Cutting slots in bridge and nut

[toomanystrings]

I am experienced at guitar repair and setup but I am tackling my first mandolin setup (my own). What is the standard spacing between string pairs on the nut and saddle? I feel that the strings are presently too close together on the low G because the two strings rattle together when played with any authority.

Thank you.

[sunburst]

Sorry, I can't tell you the standard spacing, I'm not sure there is a standard. I have templates that I made with the spacings coppied from a Loar, but I'm not home to measure it.

What I CAN say is: those G strings have to be really wide to keep them from hitting one another when played with authority. It's something players that play hard usually have to get used to. You can minimise it with wider spacing, but you have to consider playability too.

[John Flynn]

I am not a luthier, but sometimes I play one at home. http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/biggrin.gif

I set up new slots on a bridge once and it worked out really well. I just took the bridge blank and held it upside down against the bridge on another mando that had the same scale length. I marked it off with a pencil, based on the string spacing on the other bridge and then cut the slots from there.

[Chris Baird]

.070" between e string center
.095" between g string center

[toomanystrings]

.070" between e string center
.095" between g string center
Thank you very much. I assume that I will space the A strings and D strings appropriately if I use in-between numbers...

[Yonkle]

Or you can do it my way...."It's about this much!

[sunburst]

Yonkle,
I started to say...glad to see that your fingertips are healing up nicely..., but then I realized that is your left hand. You're not hiding sanded-to-the-bone fingertips on the other hand are you?http://www.mandolincafe.net/iB_html/non-cgi/emoticons/laugh.gif