The bridge feet

[Richard58]

Iv done violin repair for many years. My question is on a mandolin bridge how much do you remove off the feet for optimum tone / sound. It would appear that this thickness is very important just as much as a bowed instrument. The violin is using maple for the bridge and the grain has to run in the right direction for it to be correct.

On the mandolin do I just get it to where it is a solid fit on the top all around or do I need to remove more to a certain measurement?

[sunburst]

Mandolin bridges are not much like violin bridges. Just get a good fit to the top, no standard measurements.

[rcc56]

Actually, some study could be devoted to this topic. Different bridge cuts and thicknesses may have quite an effect on the tone and response of a mandolin, just like they do on a violin or even a banjo.

I know that I have had four different bridge types on one particular mandolin, and each type sounded different. I do know that narrow bridges affect a mandolin's tone in more or less the same manner that narrow bridges affect a violin's tone.

[pops1]

I have carved a trough if you will in the center underneath the bridge, from side to side. Mr. Woodley had done it on a mandolin I had, and I wanted to lighten the bridge, and that was a way in which I could lighten invisibly. It also makes less contact with the top as it is only in front and back and not in the middle. Lightening the bridge as much as I could keeping strength helped the sound of my mandolin. I don't think it is for everyone, but it gave me what I was after.

[Willie Poole]

Pops, When you say it helped your mandolin, some people like a more bassy sound and some like a more treble sound, so which way did your adjustment take your mandolin? It also seems the cutting a grove in the base of the bridge would allow it to "cut" into the top a little bit, that would be OK I guess if you never wanted to move the bridge in case you changed string gauges and had to adjust the intonation...Some builders drill holes in the saddle to cut down on weight, I tried that before and the saddle collapsed after a month or so, it was just too weak...

Some interesting thoughts on bridges on Red Henry`s web site...

Willie

[pops1]

Willie, the trough was not that wide. My mandolin is deep in the G and I wanted more highs to come out in the G string. I am liking the difference tho it is subtle. I also cut the center under the saddle to lighten that too, but hopefully not lowered the strength.

[fretman314]

Actually, some study could be devoted to this topic. Different bridge cuts and thicknesses may have quite an effect on the tone and response of a mandolin, just like they do on a violin or even a banjo.

I know that I have had four different bridge types on one particular mandolin, and each type sounded different. I do know that narrow bridges affect a mandolin's tone in more or less the same manner that narrow bridges affect a violin's tone.

Have a look at Red Henry bridges. They may have been covered here but he has done a lot of work on bridge construction prompted by violin bridge designs. I tried one of his designs on a flat top octave mandolin and the difference was noticeable (to the better!).