- Mar 19, 2002
- 800
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- President: Upton Bass String Instrument Co.
I think he just means where the maker intended it to be, and not where it was at...
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Double Bass Finally got the correct setup position and measurements..
- Thread starter bassfacer22
- Start date
Yes.
The measurements where a bridge is supposed to go because every bass was made with the measurements in mind, right, I hope.
So the spot where the center of my bass is, measured out, where the bridge feet would go, is off centered with the fingerboard.. But I believe it's the curve and adjusters or even the bridge cut wrong..
So, I should just get a new custom bridge set and cut correctly to my (removable) neck
The measurements where a bridge is supposed to go because every bass was made with the measurements in mind, right, I hope.
So the spot where the center of my bass is, measured out, where the bridge feet would go, is off centered with the fingerboard.. But I believe it's the curve and adjusters or even the bridge cut wrong..
So, I should just get a new custom bridge set and cut correctly to my (removable) neck
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For my edification: on an Eminence, is the length-wise (so in the up - down direction) location of the bridge feet not indicated by the inner nicks in the f-holes? In other words, so that the line going through the centre of the 2 feet also goes through the 2 inner nicks? I understand that to be the common convention on double basses, but maybe I'm wrong, or maybe the Eminence deviates from that.
As said earlier, the left-right position of the feet follows from the location of the bass bar (bass side of leg roughly above the bass bar, treble side symmetrical to the other side). The string locations, on the top part of the bridge, should be symmetrical over the finger board. And if the neck is not too much crooked that can normally be arranged within the flexibility offered by a normal (standard) bridge blank, while an Eminence RN (with its alu fitting parts) should normally not be very crooked at all. It is possible that the top, or the curvature therein, does not point exactly upwards, which could offset the crown a little bit, but that should be corrected for in the process of fitting the feet. (And also that shouldn't be too far off in your young instrument, if at all.)
As said earlier, the left-right position of the feet follows from the location of the bass bar (bass side of leg roughly above the bass bar, treble side symmetrical to the other side). The string locations, on the top part of the bridge, should be symmetrical over the finger board. And if the neck is not too much crooked that can normally be arranged within the flexibility offered by a normal (standard) bridge blank, while an Eminence RN (with its alu fitting parts) should normally not be very crooked at all. It is possible that the top, or the curvature therein, does not point exactly upwards, which could offset the crown a little bit, but that should be corrected for in the process of fitting the feet. (And also that shouldn't be too far off in your young instrument, if at all.)
Inner nicks should be correct, more or less. [Invalid or Expired Link Removed] the mensure as being 41⅜" (1050.925mm), so that's what I use.
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Had a luthier measure it and here I have it correct but the curve is just ever ever so slightly off to my untrained eye.. in the fingerboard.. I need a new Bridge for the feel I want.. I can feel it..
But it's ok for now to play till I get home..
Look at the pictures and more importantly I can feel the difference of when it's not right..
But it's ok for now to play till I get home..
Look at the pictures and more importantly I can feel the difference of when it's not right..
And you can pretty easily file the string slots that need it, deeper, and the file the top of the bridge down to fit. Were talkin about a very few millimeters. It can take some time to get it just right, and there is no guarantee that a luthier gets it right for your taste, strings etc, on first try.
Moving the bridge to the treble side seems to cause funny vibrations that I feel and hear in the amp since the pickup is directly on the bridge and picks up those vibrations..
But that is kinda is what I'm doing now though..
But that is kinda is what I'm doing now though..
Right, now I see. So your feet want to stay more towards the bass side. Then it would seem that the notches in the crest/crown should go a bit towards the treble side to fit the fingerboard (while leaving the feet where they are). That will probably require a new bridge.
Matthew Tucker
Commercial User
- Aug 21, 2002
- 2,686
- 387
- Disclosures
- Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
FWIW, I would say the other factor is that you have a fiver, and that's almost always going to be a crowded fingerboard. And in fact, if you centre the strings over the fingerboard, you may find that in TP the G string feels unsure. Luthiers sometimes offset the strings a little to the bass side on purpose to give the G string plenty of ebony underneath. Since you don't play so much on the low E/B high up in TP, having only a sliver of ebony up high is not so much a consequence for that string.
On a double bass, I would probably set the bridge up "standard" position but tilted to correct the slightly crooked fingerboard.
