New bridge

[bluegrassdan]

Just got a new Cumberland Acoustics bridge for my Eastman 515. Havent taken my old one off yet but just by comparing the two the new one looks like its going to be alot higher even with the wheels all the way down. Over 1/8th inch. Do I take this much off the base or the saddle only? It looks like some might have to come off where the wheels are so that they will come down further. Maybe this isnt a do it yourself job.

[Scotti Adams]

Take it off from the base..I wouldnt take anything off the saddle...this will possibly weaken it.

[250sc]

Do you know about fitting the feet to the top?

[Stillpicking]

If you feel confident enough to do it yourself then go to www.frets.com and you will find a step by step directions at least there should be that info there.

I have fitted one or two new bridges over the last couple of years and had never done it before both worked out fine just get some good directions and the most important part is to not rush it just take your time and keep rechecking the fit, this is not a 5min. job by any means.

Good luck http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/smile.gif

[Scotti Adams]

...also..Stew-Mac makes a jig esp. for fitting a bridge to the top...its real handy.

[Martin Jonas]

I had the same experience when fitting my Cumberland bridge to my Washburn M3-SW: these bridges are made for Gibsons, which have a substantially higher fretboard elevation than the Washburn (and by the sounds of it the Eastman, too). You will need to take quite a lot off the base anyway, when fitting it. However, even with the base as thin as I was comfortable with, there was still some way to go, so I did end up taking it off the underside of the saddle, too. No ill effects so far, no sagging of the saddle, great tone. Definitely worth it.

Martin

[bluegrassdan]

Did you have to take some off where the wheels are or just the main part of the saddle?

[Michael H Geimer]

Same issue fitting a Cumblerland onto my Weber. The sanding goes really slow, since the wood is so hard. I've been taking the bridge off each time I replace the strings, and sanding it down a bit more. I've still got a ways to go!

The bridge brought out a big improvement in tone over the Brekke, but the current "manly" action makes me avoid the Weber and play my Mid-mo instead. I need to take a long, hard look and get it set up just right, or MAS might lead me to a sale I'd surely regret.

[Martin Jonas]

Did you have to take some off where the wheels are or just the main part of the saddle?
Both, but mainly where the wheels are. The main part of the saddle is where the stability against sagging lies, so I tried to take as little as possible from there.

Benig: I think it's advisable to do the job in one go. Taking material off the saddle is much faster than taking it off the base, too: there is nothing to fit, and you only need to use a file in way of the wheels rather than across the entire length of the base. Shouldn't take more than half an hour to get the action down if you already have a good fit of the base to the soundboard.

By the way, I recommend using a good carving knife rather than sandpaper for fitting the bridge to the mandolin. Much faster and more precise. Use a generous amount of chalk on the mandolin top, then press the bridge onto it to highlight the contact areas, then shave away everything that has chalk on it. Repeat until the entire underside of the bridge turns white when you press it onto the mandolin.

Martin

[Michael H Geimer]

Martin,
Thanks for the encouragement. I hadn't thought about taking mat'l off the wheel-bases until reading this thread. I'll give it another go ASAP ... the current situation is driving me nuts.

- Benig

[Martin Jonas]

One thing that's important when taking material off where the wheels are is to leave a small radius in the corner between the wheel support and the main saddle. If you have a right angle there, then this is a potential starting point for a crack. So, make that corner a little bit round and you'll be fine. At the risk of stating the obvious, it's also a good idea to measure first, not remove more wood than you have to, and to make sure you end up with the same thickness of material on both sides of the saddle.

Martin

[bluegrassdan]

I take it the best way is to fit the feet to the body and then if the action is still too high shave the saddle.

[mandolooter]

Benignus....long time no see...Happy holidays to ya...one thing I did, was see how much needs to come off then using something flexible like cardboard on the top, use a pencil todraw a thin line along the bottom of the base a bit shy of your projected ideal height, then sand all that away without it on the instrument and it will go WAY faster then back to the actual fitting. Im terrible at explaining stuff so maybe someone else can explain this in a more easily understandable fashion. I took some off both the base and the saddle.

[Dan Cole]

I added a Cumberland to my Weber Big Sky. This time however I paid a pro to install it. Best money ever spent. Fit is flawless and the sound is much better that the original Brekke. Had I done the same with the tradional Brekke I bought I imagine it would have been great too.

