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Different individual string spaces at the bridge

darkkimhari

darkkimhari

May 18, 2020
592
1,133
#1
Hello guys,

Hope you are all doing well.

On my Fanfret bass, I upgraded the individual bridges with others that are much better than the average generic ones. This bridges allows to set manually the space between the strings by putting the slot holding the strings more on the left or the right. I like my strings to be very near of each others for fast playing so I installed my bridges with a space of 15mm between the strings. While 15mm is perfect between the B, E and A strings, it gives difficult times for my thick fingers to fit between the A, D and G for some slap. Not impossible but not comfortable.

As my individual bridges allow to set it individually, I pushed:
- The B and E string more on the left with a space of 14mm between
- Pushed very slightly the A on the left as well with a space of 14mm Between E and A
- Kept the D in it's normal position offering 16mm between A and D
- Pushed the G on the right side (the maximum possible without the string jumping out of the fretboard while playing) to keep a space of 16mm between D and G

So basically, I have a spacing of :
B - 14mm - E - 14mm - A - 16mm - D - 16mm - G

That's actually the best setting I ever had in term of playability as more space between B/E/A is useless and giving the necessary space to play the A/D/G with enough space for a comfortable slap

417088486_222884160872097_2421798211509734540_n.jpg


419142759_405864008447208_3495668269949666814_n.jpg


Visually, it isn't really noticeable (in the photo it look like the G string is nearer of the edge of the fretboard but it's just because I was slightly tilting while I took the photo, they are both identically centered).

So far so good. My question to the pros here now, and because I care for the good health of my bass in the long term. Will this difference of spaces make a big difference of tension in the neck that could possibly wrap on the long term due to this ? I believe that not as it is minimalistic and that with the nut being perfectly centered, it is somehow correcting the difference at the bridge and putting the pressure quite as it would be without it. But just wanna have opinions on this.

By the way, if anybody is interested, this is the bridges in question:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...order_list.order_list_main.153.21ef1802amOy8t
I really advise you to anyone having a fan fret bass with the generic ones that come with it. That's a great update both in quality and setting options / simplcity
 
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#4
JRA said:
i think the answer to your question is, "it doesn't matter," but the question itself is irrelevant: if you are playing better or more comfortably = it's the right thing to do! ;)

also, nice ax! :thumbsup:
Click to expand...
GTHintz said:
A millimeter wont do much in terms of neck relief or anything. Play what feels best. Its only wood.
Click to expand...

I agree with both of you, just double checking with some more knowledgeable people that I am not giving a small long painful death to my neck :roflmao:

I'll enjoy this new settings then. Ifsome of you have similat adjustments possible in your basses, I advise you to give it a try. That's actually really nice !
 
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#5
darkkimhari said:
I agree with both of you, just double checking with some more knowledgeable people that I am not giving a small long painful death to my neck :roflmao:

I'll enjoy this new settings then. Ifsome of you have similat adjustments possible in your basses, I advise you to give it a try. That's actually really nice !
Click to expand...
Well my Warwick has adjustable string spacing too. Ive got it pretty much at 16.5mm but I also did not completely adhere to that number. I did do some micro adjustments to the b string to make it hover closer to the exposed pole of the humbucker. Haven't adjusted it in years since.
 
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#6
Cool bit of "outside the box" thinking. If it works for you, do it! I don't think the stresses on the neck will be radically different enough to cause a problem, but I don't claim to be an expert.
 
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#8
I somehow ended up with B to E 0,5 mm closer than the rest, 16mm there, closer to 16.5 on the rest. I've set it by feel and measured only a couple of years later

I also have two 4-stringers with adjustable string spacing, one ended up with even 18mm, and I didn't measure the second yet
 
Last edited:
#10
darkkimhari said:
Hello guys,

Hope you are all doing well.

On my Fanfret bass, I upgraded the individual bridges with others that are much better than the average generic ones. This bridges allows to set manually the space between the strings by putting the slot holding the strings more on the left or the right. I like my strings to be very near of each others for fast playing so I installed my bridges with a space of 15mm between the strings. While 15mm is perfect between the B, E and A strings, it gives difficult times for my thick fingers to fit between the A, D and G for some slap. Not impossible but not comfortable.

As my individual bridges allow to set it individually, I pushed:
- The B and E string more on the left with a space of 14mm between
- Pushed very slightly the A on the left as well with a space of 14mm Between E and A
- Kept the D in it's normal position offering 16mm between A and D
- Pushed the G on the right side (the maximum possible without the string jumping out of the fretboard while playing) to keep a space of 16mm between D and G

So basically, I have a spacing of :
B - 14mm - E - 14mm - A - 16mm - D - 16mm - G

That's actually the best setting I ever had in term of playability as more space between B/E/A is useless and giving the necessary space to play the A/D/G with enough space for a comfortable slap

View attachment 5316077

View attachment 5316078

Visually, it isn't really noticeable (in the photo it look like the G string is nearer of the edge of the fretboard but it's just because I was slightly tilting while I took the photo, they are both identically centered).

So far so good. My question to the pros here now, and because I care for the good health of my bass in the long term. Will this difference of spaces make a big difference of tension in the neck that could possibly wrap on the long term due to this ? I believe that not as it is minimalistic and that with the nut being perfectly centered, it is somehow correcting the difference at the bridge and putting the pressure quite as it would be without it. But just wanna have opinions on this.

