The abalone looks cool, but if my choices are the 2 pics above, this one all day.
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5 string Ricken-Musicman Bass.
- Thread starter Videojunkie
- Start date
Patience, and some 320 grit sandpaper. And I was able to get the planned truss rod cover to work!
I've been playing this bass for a while now, and I've come to the conclusion that the 16mm spacing on the bridge is a problem. The pickup pole spacing is just not compatible with that narrow of a spacing. My google-fu also is coming up empty for a 17.5mm 5 string musicman bridge...
Using some small washers I added about 1mm to the spacing, and the difference on the D and G strings is tremendous. It also makes the bass more comfortable to play.
So, it may take a few weeks, but the plan is to redesign the bridge base and reuse the existing mounting holes and string saddles to make a 17mm or 17.5mm bridge. Worst case, I can fill them and re-drill. This will put the strings right along the inside edge of the fretboard binding (which is 4.5mm wide...)
Initial plan is to draft everything in Autocad, and cut and bend a piece from the same saw blade we made the control plate from.
Otherwise I'll look at something like send cut send. I think 12ga stainless steel should be more than adequate for the task.
Using some small washers I added about 1mm to the spacing, and the difference on the D and G strings is tremendous. It also makes the bass more comfortable to play.
So, it may take a few weeks, but the plan is to redesign the bridge base and reuse the existing mounting holes and string saddles to make a 17mm or 17.5mm bridge. Worst case, I can fill them and re-drill. This will put the strings right along the inside edge of the fretboard binding (which is 4.5mm wide...)
Initial plan is to draft everything in Autocad, and cut and bend a piece from the same saw blade we made the control plate from.
Otherwise I'll look at something like send cut send. I think 12ga stainless steel should be more than adequate for the task.
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If you like the feel of the narrow string spacing (I do not) and don't want to go down a custom bridge rabbit hole, maybe some blade-pole pickups would work? Something like Nordstrand BigBladeMan, Bartolini (I think), or EMGs.
Rather than replace the whole bridge, can you get to your preferred spacing using new saddles with the notches further apart?
Send cut send quoted the baseplate piece at $38. In 1.6mm stainless steel. I might just go that route. That includes the 2 required bends...
Send Cut Send is a great option. I've heard a lot of great feedback about that service.
I will say that Send Cut Send has been great to work with. I really don't understand metal bending and offsets and stretching issues, and their team has been very patient with me so far. You can tell they really want to make sure that I get what I am hoping to out of the process.
Final drawing submitted to send cut send. Crossing my fingers that what comes back is close enough to use....
This may be my favorite feature of using send cut send...
My... PARTS? Are being BENT?! I don't like the sound of this at all!
I'm replicating the baseplate of the musicman bridge but with 17.5mm spacing.
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Got the new bridge base plate from send cut send. They did a fantastic job on it. Spent a few minutes at the polishing wheen to remove some of the brushed stainless steel look. (I'll spend some more later to get it closer to the polished look the rest of the hardware has). 
Went to install it, and discovered that part of my issue is that somehow my pickups are not quite as centered as I thought they were.
That said, the 17.5mm spacing looks like it's going to be perfect, and it perfectly aligns with the fretboard!
Went to install it, and discovered that part of my issue is that somehow my pickups are not quite as centered as I thought they were.
That said, the 17.5mm spacing looks like it's going to be perfect, and it perfectly aligns with the fretboard!
