Built a P-Bass, but the saddle-to-nut distance is off. Suggestions?

[Billy-Bob]

Just put together a P-Bass out of collected parts. It turned out really nice, with one exception. The saddles are all the way out to the front of the bridge plate (after setting the intonation). So much so that the G and D are out of adjustment. I'd like them more towards the middle of the bridge. As it is now, the nut to the saddle distance is 34 inches, just as it should be.

The body is probably MIJ, and had obviously been used before I bought it. I bought a generic Fender copy bridge--the holes were already drilled in the body for one. The neck is a standard Fender clone neck, which matches the other Fender necks I have. I am baffled why this all did not line up correctly, but it would seem the nut needs to move closer to the bridge by about 1/2 of an inch (or so, depending on how close to the actual middle I want to get) to get the saddles in the middle of the bridge plate. I'd have to make a 1/4 inch move just to get the intonation adjustment springs to make full contact with the bridge. Something has to move.

My question, do I move the bridge closer to the nut, or rout a little more out of the neck cavity to get the nut closer to the bridge?

Billy-Bob

[jonly]

how many frets were on the neck that you installed?

[Billy-Bob]

Originally Posted by jonly

how many frets were on the neck that you installed?

I thought that might be it, but I have two necks for my project, one with one less fret than the other (I forget the exact number), but the neck dimensions are exactly the same. Both necks are dimensionally the same as my other two Fender basses. That doesn't seem to be the answer, unless I'm missing something.

Billy-Bob

[Tristan]

I'm not a luthier by any stretch, but moving the bridge sounds like the better idea to me.

[Billy-Bob]

Originally Posted by Tristan

I'm not a luthier by any stretch, but moving the bridge sounds like the better idea to me.

That would be my first inclination, as well.

I'm hoping someone can tell me why this happend, and the absolute best way to fix it. It is baffling--there must be a simple answer.

Billy-Bob

[Trevorus]

I'd move the bridge. It's a far easier option.

[jonly]

Originally Posted by Billy-Bob

I thought that might be it, but I have two necks for my project, one with one less fret than the other (I forget the exact number), but the neck dimensions are exactly the same. Both necks are dimensionally the same as my other two Fender basses. That doesn't seem to be the answer, unless I'm missing something.

Billy-Bob

I started playing on a 21 fret bass, and swapped the neck for a 20 and it threw everything off. Doesn't seem right that the necks would be the same and 1 would have one more fret.
Meh, move the bridge.

[Billy-Bob]

Originally Posted by jonly

I started playing on a 21 fret bass, and swapped the neck for a 20 and it threw everything off. Doesn't seem right that the necks would be the same and 1 would have one more fret.
Meh, move the bridge.

What they did to get the extra fret was to extend the rosewood fretboard over the heel and tack an extra fret onto that.

Billy-Bob

[vinny]

Check the "Fender copy bridge" against a real one to make sure the holes really do match up. I don't mean side to side 'cuz obviously they're right in that direction or you wouldn't have put it on. I mean fore & aft as it relates to the nut/neck length dimension.

[MeYHymN]

Vinny is probably right, but if you don't have an original to compare it to then.....
When you say it's 34" from the saddle to the nut. Is that with the saddle in the middle of the bridge plate, or with it all the way extended out. Does it measure 17" from the saddle to the 12th fret? You can have two similar looking tomatoes, but they aint really the same. You say you pieced everything together from "collected" parts? Could it be the body you have came from a 35" scale bass, but you're using a 34" scale neck? Not even sure if it's possible, but that's what it sounds like. Simple solution is get out some wood puddy, fill the holes on the body and drill new holes to give proper alignment to everything, just make sure the bridge is square. Measure 4 times and cut once. You could use the java fret calculator here to find out if it's a true 34" neck. This question probably belongs in the luthier's corner.

[Billy-Bob]

Originally Posted by MeYHymN

Vinny is probably right, but if you don't have an original to compare it to then.....
When you say it's 34" from the saddle to the nut. Is that with the saddle in the middle of the bridge plate, or with it all the way extended out. Does it measure 17" from the saddle to the 12th fret? You can have two similar looking tomatoes, but they aint really the same. You say you pieced everything together from "collected" parts? Could it be the body you have came from a 35" scale bass, but you're using a 34" scale neck? Not even sure if it's possible, but that's what it sounds like.

To answer your questions, yes, both measurements are as you have listed, but that is with the saddles all the way forward on the bridge plate. My MIJ P/J has the exact same bridge. My MIK P/J has a bridge plate that is longer, and measures 2 inches in length (vs the 1.5 inches on the two MIJ models).

I suspect this body is too old to be a 35 inch scale 4-string, I was thinking the other way--maybe it is a short scale body.

Billy-Bob

[MM-Stingray5]

move the bridge you dont want a small first fret, a half inch is a lot on a little fret.

[pkr2]

If it measures 17" from the nut to the octave fret, it's a 34" scale neck.

The string length should be 34" from the nut to the saddle with the saddles set to the center of thier adjustment range.

Probably best to just move the bridge.