Unanchored bridges & black diamond strings

[harihari]

ok, mando experts, I have two questions.

a) why are mando bridges not anchored to the body the way that a guitar's bridge is?

b) has anybody used those "black diamond" brand strings, the black ones, and if so, what do you think of them? I've never used a coated string before. I got these when I bought my mando and have just put them on. The box says change them when you see silver underneath the black coating. Which I can, after a mere 3 hours of so of playing. (on the upside, they look really freakin' cool on my f-9 which has a bit of black trim).

[mythicfish]

Not all guitar bridge/saddles are fixed to the body. Check out arch-top guitars.
Look at a flat top guitar ... what function does the bridge/saddle perform?
Does the bridge-saddle on a mandolin perform the same function?
Do a Google search for "mandolin intonation"
It's much more satisfying to bring your own spoon and feed yourself even if someone else has already done the cooking.
Good luck
Curt

[Bob Denton]

Ovation mandos used a fixed bridge, I beleive the tension of the 8 strings would tear the bridge off the lightly braced tops required to get tone and volume out of such a small instrument.

Cya!

[harihari]

Not all guitar bridge/saddles are fixed to the body. Check out arch-top guitars.
Look at a flat top guitar ... what function does the bridge/saddle perform?
Does the bridge-saddle on a mandolin perform the same function?
Do a Google search for "mandolin intonation"
It's much more satisfying to bring your own spoon and feed yourself even if someone else has already done the cooking.
Good luck
Curt
Wow, thanks for the tip. It never occurred to me to look online. Having googled mandolin and intontation, I got a few articles on bridges which mainly suggest that the advantage to removable bridges is you can change the sound of your instrument and electrify it.