Dan

[bluegrassdan]

Got my new Cumberland bridge on. Sanded the feet to match the top. If I ever need to lower the action going to have to sand more though. Wheels are as low as can go. Put new strings on so hard to tell about tone difference. Wait and see how things settle in. Any descriptions on what I should hear? Certainly stands straighter and more sturdy than the old one.

[Martin Jonas]

Every mandolin will respond differently, also depending on the quality of the old bridge. What I found was that the tone used to be somewhat mushy and it became clearer, louder and fuller.

Martin

[Michael H Geimer]

Bump w/ Update:

I took about a 1/16" - 1/8" off each wheel base on Monday. Did nothing to the foot, as I already have a good fit. The action is so much nicer, much easier to fret. My wife noticed my playing was more "free", and that I was playing things I don't normally play.

Biggest surprise came from the improved tone! I can't prove it is truly louder, but it sure seems louder. Mostly, I'm hearing more of the tone I've always wanted out this Weber. It has more 'bark', a more 'overdriven' tone (not buzzing), and is warmer on the higher courses, and fuller in the lower courses. There is overall more balance between the low and high sets.

Finally, I polished the heck out of it, so it looks as good as it sounds.

Thanks for the good advice. I'm a happy Weber player again!

- Benig

[donwhoo]

I just put a new Siminoff bridge on my Glenn F5 and I used the Bridge fitting jig that I ordered from Stew-Mac.The money I spent for the jig was well worth it.It was easy to use and does a excellent job of fitting the bridge perfectly.The Siminoff bride added clarity and volume to my E and A strings.My Glenn sounded good before,but now sounds even better. Don

[Kevin K]

The jig from Stew-Mac does work good. A Siminoff bridge for me as well.
Good Quality from both.

[bgjunkie]

I have a question about the Cumberland Acoustic bridge. Some of you have said it is a high bridge. Was that the standard bridge that CA offers? I have an F9 that the saddle on the stock bridge is up as high as it will go. I would like to put a new bridge on it, but was not sure whether I should get the CA standard or one with a "tall boy" saddle.

[Doug Edwards]

I had the same problem with the bridge being very high. I put a CA tall saddle/standard bridge to help the problem. It bothered me seeing that much screw with the old bridge. I showed my mandolin to Dave Harvey at a workshop and asked about the setup. He reccommened a regular saddle. When I expressed my concern about the amount of screw showing, he showed me his mandolin. It has just as much showing as mine did with the old saddle. As long as the saddle does not lean use the regular one. I had more clarity of tone with a regular CA saddle/bridge.

[bgjunkie]

Thanks Doug. That was my main reason for wanting a new bridge was just the look of the screws bothering me. I would also hope for a little better tonal balance, but I will wait until I can afford to get my frets done too.

[bluegrassdan]

I sanded my bridge down so far that it no longer has feet. The whole bottom rests on the mando top. Is this a bad thing? Always looking for best sound possible.

[hungry mountain boy]

I'm not certain, but I think that is a good thing if it fits snuggly to the contour of the top.

[250sc]

bluegrassdan,

A few years back there was an artical in Mandolin Magazine about bridges fitted to make contact with the top all the way across rather than up on 2 feet.

Try it for a few weeks and see what you think.

You might want to order another bridge and modify it to sit up on 2 feet, then compare the difference for yourself.

I fitted a bridge to make full contact and found the lowend responce was enhanced but the volume diminished but every instrument is different.

[TonyP]

When I was down at SuperGrass I got to meet Steve Smith of Cumberland. What a great guy. I also got a bridge and ended up going back because my main axe has a radiused fretboard, which didn't dawn on me when I got it. You guys should know he has the usual "hi boy" for Gibson's, but he also has a lo boy. I got the lo boy, and will still have to take some off, but NOTHING like having to shave a hi boy down to my fit. You just have to specify, and Steve will take care of you. If you don't, he just gives you the standard, non radius, hi boy.

[bluegrassdan]

After having shaved mine down there is only a little less than 1/4 inchfor wood left in the center. If I carve some out so it has feet I wonder if it will be strong enough.