How to fix this bridge issue

[BigBadBen67]

I have a question for the luthiers out there. This pic is the bridge on a P bass. Basically everything is fine with this bass in terms of setup and playability but I can't get the E string quite as low as I would like as the screw for the bridge saddle is bottoming out.

What's the best way to fix this? Should I put a flat shim in the neck pocket to raise the fingerboard a little vis the bridge?

Thanks,

B

 

[C Stone]

Looks like you have a few options…
It appears you have room to lower your
“E” saddle as it is not bottomed out yet.
1. Uses a shorter intonation screw
2. Saw or “snip” the intonation screw
3. Use a shim to raise your neck

 

[Gilmourisgod]

probabay coud use a neck pocket shim. Try something like 1/2 business card at the bridge end of the pocket, shouldn;t need much.

 

[r_bnks]

That bridge looks bend AF to me, hanece the angle of the intonation screws, isn't it?

 

[Matt Liebenau]

The intonation screw on that saddle could be shortened a little and is probably the quickest and easiest solution but I generally prefer a little more break angle after the bridge saddle (just my opinion not an absolute) which would get reduced even further by lowering the saddle more. I would use a veneer or business card thickness shim at the bridge end of the neck pocket. Either method will probably get you where you want to be. One other thought, if you shorten the E string intonation screw only it will be shorter than the others. Will that visual bother you?

 

[bholder]

I notice that the thick portion of the E string with the double wrap from the ball end is riding up on the bridge, too, that isn't helping, raising the action. You might consider a spacer behind the bridge to move the ball end back a touch.

 

[Geri O]

I notice that the thick portion of the E string with the double wrap from the ball end is riding up on the bridge, too, that isn't helping, raising the action. You might consider a spacer behind the bridge to move the ball end back a touch.

A most excellent point!

(yeah, beat me to it, but that's cool. I guess.... )

EDIT: Does that bridge piece absolutely have to be back that far? Necessary for correct intonation? Pushing it out a bit would get the thick portion off of the bridge piece, if possible.

 

[BigBadBen67]

probabay coud use a neck pocket shim. Try something like 1/2 business card at the bridge end of the pocket, shouldn;t need much.

Yeah, I may try a flat shim first. I don't want to change the angle of the neck as everything about the setup is fine except for the relative height of the E string. So I'm leery about using a shim that would change the angle of the neck at all.

 

[BigBadBen67]

I notice that the thick portion of the E string with the double wrap from the ball end is riding up on the bridge, too, that isn't helping, raising the action. You might consider a spacer behind the bridge to move the ball end back a touch.

View attachment 5437965

Yeah, that's a good point. I might try a few washers behind the bridge. Feels a bit kludgy though.

 

[BigBadBen67]

A most excellent point!

(yeah, beat me to it, but that's cool. I guess.... )

EDIT: Does that bridge piece absolutely have to be back that far? Necessary for correct intonation? Pushing it out a bit would get the thick portion off of the bridge piece, if possible.

Yep. That's where it wants to be for the intonation to be correct.

 

[bholder]

A most excellent point!

(yeah, beat me to it, but that's cool. I guess.... )

EDIT: Does that bridge piece absolutely have to be back that far? Necessary for correct intonation? Pushing it out a bit would get the thick portion off of the bridge piece, if possible.

Yeah, that's a good point. I might try a few washers behind the bridge. Feels a bit kludgy though.

Duck Dunn saved ball end cylinders from old strings just to use as bridge spacers for taking care of this exact issue. Just slide them on the string all the way to the ball before inserting the string into the bridge. One or two should do...

 

[Geri O]

Yep. That's where it wants to be for the intonation to be correct.

Fair enough.

Washers or (and?) a shim are in yer future....

'Nother Edit: Yeah, a shim will change everything, so see if those old string cylinders will work for you. They should.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Yeah, that's a good point. I might try a few washers behind the bridge. Feels a bit kludgy though.

Nah...take the string (...or measurement) to Lowes and snag a spacer. You really don't want the over-wrap riding over the saddle as it plays havoc with string height and intonation...as you found out.

Riis

 

[bholder]

Nah...take the string (...or measurement) to Lowes and snag a spacer. You really don't want the over-wrap riding over the saddle as it plays havoc with string height and intonation...as you found out.

Riis

Causes weird "off" harmonics, too, like a ring modulator.

 

[bholder]

Nah...take the string (...or measurement) to Lowes and snag a spacer. You really don't want the over-wrap riding over the saddle as it plays havoc with string height and intonation...as you found out.

Riis

I wanted to be able to custom-tune the length to get the spacing "just right" for taper cores (so that the bare core part goes over the bridge saddle, but taper goes to full gauge immediately with no gap), just takes some stainless tubing of the proper diameter, a measuring tape, and hacksaw, works perfectly.

 

[BigBadBen67]

Fair enough.

Washers or (and?) a shim are in yer future....

'Nother Edit: Yeah, a shim will change everything, so see if those old string cylinders will work for you. They should.

I'm going to try both the shim and the washers. Just ordered a flat 1.25mm shim off of Ebay. We'll see how that goes.

 

[sissy kathy]

Your bridge is in the wrong place. Look at the length of the screw sticking out past the G string saddle. The bridge is mounted AT LEAST an inch too close to the nut, assuming you have in fact tuned the thing to begin with. Until you have the bridge in the correct location, further speculation is fruitless.

 

[C Stone]

Duck Dunn saved ball end cylinders from old strings just to use as bridge spacers for taking care of this exact issue…

That’s what I’ve done in that situation.

To the OP I personally would just shim
I hate saddle screws diggin in my palm.

 

[Derek Kay]

If you use the spacer solution that saddle would need to be raised to maintain the same action.

That should solve your entire problem
It's easy to try and quickly reversable.

I use a small brass tube to bring a B string taper back to the saddle and stabilise it.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Your bridge is in the wrong place. Look at the length of the screw sticking out past the G string saddle. The bridge is mounted AT LEAST an inch too close to the nut, assuming you have in fact tuned the thing to begin with. Until you have the bridge in the correct location, further speculation is fruitless.

I'd like to see some addt'l pics: 17" + 17" to get a better grasp of the orientation.

For the OP: what's your procedure for setting intonation?

Riis