the best adjustable bridge for f5

**THEBIGV** · Jun-18-2006, 8:11am

i have been looking at old posts for 2 days about bridges, from graphite to ebony to #####?. so will soon have my stewmac f5 kit ready to string up in the white, and am looking for a (better) bridge. i would like to have one with the slots cut, but can cut my own slots.
i love this site and the way people take time to either help themselves, or find help for you. thanks for your time and advice.
charlie ----

**Martin Jonas** · Jun-18-2006, 9:26am

On an F5, I would go with Steve Smith's Cumberland Acoustics bridges. They're not preslotted, although I would think that Steve will do it for you if you ask nicely. I have one of them, and they're wonderfully well-made.

Martin

**mythicfish** · Jun-18-2006, 9:31am

Charles,
I share your confusion ... lots of materials to choose from.
I believe that the bridge should be as light as possible; but more importantly, it needs to be well-fitted to
the top.

Curt

Jun-18-2006, 11:23am

Let's make it more confusing. Have you ever seen this article on frets.com?

**Jeff Hoelter** · Jun-18-2006, 10:02pm

Steve Smith - mentioned above - recently sent me a great ebony adjustable bridge pre-slotted. I highly recommend his mandolin parts.

**markishandsome** · Jun-19-2006, 8:47pm

I'm all about the Randy Wood bridge myself.

**Nihilist37** · Jun-19-2006, 9:19pm

Originally Posted by (DiegoMoon @ June 18 2006, 12:23)

Let's make it more confusing. Have you ever seen this article on frets.com?

I often wondered about this as well. I had never read the article but wondered why bridges always seemed to be heavy. Considering that weight is the idea of a dampener on a violin, I had considered why lightweight bridges weren't put in place. Banjo bridges are always really light affairs, perhaps thats why theyre so loud and anoying. Making a bridge like that article shows might be an interesting and worthy experiment.

However The article Does mention a loss in sustain. I'm particularly interested in learning irish and jazz solo mandolin and it seems that sustain is an important part of these style however bluegrass might be more suited to it.

Any experiences from other builders. I would imagine that it would be more popular if there real serious benefits too it.

**Bill Snyder** · Jun-19-2006, 10:12pm

Nihilist37,
There is one definite drawback to the bridge in the frets.com article, it is NOT adjustable. To many people that would eliminate it from consideration immediately.
I built a non-adjustable bridge for one of my mandolins after looking at Red Henry's website and the Tourtellotte bridge. I don't mind it not being adjustable, but I understand why others would. Depending on where you live you might need two or more bridges and have to swap them out during different seasons of the year.

**THEBIGV** · Jun-20-2006, 8:40am

thanks everyone, i am considering the randy wood adjustable bridge, does anyone know the difference, between it and sullivan bridge, mainly the tone difference, if there is any to speak of.

**Nolan** · Jun-20-2006, 9:44am

Why couldn't you take the idea of drilling out the extra mass from the non-adjustable bridge on frets.com and apply that to a traditional bridge?

**Willie** · Jun-25-2006, 10:23pm

Nolan....I read that Frets article about two years ago and did just what you suggested, made an adjustable bridge lighter by drilling seven holes in it and I didn`t notice any difference at all, I let it on for about 6 months to give it a fair chance to "come around" but I never noticed any difference...I still have it and will try some other things with it as I read more suggestions on here....Willie

**markishandsome** · Jun-26-2006, 9:12am

The only difference you'll find between the Randy Wood, Sullivan and Cumberland bridges is the quility (density) of the ebony used. #The luthier who recomended the randy wood bridge to me told me he uses a grade of ebony "you just can't get anymore". #Cumberland Acoustic makes some pretty nice stuff though.

kestrel · Jun-26-2006, 11:48am

I just put one of Steve's Low Boy bridges on my Morgan Monroe MMS-4, and would like to chime in with my two-cents. It's awesome! The workmanship is beautiful, he was 150% accomodating. The standard saddle was too high, and he had a Low Boy in the mail the day I told him about it, and I have no way of adequately telling you what it did to my instrument, in terms of tone quality, volume, and sustain. I was very happy with it, before, after I had built a new bone nut, added one of Randy Allen's cast tail-pieces, and worked the action to what I wanted. The other afternoon, after I had finished fitting Steve's bridge, and had her all tuned up, I played a couple of tunes, and was absolutely blown away. It gave me chills. My wife, who was around a corner, and in another room, came in and said: "My God, what did you do to that thing. It sounds ten times better than it did before!" That was over the sound of a running air-conditioner, and she had already commented - un-solicited - on how she had liked the sound, before. I certainly can't speak for every bridge Steve makes, or claim that they will do the same for everybody's instrument, but I surely am one happy camper.

**pickinNgrinnin** · Jun-26-2006, 12:24pm

Roger Siminoff makes a very nice Loar style bridge and it is probably the lowest priced bridge out there. Nice guy to work with.

**Yonkle** · Jul-02-2006, 2:09am

I have bought Smith, Woods, and Siminoff, they all look the same, for the money.. Siminoff #just does not have the Jan date patent on it. They are all good, but I see no difference. I do see a difference in the Stewmac bridge, bigger wheels and the ebony looks cheaper somehow.
Breake Bridges are nice too, but different tone and looks.
jd