On a removable neck travel bass, I would set the bridge up in "standard" position and fix the neck angle issue instead, unless that is impossible, in which case I would nudge the bridge over if it bothers me that things aren't exactly centred.
Do you play a lot arco?
*message edited*
Hi Matthew,
I actually don't play a lot of arco on the bass.. mainly because the sound is terrible (scratchy and nasal sound because of the bridge-style pickup and small body bass..)
I'm an ok Arco player, however you won't hear me play any serious classical musical pieces.
I came from the Jazz pizz upbringing.. So I only do a John Clayton ballad "pretty" kinda thing on songs..
The neck and re-filling of the bridge slots seems like something I check into when I'm at home and have time to leave my bass with a luthier for more than a few hours. Unfortunately I am always traveling and can't leave my bass anywhere long enough for anyone to do major changes to the neck etc..
But one day it will be done. And then you'll probably never see posts from me again. Because I'll have nothing more to ask or complain about ha..
There are just too many factors involved with my travel-bass, things like If the bridge is not sitting with good pressure on one leg or the other, then the sound is choked.. and you can actually feel and hear it from the amplification speaker. especially when playing loud.
For now, it's going to be fine as I've been relieved, by taking my bass to your shop! (as I'm traveling in Australia currently!) and Dave has done a wonderful job setting up my bass by the way. As I mentioned in the Title, he showed me the perfect position based on measurements of the instrument where the bridge goes, but now with the correct position I'm seeing the situation with my bass as the curve shown in the pictures is just ever so slightly off center with the fingerboard and so I think the only next thing to do is to shift the bridge over until I get an entire new bridge made at home, set to those exact measurements and placement that I've now been shown.
I'm still working and I can manage with the setup now. I just wish I had more time in Australia to leave my bass with you guys and then all would be just fine.
You never know when I'll be back though, so perhaps you'll be making the bridge!
*message edited*
Hi Matthew,
I actually don't play a lot of arco on the bass.. mainly because the sound is terrible (scratchy and nasal sound because of the bridge-style pickup and small body bass..)
I'm an ok Arco player, however you won't hear me play any serious classical musical pieces.
I came from the Jazz pizz upbringing.. So I only do a John Clayton ballad "pretty" kinda thing on songs..
The neck and re-filling of the bridge slots seems like something I check into when I'm at home and have time to leave my bass with a luthier for more than a few hours. Unfortunately I am always traveling and can't leave my bass anywhere long enough for anyone to do major changes to the neck etc..
But one day it will be done. And then you'll probably never see posts from me again. Because I'll have nothing more to ask or complain about ha..
There are just too many factors involved with my travel-bass, things like If the bridge is not sitting with good pressure on one leg or the other, then the sound is choked.. and you can actually feel and hear it from the amplification speaker. especially when playing loud.
For now, it's going to be fine as I've been relieved, by taking my bass to your shop! (as I'm traveling in Australia currently!) and Dave has done a wonderful job setting up my bass by the way. As I mentioned in the Title, he showed me the perfect position based on measurements of the instrument where the bridge goes, but now with the correct position I'm seeing the situation with my bass as the curve shown in the pictures is just ever so slightly off center with the fingerboard and so I think the only next thing to do is to shift the bridge over until I get an entire new bridge made at home, set to those exact measurements and placement that I've now been shown.
I'm still working and I can manage with the setup now. I just wish I had more time in Australia to leave my bass with you guys and then all would be just fine.
You never know when I'll be back though, so perhaps you'll be making the bridge!
*message edited*
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Matthew Tucker
Commercial User
- Aug 21, 2002
- 2,686
- 387
- Disclosures
- Owner: Bresque Basses, Sydney Basses and Cellos
Oh right! Thats YOU! Yes Dave would have done a good job. Hope to see you back one day
Never thought of that, but I'd probably just start fresh with trying to make the new one to my liking all over again..
So for $3000+- i should just spend that on a new golden/carbon fiber bridge that won't warp or change, expand/contract..
But I totally see myself buying a new one anyway.. Mine got damaged not too long ago (just chipped but who knows what else may be crooked.. Like the neck from that flight damage..) from a plane flight - and even more funny is I bashed out the sound post and glued it in a different spot than normal and that is probably affecting the bass especially now the bridge is in the measured center!
Maybe that's my new thing to mess with again! Ha..
Got to love wooden instruments.. I'd be fine if it was carbon fiber.. ...
Yes, my next purchase is a portable carbon fiber travel bass.. Mark my words..
