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Thread: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

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    Registered User MandoTyro's Avatar
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    Default Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    I have seen some discussions about upgrading the bridge and strings on the Trinity College 325 OM.

    I am planning to change the strings to D'Addario J80

    My concern is the Bridge. There were discussions about upgrading the bridge. I would love to hear what bridge upgrades people used who own the Trinity College 325 (or 625) Octave Mandolin and their thoughts of the bridge.
    Last edited by MandoTyro; Feb-13-2013 at 9:29am.
    John
    Weber Gallatin A
    Trinity College TM-325B Octave Mandolin

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    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Why don't you start with the new strings and go from there? Strings can make a huge difference in sound. I use D'Addario J80 on a TC 325 OM with good results. I'm not sure a new bridge is going to make that much of a difference in sound, but would love to hear what others think. I think a new bridge can help with intonation or action problems but for improving sound I believe it is a crap shoot. I've looked for an adjustable bridge for the flat top TC 325 OM since the action seemed just a tad high for my liking, but I've since reconsidered and gotten used to the action.

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    Registered User MandoTyro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Thanks - I already have the strings (in anticipation of this) and will start there...

    Never replaced strings, so it will be an adventure.

    Question: In string replacement, how far into the nut and the bridge should the strings lay? -o- -O-
    John
    Weber Gallatin A
    Trinity College TM-325B Octave Mandolin

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    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    In the nut pretty far but in the bridge not that much. But you shouldn't need to make any modifications on your OM with those J80 strings...they should fit just fine in your nut and bridge grooves as they are.


    Never replaced strings before! Pull the tail piece cover off. Since you are keeping your bridge this time around just replace the strings one at a time to keep the intonation set. I start with the lowest first, keep loosening at the tuner until you can undo the loop end from the tailpiece and unwind it from the tuning peg and take it off. Then put the new one by looping it at the tail piece, then run the other end into the tuning peg hole. Leave about an inch of slack (leave enough room for about a wind and a half around the tuning peg) some people like to make a 90 bend in the string there, and tighten the tuner until the string holds in place. Make sure the string is sitting in the groove on the bridge, in the nut and that the winding is neat and tidy. Then tune the string up to its proper pitch (but it won't stay in tune for long at first...don't worry about this.) Keep stringing the rest of the strings in this manner one at a time. You will have some floppy left overs at the top, trim these off about 1 mm from the tuning peg with a wire snipper. Then re-tune all your strings, play/stretch (grab one at the 12th fret and pull it up about 1 inch) them, re-tune, repeat. It might take a day or two for them to stretch out and hold their tune. They will sound much brighter than what you had on before, but over time (a week or so of playing) they will mellow out. Have fun.
    Last edited by jmp; Feb-13-2013 at 6:29pm.

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    Registered User Tom Cherubini's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Speaking of loosening the tuners is there any such thing as a mandolin tuning knob turner as is made for guitar?
    So chi sono.

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    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    I use a tuning crank made for a guitar, it works fine on the mandolin. The size of the actual tuners is not that much different between the two.

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    Registered User Tom Cherubini's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by jmp View Post
    I use a tuning crank made for a guitar, it works fine on the mandolin. The size of the actual tuners is not that much different between the two.
    I haven't tried my guiter crank, thinking that there might not be enough room between the knobs. They're very close.
    So chi sono.

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    Market Man Barry Wilson's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    I wrap the strings aroiund the tuner post bottom up 3 or 4 winds then through hole. dont need a tuner crank then

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    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoTyro View Post
    Never replaced strings
    You haven't even lived yet! This is an important exercise of building trust between you and your instrument.
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

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    Registered User MandoTyro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Well... I am alive! Strings replaced...
    John
    Weber Gallatin A
    Trinity College TM-325B Octave Mandolin

  11. #11
    but that's just me Bertram Henze's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoTyro View Post
    Well... I am alive! Strings replaced...
    Congrats to pass the first of initiation rites!
    Now we come to the part where you barefoot your way over the hot glass shards of playing with others
    the world is better off without bad ideas, good ideas are better off without the world

  12. #12
    Registered User MandoTyro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    That is a LONG LONG LONG LONG way off (if ever)! <I stink>
    John
    Weber Gallatin A
    Trinity College TM-325B Octave Mandolin

  13. #13
    Barn Cat Mandolins Bob Clark's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    Quote Originally Posted by MandoTyro View Post
    That is a LONG LONG LONG LONG way off (if ever)! <I stink>
    Nah, I don't believe that you stink. I believe you are beginning and have lots of potential. I think that's a much more optimistic viewpoint. You will one day be better at playing than you are now. We all will be. That's the joy of it.

    Let us know what you think of the new strings!
    Purr more, hiss less. Barn Cat Mandolins Photo Album

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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    John,

    I haven't owned a 325, but played several and looked at a lot of pictures of the TC bridge design wondering why they don't change it. It seems to me that the quality of the bridge, with the ebony base and bone saddle, is pretty good. But the saddle positions they use, which look exactly the same as on the basic TC mandolin bridge, which uses two wound and two plain steel courses, are wrong for the OM that uses three wound courses. So if I were upgrading my OM bridge, I would specifically consider this, and find a bridge, or have one made, with more correct saddle positions for the 2nd-3rd-4th wound strings.

    Ie, if you were looking at the instrument upright from the front, the stock OM bridge saddles positions are
    (G) set back (D) set forward (A) back (E) forward


    but should be:
    (G) set back (D) middle (A) forward (E) forward

    Hope that makes sense.
    Last edited by acousticphd; Feb-28-2013 at 1:43pm. Reason: typo
    Jeff Rohrbough
    "Listen louder, play softer"

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    Registered User MandoTyro's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    The saddle position does make sense...

    However, what is the affect of the positions on the bridge? And why does the wound strings need different 'positions' on the bridge?

    Thanks
    John
    Weber Gallatin A
    Trinity College TM-325B Octave Mandolin

  16. #16
    Registered User jmp's Avatar
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    Default Re: Trinity College 325 OM - Bridge

    @acousticphd this is an excellent point. I always string my 325 with 2nd-3rd-4th wound strings like the D'Addario J80. Since the 325 is short scale, these heavier strings really improve the sound. But the bridge could then be better compensated to match, otherwise I need to tilt the bridge a bit to get good intonation, which I do (per the discussion on another thread)

    I have heard that TC factory ships their OM's with lighter strings that have both 1st and 2nd course unwound, so this might explain their bridge design choice. However, I bought mine used with professional setup and the luthier strongly suggested using the heaviest strings possible, which I do.

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