I may not have explained it well because I'm coming from a guitar perspective and maybe assuming everyone knows (I haven't rewatched the video), but what you're looking for is for the 12th fret to match the open string on the tuner, across the strings. You move it so that the highest and lowest strings are intonated correctly, and if the bridge is well made, the rest will take care of itself. If the note is flat, move the bridge forward (Remember flat=forward), and if it's sharp you move it back. You want to keep rechecking the high and low strings since naturally moving one end of the bridge may move the other end, somewhat. Hope that makes sense.
Most builders will tell you to sand from top to bottom, not side to side. The top of the mandolin varies in radius and the bridge should be moved up and down on the sand paper right where it will be placed when strung.
What an awesome video! Loar should be paying you. So packed with good and sensible tips. I never thought of inonating one octave lower, have to try that. And great tip about filing the bridge down on the sides to get lower action. I just bought a Harley Benton HBMA-50E Mandolin; beautiful instrument for the price, though, the action was insanely high, so I've both stretched the trussrod and tried to file down the bridge and the nut. Unfortunately, one string peg was gone when I removed the bridge cover to change strings, but Thomann sent me a new tailpiece, so that was OK. Keep on rocking!
Great Video, thank you! I just built a Saga and realized i had no idea on how a fit the bridge and set the the intonation. This was very informative and well explained. Cheers!
I'm so glad it helped! :) If you wanna fancy it up, a Cumberland bridge is the way to go. It's expensive but the improvement in sound is perceptible. See my other videos about that.
Billkwando I have a little experience with mando setup but the few examples of these I have seen look promising! Your video was a big help! Many thanks and all the best!😉👍
Hahaha. Take a picture on your phone! Good idea. I just took all my strings off and it took me a while to figure out how they go. Then I found your video
Yeah I take a picture of anything before I start messing with it, so I know what it looked like when I started! This site is also a great resource: frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html :)
I have one of these & Love the sound more then any other even my Gibson or Kentucky! Not sure why it resonates so well, but you mentioned in another video maybe the finish?
I wonder, because the finish does seem thin, and obviously not glossy! :) If you get a Cumberland bridge, you may like it even better! (or less, it did take some adjustment even though it was louder, but I do like it better, and did almost right away).
Maybe my ears suck, but I hear Chris Thile's mandolin and it's not like it sounds any better to me (the instrument itself I mean, haha). I think he would sound equally as good playing mine. The average person certainly could never tell the difference between a $300 mandolin and a $30,000 mandolin, unless you maybe compared them side by side. Maybe. Of course, I think he can tell the year of the mandolin just by playing it and hearing it.
@@Billkwando Thanks so much for the nice response! I like the Cumberland bridge for sure it's on my Kentucky. But, I just love taking something not so great and make it better like you did to this Awesome Loar Mando. I sanded just like you showed but then epoxied the adjusting posts into the bridge base so they can't tilt. Did a little tweak to the truss rod and put a new set of Elixir Nano Strings on. Thanks to your video inspiring me to fiddle with it, It's my favorite by far :]
Thanks for that . Can I just as k does the shape of the top of the bridge follow the curve of the fret board ? Likewise the nut or is there meant to be a difference between the height off the fret for the treble string and the bass strings . I have a bouzouki , but I take it the principal is the same . Thanks
No curve or arch, and the fingerboard might as well be flat (if it isn't, it's close enough). The strings are flat, all basically the same distance from the underside of the string, to the fretboard. Here, I took you a pic: i.imgur.com/xkrHaMf.jpg
It would be very helpful if you stated wich direction to move the bridge to flatten or sharpen the 12th. My e and a are slightly sharp by approx. One increment on my tuner.. is that acceptable?
shorten the string to sharpen, lengthen the string to flatten, so move it closer to the nut for sharp and away for flat. Acceptable is when the harmonic and note match, tuner is just a guide.
