Question About Modification

[straight-a]

Just wondering about this situation and if it would be possible:

On my mandolin, I can raise the bridge and tell a MARKED difference in tone and volume. Of course the action is then terrible. The question is - could the fingerboard be replaced and shaped to match the bridge height and restore a nice action while keeping the added tone/volume?

[sunburst]

People do that with fiddles from time to time. You could do it with a tapered fingerboard. It might feel kind of "funny" with the added taper in the neck. What kind of mandolin is it? Is it worth the work?

[mandough]

Is this the cause of a wrong-set neck angle? I had a mandolin that was like that. The only way to play it with any good action, was with the bridge all the way down to it's lowest position. The mandolin had no volume. But, with the bridge up a few centimeters, it sounded good. I sent it back to the company. Haven't gotten it back yet. Will let you know.

[straight-a]

It's an A-9.

It sounds fine with the bridge down to the proper set up. I just noticed the difference when I fitted the bridge feet and put it back on. It was hard to play, but the tone and volume was increased. I wasn't sure that this modification would even be possible. Any ideas on cost? I wouldn't mind putting more money into it because I love it and intend to keep it. I've had it since Christmas and it just keeps getting better with playing time.

[Chris Baird]

The real problem is the neck angle is too low for the action you prefer. A slightly greater neck angle would solve the problem but is quite an undertaking and would probably cost as much as the mandolin did. Gibson uses a 4.5 - 5 degree neck angle but for a low action with the proper breakover angle the neck angle should be 5.5 - 6 degrees.

[Luthier Vandross]

We charge between $350-400 for a neck set on an A style mandolin.

I find that alot of mandolins that come in for regraduation, just need a neck set.


M

[Rob Grant]

A neck reset would be the "proper" option. I have removed the fretboard on an instrument, glued an added bit of wood to the bottom of the board and ground a wedge shape to the added timber to raise the board and modify the action. The instrument I was dealing with was a flat-topped mandolin that had no neck angle. It would be possible to do this with a carved-top mando and would involve about the same amount of labor as a neck reset.

[straight-a]

Ok, now that I'm confused, another question. Would reseting the neck angle bring the lower end of the fingerboard up to match the increased string height from the higher bridge setting?

[Chris Baird]

It would bring the end of the fretboard closer to the strings. The breakover angle increases slightly as well which means that the ideal bridge height will come down a bit.