Bridge on center opinion?

Koeda · #1 01-31-2008, 08:00 PM

Hi All,
Honeymoon is over. The more I work on the new '07 MIA Jazz Fretless the less I am stoked on the qc (especially compared to my other MIA's from the 90's). Current issue: Have the neck off at the moment and happened to eye the body - measureing confirms the bridge is off center by a solid 1/4" to the E string direction. Had to adjust the neck angle a bit when I first got it cause it looked off and strings weren't equal to the edge of the neck, now I know why (in addition to the string spacing on the nut). Already cut a new nut. Now for the ? - I am guessing it wouldn't be worth the cosmetic embarrasment vs. center position to place it correctly - opinions? Haven't done a build..... yet, but how critical in a build is it for the bridge to be on the centerline?
Thanks in advance,
David

Other new Fender whines for those interested:
PUs: 1/2 the Poles pieces pushed down into the bridge pu flush to the cover. Poor balance in the pu's due to height adjustment. (replaced w/ barts for sonic reasons)
Tuners: Rough casting on a couple of the tuners - didn't fill the mold fully. (replaced tuners w/ Dlx Lite's)
Body: Thinner and lighter than that the '90s body - more neck heavy even without the frets. (added lighter tuners & heavier bridge)
Bridge: Also thinner material than the 90's issue. (replaced w/ Hipshot B)
Ea$ily remedied and generally not a whiner but this shouldn't have come off the line like this imho. It came out of a factory Fender shipping box at the shop btw.

RED5 · #2 02-01-2008, 07:16 AM

To answer your primary Q? Yes.The bridge has to be centered, very important that it is. But if what you say is true about this bass? Hang on to it and in about 30 years it'll be worth a fortune. Sounds like a real mis-cast penny! How'd it ever get out of QC? Then again if you need to actually play it? I'd get it straightened out .

pilotjones · #3 02-01-2008, 10:15 AM

Is the bridge 1/4" off with respect to the pups, or to an extrapolated centerline of the neck pocket? My understanding is that a J body is asymmetrical, so you can't go by a centering with respect to the body outer edges.

Koeda · #4 02-01-2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotjones

Is the bridge 1/4" off with respect to the pups, or to an extrapolated centerline of the neck pocket?

Yes - by either of those reference points.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pilotjones

My understanding is that a J body is asymmetrical, so you can't go by a centering with respect to the body outer edges.

Correct - no way to go from the sides of the body. Also have nother MIA Jazz to reference this from.

Thanks, David

pilotjones · #5 02-01-2008, 11:40 AM

Wow. That's bad.

KeithPas · #6 02-01-2008, 11:49 AM

If you drill new bridge holes to get it centered the old holes may end up being covered up by the rest of the bridge.

Darkstrike · #7 02-01-2008, 11:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koeda

PUs: 1/2 the Poles pieces pushed down into the bridge pu flush to the cover. Poor balance in the pu's due to height adjustment. (replaced w/ barts for sonic reasons).

Was it the two outer poles on each side of the pickup.
If so, they do it for better response when all the strings are radiused to match the fretboard. All the mexi's are so.

Koeda · #8 02-01-2008, 11:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darkstrike

Was it the two outer poles on each side of the pickup.
If so, they do it for better response when all the strings are radiused to match the fretboard. All the mexi's are so.

Was actually the oposite - the center ones were pushed in. Just pulled the pickup and was able to move them back where they belong.
David

pieter · #9 02-01-2008, 11:57 AM

Hope I got this right.By adjusting the neck angle you are talking about it's relationship side to side in the neck pocket?Generally when hear neck angle it's speaking about the tilt of the neck at the body.
I have a homemade Fender that I try different necks on.One of the necks,for whatever reason,didn't fit squarely in the neck pocket resulting in the G string being almost off the neck at the body and the E string sitting closer to the center of the neck at the body.What i did was loosen the strings slightly,backed off the neck bolts some and shifted the neck so the strings lined up correctly.I then held it there and tightened the bolts.The strings then looked proper.

