Mandolin setup

[MrFantasy]

I recently noticed that the fretted note on the twelfth fret of my mandolin is about 20 cents sharper than the harmonic of the twelfth fret, and also the seventh fret of each string is slightly sharper than the next open string. I believe this means that the bridge is slightly too close to the fretboard, but it's not by very much. Is this difference large enough that it would be worth taking in to a music shop to get it set up better, or should I just forget about it?

[Soupy1957]

You plannin on spending any time on the 12th fret or higher? If so, I'd adjust it.

-Soupy1957

[Mike Bunting]

Take it in to have a set up, youd be surprised how much better it'll sound when it is in tune.

[Jim Broyles]

You plannin on spending any time on the 12th fret or higher? If so, I'd adjust it.

-Soupy1957

Not a good answer. If it's off at the 12th, it's off all over. The intonation needs to be adjusted. The bridge has to move toward the tailpiece. The easiest way is to get the G strings intonated first, then get the E's, making sure the G's stay put - you may have to keep putting the G's back as you move the bridge for the E's. Start by detuning your G's to F and your E's to D. That ought to reduce tension enough for you to be able to safely move the bridge. Lay the mandolin in your lap, face up, pointing away from you. Put the tailpiece end up against your belly, grab the bridge with both hands down low near the top of the mandolin and pull it about a 1/32" toward you. If you have to keep one end still, only pull the end you have to move. I do it another way sometimes, but I'm afraid it would not be approved here on the Cafe. It involves rapping the bridge with the rubber coated handle of a pair of pliers in order to move it. After the G's and E's are intonated, if the D's and A's are off,a luthier can correct it, or if you know how to file an angle and re-slot you can do it, but it ain't for the inexperienced. Most people settle for the intonation of 3 out of 4 strings on a mandolin being correct.

[Soupy1957]

Correct Jim.......I agree........

-Soupy1957

[Mandophyte]

MrFantasy,

A pictures worth a thousand words, look here. (http://www.folkofthewood.com/8ppmandobridge/sld001.htm)

Good Luck

[Tim2723]

Hi and welcome to the Cafe!

Yes, it's very important to do, but not necessarily worth the money to have it done at a shop, unless you're doing other parts of a setup as well. Correctly positioning (locating) the bridge is a common task for mandolinists and something that has to be checked and corrected from time to time. Just like tuning and changing strings, it's easily done by the player and something that should be learned from the outset. You never know when you might have to make a small adjustment.

[gregjones]

One of the first things I learned on the Cafe is how to remember which way to move the bridge---

Sharp=Stern

Flat=Forward

[man dough nollij]

If you look at the bridge from the side, is it leaning toward the nut? That's a pretty common problem, and easy to fix.

[mandroid]

It's an inverse ratio, lower the sticker price the more likely it needs an intervention to make it playable.

[MrFantasy]

thanks guys your responses have been very helpful.

[300win]

Not unless something is drasticaly wrong with your mandolin, you or a competant set-up man can get the intonation "PERFECT". When you do that as mentioned above it will let you concentrate on playing rather than hearing bad notes that are caused by an improper intonation rather than player errror.

[Ronnie L]

Always intonate the mando. It has a bearing in the lower register too!

[Tim2723]

It's an inverse ratio, lower the sticker price the more likely it needs an intervention to make it playable.


That's very true, but even the most costly mandolin's bridge will move or tilt and needs to be corrected by the player.