For Sale Dupont MDC-50 SOLD!!!!

Chiefbigeasy · September 2016

Just the guy wanted to hear from him on this topic. Thanks, Bob for weighing in with your great advice. Now that you're here. Perhaps I can bend your ear with a couple of other fine-tuning questions.

The Dupont bridge that came with the guitar has strings slots that are very deep. The height of the cut is above the string in each slot. I have read where you discussed proper string placement on the bridge so that the strings sit halfway into the slot. When you do sand off the top of the bridge, does the bridge appear sanded? In other words, is the finish of the bridge marred and does it need to be treated in some certain way to make it look like the rest of the bridge?

Secondly the edges of the bottom of the bridge are flared off so as not to touch the top of the guitar. I would say that for each side, 70% of the bridge touches the top and 30% does not near the edges. Is this a suitable arrangement, or should the entire bridge foot on either side being contact with the top of the instrument?

Thanks for your comments so far.

Bob Holo · September 2016

The bridge feet are supposed to be relieved a little at the ends - that sounds fine.

The strings sitting halfway in the slots is just a rule of thumb - a simple thing that's easy to remember that generally keeps people out of trouble. But really, the slots can be shallower or deeper. The important thing is that they don't bind the string. If the string is in a slot only half its diameter deep, it's more difficult to bind the string than in a slot that is the full diameter deep or more; hence the rule of thumb. But really, the depth of the slot is not all that important if the slot is cut so that the string sits in the bottom of it and is cradled along the bottom, but not gripped on the sides.

In any case, if the string sounds good - the slot is fine. You'll know if the slot is gripping the string oddly as the string will be significantly deadened. If the string sounds dead and you lift it out of the slot and set it on top of the bridge and the sound is dramatically clearer, then the slot might be binding it. If that's the case, take a short length of guitar string from a larger size (so if it's the high e string, use a G string, etc.) and lightly floss the slot. Be careful not to deepen it, you're just trying to smooth & widen the slot a little at the bottom so it doesn't pinch the string. It doesn't take much.

But anyway, Marc has some very good setup people out there, the guitar probably is setup wonderfully. If it sounds good and plays nicely - then count your lucky stars and rock on.

Stringswinger · September 2016

The guitar came to me with a non-Dupont bridge. I put the Dupont bridge that was collecting dust on my parts shelf on the guitar to see if I liked it better and I did. It better matched the moustaches and had more volume. The action was a bit high for my taste with the Dupont bridge so I brought the slots down. Paul Hostetter sands the bridge top down when he does this (and the result is a flat, rather than pointed bridge top), but I never got around to doing that. There is no binding and the notes all ring out with superb clarity. I suppose, if the visual of having the strings being in the bridge rather than on top of the bridge is a bother, sanding the bridge top would be in order. I would think that after sanding the bridge top, it would be wise to recheck the slots for binding. and I suppose one could reshape the bridge top to a point if that was desired. I have been told that Dupont intentionally has the bridge feet relieved at the ends to keep from putting too much stress in that area of the guitar. I would suggest putting the new strings on, playing it as is for a week or so and then making changes to suit. It sounds great and plays well with a medium action (3.0 at the bass side, 2.8 at the treble side at the 12th fret).