Mandolin- banjo bridge

[rerefret]

I'm putting an old Orpheum Mando-banjo back together. I'm thinking it needs a compensated bridge. Any suggestions pro or con or where to get one?

[Tim2723]

The mandolin-banjos and banjo ukuleles I've played didn't appear to have special bridges. They just looked like a banjo bridge that had been slotted appropriately, although there are compensated banjo bridges. Those can be had at Elderly, Stew Mac, any supply dealer I suppose. I bought a lower bridge for one instrument and just used a tenor banjo bridge with an ebony cap and cut the slots I needed. If you do that I'd recommend a three-footed bridge.

P.S. I'd also buy a couple of bridges, maybe a cheapo or two that you can experiment with before cutting a more expensive one.

[8ch(pl)]

Tim, the bridges on Vega and Weymann mandolin banjos were not like 5 string bridges. There needs to be more mass. I have made a few that are roughly patterned after a Vega Bridge. About 4 inches long, compensated, made of Beech.

There are a number of threads in the forum about toning down a mandolin banjo. The instrument can be a bit Raucous and many here do not like them.

[Jim Garber]

Anthill Music sells a couple of non-compensated mandolin-banjo bridges:

1/2" Mandolin-Banjo bridge

5/8" Mandolin-Banjo bridge

Attached here is a vintage bridge on a Gibson mandolin-banjo. I am not entirely sure if that is original or just a recut banjo bridge.

Also attached are 2 photos of my original Weymann mandolin-banjo compensated bridge. As you can see it is warped a bit. I intend to make a repro to replace that one someday.

[8ch(pl)]

The Gibson looks like a Grover Non-tip, available from Elderley Instruments:

http://elderly.com/images/accessories/BPT/BA14H.jpg

[Jim Garber]

I think you are correct, 8ch(pl). After I posted that I wondered if that was a replacement.

[mandroid]

When I got my Vega Little Wonder in the 80's, the dealer [5th string SF]
got a bridge from a flat top Flatiron, a spare part.
for me, it was a plug and play .. back then they shipped one finished, offset and notched.

Some prior discussion of Maple being better , but the darker wood seems OK to me.