MY BASS JUST EXPLODED! Repair advice needed please...

mpoppitt · #1 06-20-2005, 12:42 AM

After finally retiring my CCB, and Picking up a used Norton prepped Shen 100, my bass exploded tonite at practice. I wasn't even playing; we were in-between songs, talking arrangments when BLAMMO! the TP cord let go, and sent the bridge flying.

The TP cord on this bass is nylon, and it looks like it simply came untied:

I never paid the cord much mind, except for noting it was nylon. the TP is a walnut Pecanic.

So, can I just re-tie it? what are my cheaper cord options to keep the low tension I had?

Now, the bigger issue is, upon landing, the bridge cracked along the treble side wing.

Is this bridge now garbage? Can it be glued? Am I screwed?

Also, is having the bass sitting with no string tension gonna mess anything up?

ANY help will be appreciated. Time is a factor, as I have to have this bass up and running for a string of important shows the weekend of July 7th. I play western swing, and switch between slap and pizz about equally. I was running weed wackers on the D&G, and Obiligatos on the E&A. the wackers lowered the tension quite a bit, so what gives (or gave)?

philly · #2 06-20-2005, 04:09 AM

i'm sure you'll get advice from other with more experience than me but I have used braided steel cable (recomended by a few luthiers) as tailpiece cable for a couple af basses. You can get this cable at the hardware store and connect it using the U-shaped connectors commonly available where such cable is sold. It seems to be quite standard. I was recently at David Gages shop and several of the basses were rigged up this way. Check Gollihur's site -he has pictures of the same setup.

Brent Norton · #3 06-20-2005, 08:42 AM

mpoppitt -- shoot me an email (available through my profile).

anhmytran · #4 06-20-2005, 11:18 AM

Philly idea is what I want, but I cannot find the item sold
in Home Depot. My cello tailpiece is different from yours.
It is like Violin tailpiece. The cable is hidden undeneath the
tailpiece.

I have never use any bridge that has cracks. If you buy
tools from Home Depot, you can make new bridges yourself
easily. Home made bridges may not be as good as the best
bridges in the world, but most of the times, they are not
worse than these sold in other luthier stores.

Please, don't take my words for that. Try and see yourself.

Chasarms · #5 06-20-2005, 11:44 AM

In your case, I'd slap a little tightbond in the crack and use a little masking tape to hold right 'til it dried. Tie the tailgut back with the right knot (a carrick) and you're back in business.

mpoppitt · #6 06-20-2005, 01:59 PM

Email sent, Brent.

How exactly do you tie a carrick knot?

Chasarms · #7 06-20-2005, 02:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

Email sent, Brent.

How exactly do you tie a carrick knot?

http://www.dirauxwest.org/knots/car_bend.htm

Brent Norton · #8 06-20-2005, 02:38 PM

The knot used originally was indeed a Carrick. I'd recommend checking the knot at each string change or during any other instrument adjustment.

mpoppitt · #9 06-20-2005, 02:48 PM

Yeah, I didn't even think to check it when I put the wackers on. I think I assumed the knot must have been heated, or melted to keep from coming untied. The wackers were on there for almost 2 months before this happened, though.

5_string_player · #10 06-21-2005, 10:14 PM

you already probably glued the bridge crack, but I'm gonna tell you... always use Hide Glue whenever possible. Especially since the pieces fit perfectly to almost perfectly together, hide glue works best. I learned that from a Bass maker/repairer who's a friend of mine.

After you glue it with hide glue, make it flush (don't take off too much if any. Take off as little as possible) and you won't even see the crack anymore.

Paul Warburton · #11 06-22-2005, 04:55 AM

How come the cap of your bridge looks so straight?
Looks like there's no curve at all.

Tbeers · #12 06-22-2005, 11:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

How come the cap of your bridge looks so straight?
Looks like there's no curve at all.

I was going to ask the same hehe. That looks a little bit funky to me, but maybe it's just the angle or something.

Brent Norton · #13 06-22-2005, 11:33 AM

I could be wrong, but it looks like there are a couple of "blackout" boxes on the photo comp, hence the "flat bridge"...

Silversorcerer · #14 06-22-2005, 10:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

I wasn't even playing; we were in-between songs, talking arrangments when BLAMMO! the TP cord let go, and sent the bridge flying.

A narrow escape! You're lucky the flying tailpiece hit the bridge instead of hitting you. Think about how hard it had to hit the bridge to split it like that. Who was that who said he's wearing a helmet from now on?

I'm sticking with the steel cable tailgut, just to be on the safe side.

JimmyM · #15 06-23-2005, 02:09 AM

Someone on here said there was a guy in Atlanta who got killed by a flying tailpiece when the TP wire broke. I thought it was an urban myth but he swears it's true.

mpoppitt · #16 06-23-2005, 02:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Warburton

How come the cap of your bridge looks so straight?
Looks like there's no curve at all.

I cropped the photo at the top.

I hav'nt glued it yet, Brent said to use super-glue. I'm still trying to figure out a way to clamp it while it sets.

Jeff Bollbach · #17 06-23-2005, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mpoppitt

I cropped the photo at the top.

I hav'nt glued it yet, Brent said to use super-glue. I'm still trying to figure out a way to clamp it while it sets.

A wedge inserted under the wing[where you would place an Underwood PU] may work. Shape it 10 degrees less than parallel. Not to second guess Brent but if the superglue fails then you have a problem. That crack looks like it will close up very tight so hide glue will likely work perfectly and you always have another chance.

Brent Norton · #18 06-23-2005, 08:23 AM

No worries, Jeff - I'm not a proponent of CA glue 'cept for very select applications. Based on the placement and orientation of what looks to be a very clean crack, I feel that that CA will fit the bill.

Oh, and not a word about the "clean crack..."

Jeff Bollbach · #19 06-23-2005, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brent Norton

No worries, Jeff - I'm not a proponent of CA glue 'cept for very select applications. Based on the placement and orientation of what looks to be a very clean crack, I feel that that CA will fit the bill.

Oh, and not a word about the "clean crack..."

Actually Brent I have had to deal with so many dirty, contaminated cracks in my day that the sight of a clean one just fills me with the desire to warm up my glue. Sorry, couldn't resist.

Silversorcerer · #20 06-23-2005, 10:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

Someone on here said there was a guy in Atlanta who got killed by a flying tailpiece when the TP wire broke. I thought it was an urban myth but he swears it's true.

I have no idea if it's true or not. It is a story that has been circulating here for years. I'm not taking any chances, myself.

As for the validity of the story, that's not important to me. The possibility of injury is apparent. It's like a catapult with 200 lbs. of force and, depending on the TP, a half pound or so projectile. Even if all it did was give you a shiner, I would want to err on the side of caution. In this case it split a half inch thick piece of maple.