Adjustable bridge height?

[FrDNicholas]

I'm not sure if this post goes here, but I'll put here anyway. I have an adjustable bridge. I was reading something about how if the G and D strings are sitting below the height of the bridge, it's time to do something about that. What about if the E and A strings are sitting below the height of the bridge? Are they supposed to be in the groove of the bridge? I am trying to get a little more volume from my A4, and noticed the strings in the grooves. Should I try raising the bridge; and what do I need to watch for if I raise the bridge? Can raising it throw off the intonation? Is there another path to take given where the strings are sitting on the bridge? I would be most grateful for any help.

[sunburst]

What about if the E and A strings are sitting below the height of the bridge? Are they supposed to be in the groove of the bridge?

Ideally, all the strings will sit in little grooves in
the bridge top just deep enough to keep them in place.
If they are deeper, it's no big deal.



I am trying to get a little more volume from my A4, and noticed the strings in the grooves. Should I try raising the bridge; and what do I need to watch for if I raise the bridge?

There's no extra loudness to be had by raising the
bridge unless the string action is too low and not
allowing you to play as loud as you want to without
string buzz from fret interference. If you raise the
bridge, you raise the action (string height), and if the
action is good now, raising it will only make it harder
to play.




Can raising it throw off the intonation?

Yes.



Is there another path to take given where the strings are sitting on the bridge?

Another path to what? You can't really make a mandolin
louder after it's built, at least not short of
re-graduating the plates. Setting up the bridge, and the
rest of the mandolin, properly will let you get more of
the potential sound from the mandolin, but if you want a
lot more loudness, you need a louder mandolin.
...

[Tim2723]

Hi Daniel,

Yes, the strings should be in the grooves, but are not bothered unless the groove depth is causing buzzes,

Raising the bridge can give more volume, as it increases the pressure on the top, but whether or not you'll notice an improvement is questionable at best. Increasing pressure has its dangers, as you might suspect, but the mandolin is usually built for the job.

The mandolin is WAY louder out front than it is to you. Ask your friends.

You can affect intonation, but trial and error is no big deal, as you can always turn the wheels back the other way. You might have to re-position the bridge as you raise it.

[sunburst]

Raising the bridge can give more volume, as it increases the pressure on the top...
I don't know of any evidence of that, and most luthiers who have posted an opinion on this forum think that bridge height/string break-over angle/downward pressure does not affect loudness. Look in this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=46326;hl=pressure+&39and&39+bridge+&39and&39+height), and especially read Dave Cohen's post.

[FrDNicholas]

I thank you all for this information. What I am noticing is that when I first put on a set of new D'Addario phosphorus bronze strings, the mandolin sounds wonderful. After just 1 or 2 rounds of playing with my friend who plays beginning fiddle, the mandolin just sounds quieter, and the strings are almost dead sounding. We only play for at most 2 hours, and I don't bang away at the strings. My budget doesn't allow for buying strings that often. I don't remember these strings doing this until recently. I have only been living in the Southwest for a few years, so now I am wondering if there is another factor going on other than the height of the strings. When I first put on the strings, there is that new brightness to the sound, but still not the kind of volume that I found in the Collings MT I played, or the Old Wave that I tried. Maybe I just need to be happy with the beautiful sound my A4 puts out. I don't have the opportunity here in Albuquerque to play with alot of other folks, so I'm not trying to sound over a lot of other instruments.

[Tim2723]

Raising the bridge can give more volume, as it increases the pressure on the top...
I don't know of any evidence of that, and most luthiers who have posted an opinion on this forum think that bridge height/string break-over angle/downward pressure does not affect loudness. Look in this thread (http://www.mandolincafe.net/cgi-bin/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=7;t=46326;hl=pressure+&39and&39+bridge+&39and&39+height), and especially read Dave Cohen's post.
Yes. As I said John, it's questionable at best. Some sources say yes, others no. Sometimes perception is reality.

[FrDNicholas]

What is a "tarnish resistant winding motion"? Do strings other than phosphorous bronze wound last longer?

[SpazMan]

Try some D'Addario EXPs. They have a coating that keeps finger oil and grime off the string. See if that works for you. I know what you mean about the zingy sound on strings when you first put them on... I like it, too. But the mellower sound is cool, too. Worn-out 80/20s have *no* zing at all, and I kinda like them... lots of bassy harmonics without the zing. Let your ear guide you.

Ari

[Salty Dog]

I tried the D'Addario EXPs and the sound you call "mellow", I thought was "dead". #I didn't leave them on long enough to find out whether they would last longer. #I had a similar experience with the D'Addario stainless strings. #Perhaps I am just tuned to the J74 sound.