Fender 5 string professional ii precision bass string spacing

[marinecorpsman6]

Good morning. I'm sure this has been asked and talked about. Here's my question, I have looked all over to find the string spacing and I get different answers...some say 18 others say 19mm
I'm wanting to replace the bridge and I have two options. Both hipshot bridges one is 18mm with access to through body string the next is a hipshot also almost the same thing but you can adjust the saddles for string spacing to 19mm maybe a little more. So any help would be great...thanks

 

[Jhalb]

What don’t you like about the Pro 2 Precision bridge?

 

[marinecorpsman6]

Nothing really. It's more cosmetic than anything...I've changed every from chrome to black thats all nothing that I dislike at all

 

[Jhalb]

I’m happy with mine. I did replace the D saddle with a A style to get the spacing I wanted. I did also go to a tapper wound B string because how close the saddle was to the thru hole.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

If the saddles are like the older Fender P5 I had, there are multiple grooves on them allowing you to adjust the string spacing at the bridge. The Hipshots are fixed, so you have to choose what you prefer.

 

[Smallmouth_Bass]

I think if you align the strings straight over the barrels, it defaults to 19mm.

 

[2cooltoolz]

My American Standard P5 (Avatar) is 18mm with the AmStd bridge.

 

[EricOnTheBass]

My American Pro II fiver has 19mm spacing, though they have multiple slots on the saddles now, so I imagine you could take it down to 18mm if you wanted. I like 19mm so I haven’t messed with it.

 

[marinecorpsman6]

If the saddles are like the older Fender P5 I had, there are multiple grooves on them allowing you to adjust the string spacing at the bridge. The Hipshots are fixed, so you have to choose what you prefer.

Hipshot does have one for finder basses that has a set screw in each saddle that can change the spacing and I believe it can change from 18mm to at least 19mm but it's alot more expensive. But if that's what I need I'll just have to suck it up.

 

[five7]

18 on the ones I have owned.

 

[Five or Six]

Sooo, here is my question, no matter how stupid? A "MM" makes that much difference in one's playing? It is also that noticeable while doing so?

 

[mapleglo]

Looks like 18mm.

 

[marinecorpsman6]

Sooo, here is my question, no matter how stupid? A "MM" makes that much difference in one's playing? It is also that noticeable while doing so?

I agree does it really make a difference. I truly don't pay attention to it...but I tried a badass bridge and it didn't line up at all...I'm sure my bad lol...and the hipshot bridges made for fender basses seem to line up but of course I don't have the bridge to make sure.

 

[marinecorpsman6]

Looks like 18mm.

View attachment 7257568

Oh wow...thank you....ok so to measure you go from middle of the b string to the middle of g...correct?

 

[mapleglo]

Oh wow...thank you....ok so to measure you go from middle of the b string to the middle of g...correct?

Yes. I can see why there would be confusion with the string spacing spec. It looks close to 18mm, but the total across the 5 strings should be 72mm, but it's like 74mm. That's between 18 and 19mm. 19mm would be 76mm. So it's really in between. Is 18.5mm string spacing a thing?

Oddly enough, neither Fender nor Sweetwater lists the string spacing spec.

*edited to add - it might be 73mm across the 5 strings. My eyes aren't what they used to be. But if I had to buy a replacement bridge, I'd likely go with the 18mm spacing. Though I do have an 18mm Hipshot bridge, and the spacing is a little tighter.

 

[mapleglo]

Here's the Hipshot 18mm bridge spacing:



That's closer to 70 or 71mm total. This is for an Ibanez 5 string bass with an 18mm string spacing spec. It fits fine. Though it does feel ever so slightly tighter than the Fender.

 

[2cooltoolz]

Sooo, here is my question, no matter how stupid? A "MM" makes that much difference in one's playing? It is also that noticeable while doing so?

Not stupid, but it matters to me. Not as much as tone, which is why I play a Fender P (weight also factors!), but I played G&L L2500s till I couldn't handle the weight (and amazingly, couldn't quite find my tone) and I LOVED the 17mm bridge spacing with the 1.75" nut (as opposed to Fender V 18mm and 1.875). Yeah, I adjusted. Yeah, I could adjust to a log with strings. But some things feel like, ahhhh.

 

[lowfreqgeek]

Maybe they changed it with the Pro II, but American Fender 5 strings have been 18.29mm (0.72") for decades. Hipshot sells their 18mm bridge as a Fender width, but it's slightly wider. This has been consistently measured center-to-center with high-precision calipers on multiple Fender 5's I've owned. But, I've never owned an American Professional II. They don't specify on the product page.

Here's Fender's Narrow (0.72") Hi-mass bridge: Invalid Link Removed

If you're putting a Hipshot on, go with the 18mm and adjust it slightly wider.