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Saddle Intra-Course and Inter-Course Spacing
New to mandolin, with new used (70's vintage?) Hondo HMAN30, there's no buzzing and only the G string needs intonation correction, but the action is high. So I'm trying my hand at setup, following Rob Meldrum's detailed manual.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...setup%20saddle
Starting with the saddle, sanding the base conservatively, re-stringing, and re-tensioning, I noticed the saddle didn't have grooves so much as shallow indentations, and more than eight. I'm guessing these were made by the strings' tension cutting into the saddle.
So I'm trying to figure out what intra- and inter-course spacings I should use to cut grooves with Rob's "nut saws" made from the appropriate-thickness feeler gauges.
I found the following threads very informative, but left options wide open that makes it difficult for this mew player to know how to proceed.
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...t=saddle+setup
https://www.mandolincafe.com/forum/t...ghlight=sblock
So I'd appreciate suggestions on what intra- and inter-course spacings might be best to start with for a new player with smaller hands. (my string experience is beginner-intermediate guitar & ukulele)
The overall nut width is 1.186 (1 3/16)"; center-to-center outer E-to-outer G is ~0.96"; intra- and inter-course spacings at the nut all seem to be the same (as measured with calipers) at ~0.09" intra (E-E, A-A, D-D, G-G) and ~0.20" inter (E-A, A-D, D-G).
The saddle is continuous across the top, not segmented like many I've seen.
I initially thought the spacings at the saddle should match those at the nut. But since the FB widens, I could see why the overall G-to-E width might be increased. But it also makes sense to me to keep intra-course spacing closer together than inter-course spacing.
Also, should I be aiming for the depth of the saddle grooves to have strings half-in, half-above?
Thanks in advance.
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