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Thread: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

  1. #1
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Default Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    I'm looking for a replacement bridge for an Epiphone MandoBird VIII. Since Moongazer is out of business and Andrew Jerman no longer has any drop-in replacements, I am looking to see what might be available on the used market.

  2. #2
    Luthier&Pickup maker ret. Soundfarmer Pete's Avatar
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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Hey Roger, nothing wrong with the original with a couple of tweaks.
    In my experience, the neck angle as standard is wrong so the bridge is usually as low as it will go and often the action is too high.
    Since the strings are at different tensions, fretting the strings higher up the neck will result in differing degrees of sharpness...... so.......
    If you shim the neck around 1mm close to the pickup, the neck will tilt back enabling you to raise the bridge (and lower the action).
    D`Addario electric guitar strings gauged 0.010", 0.014", 0.024" and 0.036" enable perfect intonation with a few adjustments.

    How often do you see acoustic mandolins with fully adjustable tailpieces?

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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Roger,
    I can make you a brass one but I haven't any plans to have bridges plated anytime soon. The minimum cost is so high now that it puts the price out of reach based on demand. I could also post and/or send you the drilling template for a drop in.

    What exactly is your issue with it? Action or intonation. Or a combination of both?

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  6. #4
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Quote Originally Posted by thistle3585 View Post
    Roger,
    I can make you a brass one but I haven't any plans to have bridges plated anytime soon. The minimum cost is so high now that it puts the price out of reach based on demand. I could also post and/or send you the drilling template for a drop in.

    What exactly is your issue with it? Action or intonation. Or a combination of both?
    Thanks, Andrew! This Mandobird has the one piece saddle with screws at each end for length and set screws for height. I prefer having individually adjustable saddles if I can get them.

  7. #5

    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Quote Originally Posted by zoukboy View Post
    Thanks, Andrew! This Mandobird has the one piece saddle with screws at each end for length and set screws for height. I prefer having individually adjustable saddles if I can get them.
    Let me see what I can come up with. I have your email and will be in touch in a couple days.

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  9. #6
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    So, update on what I've come up with for the MandoBird VIII:

    I got a Gotoh 12 string bridge and pulled 4 of the double saddles. Drilled four 1/8" holes in the back of the stock Epi bridge for the Gotoh saddle length screws (1/8" bit, four holes 7mm up from the baseplate on 13mm centers. These new saddles block one of the two stock string holes at the back of the bridge but the other in each pair is still usable, so I drilled four 1/8" holes through the baseplate to allow the other four strings to come from the back through string ferrules (which is how the Gotoh is designed), and then drilled through the body. Still waiting on the ferrules but so far, so good. This is not cheap or easy but I think it will be a really viable alternative to the crappy stock bridge saddle, which only sits on two tiny set screws at each end (GOT to be a tonesucker!).

    Thanks to Pete Mallinson of Almuse for the drop-in replacement pickup!

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  10. #7
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Update:

    String ferrules installed on the back and instrument strung up with D'Addario .010pl .015pl .024nw .036nw. Bridge works very well. Wider 42mm string spacing from stock 40mm (necessitated by Gotoh bridge double saddles' 3mm intra course spacing compared to stock bridge's 2.5mm intra course spacing) work well, but pole piece spacing on Almuse drop-in replacement pickup is obviously gauged for stock spacing. Good news is the first course sounds great compared to the stock pickup, and even though the lowest of the G strings is off axis for the pole piece it does not seem to affect the sound at all.

    VERY impressed with Almuse pickup (which does not surprise me since I have a Phantom Electric bouzouki from Pete Mallinson, and am running one of his soundhole pickups in my Herb Taylor bouzouiki).

    So far the hybrid stock-bridge-with-Gotoh-Saddles intonates almost perfectly with all four saddles adjusted down flat on the bridge base, but since the E course is just a hair sharp I think I will take Pete Mallinson's advice and shim the neck 1mm so I can get that course in tune. I think that will require raising the other courses a bit to keep them in tune.

    Here are photos:

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  11. #8
    Registered User zoukboy's Avatar
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    Default Re: Replacement bridge for Epiphone MandoBird VIII?

    Just wanted to add that the bridge upgrade GREATLY improved the tone and sustain as each pair of strings sits on a double saddle that rests on the bridge baseplate. The stock bridge had a pot metal saddle that was only adjustable for height and angle (no individual intonation adjustment) and it rested on only 2 tiny set screws - one at either end of the saddle - and so had very poor coupling to the bridge.

    Really pleased with the bridge and pickup (Almuse) upgrades!

    Cheers,

    Quote Originally Posted by zoukboy View Post
    Update:

    String ferrules installed on the back and instrument strung up with D'Addario .010pl .015pl .024nw .036nw. Bridge works very well. Wider 42mm string spacing from stock 40mm (necessitated by Gotoh bridge double saddles' 3mm intra course spacing compared to stock bridge's 2.5mm intra course spacing) work well, but pole piece spacing on Almuse drop-in replacement pickup is obviously gauged for stock spacing. Good news is the first course sounds great compared to the stock pickup, and even though the lowest of the G strings is off axis for the pole piece it does not seem to affect the sound at all.

    VERY impressed with Almuse pickup (which does not surprise me since I have a Phantom Electric bouzouki from Pete Mallinson, and am running one of his soundhole pickups in my Herb Taylor bouzouiki).

    So far the hybrid stock-bridge-with-Gotoh-Saddles intonates almost perfectly with all four saddles adjusted down flat on the bridge base, but since the E course is just a hair sharp I think I will take Pete Mallinson's advice and shim the neck 1mm so I can get that course in tune. I think that will require raising the other courses a bit to keep them in tune.

    Here are photos:

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