Found a crack in my CA bridge

[Hobo]

It looks like I've found another issue with the Loar LM-400 mandolin I recently purchased from the Forum Classifieds. The CA bridge has a crack in the top section near the thumbscrew hole. The mandolin was shipped with the strings relaxed, so there was no tension on the bridge during shipping. I've only tightened the strings to tune it – I have not messed with the bridge or thumbscrews. I hope I can replace the top of the bridge and not mess with the fitted bottom portion of the bridge. I'm going to contact Cumberland Acoustics about it tomorrow. Any advice, will be appreciated. Thanks.

[JEStanek]

Be sure to include the photo when you talk to CA. They will certainly have a replacement part. It may have been like that for some time...

Jamie

[Bauzl]

I had exactly the same thing on a Washburn mando. This is definitely the end of the top part of the bridge. I hope that you will get a replacement part which fits to the bottom part of the bridge.

[ourgang]

I've ordered several bridge tops/saddles from Cumberland Acoustics, $15 I think??

[Hobo]

I've ordered several bridge tops/saddles from Cumberland Acoustics, $15 I think??

Thanks for the replies. CA is sending a new saddle, no problem. They said if I were the original owner -- it would have been free.

[mandroid]

looks like a normal grain split.. did it get bigger, tuned at pitch?

[Hobo]

Here's an update on the cracked bridge and to set the record clear: After sending photos to Steve at Cumberland Acoustics and comparing a new CA bridge saddle to cracked one on my LM-400, Steve is certain the cracked bridge is NOT a Cumberland Acoustic bridge.

The fellow I purchased the mandolin from said it was a CA bridge and I took him at his word. This is my first mandolin purchase, so I'll cut myself some slack in not knowing a CA bridge when I see one. But, I thought it important to set the record that it is not a CA bridge. Sorry for the confusion.

[Ben Milne]

Interesting development... I think it would be worth finding out what's gone on here... Someone seems to have pocketed some upgrade money somewhere along the lines.
When my LM-700 arrived I noticed it had the same issue (albeit on the bass side of the saddle). The edges weren't smoothed like the on in the picture.

[Fretbear]

It has become such a mantra to "upgrade to a Cumberland Acoustic bridge" that someone has identified a previously untapped money/equipment scam opportunity. A genuine CA will have sharp, definite transitions between the compensation ramps, not snake-like as the one shown above. It will also not have cracks...... Accept no substitutes!

[NAS]

Here's an update on the cracked bridge and to set the record clear: After sending photos to Steve at Cumberland Acoustics and comparing a new CA bridge saddle to cracked one on my LM-400, Steve is certain the cracked bridge is NOT a Cumberland Acoustic bridge.

I must say that was my first thought when I saw the picture, no way is it one of Steve's. The thumb wheels look cheap and the ebony is nowhere near as good as I usually see from CA, plus the machining of the saddle is different. Looks more like a cheap far east import.

[Fstpicker]

Could one theoretically remove the top part of the bridge and glue it/clamp it? Would that be feasible? Of course, getting a CA bridge is a better idea regardless. By the way, checking online, the CA bridges are much more than $15...actually they start at $55.

Just wondering if anyone has done that before...glued a cracked bridge with success?

Jeff

[Schlegel]

Could one theoretically remove the top part of the bridge and glue it/clamp it? Would that be feasible? Of course, getting a CA bridge is a better idea regardless. By the way, checking online, the CA bridges are much more than $15...actually they start at $55.

Just wondering if anyone has done that before...glued a cracked bridge with success?

Jeff

I believe that's just the saddle, alone.


Due to the high stress on the saddle, you have an extremely high likelihood that a glue repair would fail in rapid order. Since saddles are cheap and easy to replace, there's not much benefit to trying to salvage a broken one.

[Rodney Riley]

Could one theoretically remove the top part of the bridge and glue it/clamp it? Would that be feasible?

Just wondering if anyone has done that before...glued a cracked bridge with success?

Local music store repairman told me he could glue up my Fender's bridge that was split more than the one pictured. Said he has done it before. I went for a CA bridge and threw the old one away though.

[Steve Ostrander]

Could one theoretically remove the top part of the bridge and glue it/clamp it? Would that be feasible? Of course, getting a CA bridge is a better idea regardless. By the way, checking online, the CA bridges are much more than $15...actually they start at $55.

