The old Fender short scales (musicmasters broncos and the like) have very narrow bridge spacing, down close to 16mm in some cases, I believe. Don't know of any in full scale though.
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4 string basses with narrower string spacing?
- Thread starter harrumphicus
- Start date
Ibanez SR series basses have 16.5 spacing. Nice thin and fast necks. I have a couple five string models and really like them.
- Apr 18, 2008
- 16,026
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- I'm highly opinionated and extremely self-assured
Gibsons and Epiphones have narrow bridge spacing, excepting the recent ones that use the Babicz Fender bridge.
+1 for Status if you have the coin.
+1 for Status if you have the coin.
Getting adjustable string spacing is the simplest thing in the world to do. Just bolt on a bridge with adjustable spacing. But.....The neck width is what it is...........no matter what.
I have to wonder if the OP if looking for a narrower neck or just tighter spacing.
A Fender Jazz bass already has about 1/4" space between the G string and the edge of the board.
A stingray, on the other hand, is practically falling off the edge.
I have to wonder if the OP if looking for a narrower neck or just tighter spacing.
A Fender Jazz bass already has about 1/4" space between the G string and the edge of the board.
A stingray, on the other hand, is practically falling off the edge.
i posted this in another thread awhile back, but: i purchased an instrument with a P neck, had a luthier 'narrow' the neck to a J (i could have gone narrower if preferred) for $80, put a shaller 3D bridge on it = adjustable string spacing on a narrower neck!
i'll end up doing it again on a mighty mite P neck at some point just because it's cheaper than buying a fretless J neck (and mighty mite doesn't make a fretless J neck).
i'll end up doing it again on a mighty mite P neck at some point just because it's cheaper than buying a fretless J neck (and mighty mite doesn't make a fretless J neck).
Only the 5 strings. Most every Ibanez 4 string is 19mm at the bridge.
My '72 SB-350 is 17.5 at the bridge using a Hipshot Super Tone drop-in for the stock 2-point disaster. Narrow enough for Strat pickups.
Add Gibson, Vox, and Jerry Jones to that list as well.
I will say Hoffner and vox are the smallest string spacing I've ever played
+1 on the Steinberger. My '86 XP-2 is noticeably tighter than my Fender Jazz. By my crude measurement it is in the neighborhood of 17mm at the bridge.
You should check the Overwater Basses. They do the Scott Devine J bass 4 strings with 16.5 mm spacing
check this out Invalid Link Removed
check this out Invalid Link Removed
Significantly tighter string spacing, 6-er, though a short scale at 30" : Ibanez SRC6 may be of interest to you
I have a 4 string 2011 Warwick Rockbass Streamer LX, and the two-piece Warwick bridge allows you to adjust the string spacing. I have it as narrow as it will go with all gaps being equal, and they are sitting at 17mm apart from the center of each string to the adjacent string's center.
I think Hipshot Style A bridges allow for this adjustment as well, but I'm not sure if you can get it as narrow as 17mm.
I think Hipshot Style A bridges allow for this adjustment as well, but I'm not sure if you can get it as narrow as 17mm.
I've had a Squire Vintage mod Frettless Jazz. It's very slim and thin neck because there are no frets, and the Ebonal fingerboard is also thin. I had to return it because the neck was so thin and slim it gave me writs pain. Fret spacing is close, I don't know the specs. But the neck is pretty stable considering the size, I guess it's due to the Ebonal fingerboard. Check one out if you get the chance.
Now that's what I'm talking about. That's a good looking bass, too.
I didn't see them mentioned yet, but Aria Pro II SB-1000, SB-700, or SB-900s (original models, not re-issues) had very tight string spacing (16mm I believe).
