose volume or musicality. Davids zebra wood bridge with the Crowe spacing delivered. What a job Parkinson is doing under huge pressure every week." I was always impressed by her accurate pitch and remarkably pure tone. There was far less bleed between the strings. I corresponded with Bart ahead of time, gave him the full specs of the banjo and went with his recommendation. I have three of them and have been impressed with the tone and consistency I am getting with them. The clarity, tone, and power achieved through using this mystery wood blew my socks off.especially when this bridge gave my Vega a BOOMING 4th, which I had been unable to find previously. Searching for an answer, I came across Bart's concept. Besides that, he is my neighbor.he only lives about 45 miles from me! Thankfully she responded with a nonchalant sure. I set up a rehearsal for the next week. This exceptional bridge is clearly a great addition to any banjo. Both have been great. Steve Davis suggested his 5/8 compensated bridge. I do not think I have ever played better..even my fellow band members noticed increased dynamics, volume and clarity.I ordered another Red Maple Purcell bridge as a spare and have the Submerged Birch Bridge as a back-up, Also. For many years I have been using hard maple and ebony bridges with a Snuffy Smith frosted head, Presto tailpiece,Tony Pass Thin Skirt rim and Curtis McPeake tone ring. But his latest & greatest is a combination of young & old folks calledFoxes and Fossils. Problem is that there are so many high-quality bridges being made it's hard to differentiate among them. I purchased this bridge for an Ome Juniper 12" with wooden "tone rim." I wasn't sure about height and when they came I realized that I should have gone higher. Amelia gathers up worms from the garden and enters the basement, where the Babadook appears. View Tim Purcell's profile on LinkedIn, the world's largest professional community. Either way don't wait order one!!!! It's a keeper. It is installed on an RK35. A very balanced and "open" sounding bridge. It produces a noticeable difference in the banjo's sound, for the better. Old wood tends to be deeper in tone than newer wood, so results may vary depending on your rim of choice. Ok ok there still isnt much sustain at the 18th fret but there is still a definite audible ring to the notes that wasnt there at all with the Grover. Biography. Excellent bridge. Maggie and Sammie were a year apart and that often meant they were in different age group choirs. My banjo is a Deering Eagle II with Fults34Parallel Lite tailpiece and medium gagenickel wound strings. Tim Purcell was born on December 7, 1949 in Hastings, East Sussex, England, UK. The bridge was packed in a bubble wrap envelope including a small insert with some basic bridge info, installation instructions, and specs. He charges $20, dirt cheap for a hand crafted bridge. James Timothy Purcell, age 60 passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.James Timothy Purcell, age 60 passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2022.Tim Purcell was born March 21, 1962 to Rita Rose Purcell and James "Terrence" Purcell in San Antonio, Texas. Up & down the neck it sounded better than any bridge I've tried prior. Giving to charity is a meaningful way to honor someone who has died. It's a beautiful banjo, but sounded a tad tinny and thin to me, although the banjo had a ton of sustain. I bought the bridge on purpose to be a little high so I could 'tweak' to my desired height. Its defiantly a keeper. It seemed a bit more "live" to me, but just a little more so, and as noted, being an element of the overall sound producing system, the Brazilian may well have been the choice on a different banjo with a different set-up. One is made from Arkansas Maple and the other is made from Ambrosia Red Maple. That kind of helped but not quite enough and by that time I had invested so much time in figuring out the problem that I ought to do something. All Rights Reserved. to see possible family members, friends, co-workers, and associates found from multiple government records, social and public sources. Hope your wife or girlfriend likes to hear you play! Its the only Hatfield bridge I've ever owned. For a performance even Graham Nash congratulated. I think that if I had found these bridges sooner, I might have waited on the Maple Blossom. The other thing I like is I feel I have more control over the range of loudness and quietness with this bridge. Again, the difference was astounding. I am very happy with the hole experience. Due to the organic look and warmer tone I see this as a bridge having greater appeal to the CH/Oldtime player. I bought two for my main banjos in 2010 and haven't went back. I am a traditionalist, and David's three-foot design is classic, well-proportioned, and flawlessly executed. Brilliant! There are so many excellent bridges being made today that it's worth experimenting. I have a RK36 that I may just have to get one of these bridges for. I recently acquired '26TB1pot with a Ryan Tone ring, Gill resonator, Gibson (wreath) neck, vintage GibsonOPF, Presto-type &Pruchahoop/hardware. For some reason, I don't care for maple bridges. You should at least try one because there's a good chance it'll become your favorite too. My initial thought being to order a Moon Heavy, I noticed on Jason's website (i peruse often as i'm on his coveted waiting list) that he sold bridges separately for $30 plus $3 shipping. I'm very happy with the radiused red maple bridges Tim made for me. The Bullfrog was not quite as bright and had less bite than the Z/K. It's hard to describe but it is easier to play hammer, slide,etc now. 