Hi all. Having a hard time finding an affordable short scale bass bridge .708 or 18mm string spacing. Hipshot has one but it's $130 plus $50 for shipping. And it's not that special, I bought one already.
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Looking for short scale bass bridge 18mm spacing
- Thread starter Killerkenne
- Start date
What exactly about the bridge would make it “short scale”?
I've used Sung Il bridges on many builds, they offer a few.
There is the BB-100, it's a two piece so you'd need the BT-100 tail piece.
Bass bridges > BB 100 1 페이지
Bass bridges > BT 100 1 페이지
Then there is this very chunky BB-007.
Bass bridges > BB 007 1 페이지
If 2 saddles is more to your liking, they have the BB-017.
Bass bridges > BB 017 1 페이지
A recent build involved using a baritone neck with a guitar body to have a short scale bass. As the baritone heel was narrower than normal, I needed a bridge with tighter spacing than 18mm. These from Ali-Ex seller 'Kingfisher' have 16.5mm. Ideal for the task at hand.
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/100....new_all_items_2007602917460.1005003957223109
How wide is the heel?
Last couple of times I used a 30. 25 scale baritone neck they had 56mm heels, one got an Ali-Ex bridge and the other a modified Gretsch style Space bridge.
I'm sorry, I don't have an answer, but your question piqued my curiosity, so I dug out a couple bridges I have "just lying around" (in a guitar parts box and came off both short & medium scale basses) to measure with a vernier calipers and they're all wider - about 20 mm spacing near as I cared to get this time of day, so that must be a really narrow neck. If you already have that Hipshot bridge, and if it works for you, I think you might be well advised to just go with it, whether it's "special" or not. Something that already works beats getting frustrated looking for something better that might not be found.
there's no much difference between a long-scale and a short-scale bridge, e.g. Warwick installs same bridges on 34", 32" and 30".
some bridges have adjustable string spacing, the already mentioned Warwick 3D ones can be set up tight for 18mm.
some bridges have adjustable string spacing, the already mentioned Warwick 3D ones can be set up tight for 18mm.
Yes, Warwick bridges have adjustable lateral string spacing, so in the case of that bridge, scale length isn't relevant. But, in the case of most fixed-spacing bridges, it might be. Longer strings == more divergence.
However, with curiosity still impelling me, I measured the bridges of multiple long-scale and short-scale basses. And with the exception of my Warwick, they were all the same, within quick measurement margin of error. I think if the OP can find any bridge that meets his specifications, regardless of scale length as a spec, it's worth going for.
The scale length spec doesn't really make any difference.
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I should mention that my bass design is similar to a Fender style 'mustang bass'. So a tall bridge system or a separate tailpiece system won't work for me.
Yeah, this is how most basses are built. They are not (typically) adjusting the string spacing for the shorter scale length, but rather using the same string spacing at the bridge. If you don't do that then there are potentially implications requiring different hardware and different pickups (depending on the design) to accomodate the change in string spacing, which is going to push up costs. I would expect most players would probably want a bass with right hand feel as well, which keeping the same string spacing would do.
As you say, any bridge with 18mm string spacing and the right saddle height will work, regardless of the scale length.
I found this, looks very promising and quality bridge. Just pricey.
Fender MusicMaster replacement AlBridge MMSV18 Vintage Bridge For Short-Scale Direct Replacement 18mm String Spacing. (MMS_V18) – Amp Shop Bass Exchange
What is the price you're willing to spend?
I've owned many basses with Hipshot hardware and the quality is excellent. I'd say it's certainly a simple design, but it's well machined, the finish quality is good and there is a lot of adjustability built into it. If you just want to spend less that's certainly fine, but the number of boutique instruments using Hipshot hardware for decades would suggest that the quality is very high.
I think the difficulty is going to be that 18 mm spacing isn't terribly common on a 4 string, but there are certainly other options out there.
I've owned many basses with Hipshot hardware and the quality is excellent. I'd say it's certainly a simple design, but it's well machined, the finish quality is good and there is a lot of adjustability built into it. If you just want to spend less that's certainly fine, but the number of boutique instruments using Hipshot hardware for decades would suggest that the quality is very high.
I think the difficulty is going to be that 18 mm spacing isn't terribly common on a 4 string, but there are certainly other options out there.
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I like your choice very much. It's a very Sterling / Music Man / Stingray type high-mass bridge and I have one of those on a Stringray short-scale and it's great. The advantage with your choice is that with those screw holes it can be used on many other basses without drilling new holes (though not all holes might be needing to be used, so your option).
First off, bridges have nothing to do with the scale length. So, any bridge with 18mm spacing will work. I use ABM bridges on both my 6 strings I built. They have adjustable spacing as well as height and intonation. They have 4, 5, and 6 string bridges and you can get them in chrome, black, or gold.
I actually bought one on Ebay and the other in the Talkbass Classifieds. Both were used in mint condition. There are many both new and used on Reverb and Ebay. This is the style I have, but they also make a roller version.
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