Double Bass chalk?

[Calvin Marks]

Is there a special type of chalk that luthiers use to mark where the bridge feet are on the top of belly of the bass? My bridge tends to move a bit when I travel so I'd like to outline where the bridge feet go

 

[Mike Carr]

I can't answer your question because I don't know what they use. But your question reminds me of a time some years ago when I was playing in Shanghai, China for a while. I also wanted to mark the top of my bass to maintain the correct position of my bridge feet. So I set out in search of some chalk to use. I walked around the neighbourhood I was staying in and found a small shop, the sort of place that sells simple hardware items, tools and such. They had little while sticks of chalk for sale so I bought a box. It worked great for my purposes, marked the spots as I wanted to and didn't scratch the finish. I played the bass nightly for several weeks until I realised the chalk I bought was in fact a cockroach killing poison that is used in homes. You paint a line on your kitchen floor and when the bugs come in contact with it they die! Needless to say I removed this substance from my bass as soon as found out was it's intended use was!

 

[bassmanbrent]

I think some folks use a grease pencil.

 

[jj.833]

My luthier uses soft graphite pencil, just paints traces around the bridge legs. Also he writes on the side of the bridge the optimal mensure (1045 mm in my case), as the bridge might bend towards the fingerboard, for example when you change strings and tune often. He aslo told me that he could put a bit of rosin dust under the bridge legs, so they stick better. I'm not sure though whether he uses this rosin trick always, or only in some cases; nor do I remember whether he used rosin for my bridge.

 

[Tim Schnautz]

Why are the bridge saddles moving? I’ve never had that happpen unless I wanted them to

 

[turf3]

Why are the bridge saddles moving? I’ve never had that happpen unless I wanted them to

Bump it on a door frame and it'll shift.

I just run round the bottom of each foot with a pencil. A few pencil lines won't hurt your bass.

 

[dperrott]

You can use a pencil, depending on the color of your varnish. Don't mark it with the point. Don't hold the pencil 90 degrees to the top but at a low angle so you don't scratch the top. Yes you can use a grease pencil available at an art supply store. The come in different colors. Some luthiers will mark the back outside corners of the bridge feet with them.

 

[Calvin Marks]

I can't answer your question because I don't know what they use. But your question reminds me of a time some years ago when I was playing in Shanghai, China for a while. I also wanted to mark the top of my bass to maintain the correct position of my bridge feet. So I set out in search of some chalk to use. I walked around the neighbourhood I was staying in and found a small shop, the sort of place that sells simple hardware items, tools and such. They had little while sticks of chalk for sale so I bought a box. It worked great for my purposes, marked the spots as I wanted to and didn't scratch the finish. I played the bass nightly for several weeks until I realised the chalk I bought was in fact a cockroach killing poison that is used in homes. You paint a line on your kitchen floor and when the bugs come in contact with it they die! Needless to say I removed this substance from my bass as soon as found out was it's intended use was!

That was absolutely hilarious. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Calvin Marks]

Why are the bridge saddles moving? I’ve never had that happpen unless I wanted them to

Mixture of very very old bass with a top that is slowly sinking and having adjusters that are probably put a bit too far.

 

[Thumpa]

Why are the bridge saddles moving? I’ve never had that happpen unless I wanted them to

Um…you’re in the double bass forum.

 

[GretschWretch]

I can't answer your question because I don't know what they use. But your question reminds me of a time some years ago when I was playing in Shanghai, China for a while. I also wanted to mark the top of my bass to maintain the correct position of my bridge feet. So I set out in search of some chalk to use. I walked around the neighbourhood I was staying in and found a small shop, the sort of place that sells simple hardware items, tools and such. They had little while sticks of chalk for sale so I bought a box. It worked great for my purposes, marked the spots as I wanted to and didn't scratch the finish. I played the bass nightly for several weeks until I realised the chalk I bought was in fact a cockroach killing poison that is used in homes. You paint a line on your kitchen floor and when the bugs come in contact with it they die! Needless to say I removed this substance from my bass as soon as found out was it's intended use was!

This adds a whole new level of meaning to the time-tested hipster question, "Hey, man; got a roach on ya?"

 

[Calvin Marks]

Used some chalk and it scraped the top.

 

[RSBBass]

Taylor's chalk may work.

 

[the_Ryan]

I think Schnitzer recommends a grease pencil.

When my bass got a new setup, Mike Shank put a couple of pinpricks in the top (with what, I don’t know) near the top outer corner of each bridge foot to make placing the bridge easier.