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Double Bass New to DB help with bridge placement please!!!!

sonnos

sonnos

Apr 6, 2014
16
5
28
Geneseo, IL
#1
Hi! i'm new to upright bass, i just got my high school's upright bass so i can learn, but whoever had it last completely botched the bridge placement when they changed strings or something, can anyone tell me what the distance between the bridge and nut/ bridge and tailpiece should be, and how to line the bridge up? thanks in advance! (problems: strings don't line up with fret board. Im not sure if the bridge is supposed to have an angle the way it does in the second image. and i don't think the bridge is supposed to be slanted like it is in the third picture.)
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#2
Yikes.

Try to center the bridge left to right and center the middle of the feet with the notches in the F-Holes. Lastly make sure that it is perpendicular to the top, not leaning forward or backward.

Take some (but not all) of the tension off to make it easier and avoid having to torque on it too hard and risk an incident. Keep enough tension, however, to prevent the soundpost from falling. The bridge feet should be fitted to the part of the top they are resting on, you shouldn't see gaps around. I know it's a school bass, but if it looks really off after you get it centered, it might be worth a conversation about some setup help. Same with the soundpost, where it goes precisely is over my head to say, but it should be straight in there, rather than at an angle and should fit with the top and back where it comes into contact with them.

The bend above the adjuster is of concern too, but hopefully when you get it into place that will look better. I'd lower those adjusters when you detension and bring it back up bit by bit until you find your spot. If it still has that angle, you're going to want some help.
 
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#3
TroyK said:
Yikes.

Try to center the bridge left to right and center the middle of the feet with the notches in the F-Holes. Lastly make sure that it is perpendicular to the top, not leaning forward or backward.

Take some (but not all) of the tension off to make it easier and avoid having to torque on it too hard and risk an incident. Keep enough tension, however, to prevent the soundpost from falling. The bridge feet should be fitted to the part of the top they are resting on, you shouldn't see gaps around. I know it's a school bass, but if it looks really off after you get it centered, it might be worth a conversation about some setup help. Same with the soundpost, where it goes precisely is over my head to say, but it should be straight in there, rather than at an angle and should fit with the top and back where it comes into contact with them.

The bend above the adjuster is of concern too, but hopefully when you get it into place that will look better. I'd lower those adjusters when you detension and bring it back up bit by bit until you find your spot. If it still has that angle, you're going to want some help.
Click to expand...

Thank you so much! i think I've got everything set the way it's supposed to be and it's so much easier to play!
 
#4
To expand on this subject, should the bridge sit on the top directly above the sound post? It would almost seem that positioning the bridge in line with the post would help with the acoustic properties of the instrument.
Anyone know if this makes sense?
 

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