Q: Are these synthetic bridges as good as the originals?

A: Synthetic bridges are now a fact of life. Horn, the preferred traditional material, is getting hard to find. The government of Bengal has banned its use for such things as instrument making. Makers in Calcutta hoard whatever supplies they can get. There are a variety of synthetic materials now in use, from a hard plastic Delrin to a softer plaster like material. And there are plusses to synthetic bridges; for one they don't wear out as easily or need jawari as often. Many professional touring musicians prefer them for that reason.