I don't have an opinion on a specific thickness, if I understand your question. It's mainly about surface area, and making sure the bridge feet fit flush against the body with no gaps between.
Hey there. I have the same loar mando. I was setting it up and restringing it last night. I noticed that the bridge post screw on the treble side is bent and leaning towards the neck. Is it the same on yours? I wasn’t sure if it was actually bent or if it was drilled that way to compensate for the angle of the carved top.
David Morrow if the actual metal screw is bent and the other one isn't then that's probably not normal, but remind me in five or six hours and I'll check on my old one. I still have the original bridge sitting on my workbench
but I'm no mandologist. ;) Also I checked my old bridge, and both posts were unbent. I think you can get replacement posts pretty cheap. The Loar people might even send you some, if you ask.
I’m thinking about buy this mando. I have to ask is this necessary to do this what’s the benefit. Thanks Im in aus and I don’t no of any music store the deal enough with mando to do this
It's not something you have to do, especially if you're a beginner, but scientifically it makes sense that the better contact the bridge makes, the more vibration will transfer, resulting in a slight increase in volume (and arguably tone). Did it sound like a night and day difference? No. The Cumberland bridge did, but I liked the way the mandolin sounded even before that. You can see my video about that too. On the bright side, it's not that hard to do, especially since I made a video showing you how. LOL But no, you can get by without it, and if you get really lucky, maybe your bridge feet will make perfect contact from the factory. You can always hope! I just can't leave anything alone, so I might as well make a video while I'm at it. ;)
When you buy a USD $600 Loar, expect to put another USD $300 into it to obtain even a passable sound (unless you can do the work yourself). Even then, the instrument will decrease in value, opposed to a quality one that will increase. Best to simply save up USD $1,000 or more and just buy a good name brand Mandolin.
@@HOODBOSSOctave Mandolin - Trinity College we have found to be excellent. Traditional F style, you may try the new Epiphone MM-40L - the first one sent to us was awful, but the 2nd was good (after a professional setup). Unless you are experienced, it's worth the money to have any mail-order instrument inspected by s good luthier while you can still return it.
@@JanderVK LOL yeah. I plan on keeping this ($300, in my case) mandolin for the rest of my life, so what do I care if I've increased or decreased the monetary value, as long as I've increased its value to me? I can't tell the difference between my cheap mandolin and Chris Thile's ancient Gibson. They both sound like plunky little bastards, and no amount of money or work is going to create that much variation in audible quality, to the average listener, between the two.
You don't explain much what are you looking for in intonation 😮
I may not have explained it well because I'm coming from a guitar perspective and maybe assuming everyone knows (I haven't rewatched the video), but what you're looking for is for the 12th fret to match the open string on the tuner, across the strings. You move it so that the highest and lowest strings are intonated correctly, and if the bridge is well made, the rest will take care of itself. If the note is flat, move the bridge forward (Remember flat=forward), and if it's sharp you move it back. You want to keep rechecking the high and low strings since naturally moving one end of the bridge may move the other end, somewhat. Hope that makes sense.
I learned a lot. Gained confidence to do it myself. He gave good explanations on all my questions.
Most builders will tell you to sand from top to bottom, not side to side. The top of the mandolin varies in radius and the bridge should be moved up and down on the sand paper right where it will be placed when strung.
You'll have to take that up with frets.com, buddy ;) www.frets.com/FretsPages/Luthier/Technique/Mandolin/FitBridgeFeet/fitfeet.html
What an awesome video! Loar should be paying you. So packed with good and sensible tips. I never thought of inonating one octave lower, have to try that. And great tip about filing the bridge down on the sides to get lower action. I just bought a Harley Benton HBMA-50E Mandolin; beautiful instrument for the price, though, the action was insanely high, so I've both stretched the trussrod and tried to file down the bridge and the nut. Unfortunately, one string peg was gone when I removed the bridge cover to change strings, but Thomann sent me a new tailpiece, so that was OK. Keep on rocking!
