Intonation problems with flat wounds on Gretsch bass

[James Collins]

Orange CA with Filtertrons, I come to TalkBass to get away from my Guitar GAS.

How is that working out?

 

[Killing Floor]

How is that working out?

Oh, life cannot exist without GAS

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Third vote for checking your witness points.

I had the same problem with an acoustic bass when I switched to Chromes. My luthier (not an unskilled dude!) was stumped, and hesitant to re-route the bridge. I watched a bunch of setup videos on YouTube, and as soon as one mentioned string break over the saddle, my brain instantly understood the problem/solution. It's also an easy (<60sec) fix.

 

[bonin in the boneyard]

Witness Points: The Pictorial

 

[GreyBeard]

You have to move the bridge saddle back and or forth until both the harmonic and the fretted 12th are in tune with each other. Do this with each string.

 

[BarfanyShart]

Witness Points: The Pictorial

View attachment 4475682

OT, Bonin, but Norwood Fisher is my life-long #1 bass idol, so I like your name.

 

[Turnaround]

Please don't intonate your instrument on its back on the bench top. As soon as you put it in playing position it will be off.

 

[Turnaround]

Not all strings are suitable for all basses. So my first question would be to ask what strings you are using.

 

[MynameisMe]

Orange CA with Filtertrons, I come to TalkBass to get away from my Guitar GAS.

You've come to the wrong place! Help is not on the way!

 

[MynameisMe]

The OP is on Hiatus from TB while we write seven pages of setup to help the OP.

 

[coy garcia]

Strings are too short or frets in wrong place...easier to move bridge.

 

[JohnnyBottom]

idk....Sounds like OP didnt confirm in tune when press 12 fret. Only harmonic. ergo could just be intonation off. Q: Are there bridge saddles? and if so Can you move/adjust them ? photo would save a lot of arm chair philosophers some time.

 

[JW56789]

I understand there's a big time difference across the International Date Line down in Oz, but why do guys ask a question . . . . . then check out ?

 

[ccrainey]

Thanks everyone for you feedback. I have improved the intonation by moving the string lengths back as far as they would go and that has helped a lot. I have re-witnessed all the strings (new to me, but hey, we're all learning). It's now very close to being in tune thru the scale. I'm surprised the bridge isn't glued, as I didn't want to pry it off, so l left it alone. Again, thanks…

 

[JKos]

@ccrainey ,
Great news. Kinda funny that your screenshot has the bridge covered.

 

[MynameisMe]

 

[GIBrat51]

Speaking as the owner of several basses with various floating bridges, including a '94 Gretsch Broadkaster; your bridge is not - and never was - supposed to be glued down. While it is true that some hollow body Gretsch guitars come with their floating bridges pinned in place, their basses do not. A pinned bridge on a Gretsch guitar is an accepted thing - by folks who play hard, and never try other strings. Most people, though, either don't play that hard, or use a little powdered resin under the bridge base to keep it in place. Which is what I do; works great, too...
So, bottom line? First, get the bridge unglued. If you don't want to do it yourself, have a real luthier - or a very good tech that you trust - to do it. And accept that yeah, it might leave a mark... A Gretsch bass with a floating bridge is perfectly playable - and intonatable - with any "normal" gauge string; round or flat wound. Mine is, anyway; and I've tried a bunch of them. But, the bridge has to be able to move. A Gretsch Tune-O-Matic bridge simply doesn't have enough saddle travel otherwise...

 

[HaphAsSard]

@ccrainey ,
Great news. Kinda funny that your screenshot has the bridge covered.

It is funny. At least, the model (G5442BDC Electromatic) is visible.