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Double Bass New bridge + Adjusters, your recommendations please?

S

stz

Nov 9, 2006
121
0
Derby, UK
www.myspace.com
#1
Hello!

I'm going to have to get a new bridge fitted finally. I'm after a half decent bridge with adjusters. He has never heard of them and called his supplier who offered him a German bridge already fitted with adjusters already fitted for £107. He'd charge no more than £50 to fit the bridge/make other adjustments.

I've had a quick google and I can get a decent german bridge from £30 and adjusters for £20. I'm guessing his time in fitting them would cost me about the same anyway so I'd not make a saving that way, but I can get bridges with adjusters fitted already for around £70.

What I'm after here is some advice:

Do any of you know the best place to order bits and bobs?
Are they hard to fit? seeing as he doesn't have experience of fitting them I expect it would take him more than an hour of his time.
 
#2
Ok, further reading!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Upright-Bass-...ryZ16222QQrdZ1QQssPageNameZWD2VQQcmdZViewItem

Will cost me £30ish once posted.

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Looks goodo, will cost me around £30 unshipped, don't know what Bob charges for international shipping.

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4th one down. Will cost me £72 shipped.

So my guys price of £107 seems a little bit high don't you think? Anyone have any recommendations for bridges? I feel like you'll get what you pay for but I don't think Bob wouldn't sell a good bridge and at that price it all gets a little confusing!
 
#3
I assume the "He" in your first post is a luthier, or rather an instrument repair person.

How much does he charge to source and fit a normal bridge?

most of what you will see for sale on ebay could be utter junk (wood that isn't seasoned and will warp) so I wouldn't bother.


the violin valuations one looks good, but what size will you get?

The width of a bridge is dependant on the spacing between the bass bar/ sound post/ F holes as much as it is down to classification of 3/4 of 4/4 size bass.

This is why it is always best to get everything through a luthier:

You turn up with your bass and bridge, the fella is already a bit put out because you have out sourced something (so he desn't make as much money) he turns round and says the bridge wont fit your bass.....
which he may say just out of spite.

Also if the bridge warps or cracks you don't have a point to return to. The luthier will balme the crap wood and violin valuations will blame the installation.

Save all that hastle.

I was stung by an instrument repairer who swore blind he'd put a new bridge on my bass (when I had adjusters fitted). He was blatantly lying. It was a very unpleasant experience. You could tell he'd hated fitting the adjusters as this was his first go and just wanted to get as much money for his labour.

I was fortunate to discover a bass specific luthier not long after and will never go to anyone else.

Granted this may not be possible in Derby, but there may be someone else in the rest of your county that would be worth investigating.

Good luck

Thomas
 
#5
Hey sorry for my terrible typing. I think it might have something to do with not having my coffee.

Yes the He in question is an instrument repairer. He specialises in violins though he is the only one I can get my instrument to locally. Any music shop in this city you ask for work for violin/viola/cello/bass will just pass the instrument onto him anyway.

Prices? He says the cheapest bridge he can get will be £25 and to fit again no more than £50. He'd recommend a pricer bridge though.

His prices for previous work have been very reasonable. He is a nice bloke and told me that his supplier only has one type of bridge with adjusters already installed. £107 for a German bridge with brass adjusters. He said he'll eat the postage and he'll fit it for no more than £50, he said he'll be a lax as he can with the time because he is just interested to see what it looks like.

Looking online £100-110 IS the price of a bridge with brass adjusters at least here in England.

Though the price of an aluminium one is much less, like the violin valuations one already posted and he says his supplier only has the brass one in stock at the moment.

So, I'm looking at:

1) Let him fit the brass adjuster bridge from his supplier £157.
2) Let him fit a normal bridge from his supplier £75-100.

3) Let him fit an aluminium adjuster bridge bought in UK £125.
4) Let him fit an adjustable bridge from Bob's site £80

So from what I can see if those bridges on Bob's site are good bridges then I'd rather do that. Time is less important to me that money to be honest.

More trivia?

I'd order a 3/4 size bridge. I've been reading on Bob's site about the spacing issues and bridges being too high/too low and other weirdness. Headaches abound.

I've spoken to him and he is happy to do whatever I want. No problems fitting anything I bring to him though he says that while it won't cost more than £50 he might have a few more problems (and take more time) if I come with a very strange bridge.

Last thing? The last luthier I spoke with (in London) told me to buy and fit a new bridge would be £186!
 
#6
Tell him that you don't want brass adjusters and would he mind if you brought him one from Bob Gollihur?

That's a reasonable request because you really don't want the extra mass of the brass on your bridge and he should get that.

He is obviously a little out of his depth and might welcome the opprotunity to learn something new.
 
#7
Yeah I think I'm going to order a bridge from Bob in the near future. I just like to pick brains on here really, the luthier has said that he's fine with whatever I decide and unless Bob charges a bundle for international shipping I'll also be getting the cheapest option!

I don't think he'd be able to live it down on here if he sold dodgy bridges! I was just a little suspicious as he is priced the same as bridges on Ebay.
 

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