Awesome! I have a Thomann guitar, with a whole series of videos about it. :)
Great Video, thank you! I just built a Saga and realized i had no idea on how a fit the bridge and set the the intonation. This was very informative and well explained. Cheers!
I'm so glad it helped! :) If you wanna fancy it up, a Cumberland bridge is the way to go. It's expensive but the improvement in sound is perceptible. See my other videos about that.
I’m a fairly enthusiastic mando player /restorer but have stayed away from cheap f-type mando’s going to give one of these a go though!😉👍
You should! You may have to give the bridge a quick thumb setup in the store, but it's worth the time. :)
Billkwando I have a little experience with mando setup but the few examples of these I have seen look promising! Your video was a big help! Many thanks and all the best!😉👍
Hahaha. Take a picture on your phone! Good idea. I just took all my strings off and it took me a while to figure out how they go. Then I found your video
Yeah I take a picture of anything before I start messing with it, so I know what it looked like when I started! This site is also a great resource: frets.com/FretsPages/Musician/Mandolin/MandoString/mandostring1.html
:)
Hello from England. No need to take it up with anyone. Up and down, not side to side when contouring a saddle.
I have one of these & Love the sound more then any other even my Gibson or Kentucky! Not sure why it resonates so well, but you mentioned in another video maybe the finish?
I wonder, because the finish does seem thin, and obviously not glossy! :) If you get a Cumberland bridge, you may like it even better! (or less, it did take some adjustment even though it was louder, but I do like it better, and did almost right away).
Maybe my ears suck, but I hear Chris Thile's mandolin and it's not like it sounds any better to me (the instrument itself I mean, haha). I think he would sound equally as good playing mine. The average person certainly could never tell the difference between a $300 mandolin and a $30,000 mandolin, unless you maybe compared them side by side. Maybe. Of course, I think he can tell the year of the mandolin just by playing it and hearing it.
@@Billkwando Thanks so much for the nice response! I like the Cumberland bridge for sure it's on my Kentucky. But, I just love taking something not so great and make it better like you did to this Awesome Loar Mando. I sanded just like you showed but then epoxied the adjusting posts into the bridge base so they can't tilt. Did a little tweak to the truss rod and put a new set of Elixir Nano Strings on. Thanks to your video inspiring me to fiddle with it, It's my favorite by far :]
Great video, thanks!
I'm glad you liked it! :)
Very helpful, thanks!
Yay! I'm glad it was useful! :)
Thanks for that . Can I just as k does the shape of the top of the bridge follow the curve of the fret board ? Likewise the nut or is there meant to be a difference between the height off the fret for the treble string and the bass strings . I have a bouzouki , but I take it the principal is the same . Thanks
No curve or arch, and the fingerboard might as well be flat (if it isn't, it's close enough). The strings are flat, all basically the same distance from the underside of the string, to the fretboard. Here, I took you a pic:
i.imgur.com/xkrHaMf.jpg
@@Billkwando thanks for that . Very helpful 👍
0:00 Bridge Fitting & Sanding
6:20 Filing Bridge Saddle Bottom
7:30 Intonation Setting
11:25 Wrapup and Final Notes
It would be very helpful if you stated wich direction to move the bridge to flatten or sharpen the 12th. My e and a are slightly sharp by approx. One increment on my tuner.. is that acceptable?
shorten the string to sharpen, lengthen the string to flatten, so move it closer to the nut for sharp and away for flat. Acceptable is when the harmonic and note match, tuner is just a guide.
Thank you
What is a good thickness to have the bridge feet taken down too? Or do you just take it down to the point of fitting the top?
I don't have an opinion on a specific thickness, if I understand your question. It's mainly about surface area, and making sure the bridge feet fit flush against the body with no gaps between.
The height of the bridge also set the action to just something consider.
Naaw, those Hello Kitties ^.^
Nice Video Thank You!
