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distance between bridge and nut

#2
if it is a 34" scale, from the front edge of the nut to the neutral saddle pivot point(where the string crosses the saddle) should be approximately 34" give or take. The distances on each string will fluctuate as much as 1/4" at the saddle for intonation, but the scale length should determine your nut to saddle length.
 
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#5
I'm No Luthier, and have no expertise in this, but I did something kinda odd on my custom built jazz that seemed to work Great. I set it at a 35" scale. that lowered the tension on my flats and made intonation easier. I originally did this because I put Mutes on it and did not want them resting right up against the bridge. I figured if it did not work, I could always move the bridge.

Just thought I'd add something.
 
#6
Adjust the bridge saddle all the way forward - toward the nut. Position the bridge so the witness point (where the string actually breaks over the saddle) about 1/8 inch farther from the nut than your scale.

To get the scale, measure the nut to 12th fret and multiply by 2. The bridge position MUST be aligned to the fret scale, or you will get bad notes. You can't just move the bridge and get a different scale - you get a wrong scale.
 
#7
g00eY said:
it's from the end of the nut to the end of the E-string saddle for me. some people also measure from the nut to the 12th fret, and then double that number.
Click to expand...

You will find when you intonate your bass that the G-string will be near dead on at 34", and that your E-string (depending on the diameter, and if it's a taper core or solid wrap across the bridge saddle) will vary longer by as much as 3/8".

This is critical to keep in mind when locating a bridge. Failure to account for this travel could leave you unable to properly intonate your E-string due to a lack of travel distance for your bridge saddle

all the best,

R
 
#8
thebassclef said:
I'm No Luthier, and have no expertise in this, but I did something kinda odd on my custom built jazz that seemed to work Great. I set it at a 35" scale. that lowered the tension on my flats and made intonation easier. I originally did this because I put Mutes on it and did not want them resting right up against the bridge. I figured if it did not work, I could always move the bridge.

Just thought I'd add something.
Click to expand...

Ummmm .... this must have been a fretless that you made, or it was not a standard 34" scale fretted Jazz neck. Installing the bridge 35" out from the nut on a 34" scale fretted neck would be a HUGE FREAKING DISASTER, as only the open strings would be able to play in tune.

all the best,

R
 
#9
Rodent said:
Ummmm .... this must have been a fretless that you made, or it was not a standard 34" scale fretted Jazz neck. Installing the bridge 35" out from the nut on a 34" scale fretted neck would be a HUGE FREAKING DISASTER, as only the open strings would be able to play in tune.
Click to expand...

Maybe one of the upper frets would play in tune if it was in the location of a different fret from the 35" scale locations. :hmm: ;)
 
#11
Rodent said:
but DEFINITELY nothing within the first 24 frets, that's for sure

Of course if the guitarist had a similarly mis-scaled guitar, you could definitely play some 'extreme jazz', eh? :help:

all the best,

R
Click to expand...

The 20th fret on a 34" scale would be 29/1000s of an inch out from the 19th fret on a 35" scale. It would probably be close enough given the nature of the instrument. ;)
 
#12
Geoff St. Germaine said:
The 20th fret on a 34" scale would be 29/1000s of an inch out from the 19th fret on a 35" scale. It would probably be close enough given the nature of the instrument. ;)
Click to expand...

Hahahahaha... I had figured that out myself, too, but didn't actually post it. Wasn't sure if I wanted to show my geekiness that much! I guess I'm not the only one. :bassist:
 
#14
Geoff St. Germaine said:
The 20th fret on a 34" scale would be 29/1000s of an inch out from the 19th fret on a 35" scale. It would probably be close enough given the nature of the instrument. ;)
Click to expand...

yessir - I was looking at the wrong column when I quickly glanced this over. I accidentally looked at the remainder from the fret to the theoretical scale instead of the fret to nut distance.

:o

all the best,

R
 
#15
Geoff St. Germaine said:
All is revealed when you glance just below my username. ;)
Click to expand...

LMAO.....sooooo True.....a good friend of mine is a physicist, and my favorite cut down to him is always..." If it weren't for Bertrand Russell, Newtonians would still add in cubits"

Maybe it's only funny to me, but funny none the less.:confused:
 
#16
Hello, i hope this will be seen! I'm pretty sure the answer I'm looking for is already here but sadly english isn't my first language so i have to ask for clarification... :bag:
So i bought an old acoustic bass, but the bridge is missing... I wanna put 4 strings on it and if i see it right it's a 34" so i wanna add a wooden bridge and i want to ask where exactly do i put it? The 12th fret pin is approx. 17" away from the (bottom of the) nut. Do i place the top of the bridge at exactly 34" and parallel or somewhere else and slanted?


I also hope this is the right place...
 

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