Koeda · #10 02-01-2008, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeithPas

If you drill new bridge holes to get it centered the old holes may end up being covered up by the rest of the bridge.

They will - but still have the string thu holes to deal with. The hole for the ground wire is quite close to the edge of the plate as well - may end up showing a bit. Haven't put the neck back on yet - finishing up some inlays. Will post a pic soon to give a visual.
David

Koeda · #11 02-01-2008, 12:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieter

Hope I got this right.By adjusting the neck angle you are talking about it's relationship side to side in the neck pocket?Generally when hear neck angle it's speaking about the tilt of the neck at the body.

Correct - the tilt and the neck pocket look fine. At least in relation to the body and the pu's. It appears the bridge is off the centerline.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pieter

I had homemade Fender that I would try different necks on.One of the necks,for whatever reason,didn't fit too squarely in the neck pocket resulting in the G string being almost off the neck at the body and the E string sitting closer to the center of the neck at the body.What i did was loosen the strings slightly,backed off the neck bolts some and shifted the neck so the strings lined up correctly.I then held it there and tightened the bolts.The strings then looked proper.

Similar sitch but on a MIA Fender. This one is due to the bridge off rather than the neck, Fix was the same - just backed off the screws lined it up and tightened it down.
David

KeithPas · #12 02-01-2008, 12:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koeda

They will - but still have the string thu holes to deal with. The hole for the ground wire is quite close to the edge of the plate as well - may end up showing a bit. Haven't put the neck back on yet - finishing up some inlays. Will post a pic soon to give a visual.
David

I forgot about the neck through holes.

You would have to fill the holes then re-drill. That is an awful lot of work to put into a new bass, particularly one that is not inexpensive.

pieter · #13 02-01-2008, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koeda

Correct - the tilt and the neck pocket look fine. At least in relation to the body and the pu's. It appears the bridge is off the centerline.

Similar sitch but on a MIA Fender. This one is due to the bridge off rather than the neck, Fix was the same - just backed off the screws lined it up and tightened it down.
David

My guess was that your bass was finished up 5 mins before quitting time on a Friday

Koeda · #14 02-01-2008, 01:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KeithPas

I forgot about the neck through holes.

You would have to fill the holes then re-drill. That is an awful lot of work to put into a new bass, particularly one that is not inexpensive.

Agreed,
That is why I am trying to get a feel of how important the bridge on center issue is for a fretless. I imagine it may throw of intonation on a fretted if the bridge is off center. Have only had it since Aug '07 after waiting 6 mos for the backorder to arrive, but working with a shop and Fender's warranty service is a drag and takes a while. It has def given me some added motivation to build my own next time!

D

Koeda · #15 02-05-2008, 12:34 PM

Here is a pic of the bass with the trace from the Fender doc's superimposed in white over the bass. Although the bridge is now a Hipshot - you can see how off it is.
David

KeithPas · #16 02-05-2008, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Koeda

Agreed,
That is why I am trying to get a feel of how important the bridge on center issue is for a fretless. I imagine it may throw of intonation on a fretted if the bridge is off center. Have only had it since Aug '07 after waiting 6 mos for the backorder to arrive, but working with a shop and Fender's warranty service is a drag and takes a while. It has def given me some added motivation to build my own next time!

D

I don;t think this would be an intonation issue unless it some how affects the length of the string. Your g string may slip off the side of the fingerboard if you are not careful.

SDB Guitars · #17 02-05-2008, 03:01 PM

It is possible that this issue was magnified when installing the Hipshot replacement bridge?

Koeda · #18 02-05-2008, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SDB Guitars

It is possible that this issue was magnified when installing the Hipshot replacement bridge?

Thanks for the reply, but don't see how. It was drilled for a Fender MIA string thru and lined up on the holes perfectly - both for the strings and the screws. Hipshot seems very square and centered to the mounting holes.
Aloha, David