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Do my strings look off center

#41
nFinnyD said:
I didn’t have time to read all the comments do sorry if it’s been said, but I actually prefer more space to the fretboard on the E than the G.

Someone mentioned Physics, let’s talk about mechanics though. A finger pushing a string into a fret/fingerboard will ALWAYS impart more upwards vertical pressure to the top strings. In conjunction, most string sets have slightly like tension on thicker strings. Finally the diameter of the string versus center to center spacing of the strings. This summation means the thicker topmost strings travel much more than the higher pitched strings. I don’t see this as a hinderance as much as a simple consideration. I actually dislike dots as makers for this reason. Give ovals, blocks, nothing, etc. they’ll all be better looking than dots.
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Usually players tend to pull downwards when they play, so some builders like Sadowsky allow for a little more space between the last treble string and the fretboard edge. If you have a tendency to push upwards you may prefer more space between the lowest string and fretboard edge. YMMV.
 
#43
I think it’s an optical illusion. As previously mentioned, the E and A strings are larger than the D and G strings which means the A looks closer to the center fretboard dots than the D string giving the illusion that the neck isn’t “centered”.

I don’t know how many threads people have made over this. Especially 5 string players who have ADD that the A string isn’t perfectly aligned with the fretboard dots. It’s not a real issue, it’s the way the bass is made. The only way to make it look “right” would be to make the dots off-center but then you could see they were off center when you took the strings off and that would bother you...
 
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#46
luciens said:
Yes.

But it's not bad enough to start tearing up the bass to try to fix it. If it's a new bass, the yanking-the-neck-over trick will probably not work, since it'll have a pretty precise, slop free neck/body joint. If it has the tin-can plate metal Fender bridge on it, the saddles on the E and G string might simply have slid a little out of place. Do NOT replace that Fender bridge if so. It's a fine bridge; just push the saddles over a little bit.

Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it. That's definitely within the normal variation of most basses below about the $1500 or even $2000 mark and it'll have a long fruitful life...

L
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My new bass had this issue and loosening the boots yanking the neck and tightening the bolts absolutely works. New neck pockets always have some play.
 
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#47
You left out the nut in your pictures. Sometimes this misalignment starts with a off-center nut slots. Anyway yes the G string is closer to the edge than the E string but it's minimal. Move on and just play the bass
 
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#48
That's pretty much how the strings SHOULD line up if the nut is cut correctly. The nut can't be seen in the pics but as long as the gaps between the strings are the same across the but I don't see a problem here.
 
#49
Yes, the strings look a little bit off center. Not too bad.

The G strings looks closer to the edge than the E string.

I think (my opinion) get an Fender threaded saddle bridge. Get your E and G equal distance from the edge of the fret board and all the while maintain correct position over the magnet poles. Space your A and D string accordingly (about 19 mm).

Best bridge ever! V

VintageBassBridgeTwo.jpg
 
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#50
After reading this, I think a lot of us can relate to what the OP is questioning.

I don't believe the position of the strings to the sides of the neck look bad at all. From what I'm seeing, it looks as though the fret markers are positioned closer to the bass side, than the treble.
 
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#52
My opinion/hypothesis:

I gotta be honest, I don't think your photo is perfectly centered causing it to look like more than it is.
Also, there is a radius to a fretboard, and with strings being different thicknesses it's gonna look off.
Gotta think about where the center line of each string lies.
All that said, they may be a tiny bit off, but there are some spacial and optical things going on that are causing you to interpret it as more than it actually is.

Don't look at it, play it.
 
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#59
mikecd1 said:
Its a Fender thing all right and mine might be worse. Plays and sounds great though:)
View attachment 4112308
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There is absolutely zero wrong with that bass. The A string is thicker therefore it looks closer to the center dots than the D string. Don’t believe me? Measure from the CENTER of the A string to the center of the dot then do the same on the D string. I think you’ll find they are equal.
 
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#60
I think most of my Fenders have been aligned like that. The 89 MIA 62 Reissue with a Gastelum neck sitting right next to me is like that. I keep it like that on purpose because it aligns properly over the pole pieces when they're set to the height I like, and the E string won't flop over the edge that way, which was a problem on a particular bass I once owned. Also, it makes the E string that much easier to reach. I have noticed no ill effects from this quirk or whatever it is.
 

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