View Full Version : Bridge - Gap vs no gap at base of bridge on an F5 style mandolin?
Kirk Higgins
Jun-07-2021, 4:16pm
What are your thoughts on the tonal impact on an F5 style mandolin of a full contact bridge base as compared to a traditional Loar style bridge base with a gap in the base?
Thanks,
Kirk
I can't give you any general tonal changes that may occur, but I like what it did to my mandolin.
I would say no change. I've used both styles but now I only use full contact base (no gap) on all my mandolins. I modified many bridges by filling the gap with patch of new ebony wood or making new base and noticed no change that I could attribute to the change.
In many cases folks claim they heard a change to better or worse but that can be because they changed the whole bridge to one made of different material (even each piece of ebony is different) and possibly the fit of new bridge is better than the old. Some bridges are made with stronger thicker base and they might change the sound as well as different weigth of bridge which is IMO the main reason for changes in tone.
There's also new strings and setup that generally comes with bridge work....
I recently redid the bridge on my #1 and made sure to try to notice tone changes. After 20 years the top started showing very slight deformation at the bridge feet inside edges - inevitable slow process from the tension of strings pulling the arch up and bridge pushing down against it. Also the bridge tends to deform and bend a bit digging with the edges into top and has tendency for the outside ends of feet to lift or at least not seat as firmly to top as would be good. On this bridge I filled the gap with new ebony patch and refit the bridge with slight spring (gap in the center but under slight pressure the bridge seats perfectly). I restrung the mandolin with the same strings with no additional work and the sound was same.
I've done this to many mandolins that started developing arch hump between the feet and it always stabilized it (or even reversed some bad cases when I carved the bridge to do so).
William Smith
Jun-08-2021, 7:28am
Adrian nailed I do believe! I only fit full contact on all my keepers, I've also straightened out top dents from trad. bridge feet hammering on a top for 80-90 years! Tone is so subjective anyway, we all hear different, lighten your bridge up a bit by drilling some holes in the bottom of the base, Maybe a one piece bridge, try? I noticed a tonal change with my one main mando years ago when it had a bone nut and then I went to pearl, the bone seemed better and it took the pearl awhile to sound like my old mando again? Odd-Maybe? Or maybe my ears were off a bit? Who knows.
Kirk Higgins
Jun-09-2021, 3:54pm
Thanks for the replies folks, this is helpful.
Kirk
I got an old mahogany bitterroot F5 that I was really disappointed with soundwise. I noticed the bridge wasn't a 'perfect' fit and after reading threads about bridge- fitting I began sanding it down and by the time I was satisfied with the fit I sanded so much off it had become 'full-contact' and to me the sound was greatly improved.
I got an old mahogany bitterroot F5 that I was really disappointed with soundwise. I noticed the bridge wasn't a 'perfect' fit and after reading threads about bridge- fitting I began sanding it down and by the time I was satisfied with the fit I sanded so much off it had become 'full-contact' and to me the sound was greatly improved.
And now it is impossible to tell why the sound improved.... The better fit? Transformation to full contact? Loss of weigth? Or combination of all.... :-)
If there even was an improvement! :)
William Smith
Jun-10-2021, 6:53am
If there even was an improvement! :)
I hear you man! Its like some days you pick up your horn and you can't make a mistake and everything sounds so great and your pulling wicked tone, the next day your axe sounds off and everything you play turns out like dog S, and your mando is off! Is it the instrument, is the weather, or is it YOU? I know mandolins can be like a temperamental 4 year old! Well our human minds are a pretty complex thing anyway I do believe.
I think the easiest but still hard way "I'm sure Adrian has done this?" Is to take the same instrument and try different bridge fits in a controlled environment to see what works better with that "particular instrument-as they all are different!" Then you can try different nut material! FUN. I'm no builder just a tinkerer and a thinker.