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Double Bass My Bridge is Falling Over!

Bruce Lindfield

Bruce Lindfield

Unprofessional TalkBass Contributor
Gold Supporting Member
In Memoriam
Dec 13, 1999
32,313
197
Brighton, England, UK, Europe
#1
I just noticed that my bridge - solid, no adjusters - is tilting and is pulled back towards the fingerboard, leaving a gap under the feet on the tailpiece side.

I have been using Velvet Anima strings for several years and had no problems, but recently I changed to a set of Garbos with a gut G. I have a feeling that this is what has caused the problem - maybe extra tension?

I have two questions then :

1) What do I do to correct this? I talked to a bass teacher, who said to loosen the tension and maybe try putting graphite lubricant on the bridge slots? But will it just go back again, when I tighten to pitch and start playing again?


2) Does this mean my solid bridge needs to be "adjusted" to suit the Garbos or should any strings "work". Do I need to go to a luthier or is this something I can sort out myself?


Thanks for any help you can give.
 
#3
Ah - I had searched for while before framing this question - but having time, as I know most of you across the pond are still asleep - looked again and found an answer!

I spotted Chris F talking about using a paperback book between A and D strings to knock it back in place. I just tried it and thanks Chris!! :)

I still wonder if the Garbos are causing me problems though and whether my bridge needs adjusting to suit them - as I never had this happen in several years of using the Animas?
 
#5
Bruce - this is common when changing strings; the strings seat themselves on the bridge and by tightening them to tune them, the bridge gets pulled toward the fingerboard. Nothing to worry about, really. The paperback thing has always worked for me. I've also seen GOLSBY WAN KENOBI set the bass on a flat surface, reach up to the bridge op from the tailpiece end, and just yank the top of the bridge toward the tailpiece until it sets correctly on the top. Unless your bridge is warped, I don't see any reason why it should need any changing.
 
#7
loosen strings some, with both hands on bridge standing at the end pin end of the bass with bass on table, gently erect bridge aligning the feet with the inner notches at the f-holsssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss-fell asleep-sorry

if the bridge is warped- put in boiling water-bridge only-for a few minutes and the bridge will straighten out

or you can take it to a luthier

cheers
 
#8
The slots may need more attention than graphite if your new strings are thicker. If the strings are getting pinched by the slots then the slots will need to be widened. I have no experience with velvet garbos or animas, so I don't know what their relative thickness is like.
 
#9
Chris Fitzgerald said:
Bruce - this is common when changing strings; the strings seat themselves on the bridge and by tightening them to tune them, the bridge gets pulled toward the fingerboard. Nothing to worry about, really. The paperback thing has always worked for me. I've also seen GOLSBY WAN KENOBI set the bass on a flat surface, reach up to the bridge op from the tailpiece end, and just yank the top of the bridge toward the tailpiece until it sets correctly on the top. Unless your bridge is warped, I don't see any reason why it should need any changing.
Click to expand...

Thanks Chris - I did the paperback book thing this morning and it has worked, as far as I can tell - bass sounds louder and fuller than when I was playing out last night! :)

I am very re-assured to hear that this is a common occurrence, as I was initially quite worried about it!
 
#10
uprightben said:
The slots may need more attention than graphite if your new strings are thicker. If the strings are getting pinched by the slots then the slots will need to be widened. I have no experience with velvet garbos or animas, so I don't know what their relative thickness is like.
Click to expand...

It doesn't look like it's any different or that they are pinched exactly and the bridge is not warped at all - so I may leave it a while and see if it settles.

Thanks all! :)
 
#11
I just take my right thumb and place it at the top if the bridge between the A & D strings. Use your other hand to stabilize the bridge or bass and press down slightly with your thumb. I do tiny, short multiple presses to move it without knocking it off. If you need to loosen the strings, go ahead but only a little - perhaps a whole step each at the most.
 
#16
Bruce Lindfield said:
Thanks for that - it was interesting to see and re-assured me about doing this kind of thing. I wasn't entirely sure what measurements he was making though...:confused:
Click to expand...

Take a thin tape measure. Place the hook on the underside of the nose of the bridge between the A & D strings. Measure to the fingerboard edge of the nut. In order to know that you are placing the bridge back in the proper spot you need to know what that measurement was before it moved.

I use a flexible ruler laid across the top to line up the feet where I want them, then use a small square laid on the top just south of the bridge to check that the bridge is perpendicular to the top. Once you have that set you can make the reference marks for the feet and mark your tape measure for bridge to nut length. That will make quick work of bridge adjustments next time as described in the video.
 
#17
Ah I see - I don't think it moved, it just tilted, so there was a gap under the feet at the tailpiece end. It seems to be OK now anyway, sounds much better - but it was useful and interesting to see all the videos on Youtube about this. I liked some of the Upton ones that were linked to this one, as well.
 
#18
I tried widening the slots, rounding them, lubricating them but the bridge will still move with the strings.
What I have done is the following:
Since the brisge could be moved better under low tension I angled the bridge slightly towards the tailpiece at the beginning and still pushing it back if the tension is low enough to do this, then I simply tune up and the bridge is more or less in position then. If not, I tune down to low tension and correct the bridge angle by the unwanted offset and tune up again. A bit more tricky with adjusters, but possible.
This way the string windings running over the bridge are less stressed and the string may live a bit longer.
 

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