String length

[neilG]

While messing around changing strings, I measuredmy string length and to my surprise they were different. Longer at the lower end.

The question is: on a non-fretted instrument are the vibrating lengths of the strings supposed to be identical on all strings?

[reedo35]

You measured from the bridge to the nut, right? Are you sure your
bridge is on straight?

[neilG]

Originally Posted by reedo35

You measured from the bridge to the nut, right? Are you sure your
bridge is on straight?

Everything is on straight, although the bridge is a few years old and a bit warped.Yes, I meaured bridge to nut. All that notwithstanding, the question is: are the strings supposed to be equal lengths? On a guitar they are not because the increasing thickness of the string reduces the actual vibrating length of the string. That's why the low strings are longer.

[mojoluthier]

It's not so much a "should be" situation as it just "is". The bridge is easily skewed (sp?) or warped/twisted which changes the string length, but ideally (on most basses) the bridge will stand with it's back square to the top and it's feet bisecting a straight line between the inner f hole notches. And the strings will be of equal length.

[Silversorcerer]

It really depends a lot on the geometry of your instrument. The angle of the neck set will contribute as will the radius of the FB and the bridge height. If any difference occurs it is usually that the middle strings, the D and A, will measure a little longer than the outside strings, mostly because they intersect at higher points on the bridge. It shouldn't be much of a difference though. I have seen some novice set ups where someone cleverly skewed the bridge to make the E string longer like on an EBG, but since there are no frets this has no particular utility and just complicates the set-up. It also looks like a badly hung picture.