Just wondering if anyone has done that before...glued a cracked bridge with success?

Jeff

I tried to fix a broken bridge with epoxy. It failed miserably.

[Folkmusician.com]

Before you send out the lynch mob, take another look at the photos and compare it to these (fresh out of the package CA bridge blanks. Look closely.

[Fstpicker]

Sure looks like the same bridge to me as the above photos. Hmm....

Jeff

[250sc]

You fixed it now. Enjoy your new mando.

[Paul Busman]

I'll bet you could glue and clamp a bridge saddle like that. I'd use (appropriately enough) CA glue (cyanoacrylate aka Crazy Glue). Put a drop on the crack and let it wick in, then clamp it until dry. Scrape off the excess.

[Hobo]

Before you send out the lynch mob, take another look at the photos and compare it to these (fresh out of the package CA bridge blanks. Look closely.

I bought the mandolin used from a fellow on the Cafe Classifieds who said it had a CA bridge and a Robert Fear set-up. You certainly have a well-respected reputation as a mandolin person... which was one of the major reasons I bought the Loar LM-400 from this gentlemen. He didn't say where it originally came from, only that you did the set-up an added a CA bridge. I don't think he was being totally up-front about that. So I'm not faulting you at all, certainly. The drilled hole distance between the two saddles does not match and the height of the saddles are not the same. Additionally, after examining my photo, Steve from CA concurs the bridge on my mandolin is not one of his. The imposter saddle has a top edge that is very narrow (1/16") and the edges and corners are rounded-over – quite different than found on a genuine CA bridge. A different view is shown below.

It goes without saying that I should have purchased my LM-400 from you to begin with and avoided the series of hassles I've had...nice to meet you – even if a bit late.

[Folkmusician.com]

I fit several mandolin bridges per day. Mostly reworking stock bridges, but also upgrading bridges. Over the years I have changed my technique for fitting the bridges. For CA bridges, I do modify them depending on the mandolin. Cosmetically, at first I did some scraping but ignored most of the mill marks. For quite a while I sanded them by hand (taking off all of the mill marks). I am always searching for ways to speed up the process without compromising the end result. So now I scrape, do hand sanding and attack them with this!



By the time I am done, they do take on a different look. That alone is not strange. Now the posts not matching or a different thumb wheel is weird, so I don't know there.


The LM-400 is a nice mandolin, though they do perform best with an intact bridge. Hopefully this will all work out without too much more trouble.

[Hobo]

I do modify them depending on the mandolin. Cosmetically, at first I did some scraping but ignored most of the mill marks. For quite a while I sanded them by hand (taking off all of the mill marks). I am always searching for ways to speed up the process without compromising the end result. So now I scrape, do hand sanding and attack them with this!

Thanks for that explanation, Bob. That explains why the saddle profile would be different. It's still a puzzle why the holes are off, since Steve told me he has used the same drill guide for every bridge. Anyway, when I get the new bridge, I'll attempt to fit it to the sound board. Got some reading to do on that subject. I've learned more about mandolins in the last several weeks than I thought I would ever learn, thanks to guys like you sharing your knowledge and expertise.

[Fstpicker]

Glad that it is working out for you. Let us know how the fitting and sanding of the new CA bridge works out for you, as there are many "newbies" on this forum who could learn a thing or two from your experience.

Jeff

[Andy Alexander]

It's a good idea to have a spare saddle that fits the posts, has correctly spaced string grooves, and is properly compensated in your case. My son has had more than one saddle split along the grain or start to sag. It's no big deal to switch them out.

[Ivan Kelsall]

A few years back,i fitted a CA bridge to a Lebeda mandolin with good results.I didn't however take a close look at it's design.Since i joined the 'Cafe,i've read many posts re. cracked bridge saddles.I just had a look at the CS bridge pics.that Robert kindly posted,& i can see that in the thumb wheel rebate that the top corner is a sharp angle. I'm sure that the vast majority of Steve's bridges function perfectly well despite the sharp corner,but sharp corners are 'crack propogation' areas & in engineering,such things are avoided like the plague.A small radius in the corner would help,& even the original cheapie bridge possibly wouldn't have cracked like it did,
Ivan