These changes were made to accommodate a growing European market and to reduce the number of stocking/inventory parts I need to make and for builders and dealers to buy.
The main changes are:
1) There are now three arch-top mandolin base sizes: Tall, Low and Ultra-low. I'll still offer the flat mandolin bridge for Flat-top instruments.
2) There are new adjustment screws: 3 mm stainless set screws with 3 mm brass inserts. These replaced the rather odd 5-40 custom inserts that were used.
3) The adjustment “L” wrenches are 1.5 mm and gold colored.
4) A small indentation has been added to the base, between the slots, to identify the new bases that use 3 mm screws.
5) The bottom arch is full-contact rather than a two-foot design. In the past, I've offered both - with the two-foot as the standard but I have been getting more requests for full-contact bases. So, this change was based on my belief that anyone who can fit a bridge can make a full-contact bridge into a two-foot bridge, if desired, but a two-foot cannot be converted into a full-contact. Is this a reasonable assumption?
6) All arch-top bridges will be shipped with radius saddles. - In the past, flat saddles were standard and radius saddles were by request. It is easy to sand a radius saddle flat but much harder to make a flat saddle have a radius. Again, is sanding a radius saddle flat a reasonable expectation for my customers?
A complete bridge package will contain: an ebony base, wedges, short and tall intonated saddles, and a 1.5 mm adjustment wrench.
Thanks, in advance, for any guidance or feedback on these changes.
Vern Brekke
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