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Double Bass Brass vs. Aluminium bridge adjuster?

Barcza

Barcza

May 1, 2005
1,163
255
Budapest
www.myspace.com
#1
Hi everyone,

I’m considering installing Petz Brass Bass Bridge Screws (bridge adjusters) on my double bass, and I was wondering if anyone here has real-world experience with them.
  • How reliable are they in the long run?
  • Any issues with stability, thread wear, or damage to the bridge?
  • Would you recommend them over aluminum or other brands of adjusters?
  • I want to make sure the bridge feet stay straight over time and don’t start bending or warping as the screws dig into the wood.

Thanks in advance!

www.thomann.de

Petz Bass Bridge Screws Brass

Height adjustment screws For adjusting the height of the bass bridge, Material: brass
www.thomann.de www.thomann.de
 
#2
Of the two I'd be more likely to go with brass for strength, but be aware (1) that the way it is installed is the most important part, and that (I2) there might be a slight weight-related tone difference between brass and aluminum.

If it were me, I'd not try to make this a DIY project, there are too many fine details that need to be just right for bridge adjusters to work properly. But if you've done them successfully a lot before, maybe you'll be fine.
 
#3
Don Hergert said:
Of the two I'd be more likely to go with brass for strength, but be aware (1) that the way it is installed is the most important part, and that (I2) there might be a slight weight-related tone difference between brass and aluminum.

If it were me, I'd not try to make this a DIY project, there are too many fine details that need to be just right for bridge adjusters to work properly. But if you've done them successfully a lot before, maybe you'll be fine.
Click to expand...
Thank you for advice!
No, I never do DIY, I have very pro luthier!
 
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#6
KUNGfuSHERIFF said:
Allegedly sonically inaudible. I can hear a difference between aluminum adjusters and a straight bridge. The adjusters mess with the harmonics and transients.

Brass adjusters are good in theory because it’s a musical metal, but it’s heavy and soft. I like lignum vitae adjusters. It’s a dense, waxy wood so it sounds nice and holds up.
Click to expand...
I use exclusively adjustable bridges for long time, I never noticed appreciable negative effect in sound, compared to straight bridges…
My only problem currently is, the bridge bent at the screw because the screw dug itself into the wood, I just hope I could have least chance for that with the Petz Brass Bridge, becouse the screw has a sleeve, and doesn’t go directly to the wood…But maybe I’m wrong…




  • appreciable







  • appreciable
 
#10
Barcza said:
Hi everyone,

I’m considering installing Petz Brass Bass Bridge Screws (bridge adjusters) on my double bass, and I was wondering if anyone here has real-world experience with them.
  • How reliable are they in the long run?
  • Any issues with stability, thread wear, or damage to the bridge?
  • Would you recommend them over aluminum or other brands of adjusters?
  • I want to make sure the bridge feet stay straight over time and don’t start bending or warping as the screws dig into the wood.
Thanks in advance!

www.thomann.de

Petz Bass Bridge Screws Brass

Height adjustment screws For adjusting the height of the bass bridge, Material: brass
www.thomann.de www.thomann.de
Click to expand...

Hello!

I had these very adjusters on my bass for a few years and I wouldn't recommend them. Out of curiousity I switched the adjuster screws for two Fishman Full Circle aluminum blanks (can be ordered directly from Fishman if you get in touch with them), and the sound improved vastly. I still have the inserts in my bridge.

So if you want to have inserts out of fear of the wood being damaged, my recommendation would be to buy the Petz only for the inserts and use the Fishman screws. My bridge is six years old by now and good as new, by the way. Was installed by luthier who also put in the adjusters.
 
#11
The Fishman screws were $10.95 each (at least a few years ago), and it's the 6x1mm screw that fits with the Petz inserts. Shipping to Europe was more than the screws themselves, however. Worth every penny, though!
 
#12
My concern with those adjusters is the threaded inserts. Over time, if you're not careful, I'd be worried that they might accidentally turn with the adjusters and damage the top of the bass while lowering the string height. Maybe I'm over thinking things, but I do see it as a possibility unless the inserts were somehow pinned to stop them from rotating.
 
#13
The main issue I seem to run into is nice connection between threaded wheel shafts and inserts, but kindergarden skills used to put the inserts into the bridge feet & upper bridge body.

If your "guy" can't make a very precise 1/4-20 tapped hole in a wooden bridge blank or anything similar for the threaded inserts, find another "guy".

Additional inserts are redundant if you can tap a good hole; same thing with using a helicoil. They are sort of post damage control when what we both know is you need a new bridge.
 
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#14
james condino said:
Additional inserts are redundant if you can tap a good hole
Click to expand...
hope i'm not talking out of school (not being a bass builder) but i saw a good carpentry/woodworking youtube where the guy was strength-testing various methods of threading a machine screw into wood (using 1/4-20 threads into maple no less as i recall) and sure enough, the strongest setup was in fact just a well-tapped hole into the wood, chased with thin CA glue to harden up the threads

raw wood threads without the reinforcing CA were not so strong, while the various metal inserts were fine against the threads of the bolt but not as strong against the surrounding wood
 
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#15
walterw said:
hope i'm not talking out of school (not being a bass builder) but i saw a good carpentry/woodworking youtube where the guy was strength-testing various methods of threading a machine screw into wood (using 1/4-20 threads into maple no less as i recall) and sure enough, the strongest setup was in fact just a well-tapped hole into the wood, chased with thin CA glue to harden up the threads

raw wood threads without the reinforcing CA were not so strong, while the various metal inserts were fine against the threads of the bolt but not as strong against the surrounding wood
Click to expand...
I bought a forming tap to experiment with. A forming tap compresses metal instead of cutting it to form a thread. I'd like to see that tested. In my fooling around with it, it produced really nice tight threads in maple.
 
#16
You can't beat Brass for sheer visual elegance and class...(sorry Aluminum.)
IMG_5545.jpg
 
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#18
Barcza said:
What is this exact product? This is not the Petz brass screw…
Click to expand...
Not sure of their origin - just taken off of an old 80's bridge, and modified by ME, (drilled holes) to lighten, as Brass is on the heavy side.
Thx.
EDIT: I recall that they were installed by Luthier Chris Para, in Rochester, NY. I never asked where he obtained the adjusters.
Thx, again.
 
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#19
Using brass for adjuster screws just seems idiotic to me. Same goes for using threaded inserts. You are adding unnecessary mass to your bridge which will deaden the sound. Properly installed, 1/4-20 aluminium adjusters threaded directly into wood will last practically forever, and mass is minimized. That is all I have ever used.
 
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