One piece bridge saddle intonation?

[bassrique]

On a fretted 34" [or more] scale bass, can one properly intonate all four or more strings with a one piece bridge saddle?

Here's an example:



I don't think I've ever seen a properly intonated 5er with standard bridge whose saddles where I could draw a straight line from the B to the G [or E to C].

The example I gave does have a zero fret if that makes much difference.

[lug]

Just think of it as an Acoustic bass or guitar with different types of pups, graphite neck, totally different tuning system, and no resonating large, hollow body.

[bassrique]

A guitar's smaller scale length makes that bridge more forgiving, and an upright is fretless, so it almost doesn't matter.

[lug]

Originally Posted by bassrique

A guitar's smaller scale length makes that bridge more forgiving, and an upright is fretless, so it almost doesn't matter.

ABG's share this wonderful "feature" as well.

[JTE]

There are two pirmary reasons for a one-peice saddle on acoustic instruments. First, the way the body vibrates with the strings makes the intonation a bit more forgiving. I recall reading that Leo Fender's first guitar experiments did not have adjustable intonation and the pre-purchased necks he used didn't play in tune well. They worked fine on acoustic bodies, but when he put them on his solid bodies, the intonation issues were very noticalbe.

The biggest reason is that the expense of making an adjustable bridge for acoustics (the cost is that it totally destroys the transfer of string vibrations to the top of the instrument) isn't worth the improvement you get.

Can you get it set up well enough to work? Depends on the strings, the neck, and your standards of "well enough". Fender regular 150 guitar strings are (or at least used to be, I hate 'em so I haven't checked the gauges in decades) had goofy gauges compared to everyone else in the world. That's because if you used a set of 150's on stock Telecaster 3-piece bridge, you could get each pair of strings to intonate pretty well.

So, if the strings and the action you choose happens to line up well with the particular instrument, a one-peice bridge could intonate well. But on a solid-body electric bass, it's pretty easy and generally sonically acceptable to provide individual adjustments, so most makers do that.

jte

[bassrique]

Good post JTE.

That Stenie Synapse has the one piece saddle because of the piezo pickup btw.

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by bassrique

Good post JTE.

That Stenie Synapse has the one piece saddle because of the piezo pickup btw.

Don't other comparably equipped basses have individual saddles with independent piezo pickups (one per saddle)? I would guess this is a cost-saving move as the Steinberger one piece saddle would require only one pickup.

Riis

[bassrique]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

Don't other comparably equipped basses have individual saddles with independent piezo pickups (one per saddle)? I would guess this is a cost-saving move as the Steinberger one piece saddle would require only one pickup.

Riis

According to Ned, the bridge saddles have to be one because of the proprietary piezo pup design.

Here's the BP review and beef with the bridge:

http://www.bassplayer.com/article/st...e/mar-06/19040

I'd set it up so the D and G string were intonated properly while the others suffer, because most of us don't play as much on the B/E/A in the upper part of the neck.

Or I could just mod the hell out a used Synapse and get it right.

[younggun]

Visit the official Steinberger website and go to the "Tech" page then go to the Synapse Guitar set-up (the set up applies for the bass as well) , there is an entire article on how to properly set-up the intonation on the one piece piezo bridge saddle. The piezo saddle rotates and swivels in a bow-tie shape slot, and this allows the middle strings to be set, then the saddle to be pivot to set the outer strings. It was a big concern of mine when deciding to purchase a Synapse too. I've talked with some Synapse owners who say it works just fine when done properly...I'm expecting my new Synapse to be delivered in a couple days, and will re-post with my set-up experience.