How to measure and mount a bridge on a Fender Jazz

[contakt321]

Hi,
I tried to do a search but couldn't find what I was looking for, so I am hoping someone can help.

I bought a used 90's Fender Jazz MIM. I have given the entire thing a proper tune up and it plays well. There is only one issue, the bridge was installed in the wrong place at the factory. There is a little over 1/4" btw the E string the edge of the fingerboard and there is only about an 1/8" between the G string and the edge of the fingerboard. I want to remount the factory bridge (for now, might upgrade later) but can't find out the correct way to do it.

1. What's the overall process for this?
2. Since the holes are gonna be close to where they originally drilled what do I do about that? Fill w/ a glue covered dowel, let dry then re-drill?
3. How do I get the bridge mounted perfectly centered (how do I measure this)?

Thanks in advance for any advice/insight.

[202dy]

At first glance the problem appears to be the neck mounting and not the bridge. The headstock should be moved toward the treble side of the guitar. You can loosen the bolts slightly, shift the neck, and re-tighten the bolts. Leave the strings on during the procedure to insure that the margins are even on the bass and treble sides. That should take care of the problem.

[contakt321]

Hmm, really? It's significantly off center and the strings are falling over the pole pieces slightly too. I will give it a whirl and see. Any answers on the bridge mounting stuff in case I have to go down that road anyone?

[202dy]

Move the neck. It should solve your problem.

If you think about, your '90's Fender body was made on an NC machine. Unless the operator inserted the blank improperly (almost impossible to do with two hands and their eyes open) the bridge mounting holes are in the right place. Of course, someone else could have moved the bridge at some point in time. Doubtful, but not out of the question. Assuming the above to be true and logical, the prophylaxis is to move the neck. Always move from the simplest solution to the more complex. If it were a set neck or a neck through the procedure becomes very different.

If you want to move a bridge you must determine the centerline of the body. The bridge is mounted (centered) on the centerline approximately half the scale length difference measured from the twelfth fret plus a little bit more. So a 34" scale bass would have it's bridge centered on a perpendicular line to the centerline of the body 17 1/4" from the twelfth fret.

[The Crusader]

quite often the necks aren't lined up properly with the body due to the neck heel being slightly too large for the heel of the neck and it will then make the bridge look like its out of alignment. but the odds are that the bridge screw holes were cut in place by the cnc.
leave the strings on but loosened.
looking at the bass with the strings facing you, remove the neck screws except for the screw on the lower left. pivot the neck in whatever direction adjusts the strings then replace the screws. this should help.

[contakt321]

Hey Fila,
I tried what you said and wanked super hard on the neck and you know what - it pretty much worked! Thanks man. Now I am trying to fine tune the pickup height to get a good balance.

[202dy]

You're welcome!

[contakt321]

Sorry, also thank you 202ty!

[JimmyM]

Talkbass saves another newbie from a tragic mistake!

[contakt321]

Indeed. Doing this full set up has been a blast, I have really enjoyed it while learning a ton. Still deciding what to do to this bad boy if anything. Next up is putting ever more stuff under the bridge p/u to get a good height. After that maybe some cosmetic stuff (changing a 1 piece guard to a guard and control plate) and maybe new pickups - it sounds good unplugged, but still fine tuning p/u height hoping it will make it sound better plugged in.