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Thread: New nut and Bridge

  1. #1
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default New nut and Bridge

    Ok got some new TI 154st strings and will be installing them. I am fairly certain I will need to set it up though these are smaller lower tension strings then I have on it. I do not want to fill my nut so I will need to make a new one and I do not want to mess with the current bridge saddle it is Brazillian Rosewood and I love it and will keep it in case I ever want to go back to the original strings. My concern is tone. I have a bone nut blank I can cut down to size but I do not have any reclaimed Brazillian Rosewood. I have maple, cherry, a small piece of ebony may be hidden in a box somewhere. What will be my best bet for a new saddle wood is any of what I have or could easily obtain close to the same tone as the Rosewood? Thanks!

    Oh, I will continue to use the Rosewood base and for simple contrast was leaning towards some flamed maple.

    Thanks Again!
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  2. #2
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    I found some Mahogany, Cedar and a piece of Black Walnut as well, I don't think the Mahogany or Cedar are good choices but Black Walnut might be viable and I have some Indian Rosewood fretboards. I would be willing to sacrifice one of those if it will be the most similar tone wise to the Brazilian Rosewood.
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    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    Red Henry has done a lot of work with fixed mandolin bridges of different designs and woods. You might find some of his comments on the different woods useful. Here is a link to get started: http://blog.murphymethod.com/category/mandolin-bridges/ . Or just google "mandolin bridge red henry".
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    Just send an email to rob.meldrum@gmail.com with "mandolin setup" in the subject line and he will email you a copy of his ebook for free (free to all mandolincafe members).

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  5. #4
    Adrian Minarovic
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    I found some Mahogany, Cedar and a piece of Black Walnut as well, I don't think the Mahogany or Cedar are good choices but Black Walnut might be viable and I have some Indian Rosewood fretboards. I would be willing to sacrifice one of those if it will be the most similar tone wise to the Brazilian Rosewood.
    Indian RW is ass close as you can get with your choices, density is averagely the same and such small piece can match the look as well. I would suggest making saddle without compensations first and use thin wire under string to find best spot for compensation that will need to be different from typical bridge (the wound a string especially needs less compensation).
    Adrian

  6. #5

    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    The linked bridge wood comparison was particularly interesting to me because it jives with my drum shell experience having used maple, birch, poplar, mahogany (Honduran and African) an sapele.

    Go with the maple.

  7. #6
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    I am very curious about Black Walnut I didn't see it in the reviews. I remember talking with a builder in either Ireland or Scotland who loved American Black Walnut and thought it was very similar to Maple for backs and sides. But yes a great read currently the bridge is a two-piece Rosewood. I do not understand how he is referencing how he cut them and he wants wood on the quarter. Does this mean the bridge on a piece of quarter saw would go across the wedge rather than with the wedge? I need a visual somehow to grasp the orientation. I could easily get a piece of maple on the quarter. I bookmarked this site very helpful thanks all!
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  8. #7

    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    FWIW, I've had to adjust compensation sometimes when installing TI Mittels, but the nut was always fine. So you should just have to make a new bridge cap/saddle. But I'd bet you could get away without it... the compensation difference is pretty minor. Scary thing about TI's is that once you cut them, if you slack the strings, they will probably come unwound. The flat windings are around a round core. Many years ago I cut a TI string to length before getting it up to full tension, that was a $20 mistake!

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  10. #8
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    I'm actually giving serious thought to trying a maple one-piece bridge instead of the two-piece it has now. Nice to know the nut should be ok. Turns out I only have one bone blank on hand and Need it on a Minarick that is giving me intonation issues.
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  11. #9
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Jacobson View Post
    FWIW, I've had to adjust compensation sometimes when installing TI Mittels, but the nut was always fine. So you should just have to make a new bridge cap/saddle. But I'd bet you could get away without it... the compensation difference is pretty minor. Scary thing about TI's is that once you cut them, if you slack the strings, they will probably come unwound. The flat windings are around a round core. Many years ago I cut a TI string to length before getting it up to full tension, that was a $20 mistake!
    That is nice to know. Perhaps I should tin the ends if I plan on loosening to much. Have you ever done that? The Core isn't anything that will melt I assume.
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  12. #10
    Teacher, repair person
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    If you're located in the US, I have a piece of Brazilian I can send you.
    PM me if you're interested.

  13. #11

    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    That's an interesting idea. No idea how it'll work out. They wrap the ends with silk or thread of some kind to keep it from unraveling.

  14. #12
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    I put them on expecting the worse but mostly GDE are good open and at the 12th but the A is slightly flat at the 12th. I can live with it for now but I think I will make a new fixed bridge to give it a shot. It was interesting to put one on with one of the DaDarrio's and hear the difference between them. To me just slightly rounder if that's a good term. So far I like them. I wonder how a fixed bridge will affect tone as compared to the adjustable one.
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  15. #13
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by rcc56 View Post
    If you're located in the US, I have a piece of Brazilian I can send you.
    PM me if you're interested.
    I will gladly buy it off you. I will send you a PM. Thanks!
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  16. #14

    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by John Bertotti View Post
    I put them on expecting the worse but mostly GDE are good open and at the 12th but the A is slightly flat at the 12th. I can live with it for now but I think I will make a new fixed bridge to give it a shot. It was interesting to put one on with one of the DaDarrio's and hear the difference between them. To me just slightly rounder if that's a good term. So far I like them. I wonder how a fixed bridge will affect tone as compared to the adjustable one.
    It isn't a big difference. Fixed bridges and adjustable bridges seem to sound basically the same to me as long as you make them as light and as rigid as possible.

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  18. #15
    Registered User John Bertotti's Avatar
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    Default Re: New nut and Bridge

    My A is only a handful of cents off at the 12th, or less. When I start playing I don't notice it but if I pick notes slowly and listen for it I can find it. I loved the tone of this Mandolin before but its voice is so much sweeter now. Now to decide if it is 50$ more to my liking. These TI strings are not cheap. We will see how long they last and I will carve a bridge for it simply because I am anal, I guess.

    Thanks, everyone!
    My avatar is of my OldWave Oval A

    Creativity is just doing something wierd and finding out others like it.

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