When I started working as the engineer for Gibson/Flatiron in 1995, in Belgrade, MT, Gibson had the majority of the domestic mandolin manufacturing and sales market. I believe it was something over...
Type: Posts; User: VernBrekke
When I started working as the engineer for Gibson/Flatiron in 1995, in Belgrade, MT, Gibson had the majority of the domestic mandolin manufacturing and sales market. I believe it was something over...
Recently, I learned that the contact page on my website has not been contacting me. I just want to apologize if anyone has tried to contact me through the website and did not get a reply back. I...
"The post on a Brekke Traditional bridge can't possibly turn in that design without major obvious damage to the saddle and probably to the bridge and the instrument itself."
That is true some of...
To answer John's question, the intonation cuts on the saddle are deep enough that the compensation will not change when a radius saddle is sanded flat. That is, the intonation cut is straight at the...
Thanks for the responses everyone. I appreciate your thoughts on the bridges very much and appreciate that the changes do not seem unreasonable. My main focus with these changes has been a...
I’m hoping to get some feedback from the players, builders and dealers on this forum about changes that I have made to my original Brekke mandolin bridges. Basically, do the changes seem reasonable?...
Brett, please correct this if I am wrong, but as far as I remember, these were the general models when Weber was in Montana. Although, the elements of the models were often mixed and matched per a...
If the picture is of your bridge, it looks like you have a tall base. Weber also made a shorter base so you could sand down the top of the base extensions a bit (but as mentioned, as long as you...
Hi Pete,
I would also suggest contacting Bruce at Montana Lutherie. If the neck has changed it can affect the bridge height so it's possible that your truss rod may need adjustment and he's good...
The Brekke/Weber Traditional bridges used a 4-40 threaded nut. There were also two bridge base heights.
If your instrument has the taller bridge base (pronounced pedestals for the adjustment...
No problem Martin, it does look a bit chunky but it's not quite as bad in person. The interior of the bridge was brass (might have been a couple made of aluminum) with an ebony cover. The cover was...
Hi Martin,
That was one of the bridges that I made for the Mavericks. I believe that it was one of the later versions as I still have some parts for that style. We didn't do enough Mavericks to...
Hi AlanN,
The confusion comes from the early years of Weber, Sound To Earth. For a period of time, they referred to all the bridge designs that I developed and they sold as "Brekke" bridges. ...
Actually, the tailpiece was designed to keep the instrument cost down and to enhance player comfort. Because the Sweet Pea has such a small body, I felt that having a tailpiece stick up over the top...
Hi all,
I just finished a project for Frank Smith, who started TowHaul/Smith Equipment, my day job. He's been retired for awhile but has created Music Ranch Montana, to bring in musical groups...
Actually, I make an adjustable bridge that works for most flat top instruments.
Vern Brekke
www.bridgerproducts.com
Hi Ken,
Steve is familiar with my bridges (at one time, he gave me a quote to cut them) and has talked to me about adapting the general design to his instruments. Unfortunately, my wedge system...
Thanks for the recommendation Daryl. I do sell an adjustable bridge that is specifically designed for flat-top mandolins...
Vern Brekke
Bridger Products
It is possible to shorten the wedges to get a lower saddle height if the saddle has not bottomed out at the lowest position of the wedges. It is also possible to sand the bottom of the saddle to get...
Thanks for the nice recommendation Daryl. I've done so many custom original bridges over the years that there are a much greater range of adjustable bridge heights, widths and styles for mandolin,...
There were several reasons why Weber used a mortise and tenon joint on their necks with machine screws and barrel nuts:
1) The mortise and tenon blanks/bodies were much easier to cut...
The Richlite was easy to machine and it sanded and buffed well. The material was a bit darker than the ebony that I used for the other bridge and the feel was more similar to wood than phenolic.
...
Does anyone have experience with using Richlite for bridges? I just cut a custom bridge for a customer/builder from a blank of Richlite that he sent me (the Richlite had a made in Montana sticker...
Helen Beausoleil is amazing and a great person to work with. One of those unknown luthier/builders who have the skills and experience to make a great instrument.
She started with Steve Carlson...
Bruce Weber, Montana Lutherie, and I prototyped a new tailpiece/armrest concept (similiar to my Weber design but I think better) for his new instruments last Saturday that uses magnets to allow...