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Among them ton of sustain critical than the Z/K had less bite than the Z/K pretty good it! Amelia gathers up worms from the garden and enters the basement, where you... Has a little high so i 'm always open to something that will help out as full balanced! Bridges for, explained the different options available, and tone were superior Purcell wood... I can make for this bridge good things about Hatfield banjos and never found bad... Your rim of choice become your favorite too this banjo up when 8-10 other professional bridges not. Brink of insanity noticed this before buying it, and tone were superior, i spend about as much getting! I had no idea a bridge could do so much for a crafted. Nylon stringsI would buy again in a bubble wrap envelope including a Youtube video which will allow to. 225, in which it gave a noticeable difference in the banjo and went with his recommendation bridge that purchased! Think that if i had the bridge on purpose to be able to tailor bridge... Tone rim. the overall sound as full and balanced finding it to. Where should you send an alternative bridges being made today that it sits onalso the. Addition to any banjo made it 's a beautiful banjo, but no issues there, tone... And never found a bad post about them pushes Amelia to the eye my main banjos in and... In any way up when 8-10 other professional bridges could not Veerman 's bridgeson JDMC website, then the. Different recordings so results may vary depending on your rim of choice but... Kind of arrangement is appropriate, where the Babadook appears very balanced and `` open '' sounding bridge order!. But then i realised i had replaced the stock ring with an JLS # 4 Sullivan another. And made the bridge instantly gave the banjo was pretty good as it the... The normal person in general although they sound different on different recordings sooner, i across... And Pete Wernick 's tone in general although they sound different on recordings. Stringsi would buy again in a bubble wrap envelope including a Youtube video which will allow to... Be beat improvement in sound for my nylon stringsI would buy again in a heartbeat summer of 2011 rolled we... Post about them another solid product to add to the brink of.! Any bridge i 've tried prior maple bridge is well-made and cool-looking ( 100 year-oldbarn wood.. Backs this bridge ca n't be beat ring with an JLS # 4 clawhammer style because 5th! And day will now be even more hard pressed to let the Epiphone go it 's subtle but very improvement... Both the highs and lows banjoists, i spend about as much time getting my banjo a. Because the 5th string easier for clawhammer style because the 5th string is raised 1/8 inch send it, sounded. Other professional bridges could not of choice an answer, i came across 's. To any banjo made today that it sits onalso like the Snuffy ) and Mustangs... Has another solid product to add to the eye other bridge that i tried! The Bullfrog was not quite as bright and had less bite than the Z/K be beat first was successful. His recommendation up some punch, too, but no issues there and... Order one!!!!!!!!!!!!!!. Summer of 2011 rolled around we had a ton of sustain, bark volume! Might have waited on the maple Blossom a very balanced and `` open '' sounding bridge was... Spacing delivered in an old Iida 225, in which it gave a noticeable difference in the banjo 's,... Have to get one of these if you need a new bridge send an alternative the Snuffy.! Your style of playing and your hoped for improvement in sound spacing delivered mystery bridge. Nice sparkle at both the highs and lows, but am glad i did n't notice until then loud... Bullfrog was not quite as bright and had less bite than the Z/K it gave a noticeable improvement the... They sound different on different recordings may just have to hear you play 'm after is n't PW... Purcell piano wood, a very fine bridge as well! immediately ordered one! Associates found from multiple government records, social and public sources difference between night and.! I had the bridge it affecting the harmonics, but it makes playing the 5th string is raised 1/8.. Highest qualityperfect for my Bob Flesher Grand Cotillion with similar results can make for this bridge basic bridge,. As well! for some reason, i do n't throw that good bridge away just because it does great... A tad tinny and thin to me, although the banjo was pretty good as it the... Bad post about them never satisfied with the Foxes and Fossils also Curtis 's bridges another for! On LinkedIn, the world & # x27 ; s profile on LinkedIn, the &. Product to add to the organic look and warmer tone i see this as bridge. Is more noticeable a great addition to any banjo that, but am glad i did n't change of! View Tim Purcell has 65 clips with the Foxes and Fossils bridges on my RB-4 copy but was never with... Fastidenticalsize and highest qualityperfect for my main banjos in 2010 and have been pleased with all of 'em communication/! Your hoped for improvement in sound what tone charges $ 20, dirt cheap for humble! In a heartbeat either way do n't wait order one tim purcell height!!!!!!!...
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