Bridge for American Standard

Wallyphonic · #1 11-09-2008, 09:04 PM

Does anyone know what size bridge normally fits an American Standard?I recently picked up an unmarked American Standard and I was planning on fitting it with a new bridge. After measuring the bass bar position it looks like it needs a bridge about 3.75 inches center to center. This seems really small, am I measuring this right? I picked up a half size bridge @3.875" center to center but it isn't even tall enough. It needs to be a little over 7 inches tall. Any help would be appreciated!

ctregan · #2 11-10-2008, 06:51 AM

The bass bar on an old American Standards is located closer to the centerline of the belly than on most basses, try a 150mm bridge.

Wallyphonic · #3 11-10-2008, 06:18 PM

Thanks for the reply. I bought a 150mm bridge from Lemur (sold as 3/4 size). It looks like with that bridge the center of the foot will land about 7mm outside of the centerline of the bass bar. Is that OK? How critical is it that the foot is right over the bass bar? Can you buy a bridge that is narrower but just as tall as a 3/4 size?

**Matthew Tucker** · #4 11-10-2008, 07:29 PM

Personally, I don't think there's much physical "connection" between the centre of the bridge foot and the centre of the bass bar. I think that rule of thumb is more to give you an indication of an ideal or typical spread of the bridge feet for the bass. A few mm here or there is in my opinion not going to make a significant difference. (standing by for contrary opinions here ...)

If the foot of the bridge is well fitted, unless the feet are thinned significantly, I feel the whole width of the bridge foot will act as one. There is enough variation in the bassbar width and position, the angle of the bass bar, the width and angle of the FFs, the soundpost position and the thickness of the top (to mention but few variables) for the "rule of thumb" to be anything more than that. Some bass bars are so close to the edge of the FFs that a bridge centred over the bass bar would be way too wide. Other bass bars are set a way in and you might choose a wider bridge blank to try to get the top moving more.

You have to look at all the other variables and make an informed decision.

**Matthew Tucker** · #5 11-10-2008, 08:11 PM

Or you could just use the "rule of thumb" and see how it shapes up. You're not likely to do any damage to the bass.

You'll enjoy this blog of an American Standard restoration by Pete Langdell of Rigel Instruments in Vermont.

http://www.smokin-grass.com/as787.html

Jake deVilliers · #6 11-10-2008, 09:13 PM

"The bass bar on an old American Standards is located closer to the centerline of the belly than on most basses, try a 150mm bridge."

Since CT just restored an AS, I'd take this advice as gospel...

arnoldschnitzer · #7 11-11-2008, 07:28 AM

What Jake said about what CT said. I've done a lot of these. The 150 works just fine. Now if you want to really hear an American Standard roar, you move the bass bar out to where it "should" be. But that is no job for a hobbyist.

Wallyphonic · #8 11-12-2008, 12:02 AM

Thanks for everybody's help. I'll go ahead and put the 150mm bridge on there. The bass has a crazy aluminum three legged bridge on it now and it sounds great, but I just wanted to see how it would sound with a regular bridge on it.

MR PC · #9 11-12-2008, 02:30 AM

That bridge is a piece of history, hold on to it! I've only ever seen one photo of one, that was on the legendary Pop Foster's bass.

I'm going to dig that picture out and see if Pop's bass was an AS.....

MR PC · #10 11-12-2008, 02:47 AM

It doesn't look like an American Standard, but I thought it would be nice to post a photo anyway.

Wallyphonic · #11 11-12-2008, 10:56 AM

Thanks for posting the picture of Pops! I had been looking for one of these metal bridges for about twenty years, ever since I saw a picture of Bill Haley's bass player with one. The picture was from the 60's when he was playing in England. An English friend of mine said he knew someone back home who had one as well but it was slightly different. The bridge was actually the reason I noticed my bass for sale, the fact that the bass turned out to be an AS was an added bonus!

Wallyphonic · #12 11-12-2008, 11:01 AM

Here's a photo of my metal bridge. Anybody else know anything about these?

**Matthew Tucker** · #13 11-12-2008, 11:44 PM

That's a Framus bridge, there's a thread there somewhere discussing it. As I recall, Mingus "endorsed" Framus at one point, but i haven't seen any of these bridges in the photos ...

The Framus company was started by a Fred Wilfer just after WWII.

I hope that helped pay his rent for a while ...

sXeMike · #14 11-13-2008, 08:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wallyphonic

Here's a photo of my metal bridge. Anybody else know anything about these?

Do you want to sell it? I want one for my aluminum bass.

Paul Warburton · #15 11-13-2008, 09:10 AM

It ain't gonna help.

Johnny Atomic · #16 11-13-2008, 10:34 AM

i have a four legged aluminum bridge marked "slowey" it was made in Oklahoma.

Jake deVilliers · #17 11-13-2008, 11:12 AM

Hey Johnny, can you post a photo?

Wallyphonic · #18 11-13-2008, 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sXeMike

Do you want to sell it? I want one for my aluminum bass.

No, I'm gonna hang onto it. If I decide I don't like it on the American Standard I will probably put it on my aluminum bass. Just to complete the weirdness factor.

Wallyphonic · #19 11-13-2008, 12:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jake deVilliers

Hey Johnny, can you post a photo?

I'd like to see a photo of the four legged variety as well!

Johnny Atomic · #20 11-13-2008, 02:11 PM

i'll get a pic