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Thread: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

  1. #1
    Registered User Bill Baldridge's Avatar
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    Default lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    I recently purchased a Bozeman made Flatiron 1N #84072859. I find the action much too high for my liking as I can easily slide a 1.5mm pick under the eighth fret. I am about to lower the bridge. My question concerns the slight bow in the middle of the base of the bridge. It could disapear if I lower the bridge as much as I anticipate. Should I be concerned about this? Should I sand the bow as much as I sand the feet?

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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    Why do you think the base of the bridge will change shape if you lower the saddle? I don't see it.

    Have you checked the frets for evenness and proper relief? I would do that before starting to make adjustments.

    You are asking a 'set up' question, so you need to consider the whole set up because these considerations are interrelated.

  3. #3
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    remove the strings. remove the bridge. Tape a piece of sandpaper face up where the bridge belongs. Slide the base of the bridge back and forth where the sandpaper is located. Remove wood. Replace everything. See if it has better action.

    Take it slow or find a way to make good measurements.

    As an alternate, take it to a builder and have the builder do it (maybe like $50 or $75).

    f-d

    (please confirm that you are using the proper string set. These mandoilins are made for light-gauge strings - I use GHS A-250s.)
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

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    Registered User Bill Baldridge's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    Thank you both for you response. I am afraid that I don't have the expertise or even general knowledge to discribe my bridge. It is not a full contact bridge. It has wide feet on either side with the center arched off the top of the mandolin. The arched center is not warped; it is designed that way. The neck looks good, the relief looks good, it frets well all the way up the neck, and there is no adjustment rod. The bridge is not adjustible.

    Where it a full contact bridge I would already have done as fatt-dad suggest, and in fact that is what I will be doing next. I was wondering if anyone with experience with the 1N knew how essential it was that the bridge remain "two-footed" before I start sanding much off the bottom of the feet. I will go slow and measure often.

    I owned a 1N when I started to play, and think it is a great little mandolin for the money. As with most people when I started out I only played in the first position. I doubt that I paid any attention to how high the action was on up the neck. I do have GHS 250s on it. I got this one to avoid taking my Gibson Fern and Daley on camping trips and such.

    Again, thinks for responding. The Cafe rocks! I report back after a bit of sanding.

  5. #5
    two t's and one hyphen fatt-dad's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    I'd just sand it into place. If it becomes full contact, that's not so bad. If you are concerned a little whittle will solve the problem after the sanding is done.

    You don't need to use any further words to describe your mandolin. I have one also. Love it!

    f-d
    ¡papá gordo ain’t no madre flaca!

    '20 A3, '30 L-1, '97 914, 2012 Cohen A5, 2012 Muth A5, '14 OM28A

  6. #6
    Café habitué Paul Hostetter's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Baldridge View Post
    I am afraid that I don't have the expertise or even general knowledge to describe my bridge.
    I thought you explained it well, but I've also seen many other similar Flatirons with the low neck angle, so the scenario is quite familiar. You're right to lower it by refitting the base, not the saddle, to the extent possible. And if it becomes full-contact in the process—which is quite likely—it's not a big deal.

    As you work the base down, pay attention to its angle relative to the string break. You want it to angle back toward the tailpiece, not forward.

    The "two-footedness" has little if any effect on tone or response. How the base fits the top under tension is far more important. Just get the base as low as it can go, then work with the saddle. The less you take off the saddle, the better. If you hit a snag, Steve at Cumberland Acoustics sells a "low-boy" bridge just for this situation. You'll still have to fit it, but if it comes to that, you'll have had some practice!
    .
    ph

    º º º º º º º º º º º º º º º
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    Registered User Bill Baldridge's Avatar
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    Default Re: lowering bridge on Flatiron 1n

    Here is my promised report:

    I sanded the base only and got it just where I wanted it. I needed to do a slight adjustment for intonation. To my ear the tone is now mellower. That could be my imagination or one more day on a new set of strings; either way I will take it. Thanks again to all of you for the reassurance and advice.

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