Problems with Fender Bridge

bmschulz · #1 08-10-2011, 03:26 PM

I just recently bought a (MIA, obviously) Tony Franklin fretless P-bass. I love it; it plays awesomely, has gnarly tone and looks beautiful. The only problem is, the bridge has been pretty screwy. When I first got it, the saddles were crooked, and in particular, the G-string saddle would always sink down until it was resting against the base of the bridge. I just brought it in to get set up, and after about half an hour of playing, the dang saddle has sunk to the bottom again! I'm getting rattle from it again due to the sinkage, and am at a loss of what to do. It looks like the D-string saddle is starting to slip forward as well, and overall the bridge seems to lack stability.

My question is, what should I do about this? It is apparent to me that a setup did not fix the problems I had with the bridge. Should I talk to my tech guy and see about perhaps changing the saddle screws? Should I get a new, better bridge? I was considering this since I first got the bass since the bridge looked rather "flimsy", but I have no idea what to replace it with. I was thinking Badass II but I read that production for them was stopped, and I don't want to risk buying a used bridge with potential problems for my new bridge with problems. What other bridges would you guys recommend? I'd like to not have to saw into this baby.

Anywho, any and all help/advice/etc is greatly appreciated. I just want to get this gorgeous bass up and running for good, because after playing this fretless I don't even like playing my fretted instruments (sorry Stingray :P).

Jaco D · #2 08-10-2011, 03:36 PM

My hunch is the threads of the grub screws are crossed so the screws are just sliding down the saddles due to the tension put on them by the strings. The quick fix is to replace the erring saddle with a new one. However, try this first. From what I've experienced (yeah, i've had a couple of crossed thread saddle cases in the past), try inverting the saddle such that what used to face the top of the bass is now facing away from the bass. Obviously, you would have to invert the grub screws as well as the socket for the allen key is now facing the top of the bass. If this doesn't work, the extent of cross-threading is so bad you really need a new set of saddles. I've never tried it but I think you can ream the saddles for larger grub screws. Something worth looking into.

dmaki · #3 08-10-2011, 03:55 PM

A dab of Lock Tite or clear nail polish should do the trick. I had the same problem on a bass, brought it into a tech to get the bridge replaced... He shook his head, spent about 30 seconds on it, and sent me on my way free of charge. Has held up for over a decade.

fhm555 · #4 08-10-2011, 04:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dmaki

A dab of Lock Tite or clear nail polish should do the trick...

+1 to this before you go and spend good money for a new bridge, unless of course you want to spend money for a new bridge. If that's the case, do you want to keep the L plate look or do you want to go with a cast/milled bridge like the BA?

FWIW I have a babicz in my MIM j bass and it solved every bit of my bridge problems. Full disclosure, my bridge problems were the direct result of my ham handed playing so I prefer something substantial that does not rely on string pressure to maintain saddle position.

96tbird · #5 08-10-2011, 04:52 PM

I don't think it's stripped, just vibrations turning the screw in; it's a bit of a loose fit on the threads. Nail polish is good, but I have used 100% beeswax on threads to stop this, just rub it on the screw and wind it in. That stuff is so sticky and it fills thread gaps but you can still fool with the action til its perfect.

bmschulz · #6 08-10-2011, 05:53 PM

Effin' A, Talkbass is the best! I didn't expect any sort of reply soon haha. Thanks for all the advice guys. I'll talk with my tech guy Friday and see what we can work with; clear nail polish is something my basses are not unfamiliar with lol.

FHM, do you like the Babicz? I was actually considering that one as well. It's a bit pricey, but it looks like it's built like a tank. I'm used to playing on a stingray, and I prefer larger bridges in general, so the Babicz looked pretty good to me. How did it affect your tone/sustain?

grendle · #7 08-10-2011, 06:58 PM

Yeah a small dab of blue lock tight should do ya. That's a kind of common problem.

walterw · #8 08-10-2011, 09:09 PM

just get some vintage-style threaded-rod saddles for it.

that'll let you get the spacing right, which will push the saddles together, fixing the drift.

(you can see right in the fender website's picture of it where the G saddle is not touching the other three, and how the strings don't line up with the jazz pickup magnets. threaded-rod saddles fix both problems, pressing the saddles together and improving sustain to boot.)

berwick63 · #9 08-11-2011, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by walterw

just get some vintage-style threaded-rod saddles for it.

that'll let you get the spacing right, which will push the saddles together, fixing the drift.

(you can see right in the fender website's picture of it where the G saddle is not touching the other three, and how the strings don't line up with the jazz pickup magnets. threaded-rod saddles fix both problems, pressing the saddles together and improving sustain to boot.)

I think you're misunderstanding his problem. I think it's solved at this point actually. Height adjustment screws unscrewing themselves during playing. blue locktite, a dab on the threads, screw it back in, set it up, should hold forever

And as far as I can tell looking at the close up of that bass, all the saddles seem even together to me, strings look good across the poles, ect. I agree threaded saddles are the way to go, but i don't believe his problem is regarding the side to side movement of the saddles as much as it is the saddle adjustment screws.

fhm555 · #10 08-11-2011, 01:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bmschulz

...FHM, do you like the Babicz? I was actually considering that one as well. It's a bit pricey, but it looks like it's built like a tank. I'm used to playing on a stingray, and I prefer larger bridges in general, so the Babicz looked pretty good to me. How did it affect your tone/sustain?

Compared to the stock MIM bridge I love the babicz. As far as tone or sustain, I can't honestly tell any difference, but maintaining intonation and tuning is greatly improved and the strings are always were I left them, which has improved my right hand speed as well. In addition to the above, bridge adjustments stay locked in even when string(s) are removed.

It was a snap to install, and string spacing was perfect for the model J pups on the little mexi jazz. If I had any complaints it's the over sized screws included with the bridge. They go in the stock holes just fine, but because they are larger, it makes going back to the stock bridge with the stock screws a not happening thing. The stock L plate uses a domed head screw and the babicz requires a flat head. You could use the babicz screws to install the stock L plate, but it's going to look different. Also, I don't know if babicz makes a string through body bridge if that is something you would need.

georgestrings · #11 08-11-2011, 06:19 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by grendle

Yeah a small dab of blue lock tight should do ya. That's a kind of common problem.

Yup...

- georgestrings

walterw · #12 08-11-2011, 01:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by berwick63

I think you're misunderstanding his problem.

Not at all.

The dab of loctite is indeed the simple fix, but I was speaking to the larger problem with the design, where the saddles are free to slide around and drift out of adjustment.

The earlier threaded-rod saddles went a long way towards avoiding that issue.

(and look more closely at the picture of the TF fretless: the G saddle is very much gapped from the rest, a common problem with those single-groove saddles.)

bmschulz · #13 08-11-2011, 01:27 PM

Thanks again everybody. Walter, indeed, my saddles are also moving side to side, particularly the G saddle! I think I'll end up getting some threaded saddles, and using something to secure the intonation screws. EVERYTHING is slipping down and forward, and side to side on the ends, so I figure new saddles and perhaps an adhesive (I'll ask my tech about application) should fix everything up. It seems like a good middle road b/w my problem and buying an entirely new bridge. If I continue to have problems (God forbid), I'll probably just get a Babicz, because those things look tight.