Intonation and Scale Length

[ecolbeck]

I have a "Fender" parts J bass. Supposedly its an American body (with string through holes and bridge) and a Warmoth neck. The scale length appears to be at least an 1/8" too long. The G string bridge saddle is already extended well past the imprinted tracks in the bridge base, and the intonation is still a little flat. What options do I have?

1. Get a longer bridge intonation screw. This seems simplest but there's not a lot of wiggle room. See picture.
2. Remount the bridge closer to the nut. This would prevent the use of the string through holes but who cares?
3. Remove material at the heel of the neck to shorten it.
4. Extend the neck pocket further into the body of the bass. This would likely require modifying the pick guard too.

Any thoughts before things get surgical?

 

[ecolbeck]

 

[Zooberwerx]

What does the tape measure say? 17" from nut to 12th fret or other? 34" from nut to what point on the bridge?

Riis

 

[Geri O]

If you have to move anything, moving the bridge will certainly be the easiest of the choices you listed, ASSuming you are willing to lose the string-through-body option.

But make the measurements that Riis suggests first.

(if that were my bass, I'd be replacing that bridge)

 

[ecolbeck]

The measurement from the nut to bridge for the G string is 34-1/8".
I'm not afraid to do surgery, I have extensive woodworking experience and tools, but I appreciate the insight and experience about unintended consequences that folks here can provide.

 

[Zooberwerx]

The measurement from the nut to bridge for the G string is 34-1/8".
I'm not afraid to do surgery, I have extensive woodworking experience and tools, but I appreciate the insight and experience about unintended consequences that folks here can provide.

Yeah, just move it. How does the neck heel look in the pocket? No gaps?

Riis

 

[ecolbeck]

Move what? The bridge, the saddle, the neck, or the neck pocket?

No gaps in the neck pocket

 

[Zooberwerx]

Move what? The bridge, the saddle, the neck, or the neck pocket?

No gaps in the neck pocket

The bridge...sorry. Just wanted to make sure the end-of-heel was butted firmly against the pocket's "dead end". Seen a couple of hybrid builds where the neck was suspended by just the 4 neck screws with resulting mambo gap.

Riis

 

[Jrussblues]

Try adjusting the truss rod and maybe try different strings.

 

[Zooberwerx]

Try adjusting the truss rod and maybe try different strings.

If Dunlop SuperBrights, all bets are off.

Riis

 

[Bruce Johnson]

View attachment 4958685

As the others have said, it looks to me like you need to move the bridge forward about 1/8". About one screw hole diameter. Plug the holes and redrill them just forward of the plugs. And then use a small round file to elongate the string through holes, just up at the top surface of the body. Make them a little blended radius down into the holes.

 

[RSBBass]

I suspect the neck was not a good match to the body, possibly a metric neck to an imperial body or vice versa. So yea, move the bridge.