Bridge Issue with Custom Bonanzalele

shanmoon

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I had a custom Bonzanzalele made some months back. I wanted something halfway between a banjo sound and an uke, and sound wise its perfect. However I quickly stopped playing in frustration due to an issue with the bridge, and haven't touched it in months.

I am not a particularly hard strummer, but I can't go more than a few measure sinto a song before the A string pops out of the bridge and shifts half the distance between it and the C string. Thoughts on how to deal with it?

The bridge is definitely in the correct spot (you can seen the marks on the uke head to line it. None of the other strings have a problem. My thought is the notch in the bridge might be too narrow or too shallow. Anyone else have an issue like this with a banjo uke or a Bonanzalele?
 
It may be the bridge, or the head tension.
If the bridge is sunken in, then the head is too loose.
 
I had a custom Bonzanzalele made some months back. I wanted something halfway between a banjo sound and an uke, and sound wise its perfect. However I quickly stopped playing in frustration due to an issue with the bridge, and haven't touched it in months.

I am not a particularly hard strummer, but I can't go more than a few measure sinto a song before the A string pops out of the bridge and shifts half the distance between it and the C string. Thoughts on how to deal with it?

The bridge is definitely in the correct spot (you can seen the marks on the uke head to line it. None of the other strings have a problem. My thought is the notch in the bridge might be too narrow or too shallow. Anyone else have an issue like this with a banjo uke or a Bonanzalele?

Seems pretty simple to just deepen the bridge string slots by filing them down so that between half the string diameter and the whole string is held by the slot. The slots on my Banjolele bridge are about one string diameter and my strings don't pop out of alignment.
 
What strings are you using? And what strings did it come with? If the ones you have on now are thicker, you may very well need to widen and or deepen the slot. My Bonanzalele (that I sold and bought back - long story) came back with low G Aquila reds and that low G kept popping off like you say. I switched to a wound string and problem solved. Wait, I think this was the Southern Cross - still, the point stands.
 
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I have a Southern Cross tenor banjouke that is quite persnickety about the bridge being in exactly the correct position on a tight head. Left to Right, Front to Back, Squared Up 17" from the Nut. Otherwise, one of the strings will start to buzz. Usually the A.

Check your placement. If you're not sure, ask Pete or Shelley where they set it. I mark it on the head in pencil to be sure.
 
It's still the original strings, which look to be Aquilas. It's only a few months old. I was so frustrated with it after the first week I stuck it back in the case and have only taken it out a few times since.
 
It doesn't have a head the way my other banjo ukes do. There are no tension hooks or tone ring. Instead of a head it uses a piece of HPL (a hard counter top material) instead of a drum skin head. Thanks for the suggestion though.
 
This is a custom instrument. Some luthier or shop built it for you. Have you run this by the builder?

Honest, no disrespect intended, if this was the first thing you did when you tried the uke for the first time. I blow by the obvious all the time, which is why I ask.

Dave
 
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I actually did talk with the builder today. I sent them an email, and got a phone call just a few minutes later. They think the slot for the strings are too narrow, and even dropped shipped me tool to file it.

I probably should have contacted them right off, but..... my mom died unexpectedly right when I got it...... I think I subconciously associated my saddness over that with this instrument, and that combined with the bridge problem cause me to avoid it for a few months. I'm glad it looks like there is an easy fix. Thanks everyone for the suggestions.
 
This is a custom instrument. Some luthier or shop built it for you. Have you run this by the builder?

I second this. Send an email to Pete/Shelley and they should get you sorted pretty quickly.

Another suggestion would be to try some thinner strings. You didn't mention the scale. If it's concert, I have the Aquila Red strings on mine. Martin M600s would be another cheap alternative

ETA: I see you took my advice. ;) Hopefully you can get it fixed up and enjoy this quirky little uke.
 
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It's pretty much resolved. It was a bit nerve wracking for me but I gently filed the slots a bit deeper, and the A string is now well behaved. Might need to file the C one a bit more. It's funny... I have no problem changing oil or spark plugs on my little plane, but balked at filing a tiny piece of wood. It just seemed so little and such delicate work! After I got the string behaving, I kept the uke out for about an hour a played a few of my mom's favorite songs as a tribute to her. It felt good.
 
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