Double Bass Best way to raise a bridge?

[froghat]

I have an inexpensive 3/4 size upright (no idea what brand) that I had worked on last Spring. The repair guy straightened the fingerboard and trimmed the bridge to lower the action. The G string is very low, and I really need it higher so I can get my fingers under it for rockabilly.

I have tried putting a piece of leather between the G string and the bridge, and that helps, but not enough. Adjusters look like they would do the trick, but I'm not very handy and I'll bet they'd be expensive to have installed.

Any other quick and dirty ways to raise the string height?

 

[what the pluck]

There's a thread in here somewhere talking about a piece of sheet cork under the bridge feet.

 

[KUNGfuSHERIFF]

You don't need to get your fingers under the strings to play slap bass. You need to learn to catch the string with the pads of your fingers. I slap just fine on a Spirocore G string that's 7mm off the end of the board.

 

[froghat]

Yes, I saw the cork idea - I think I'll try it. And KFS, I'd be happy for 7mm!

 

[skychief]

I used cork shims under the bridge feet. It comes in sheets 3mm thick at your local automotive-supply store (valve-cover gasket material). If you doubled it up, it would yield 6mm, of course.

But im not sure if raising just the G string side of the bridge is a good idea... the E side of the bridge foot would not be making good contact with the top of the instrument. You'd need to shim both feet equally to maintain proper contact. And that might get your E string much higher than you want.

imo.

 

[froghat]

I just bought some gasket cork from the auto parts store. I think it's closer to 2mm. Anyway, I did just the G side and the E side doesn't seem to have suffered much. It raised G to a very usable height (I still have a piece of leather between string and bridge too) and sounds fine.

Thanks for the suggestions, guys - I feel like I got my bass back again!

 

[DoubleMIDI]

The cork will damp a bit (the thicker the more). You may like it or not.

Alternatively you can put a few sheets of maple or birch veneer between top and bridge foot. (Probably on both sides to avoid an unwanted angle of the bridge feet on the top.)

A Shadow SH965NFX (similar to the realist but under both bridge feet) pickup might help too, raising the bridge about 1 to 1.5mm.