F5 G question

[Ace]

I own and play a Gibson F5 G built in 03. I have been told by pro players that it has what is believed to be as good a tone as the best ever built. It was owned by a pro player that played it real regular and everyone says that in itself is what helped it to open up.
I use nothing but Elixer Medium strings on it and I like the way they sound and wear and they are also not too hard on the fingers anymore.

I am about past due to change the strings. I say this because it recently has lost something in the tone. It sounds a little flat at all times and has lost that 'bark" it always had. They have been changed in the past a few times but I have never heard this flat sound before. I have been playing it more and playing more 4 finger closed chords so I guess it's past due for strings.

My question is, I REALLY want to change the bridge to a Brekke all wood bridge just to see what, if any, difference it makes. I know it made a difference on my Rover Rm-75 and I like the all wood feature. I have two and keep saying when I change the strings, I will try it but...

has anyone any opinions of this change, good or bad?

Oh and as a side note, I ordered two of the BC pics after reading the thread last night for 3 hours. I guess I just have to see for myself since I am a die hard shell user!

[sgarrity]

Stick with the bridge that came with it. If it's one of the Brekke all wood adjustable bridges, I tend to call those tone suppressors. The Brekke traditional bridge sounds much better to my ears.

[Chris Biorkman]

I think you should keep the traditional bridge. Most of the posts I have seen comparing the traditional vs. the Brekke have noted a decrease in volume with the Brekke.

[woodwizard]

I've had a F5G in the past. They are good mandolins. As for your bridge ... wouldn't hurt just to try it and see especially sense you already have it to try. If you don't like it...it wouldn't be too hard to change back to the original. All you have to do is fit the new bridge to your F5G right?

I hoping to run into someone that has a BC pic I can try before I take the plunge to get one. No luck so far.

[TomTyrrell]

If it sounds great don't mess with it.

Strings go dead. Dead strings sound dead. There isn't a bridge in the world that will change that.

[lenf12]

........and keep in mind that you put the Brekke bridge on a Rover mandolin. Just about anything would improve the sound. I believe the stock bridge on a Rover (maybe poorly fitted as well??) isn't even made of ebony so replacing the bridge with a well fitted Brekke would yield huge improvements in volume and tone. The bridge on a Gibson F-5G is pretty good to begin with so extrapolate from there. Time to change your strings and really appreciate your Gibson. I had a '96 Weber signed F-5G (Montana Gibson) at one time that was simply incredible.

Enjoy it!!
Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Mike Snyder]

Can't hurt anything to try any alternate bridge. I would not be too optimistic, but who knows? I had one fitted on a Flatiron A in attempt to bump up the volume, but no dice. You'll find that many of us F5G owners are quite happy with our instruments. Mine does not sound as good as many I have played, and sounds better than many others. But, it's mine, and its payed for, and I'm keepin' it. I can't afford to chase after good, better, best. But, oh, those ovals are eating a hole in me.

[woodwizard]

Mike ... sure wish you hadn't said that "O" word. I'm still saving for one.

[Big Joe]

I would save the money for the bridge, and get a really good setup. That should bring the sparkle back to your mandolin. Even a slight movement of the bridge from where it should be will give the mandolin a less lively tone. Your bridge may even be leaning forward. Should that happen it may make the mandolin not have the tone it should even if the base is in the right spot. Most often when an instrument begins to lose its former tone it is in the set up. The Brekke bridge is not likely to solve your issues.

[Ace]

Thanks guys! I have decided to keep it as it is and hopefully when the strings are changed, it will come back to what it once was and that was great!

[Nolan]

Big Joe has some sage advice in his post....
I'll bet your bridge has started tilting forward slightly. My F-9 did the same thing... I thought it was losing "something" in the sound. I showed it to Danny Roberts and the first thing he did when he looked at it was say, "Do you mind?" and preceded to tilt the bridge back under tension! It totally changed the sound. I wouldn't trust myself or really anyone else to do that adjustment under tension like that but I figured the guy signing the master models was qualified.

[kelvin]

Ace,
Leave the bridge original, change the strings, and have your mando set up again. I also have and F5G that I purchased after getting some good advise from Big Joe and I just love it. Like yours a lot of folks have commented on its sound. I had to have some fret work done on it and had it set up and even though it sounded great before it is even nicer now. I can't imagine changing out the bridge on my mando would make a very big difference.

Just my two cents
Kelvin

[Skip Kelley]

Ace, I agree with the others. Untill you get a set-up, you can always look at the bridge and make sure it is not leaning and if it is, simply tilt it back towards the tailpiece.

[Ace]

Well guys guess what? With all the great advice, and similar advice, I looked at the bridge and it WAS leaning back or up towards the fingerboard slightly. I had the better half verify my eyes with hers. She agreed it was so after building up enough courage, I decided to straighten it up where it belongs.
I put both thumbs, one on each side of the foot and used my two index fingers, one on each side of the saddle and gently pulled towards the tail piece. The first time I felt it move so I checked it and it was still slightly leaning so I repeated the procedure 2 more times until we both think it's dead straight vertical. Well I noticed the tuning of the strings stays tuned and it's tuned more direct if thats what I'm trying to say. Back when I noticed a change in the tone, the tuning would fluctuate up and down and never be really exact. It is now, and although the sound it had is somewhat back, it still lacks a little something, so now I will change the strings. I'm hoping that will be the ticket!
I can tell that straightening the bridge made a big difference!