I have recently purchased the same Mandolin without hardware. I am thinking about getting a James tailpiece. What kind of bridge did you use?
Cumberland bridge: cumberlandacoustic.com/product/mandolin-bridge/ I made a couple videos about it too. :)
Dang, I just bought one. Hope it doesn't take as long as your video indicated.
I just noticed this comment has been here for 2 months, so you should just barely be done sanding by now. ;)
@@Billkwando LOL!
@@Billkwando Great comment :p
Hey there. I have the same loar mando. I was setting it up and restringing it last night. I noticed that the bridge post screw on the treble side is bent and leaning towards the neck. Is it the same on yours? I wasn’t sure if it was actually bent or if it was drilled that way to compensate for the angle of the carved top.
David Morrow if the actual metal screw is bent and the other one isn't then that's probably not normal, but remind me in five or six hours and I'll check on my old one. I still have the original bridge sitting on my workbench
David Morrow I think if anything would compensate it would be the bridge feet, which is why I marked it so I know which way was backwards
Billkwando is there a way we could private message so I can ask a few mandolin questions?
I don't think there's a way through RUclips anymore. You can ask them here, or if you prefer, you can email me at billkwando@yahoo.com
but I'm no mandologist. ;) Also I checked my old bridge, and both posts were unbent. I think you can get replacement posts pretty cheap. The Loar people might even send you some, if you ask.
A piece of standard paper is about .002 - .004
I wish I had that sanding speed
:D ruclips.net/video/LUZ8R6I70uo/видео.html
@@Billkwando LOL xP So, that means you're an android? :p
I’m thinking about buy this mando. I have to ask is this necessary to do this what’s the benefit. Thanks Im in aus and I don’t no of any music store the deal enough with mando to do this
It's not something you have to do, especially if you're a beginner, but scientifically it makes sense that the better contact the bridge makes, the more vibration will transfer, resulting in a slight increase in volume (and arguably tone). Did it sound like a night and day difference? No. The Cumberland bridge did, but I liked the way the mandolin sounded even before that. You can see my video about that too. On the bright side, it's not that hard to do, especially since I made a video showing you how. LOL But no, you can get by without it, and if you get really lucky, maybe your bridge feet will make perfect contact from the factory. You can always hope! I just can't leave anything alone, so I might as well make a video while I'm at it. ;)
You should try and adjust your intonation eventually, once you're comfortable doing it, but that's just carefully sliding the bridge around.
Billkwando thanks for the quick reply that is a great help I think that make my mind up that mate
7 years ago probably to late to be asking
Nah I'm still here. 😁
Hahahaaa. Brown mark. Lol
Good info but it's hard to ask questions to a video
Is it? Just pretend I'm an actual person and ask me. ;)
When you buy a USD $600 Loar, expect to put another USD $300 into it to obtain even a passable sound (unless you can do the work yourself). Even then, the instrument will decrease in value, opposed to a quality one that will increase.
Best to simply save up USD $1,000 or more and just buy a good name brand Mandolin.
Bleikr Sound Which Mandolin or Octave Mandolin would you recommend in the $1000 range?
@@HOODBOSSOctave Mandolin - Trinity College we have found to be excellent. Traditional F style, you may try the new Epiphone MM-40L - the first one sent to us was awful, but the 2nd was good (after a professional setup). Unless you are experienced, it's worth the money to have any mail-order instrument inspected by s good luthier while you can still return it.
@The Shape Why do people get so butthurt over someone having a different opinion on the instrument they own? lol
@@JanderVK LOL yeah. I plan on keeping this ($300, in my case) mandolin for the rest of my life, so what do I care if I've increased or decreased the monetary value, as long as I've increased its value to me? I can't tell the difference between my cheap mandolin and Chris Thile's ancient Gibson. They both sound like plunky little bastards, and no amount of money or work is going to create that much variation in audible quality, to the average listener, between the two.
Just unsubscribed.
Bye John James!