Results 1 to 7 of 7

Thread: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

  1. #1
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    Had a Cumberland Acoustic bridge fitted to my Eastman 305 a few days ago, and it was well worth it. Does it make it a $10,000 mandolin? Nope. Did the bridge (and/or the bridge fitting) make it a better Eastman? Most definitely - sustain is better, sound is smoother (?), more balanced between strings and notes and more subtle, response at low volume is better, dynamics are better. Is it louder? Dunno, but the 305 isn't quiet to start with. It's all round nicer to play (and it was OK out of the box), for a relatively small additional spend. Of course, I don't know whether the bridge on its own did this, or the fitting, or both, so results may or may not be replicable.

  2. #2

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    Just out of interest - who did the fitting work for you? Or did you do it yourself?

  3. #3
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    A guitar and mandolin builder called Cas Davey who lives in Redruth, Cornwall UK did the work. He said it's not uncommon for OE mandolin bridges to sink into the finish a bit, which can complicate the job. Fortunately the finish on the Eastman 305 is quite thin, and the OE bridge has a very slightly larger footprint than the new bridge, so that wasn't a great issue.

  4. The following members say thank you to maxr for this post:


  5. #4

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    Great write up on the changes you notice with the Cumberland bridge- Thanks for sharing.

  6. #5
    I really look like that soliver's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2015
    Location
    Marietta, GA
    Posts
    1,745

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    I'm a fan of CA bridges! Steve sent me one for an instrument I had in the past as well as one for my first build which I finished a while back and it did a great job on both instruments!

    Good to hear how well it worked for you on your Eastman!
    aka: Spencer
    Silverangel Econo A #429
    Soliver #001 & #002: A double stack of Pancakes.

    Soliver Hand Crafted Mandolins and Mandolin Armrests
    Armrests Here -- Mandolins Here

    "You can never cross the ocean unless you have the courage
    to lose sight of the shore, ...and also a boat with no holes in it.” -anonymous

  7. #6
    Registered User Jairo Ramos's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2013
    Location
    Colombia, Sudamérica
    Posts
    300

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    Since I have a 305 too, I take this post to ask a question.

    My plans are to buy a cumberland bridge - I understand it must have a 12-inch radius, but I'm not sure when it comes to size. Which one should I choose, the standard, the tall boy or the low boy? Should the base be full contact or standard?

    I'm sure these questions will be answered on the cumberland site, but I would like to hear opinions from users. Greetings!
    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!

  8. #7
    Registered User
    Join Date
    Feb 2018
    Location
    Guildford + Falmouth England
    Posts
    916

    Default Re: Cumberland Acoustic bridge on Eastman 305

    Mine is standard height, I guess if you measure your OE one, Cumberland would advise which model fits best. The base is standard format, although the arch between the feet is quite small on mine once fitted. A luthier, or Cumberland, might better advise on the probable effect of a full contact (ie no arch between the feet) bridge, I don't know what that does.

Bookmarks

Bookmarks

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •