New Mandolin Style

[Mandoplumb]

I fail to see how a radius bridge is a compensating bridge. Is the bridge radius against a flat fingerboard?? Seems that would make correct intonation impossible. I’m not trying to fault your lnnovations, I have thought for some time that with humidity control an adjustable bridge is unnecessary and am thinking of a solid bridge, just picking your brain on the pros and cons

[Patrick.little]

I fail to see how a radius bridge is a compensating bridge. Is the bridge radius against a flat fingerboard?? Seems that would make correct intonation impossible. I’m not trying to fault your lnnovations, I have thought for some time that with humidity control an adjustable bridge is unnecessary and am thinking of a solid bridge, just picking your brain on the pros and cons

The radius of the fingerboard is a 7.25 inch radius at the nut and a 12 inch radius at the 12th fret. I think the reason for it not needing to be compensated is that most mandolin bridges are flat and a radiused one allows you to be more linear on the bridge like a violin bridge that doesn't need to be compensated. I'm not too sure of the pros and cons of it. A pro could be that if your fingerboard has a tighter radius to it, a 7.25 or 9, it would allow for the E and G strings to be a little bit closer to the fretboard. A con is definitely the adjustability of the bridge and it would have to be fit very precisely to your mandolin. And I'm not sure how a adjustable vs a set bridge effects the tone. I need to do some experimenting on my bridge design so I will get back to you if I find anything out through those trials and errors.

[Jim Garber]

I think the reason for it not needing to be compensated is that most mandolin bridges are flat and a radiused one allows you to be more linear on the bridge like a violin bridge that doesn't need to be compensated. I'm not too sure of the pros and cons of it.

I maybe misunderestanding you but a mandolin needs to be compensated because it is a fretted instrument. A violin is not and therefore the player can make compensation or, actually, intonation adjustments.

BTW Red Henry did a lot of experimentation on fixed violin-style bridges. Check out this link.

[Patrick.little]

I maybe misunderestanding you but a mandolin needs to be compensated because it is a fretted instrument. A violin is not and therefore the player can make compensation or, actually, intonation adjustments.

BTW Red Henry did a lot of experimentation on fixed violin-style bridges. Check out this link.

Ya I guess I wasn't thinking about fretted vs non fretted. But I think it also has to do with string gauge so one a guitar you would compensated the saddle for the B and the E string. Sometimes guitars don't need a compensated saddle, usually classical guitars and some acoustics that are set up for it. Maybe there was something I did in the setup that caused me not to have to compensate it. I'm honestly not sure why this is the case on this mandolin. I was fully expecting to have to compensate the bridge when I was doing the final setup.
Thank you for the link hopefully I will be able to fix my bridge