Scorpion Banjo Bridges by Silvio Ferretti
Scorpion Banjo Bridges by Silvio Ferretti
Handmade in Italy from aged European maple with ebony top, producing a crisp, clean, warm tone
Notes from Silvio Ferretti on his Scorpion Banjo Bridges
If you are a discriminating player, no matter if you've got a 30 plus years experience on the banjo (like me) or not, you will surely agree about the importance of the bridge in determining the sound, in all of its components: response, volume, tone and so on.
My Scorpion Banjo Bridge is a synthesis of some designs I have studied (great bridges from the hands of Snuffy Smith, Dave Wadsworth, Joel Aderhold and others), filtered by the rules that traditional luthiery has developed and followed for centuries in building bridges for bowed instruments. During my luthier apprenticeship at the shop I work at (Airenti & Lowenberger in Genova, Italy), I’ve had the opportunity to analyze old and modern bridges for violin, viola, cello, string bass, and baroque string instruments, and I've put that knowledge to use in the Scorpion Bridge.
For my "regular" bridges I choose only high quality Balkan maple, centuries old, seasoned, evenly and mostly tightly grained, and I air-dry it myself. The ebony I use for tops is some of the most dense and hard you will ever find. I always quarter-saw my bridge blanks, which may results in some “waste” of wood, but ensures that the grain be correct in each bridge I build. All these factors are essential for the sound.
Available in standard and Crowe Spacing
Standard Spacing is what most banjo players use. The wider spaced Crowe spacing was originally made for legendary banjo player JD Crowe who preferred slightly wider spacing between the string notches. Crowe spacing is specifically for banjo players that likley have longer fingers or prefer the feel of the wider spaced bridge.
5/8th Height - Standard Spacing - Sorry Currently out of 5/8th Standard
11/16th Height - Standard Spacing
5/8th Height - "Crowe" Wider Spacing
11/16th Height - "Crowe" Wider Spacing
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S Mark Mar 18, 2024 | Scorpion on The Stelling WOW!!I am amazed. I had hoped to get enough improvement in sound from my Stelling Red Fox to be noticeable. Was I surprised! From an original Stelling bridge to the Scorpion was day and night. My Red Fox has always had a good bark but this bridge woke up the sleeping dog!Clarity, sustain, volume, crispness, brightness all increased dramatically!Very pleased with the Scorpion 11/16 bridge. And Banjoteacher got it to my door in 3 days! What else could a guy ask for? (a banjo case sticker, maybe? ) |
Recommended to buy: Yes |
Brandt Miller Jul 19, 2020 | Scorpion Bridge Wow, I had heard these were worth trying out and I was blown away by the quality of these! Really was the missing link to achieving the exact banjo tone I was looking for. Banjo now has growl, dry pop, sustain, and sounds more musical than ever! Highly recommend especially if you haven't been able to achieve the exact tone you are looking for in your banjo. Try it you wont be disappointed. |
Recommended to buy: Yes |
Bob Bristol Dec 7, 2018 | Scorpion 5/8 Banjo Bridge I have played bluegrass banjos and built and set them up for almost 50 years. Over that time period, I've tried almost any bridge on the market and the Scorpion bridges are the best and most consistent and uniform that I have found. They truly bring a banjo to life and provide a bright, yet balanced even bass tone all of the way up the neck. You may have to lighten up your picking on some banjos as they also increase the volume. |
Recommended to buy: Yes |
Lake High May 22, 2018 | Try one of these. You will not be disappointed! I just put this in my Recording King RK-R20, and the difference is obvious. I had read many good things about this bridge and had to hear it for myself to believe it. The cleanness and separation of each string strike is what impressed me the most. The tone is bright and full. The original bridge which came on my banjo is a clunker by comparison. |
Recommended to buy: Yes |
n/a Oct 29, 2015 | Scorpion 5/8 Banjo Bridge My banjo sounded dead and nothing I did helped. I was considering getting rid of it and getting another. This bridge changed my mind. The sound is brighter and fuller, and I think I'm getting more sustain. I had recorded the banjo before and after the installation and the second recording is definitely better. This bridge gave me more volume and a far better sound. I'm really happy with the new bridge. |
Recommended to buy: Yes |
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