“Cheating” the scale length

I'm sure some people do it, but for me, the bridge adjustment is purely for setting action. To me that's more important than 1/2" shorter or longer scale length.

 

Ahhhh.

That's different. Ok, now I'm interested in hearing expert opinions... Thanks for the further explanation!

 

I cheated the bridge up 1/2" on an old bass with no ill effects on sound. It will probably change the
heel stop pitch though. The soundpost may have to follow, too.

 

There’s nothing magical about that spot between the notches so move it if you want. The only caveat might be to check for a soundpost patch inside in the event the post follows along on the trip. The D note on the G string is 1/3 of the playing length so if the bridge moves even one inch it’s probably not a big deal. The D will move less than 3/8”.

 

The effects of shortening the string length by either or both a false nut and moving the bridge were discussed in the thread "False Nut Question" started by dhm on October 2 2021. From this lifting the bridge alone an inch would move the octave G 1/2" lower, D 1/3", C 1/4" ,etc, and have the least effect on the lowest positions. Think about the current position of the index finger on D relative the thumb opposing at the base of the neck. I trust the setting of my hand relative to my thumb for intonation in Simandl IV and V Positions. Moving the bridge up is a lot less risky than shortening the neck artificially with a false nut and is not permanent.

 

To @dhergert post #2, if you have a fixed bridge - w/o adjusters - you CAN still raise and lower the string action by moving the bridge north and south respectively.

 

Yes, and thank you...

I was just totally mixed up on how this movement was happening. @zootsaxes straightened me out and I've been enjoying reading all the subsequent responses.

Question, and probably a dumb one. Does the word mensure mean the same as scale length in this context?

 

Yes, absolutely.

 

I think King Mortones have a string length that's around 43", correct? If you cheat the bridge to make it 41.25", I think the locations of the notes might get pretty wonky. Then again, it might be enough to make an Eb neck into a D neck...

 

Tread carefully, guys. Moving the bridge up would make an E flat neck worse, wouldn't it? A false nut or replacement neck would move an E flat neck towards a D neck (with great care and forethought)?

 

But it's an easily reversible mod. The bridge can always be moved back.

 

I understand the bias, but ‘worse’? Geez. Moving the bridge 1/2” will move it less than 3/16” and the player might just get used to it.

 

Actually, Greg, I am more worried by the alternatives of shortening the neck alone or making a false nut unless the bass already has a long (index finger on E flat) neck. I recently bought a nice sounding inexpensive 60yo 4/4 German bass whose mensure had been shortened 1 and 1/2" by a new neck graft that moved the D an inch higher towards the bridge. The now uncomfortable D flat neck has made Simandl IV and V Positions very awkward. I thought that I could adjust but it's bugging me a lot and I will have to pass it on but before I do so I will try lifting the bridge 2 inches. This should drop the D back about 2/3". The original 43 1/2" mensure will end up about 40 ". An interesting experiment for my Bel Canto strings that is obviously easily reversed.

 

Old basses often come with a bucket of compromises.

 

... so does whole life.