Bridge location in relation to the bridge pickup (jazz)

kuys · #1 08-07-2010, 12:15 PM

Bridge location?

I'm sure this is another noob question but I'm about to drill pilot holes for the bridge as well as the hole to ground the bridge. Should I just try to match up the distance from the guitar the neck is coming off of? Or is there a standard I should be following?

dalkowski · #2 08-07-2010, 12:23 PM

STOP. Don't do anything until someone smarter than me joins the discussion. Seriously, there is a standard but I don't know it.

202dy · #3 08-07-2010, 12:42 PM

Pickups can be located anywhere give or take an eighth or so.

Measure the distance from the twelfth fret to the nut. Most bass guitars are built to a 34" scale length, so that measurement will be 17". Add a quarter of an inch to the result. Using the new number (17 1/4" in this example), measure from the twelfth fret toward to the bridge area. That is where the center of the saddle travel is to be located.

The numbers used above are for demonstration purposes. Measure your neck to confirm.

Ric5 · #4 08-07-2010, 12:53 PM

If you have another bass around then take some measurements off of it. The bridge is set by where the frets are not the pickups.

kuys · #5 08-07-2010, 12:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202dy

Pickups can be located anywhere give or take an eighth or so.

Measure the distance from the twelfth fret to the nut. Most bass guitars are built to a 34" scale length, so that measurement will be 17". Add a quarter of an inch to the result. Using the new number (17 1/4" in this example), measure from the twelfth fret toward to the bridge area. That is where the center of the saddle travel is to be located.

The numbers used above are for demonstration purposes. Measure your neck to confirm.

Thank you very much still need some clarification on one point.

Saddle travel? I've understood everything you've said up until that point.

202dy · #6 08-07-2010, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuys

Saddle travel? I've understood everything you've said up until that point.

Saddle travel: The distance the saddle will travel along the adjustment screw. If the bridge lacks an adjustment screw, the distance the saddle will move between the neck end of the plate and the tailpiece. That's the part the ball ends rest against on a one piece bridge.

RBrownBass · #7 08-07-2010, 01:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuys

Thank you very much still need some clarification on one point.

Saddle travel? I've understood everything you've said up until that point.

The saddles on most basses are designed to be moved closer to or farther from the neck to get the intonation right. If you look at most properly intonated basses, you'll see that the saddle for the G string is closer to the neck than the saddle for the E string. Basically, you need about 3/8" of room to set your intonation.

kuys · #8 08-07-2010, 01:09 PM

This is the bridge I purchased. The saddles are aligned in the same way as the picture, I understand the intonation will probably take me awhile to get properly setup.

Basically the center of the groove the saddle can travel? Is where the bridge should be secured after taking the measurement from the nut to the 12th fret then the 12th fret to where the bridge will be mounted. The end of that measurement should be in the middle of the saddle travel groove/canal/slot/etc?

JTE · #9 08-07-2010, 01:28 PM

Yeah, pretty much. You want the saddles to sit in the middle of their travel range so you can adjust them either way. So the center of where the saddles can sit is where you measure the 17.25".

And, as always, measure twice, drill once.

John

kuys · #10 08-07-2010, 09:17 PM

Anybody ever used this bridge? It got pretty good reviews from what I read.

Marco A. Mayer · #11 08-07-2010, 09:25 PM

I read some reviews that said that the intonation of the A and D strings often goes off because the saddles interlap with the bridge screws. That said, Babicz makes really hi-quality products. And, IIRC, that bridge is a direct replacement (no mods required whatsoever) for Fender basses.

kuys · #12 08-07-2010, 09:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Marco A. Mayer

I read some reviews that said that the intonation of the A and D strings often goes off because the saddles interlap with the bridge screws. That said, Babicz makes really hi-quality products. And, IIRC, that bridge is a direct replacement (no mods required whatsoever) for Fender basses.

