Re: Questions about bridge design
This subject has been the focus of my week because the bridge saddle on my mandolin cracked at the bass side. Now I have no experience swapping one bridge for another. What I did prove to myself was the importance of solid contact with the top. I had spent some few hours getting this right and was reluctant to start over. It so happened I have a new CA bridge but was hesitant to put it on my inexpensive import, plus it would have had to be shortened considerably.
I lucked out and obtained a saddle with the correct hole spacing. This new part alone improved both tone and loudness of the mandolin. The wood is darker and looks denser than the cracked saddle, and it does not drop down from where the wheel rests, so it is thinner top to bottom. That was the only difference. Quite dramatic really for such a similar part.
So I have become a true believer from first hand experience that a bridge has a very significant effect on tone.
This kind of correlates to the bridge saddles on a Telecaster guitar. Believe it that brass has a different effect on tone than steel, and you can tailor tone accordingly, and this on an electric guitar. Tone transmission is a very interesting subject for sure.
Silverangel A
Arches F style kit
1913 Gibson A-1
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