Problems with Schaller bridge

Midas · #1 10-19-2009, 04:02 AM

I have a bass with a Schaller 2000 bridge and the problem is that only a very few brands of strings fit into it! The ballends of most of the strings are too thick to pass it. How can this be possible???

throbgod13 · #2 10-19-2009, 09:14 AM

an alternative is to take the bridge to a machine shop, and have the bridge machined to accept larger ball ends.. unless the part is cast, and cannot be machined..

JLS · #3 10-19-2009, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Midas

I have a bass with a Schaller 2000 bridge and the problem is that only a very few brands of strings fit into it! The ballends of most of the strings are too thick to pass it. How can this be possible???

I just looked that up--it appears that somebody was asleep at the switch, during the engineering process. Oooooops...

Remember the Wilkinsons, where the stringholders broke all the time?

Midas · #4 10-20-2009, 04:55 PM

I hope I can find a fitting replacement... crazy that the thing still ist on the marked!

Skywalker83 · #5 10-20-2009, 05:09 PM

Crap....i have a custom bass being made with a schaller 2000 bridge going on it...

walterw · #6 10-20-2009, 08:23 PM

i had high hopes for that bridge, as it was one of a very few with the correct fender hole pattern and adjustable string spacing. alas, aside from string ball issues, the adjustment seemed rather dodgy, with the saddle having a tendency to shift around when trying to tighten it down with its set screw.

Midas · #7 10-30-2009, 05:20 AM

I wrote an email to Schaller and they replied next day. After I sent a pic of the bridge with a Warwick Red Label ballend they told me that it is an original Schaller bridge and that they are suprised about ballends that big.. I told them that the Warwicks are propably the most sold strings in Germany because of their low price.. and they told me I had to go for other strings..
Service was fast and friendly, problem is unsolved! I will go for another bridge, not for other strings. The price for a new bridge will be amortised within a few changings of strings. Even more when I think about the more expensive strings I would have to buy for the Schaller. Still I can't understand....

zeb_bass · #8 10-30-2009, 05:52 AM

thats german engineering !!

GREAT!

jamesczar · #9 03-19-2010, 01:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skywalker83

Crap....i have a custom bass being made with a schaller 2000 bridge going on it...

So did you keep the 2000 on your custom job?

I'm debating between a Schaller 2000 and a Roller bridge. (I want a Schaller for the string spacing adjustments.)

The 2000 seems like a much more solid, updated system than the Roller (plus it looks much nicer). But it's going to be over twice the price - I can get a Roller for $46 (w/ship) on eBay and a 2000 for $105 (w/ship) online... is it worth the extra?

I'm now, of course, concerned about the ball end issue... has anyone else experienced this?

And I thought I read that the 2000 fits the Fender holes, but the Roller required drilling new...

Lotsa threads on the Rollers here, not many threads or comments on the 2000s (other than "I have 2000s, love them!").

bongomania · #10 03-19-2010, 01:34 AM

Geez! I just ordered one of these last night, on the basis of how well-designed they look... It didn't occur to me there would be some boneheaded flaw in the design that I should research first. *grits teeth*

jamesczar · #11 03-19-2010, 01:35 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bongomania

Geez! I just ordered one of these last night, on the basis of how well-designed they look

They do look really sharp, don't they?!

bongomania · #12 03-20-2010, 07:09 PM

OK, I just received mine today, and while I haven't installed it yet, I did try out the ball-ends of six different brands of strings on it, and they all fit perfectly. So while I certainly believe the OP that the Warwick strings don't fit, I don't believe the statement that "only a very few brands of strings fit into it". I'd be willing to bet the OP only tried the Warwick, or at least did not try many brands.

As far as the set screw adjustments, they seem stable just messing with them unstrung; I'll post again here after I've actually installed, strung, and intonated it.

bongomania · #13 03-22-2010, 08:37 PM

Installed and set up:

The super narrow spacing is because it's a Ric conversion.

It was easy to install and adjust, and feels/seems rock solid. My only complaint is that the set screws for height and intonation are super tiny, so they will strip out more easily than bigger hex screws, and the allen key strips off its corners more easily too. A lot of bridges have these tiny set screws though, so it's not a problem specific to this bridge. But I would much rather they were bigger. Everything else about it is great so far!

JehuJava · #14 03-22-2010, 09:24 PM

and there we have it...another "problem" solved by TB.

jamesczar · #15 03-22-2010, 09:28 PM

Thanks so much for the info and photo.

I think I'll probably spend the extra money on the 2000, since it looks to have much more adjustment for my needs. And since I use flats and hardly ever change strings, the issues will likely be not that important once I set the bridge up to my liking.

- J