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Thread: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

  1. #1
    Registered User Jonathan K's Avatar
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    Default Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Hi! I recently broke out my 35 year old Kentucky KM-200S and turned it into my beater. Because of some bowing, I filed a fret with an emory board and lowered the bridge as far as it would go. Now it plays ok.

    The problem is that the bass bridge post is now exposed and since I touch that part of the bridge with the heel of my palm, that pointy piece of metal is shredding my palm.

    Any suggestions on covering or treating that thing? I don’t want to invest much in it. I suppose I could actually file it with a real file but that involves actual work. Any other suggestions?

    Thanks in advance!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Duct tape fixes anything

  3. #3
    Confused... or?
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Duct tape.

    Seriously, if the post has a hex socket or screw slot in the top, as many do, filing it down would be a bad idea IF it ever needs further attention. Some "actual work" that far-from-professional I might tackle is taking the post out of the base, cutting it shorter from the bottom, re-screwing the post back in, and re-setting the bridge.
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    harvester of clams Bill McCall's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Files work well for this problem. Less than 5 minutes will do the trick.
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  5. #5
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Another vote for duct tape. Actually, it's Gorilla tape but it's black and only an inch or so wide on the roll. A small strip cut to size aid laid over the post has worked for me for years.

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    David Hopkins

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  6. #6

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    If you really want to do it up........a Dremel with a cutoff wheel will do it in about 3 seconds. Of course, to do a nice job you will need to loosen the strings and slip the saddle off, so you can cut it slightly below the top of the saddle.

  7. #7

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Bench grinder is fastest. As Jeff Mando mentioned, grind it down to just below the top of the bridge so there's not a sharp edge to catch anything. While you're at it, sand a nice radius on the part of the bridge surrounding the post hole, the heel of your hand will thank you.

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    Registered User William Smith's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Check to make sure that the post screw that's protruding up through the saddle is all the way down into the bridge base as sometimes from adjustments they will work up and if the post is all the way down it'll stiff up the bridge, if its all the way down and the top is still protruding up through the saddle top-grind it down.

  9. #9

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    My quick and dirty is a file and then a sanding of all the sharp edges. Filing the post will point out the amplification properties of a mandolin top for sure.

    Yes, the correct way would be to shorten the screw.
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  10. #10
    Registered User Jonathan K's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Thanks for your suggestions folks! I’m going to try Gorilla tape. I don’t have the gear to properly file down the screw and it’s not worth it to acquire stuff for this.

    Thanks again!

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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Quote Originally Posted by Jonathan K View Post
    Thanks for your suggestions folks! I’m going to try Gorilla tape. I don’t have the gear to properly file down the screw and it’s not worth it to acquire stuff for this.

    Thanks again!
    And who knows? You might need that extra length sometime. (Probably not. I'm just trying to help you justify it.)
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    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
    McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)

    The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.

  12. #12

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    I take the top of the bridge off, sand the post down, and dome it beneath the level of the wood so it looks intentional and nice. The posts aren't supposed to stick up above the wood, there's no need.

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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    A little late to the game but- I had a sharp edge on the tailpiece of my 1929 National mandolin that was chaffing my arm. I used a piece of moleskin- like you would put on a foot blister. It had sticky stuff on one side and it's padded. It has worked perfectly and been on for 6 months now.
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Had much the same problem on one of my mandolins. As Marty Jacobson has suggested, I took the saddle off and ground the excess off. You could file them down but an electric grinding wheel is much quicker.

  16. #15
    Registered User fscotte's Avatar
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    A drop of clear silicone or hot glue on the top of the post works great.

  17. #16
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Exclamation Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    kind of like 12 you can unscrew the post from the base, chuck it up in a drill and dome and polish the end..
    against an abrasive .

    then thread it back into the wooden base .. if you have the bridge off,
    you can see to not put it back in too far. and mark the spruce with a dent..


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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Putting duct tape on this is kinda like using it to tape up your broken glasses. I guess if looks and sticky don't bother you... Try a fingernail File. It won't work as good as a "real" file but it might get the job done for a dollar or so.

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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    I used black tape to cover an extended post several years ago. It works just fine and you don't see it unless you're looking for it. The dark bridge and saddle and black tape work well together. The OP has said he doesn't have the tools to do what most have recommended and if that's the case, the tape will work just fine.

    A fingernail file? Well, maybe a couple of dozen fingernail fines.
    David Hopkins

    2001 Gibson F-5L mandolin
    Breedlove Legacy FF mandolin; Breedlove Quartz FF mandolin
    Gibson F-4 mandolin (1916); Blevins f-style Octave mandolin, 2018
    McCormick Oval Sound Hole "Reinhardt" Mandolin
    McCormick Solid Body F-Style Electric Mandolin; Slingerland Songster Guitar (c. 1939)

    The older I get, the less tolerant I am of political correctness, incompetence and stupidity.

  20. #19

    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Quote Originally Posted by Marty Jacobson View Post
    I take the top of the bridge off, sand the post down, and dome it beneath the level of the wood so it looks intentional and nice. The posts aren't supposed to stick up above the wood, there's no need.
    This is the best solution. While you're at it, you can sand down the sharp edges of the saddle too.

  21. #20
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    Default Re: Naked Bridge Post Is Shredding My Palm

    Since this is bridge post problem is a problem caused by another problem, if you care about this mandolin it might be best to get the neck fixed... Then you don't have to butcher the post.

    If fixing the neck just isn't practical, I'd highly suggest removing the original post and putting a shorter one in it's place, so you still have an option of using this bridge at proper height again on this or another mandolin. You can find the screw size by finding the nut size that fits the original post, or by fitting the adjuster on the proper size screw. Then cut the new screw down to the size you need, and slot it if necessary.

    Bridges are replaceable, yes, but it's a lot less expensive to replace the post in advance, and save the post that the bridge was made with.

    Also a possibility: The original post may have "unscrewed" with being adjusted and may just need screwing back down into the bridge base. Worth a try, but be careful not to extend the post further down than the bridge base, so as to not put a hole in the mandolin top with the post.
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