How can I get lower action to my THICK replacement bridge? - Page 3

Ingemar · #41 01-21-2007, 11:40 AM

I just came by a thing that actually made some difference i action hight, that's to say, to press down the strings at nut and bridge sadles to get stright line strings.

bassman275 · #42 01-21-2007, 11:49 AM

Make it easy on yourself and go with the standard shim.IMHO

Turnaround · #43 01-21-2007, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Greenman

I took the neck off my Schecter Stilletto and it had 50 grit sandpaper as a shim.

Sandpaper is not a bad idea for a shim. Many basses have neck pockets that are a tad sloppy and will allow the neck to move a bit from side to side. Generally this is not a serious problem. And often when I see a neck that's a little out of alignment (strings are a closer to one side of the neck than the other at the last fret) I give the neck a bit of a yank to realign it. A piece of sandpaper in the pocket adds a bit more bite to the neck/body joint and helps to keep the neck aligned.

Having said that, I prefer a tapered wooden shim in the neck pocket (thickest at the bridge side of the pocket and tapering to nothing at the other end). No gap that way. And once I have the thickness just right, I like to glue it into the pocket.

Nothing wrong with a bit of card stock, plastic, brass, etc. Even my Lakland that was admired for its tone and sustain had a factory-installed shim (plastic in this case).

pj-mike · #44 01-22-2007, 05:54 PM

Ingemar,

I tried MetalMitch's sandpaper suggestion on a neck and bridge replacement that I was working on, 150 grit, one full length one short to get a slight tilt. It increased growl just as MetalMitch said.

Thanks MelalMitch

bleedingfingers · #45 01-22-2007, 06:27 PM

Take a piece of old credit card or gas or key card about 3/8
of an inch wide cut it so it fits across the back of the neck heal this will do the trick . You will probably have to file this shim down as even a shim this thin will really bring your action down and I really doubt if you or anybody else unless
they have Lassie's ears would hear the difference.
Changeing the stock bridge will more than make up any loss
of sustain as well and by shimming it you won't be destroying
a bunch of good parts or your bass if you decide to return it to it's stock form.
B.

Philbiker · #46 01-23-2007, 06:14 AM

The neck tilt adjustment, whether it is accomplished by a proper neck tilt adjuster as on my Peaveys and many 70s Fenders, or by shimming, is one of the main reasons I prefer a bolt-on neck to a neck-through or set neck design.

Bassberry · #47 01-23-2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ingemar

I've modded my Fender MIM Jazz with a Gotoh 201 (black) bridge

but cause the bottom plate is much ticker (3mm) than the orginal bridge bottom plate (1,5mm) and the sadle cylinders has a wider diameter on the Gotoh, I can't get as low action as I want.The lowest I can get is about 3mm gap at 12't fret.

So...

As I understand, one way to go is to route down the bridge some 1-1,5mm in the body (seems like a job for a pro.), and another, to thin (mill) the bottomplate some 1-1,5mm (this I may manage myself)

Is there some disadvantages if I remove the hight/lowering screws in the sadle cylinders and let the cylinders rest directly on the bridge bottom?Will this cause sound transfering loss?
(I understand that this will affect the individual adjustement possibilities and that the sadles can "flex sidewise")

Suggestions?

Machining the bridge bottom is a way, shimming is a way, machining the saddle bottom is a way, yet...the Wilkinson vintage bridge will solve this problem. I don't think a thicker bridge bottom that doesn't work is actually an upgrade in certain circles, it just appears to be an upgrade that isn't really an upgrade in the sense that it belongs on the bass as built. The Wilkinson is slightly thicker than a stock Fender bridge bottom plate. Gotoh has to be built to, or shimmed...although its too chunky in my opinion and not worth the trouble your contemplating? Shimming is the least work, and it depends how much shimming??? Before we entertain bad tonal aspects. Good Luck.

pkr2 · #48 01-23-2007, 05:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bassman275

Make it easy on yourself and go with the standard shim.IMHO

Sandpaper is a standard material for a shim. No, it's not used for more growl, or to keep the neck from shifting.

It's used because as the grade of the grit gets coarser, the sandpaper gets thicker. An assortment of sandpaper grits = an assortment of different thickness shims.

Ingemar · #49 01-24-2007, 12:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bassberry

yet...the Wilkinson vintage bridge will solve this problem. I don't think a thicker bridge bottom that doesn't work is actually an upgrade in certain circles, it just appears to be an upgrade that isn't really an upgrade in the sense that it belongs on the bass as built. The Wilkinson is slightly thicker than a stock Fender bridge bottom plate. Good Luck.

Actually I've just changed (back, but black) to a noname (allparts) bridge in Fender MIM orginal style (a bit thicker than org. but not as thick and not so big sadle cylinders as the Gotoh 201) and it made for much lower action and no (at least in my ears) loss in sound (compared to the Gotoh).

As Bassberry said - an upgrade has to be an UPGRADE

contakt321 · #50 02-08-2007, 08:40 AM

Seriously:

JUST SHIM THE ******* NECK ALREADY!!!

It's rediculous to grind metal before spending 5 minutes to unscrew your neck and put a cut down business card in your neck pocket and re-attach the neck. If you are so concerned about sound - spend the 5 minutes and see if you can hear the difference.

I already have the answer - YOU CAN'T!!!

Since you are still unhappy, do yourself a favor and spend 5 minutes and try shimming the neck - it's really easy, and you will make yourself a whole lot happier. This is a common technique that people have been using for 50+ years, and many guitars and basses ship from the factory w/ a shim. 70's Fenders and 90's Peaveys have an adjustable shim built into their neck.

Try this today and let us know the results - just do a search on shimming, you will find plenty of threads about how to do it.

Edited:
OOPS - didn't see the last post. Even still shimming is easy, don't be scared people.

MOD EDIT: PLEASE REREAD THE USAGE AGREEMENT.

Tactician · #51 02-23-2007, 11:42 AM

Funny I asked exactly that question of my bass tech and he said, "Put a 1/2 mm shim in the neck." I said, "But I'd rather cut down all the screws and lower the saddles that way." He said,"Shim it - you'll be spending so much time doing it your way - shim it." So there you go.

BTW - I'm talking about my MIM Jazz with exactly the same bridge upgarde as you describe.

dls59 · #52 02-23-2007, 08:44 PM

I use a couple layers of standard index card stock that I cut into strips. Works like a charm.

doctorjazz · #53 02-25-2007, 07:52 PM

Shimming's stupid easy, and carries the added advantage of not being irreversible because you're adding material, not taking it away. I use index cards cut into strips just because I'm a student and have a crapload of index cards laying around, sandpaper works fine too.

Tactician · #54 02-26-2007, 06:24 AM

Well, in the end I've done both to my Jazz this weekend. I cut a business card in half lengthways and shaped it to the end of the neck. I've put in two layers or this card and retightened the neck. I've then adjusted the saddle allen screws, making sure that the ground off end was nicely bevelled so it would sit cleanly on the bridge baseplate. Job done. I've even set the outer saddles leaning out so the strings sit right above the pole pieces.

As far as the Ibanez is concerned - I think I'll have to leave the baseplate in place and replce the faulty saddles with barrel types (like Fender Standards or Gotoh).