Thanks guys!

[fredfrank]

I think that tuning up a new set of strings will have a tendency to pull the top of the bridge forward (towards the fingerboard). I always check this after changing strings.

[Big Joe]

It was not unusual for the bridges to be cut a bit off so they leaned forward in the 03 era. The guy who was fitting the bridges had a worn bridge fit tool and it cut them so they leaned a bit forward. Once the bridge is properly refit it should do just fine. Again, a professional set up will make a world of difference on the tone and playability of your mandolin.

[Fretbear]

Good job Ace; that move you had to do is almost basic mandolin upkeep, as it gets pulled forward by tuning and you might have noticed by now that we tend to tune a bit....what you did seems to have worked, I tend to prefer to push it back upright with the mandolin's tailpiece end resting on a chair between my knees and the headstock resting on my chest. You might notice that the old sound can take a bit of time to come back as the bridge settles back in. When you change your strings, one at a time to keep the bridge in place, you can also get into the habit of restraining the top saddle with your right hand pinky or thumb as you tune-up to help prevent it from creeping forward on you, especially if, as like Joe says, your mandolin has a particular tendency to want to do that.

[kelvin]

This is an interesting thread and has got me to thinking about the way I change out my strings. When I change strings I lay a piece of tape along side my bridge to mark the position of the bridge and i remove all of my strings at once. While I have the strings off i clean and apply a polish to my mandolin. I also wipe down the neck and headstock.

Mabey it would be better to change strings one at a time......How does everyone else do it?

Also my f5g does not have a pick guard and I am beginning to see some wear near the bottom f hole where my pinkey lightly brushes as I play. What does it cost to have a pick guard installed?

Kelvin

[Steve Ostrander]

Ace, you can try the old paper trick. If you can slide a piece of office paper under the bridge at any point, it's not fit properly and needs to be reset. Changing strings and retuning can tend to move the bridge forward.

Your F5G could have had as many as 30 or more string changes, which could be enough to creep the bridge forward.

I replace strings about every 4-6 weeks. I don't play every day, and my hand chemistry seems to go pretty easy on strings. YMMV.

[lenf12]

This is an interesting thread and has got me to thinking about the way I change out my strings....Maybe it would be better to change strings one at a time......How does everyone else do it?

Also my f5g does not have a pick guard.....What does it cost to have a pick guard installed?

Kelvin

I rarely remove all of the strings from any of my mandos or guitars, perhaps once a year or less frequently. On the mandolins, I change a pair at a time so the bridge stays put. Regarding the pickguard (or finger rest), they can be a bit pricey to buy and install. Darryl Wolf makes a Loar replica F-5 PGs that he sells for about $150 that will then need to be installed (2 holes drilled in the side of the neck, pins inserted and a hole drilled in the side of the mandolin for the support screw, ouch!!). Total cost would be about $200 (ouch!! again). I really like the look of the abbreviated PG on Collings MF-5 Deluxes. Darryl may make you a really nice one. If you shop around at the usual places including the Cafe Calssifieds accessories, you may find something nice. Good luck!!

Len B.
Clearwater, FL

[Ace]

Here is an update on what happened since posting this. I changed the strings to Elixer Mediums as that is what I always use. I did NOT change nor did I even try the Brekke Bridge on my F5 G and that night my teacher (friend) came over. He plays professionally and when he started picking my mandolin, he instantly became really jealous. You see, he also plays an F5 G and says, mine is way better than his. It just came ALIVE. The Bark it has sounds like a mad junk yard dog but when you play a nice sweet sounding tune, it reminds you of a sleeping kitten. It ALL came back just like I remembered it. I have also had the neck finish removed and the action lowered to where it doesn't buzz and it plays really easy and VERY LOUD! Now add all that to my new BC pic and what else can I say. WHAT an instrument! Only thing left needed is a player. I mean a GOOD player. Remember, I'm just a beginner that has many hours and hours to go to become even close to being called a player of any kind let alone good, but my practice now continues on and on and on and on every chance I get. Most recent tune on my list that I am beginning to learn is "Julianne"!

Thanks...

[woodwizard]

Glad it worked out for you Ace. Keep pickin'

[Mike Snyder]

It don't matter, if I live to be a hundred, there'll always be a place in my heart for Julieanne..........
...................and the F5G.

[Steve Perry]

It don't matter, if I live to be a hundred, there'll always be a place in my heart for Julieanne..........
...................and the F5G.

Ummmm.... isn't that Mary Ann? Regardless... Good Jimmy Martin song... and LRB too!

[Ace]

Yea that's Maryanne, not Julianne! Julianne is the one that was planning on leaving and Maryanne is the one that was already gone! I think she died if I read the song right! None the less, I am trying to learn both of them and Maryanne I have pretty good so far, Julieanne is still being worked on along with Rebecca, and little cabin home on the hill!

Practice Practice Practice LOL