I read that too, I hope I don't have the same problem. I could always use the stock fender bridge I have if it get too bad. I'm not replacing it more or less I'm building my own P/J. Primer is drying as we speak.

walterw · #13 08-08-2010, 01:12 PM

with correct intonation, you will end up with the G saddle contacting the string at just over the theoretical scale length (exactly equal the distance from the center of the 12th fret that the fret is from the closest edge of the nut), and the other saddles each "stepping back" further away as they go.

if you pre-set the bridge saddles so that the G saddle is towards the front edge (but still has room to go up a little more) and place the bridge so that the G saddle's contact point with the string is right at the scale length, you should be good.

Jazzdogg · #14 08-08-2010, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 202dy

Pickups can be located anywhere give or take an eighth or so.

Measure the distance from the twelfth fret to the nut. Most bass guitars are built to a 34" scale length, so that measurement will be 17". Add a quarter of an inch to the result. Using the new number (17 1/4" in this example), measure from the twelfth fret toward to the bridge area. That is where the center of the saddle travel is to be located.

The numbers used above are for demonstration purposes. Measure your neck to confirm.

If the bridge provides 1/2" of total bridge saddle movement, your method would allow +/- 1/4" of travel, which hasn't always been enough with my five-string basses. I had to reposition two factory installed bridges because they didn't provide enough travel for the B-string saddle.

I like to measure the bridge saddle positions using an intonated bass with the same strings and scale length.

202dy · #15 08-08-2010, 03:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

If the bridge provides 1/2" of total bridge saddle movement, your method would allow +/- 1/4" of travel, which hasn't always been enough with my five-string basses. I had to reposition two factory installed bridges because they didn't provide enough travel for the B-string saddle.

I like to measure the bridge saddle positions using an intonated bass with the same strings and scale length.

In this instance the OP did not indicate the work was to be performed on a five string. Nor did the OP indicate the amount of travel allowed by the bridge. In that case, all advice defaults to a 34" scale bass guitar of Fender or Fender clone design, which of course, will cover the vast majority of four string bass guitars on the planet.

walterw · #16 08-08-2010, 07:30 PM

with proper intonation and good strings, your saddles will never sit shorter than the theoretical scale length.

thus, it's good to err on the side of having more room to go back with them.

kuys · #17 08-09-2010, 05:08 PM

Well, I've run into a sag, nut to the 12 fret as in fret wire, is 17 inches. Then when I go 17 inches from the 12 fret were the bridge would go is the cut-out for the jazz pickup, to clear the jazz pickup routing I'd have to go 19 inches. Is that feasible? That is in the middle of the saddle travel as well.

kuys · #18 08-09-2010, 05:47 PM

Should i just get the bridge as close as I can to the 17' 1/2 inch measurement?

Jazzdogg · #19 08-09-2010, 06:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kuys

Well, I've run into a sag, nut to the 12 fret as in fret wire, is 17 inches. Then when I go 17 inches from the 12 fret were the bridge would go is the cut-out for the jazz pickup, to clear the jazz pickup routing I'd have to go 19 inches. Is that feasible? That is in the middle of the saddle travel as well.

If the correct bridge position is compromised by a pickup cavity that's been routed in the wrong place, your bass won't play in tune unless you do something to correct the situation.
Here are four options:
1. Play a fretted instrument that cannot be intonated;
2. Position the bridge where it's supposed to go, which will require you to correct the pickup route;
3. Position the bridge anywhere you like if you're willing to remove the frets, ignore the fretlines, and play fretless.
4. Replace the neck (assuming it's a bolt-on) to achieve an increase in scale length.

Good luck!

kuys · #20 08-09-2010, 06:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jazzdogg

If the correct bridge position is compromised by a pickup cavity that's been routed in the wrong place, your bass won't play in tune unless you do something to correct the situation.
Here are four options:
1. Play a fretted instrument that cannot be intonated;
2. Position the bridge where it's supposed to go, which will require you to correct the pickup route;
3. Position the bridge anywhere you like if you're willing to remove the frets, ignore the fretlines, and play fretless.
4. Replace the neck (assuming it's a bolt-on) to achieve an increase in scale length.

Good luck!

I don't know if this matters at all but the neck is 26 and a 1/4' from nut till end of fret board.