By the way, if anybody is interested, this is the bridges in question:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...order_list.order_list_main.153.21ef1802amOy8t
I really advise you to anyone having a fan fret bass with the generic ones that come with it. That's a great update both in quality and setting options / simplcity
Click to expand...
Just wanted to say that I love this compound / "best of both worlds" solution :thumbsup:
About your neck concerns, realize that a 1mm shift at the bridge is equivalent to a ~0.06 degrees difference from the heatstock's point of view... I'd be much more concerned about non-balanced string sets :D
 
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#11
Nobody ever said that a person has to conform to the '70's single notch bridge saddles. I have experimented with the old bolt-stock bridges to get the spacing that felt good for the bass and my hands. I have generally narrower string spacing than "Fender standard," more like Rickenbacker or Mustang bass spacing, just because I like it better. Great job getting a bass to play for your preferences.
 
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#12
No the tension will not be affected at all, no worries there.

There are only two things I would worry about when adjusting the string spacing:

1) Make sure each string is still within the full magnetic field of the pickups/poles. In this case this shouldn't be a problem at all.

2) Make sure the outer strings don't get too close to the fretboard in the upper frets, or they could "fall off" the fretboard when playing. In this case the treble side looks a bit too close for my liking but pics can be deceiving and the fret radius and bevel of the fret ends will also have a huge influence on how close you can get to the edge without causing problems. If the bass plays nicely it's all good.
 
#13
Deleted member 271037 said:
No the tension will not be affected at all, no worries there.

There are only two things I would worry about when adjusting the string spacing:

1) Make sure each string is still within the full magnetic field of the pickups/poles. In this case this shouldn't be a problem at all.

2) Make sure the outer strings don't get too close to the fretboard in the upper frets, or they could "fall off" the fretboard when playing. In this case the treble side looks a bit too close for my liking but pics can be deceiving and the fret radius and bevel of the fret ends will also have a huge influence on how close you can get to the edge without causing problems. If the bass plays nicely it's all good.
Click to expand...
You are totally right about the second point, I had to do tests for this point while doing the settings. I have placed it at the very right and then did test and brought it back to the left slowly until it stopped to jump out of the fretboard. The photo is slightly deceptive because I was tilting a bit while I shot it(to avoid the shadow of the phone due to the light), however you are right, it's quite near of the edge. The fretboard has an almost flat radius (that's a custom made and I based the spec of the fretboard on the 5 strings Warwick) so it stays quite stable due to this.
 
#15
darkkimhari said:
You are totally right about the second point, I had to do tests for this point while doing the settings. I have placed it at the very right and then did test and brought it back to the left slowly until it stopped to jump out of the fretboard. The photo is slightly deceptive because I was tilting a bit while I shot it(to avoid the shadow of the phone due to the light), however you are right, it's quite near of the edge. The fretboard has an almost flat radius (that's a custom made and I based the spec of the fretboard on the 5 strings Warwick) so it stays quite stable due to this.
Click to expand...

Excellent! :thumbsup:

I obviously meant too close to THE EDGE of the fretboard of course, not "too close to the fretboard" like I mistakenly wrote. But you clearly understood what I meant.:thumbsup: A flat fretboard will definitely allow you to get closer to the edge without problems.
 
#17
darkkimhari said:
Hello guys,

Hope you are all doing well.

On my Fanfret bass, I upgraded the individual bridges with others that are much better than the average generic ones. This bridges allows to set manually the space between the strings by putting the slot holding the strings more on the left or the right. I like my strings to be very near of each others for fast playing so I installed my bridges with a space of 15mm between the strings. While 15mm is perfect between the B, E and A strings, it gives difficult times for my thick fingers to fit between the A, D and G for some slap. Not impossible but not comfortable.

As my individual bridges allow to set it individually, I pushed:
- The B and E string more on the left with a space of 14mm between
- Pushed very slightly the A on the left as well with a space of 14mm Between E and A
- Kept the D in it's normal position offering 16mm between A and D
- Pushed the G on the right side (the maximum possible without the string jumping out of the fretboard while playing) to keep a space of 16mm between D and G

So basically, I have a spacing of :
B - 14mm - E - 14mm - A - 16mm - D - 16mm - G

That's actually the best setting I ever had in term of playability as more space between B/E/A is useless and giving the necessary space to play the A/D/G with enough space for a comfortable slap

View attachment 5316077

View attachment 5316078

Visually, it isn't really noticeable (in the photo it look like the G string is nearer of the edge of the fretboard but it's just because I was slightly tilting while I took the photo, they are both identically centered).

So far so good. My question to the pros here now, and because I care for the good health of my bass in the long term. Will this difference of spaces make a big difference of tension in the neck that could possibly wrap on the long term due to this ? I believe that not as it is minimalistic and that with the nut being perfectly centered, it is somehow correcting the difference at the bridge and putting the pressure quite as it would be without it. But just wanna have opinions on this.

By the way, if anybody is interested, this is the bridges in question:
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100...order_list.order_list_main.153.21ef1802amOy8t
I really advise you to anyone having a fan fret bass with the generic ones that come with it. That's a great update both in quality and setting options / simplcity
Click to expand...
In the second (full instrument) photo, it looks like the neck is twisted. Is that a Torzal or similar type bass?
 

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