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Thread: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

  1. #1
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
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    Default Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    I received as a gift from a member of the forum an Eastman 305 mandolin. As I saw that the bridge came in a rather strange position, I decided after changing the strings for new ones to reposition the bridge according to all the rules I know, it is not my first mandolin , I have some experience.

    After a long time and a lot of damaged strings, I had not managed to get a perfect intonation. I use an electronic tuner. There were always problems ... in order not to lengthen the story, I decided to move the bridge to the original position, and finally achieve a correct intonation.

    The question is the following: as seen in the photo, is that position correct, or does the bridge have a problem? even on my cheap Chinese mandolins the bridge has always been perpendicular to the fretboard.

    Click image for larger version. 

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    Thanks in advance to those who wish to give an opinion ...
    Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life. Auerbach.
    The rejection of 'the others' is a tragedy of the human being; If it comes from emigrants, an added horror!

  2. #2

    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    I don’t think the bridges on any of my mandolins have been perpendicular to the frets. They’re not way off, but the plain string side has always been closer to the neck.
    Soliver arm rested and Tone-Garded Northfield Model M with D’Addario NB 11.5-41, picked with a Wegen Bluegrass 1.4

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    Orrig Onion HonketyHank's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    It is hard to tell because of the camera angle, but it looks to me like the saddle may be reversed on the bridge. If so, reverse it and you probably will be able to get good intonation with the bridge feet more nearly perpendicular to the strings. Maybe not exactly perpendicular, but not so noticeably skew.

    You might also want to check the bridge fit. It might be that the whole bridge and saddle is reversed. Sometimes you will find a pencilled "B" or "T" under one foot indicating "Bass" or "Treble".
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  4. #4

    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    The angle makes it difficult, but it doesn’t appear to be abnormal. As long as the intonation is good, and the bridge appears to fit well, it shouldn’t matter.
    Soliver arm rested and Tone-Garded Northfield Model M with D’Addario NB 11.5-41, picked with a Wegen Bluegrass 1.4

  5. #5
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    Quote Originally Posted by MediumMando5722 View Post
    I don’t think the bridges on any of my mandolins have been perpendicular to the frets. They’re not way off, but the plain string side has always been closer to the neck.
    well, maybe I was exaggerating when saying perpendicular ... maybe I should have said more aligned, not so inclined ...
    Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life. Auerbach.
    The rejection of 'the others' is a tragedy of the human being; If it comes from emigrants, an added horror!

  6. #6
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    Quote Originally Posted by HonketyHank View Post
    It is hard to tell because of the camera angle, but it looks to me like the saddle may be reversed on the bridge. If so, reverse it and you probably will be able to get good intonation with the bridge feet more nearly perpendicular to the strings. Maybe not exactly perpendicular, but not so noticeably skew.

    You might also want to check the bridge fit. It might be that the whole bridge and saddle is reversed. Sometimes you will find a pencilled "B" or "T" under one foot indicating "Bass" or "Treble".
    Well, I was guided by the grooves of the strings ... the G's are wider than the E's ...
    Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life. Auerbach.
    The rejection of 'the others' is a tragedy of the human being; If it comes from emigrants, an added horror!

  7. #7
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
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    Default Re: Eastman 305 Bridge Question

    Thanks for the answers ... my idea is that if it sounds good, it is fine ... although I do not stop worrying about such a pronounced angle ...

    Basically my concern is that I plan to make the effort and buy a Cumberland bridge ... since I have to fix it myself, I was looking for opinions to be sure if it was the bridge or some mandolin design problem ...
    Music washes away from the soul the dust of every-day life. Auerbach.
    The rejection of 'the others' is a tragedy of the human being; If it comes from emigrants, an added horror!

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