Question: an uneven floating bridge is normal?

[baritajolo]

Hi, everyone

I have a question here, about the floating bridge.

I was changing the strings on my Hofner CT this morning that I had to adjust the height of the floating bridge to get a comfortable action; I never really bother whether it's a “high” or “low” action, as long as it's comfortable for me to play, proper intonations and good thumps. I have been using CT for years, and I always put a Fender 5250XL set. Its versatility have been unblemished for my entire studio works and gigs

This time around, it didn't really feel good on that bridge. The tension seemed “uneven” to me, with buzzes on the G-string noticeably from the 5th-fret up to 15th, while the low E and A seemed too hard to press. I can take some light-buzzes on the E-string, but on the G it sounds annoying. So, I just raised the bridge on the G-string part. Didn't really do much at first, until I really raised it a lot!

I have attached the picture of it, here. The G-side of the bridge is way higher than the E. But the overall tensions turned out to be very comfortable to play with. The G and D string seemed to “loosen up” their tension, clean without buzzes, while preserving the booming feel both in E and A strings. This “uneven setup” seems to work out

My question: Is this normal? Or is there something wrong with the neck and bridge? Or even the tailpiece? I am curious, really. Never had this setup before; and yet, it feels comfortable

Any comments and advices are most welcome and appreciated.

Thank you, everyone.
Cheers!

 

[JimmyM]

it's fine. the wheels are there for you to adjust it any way that works for you. if that's the way, so be it.

 

[johnk_10]

if it's now comfortable, playing in tune, and not buzzing, i guess it's okay, but it makes me wonder if it was adjusted like that before you changed the strings on it. it really should be the same setting that it was before, if you restrung it with the same type of strings.

 

[JimmyM]

if it's now comfortable, playing in tune, and not buzzing, i guess it's okay, but it makes me wonder if it was adjusted like that before you changed the strings on it. it really should be the same setting that it was before, if you restrung it with the same type of strings.

even though he did restring it with the same strings, he didn't. d'addario took over the string manufacturing for fender a few months ago, and a hot topic on the strings forum is how different the strings are now.

 

[baritajolo]

even though he did restring it with the same strings, he didn't. d'addario took over the string manufacturing for fender a few months ago, and a hot topic on the strings forum is how different the strings are now.

JimmyM, thanks for the reply, particularly on that "d'addario took over..." part, I find it useful. Anyway, I am still using a Fender 5250XL set, as there are 2 more sets left as backups. There aren't much of a choice for short scale bass string in my country, though. Hardly ever seen one around these days
Thanks for the reply

 

[baritajolo]

if it's now comfortable, playing in tune, and not buzzing, i guess it's okay, but it makes me wonder if it was adjusted like that before you changed the strings on it. it really should be the same setting that it was before, if you restrung it with the same type of strings.

johnk_10, I restrung it with the same type, a Fender 5250XL, no changes at all, except this morning, that the "comfortably uneven set" took place for some reason, but the new setup did work out. I got the balance, tone, just a thought of a funny look under that floating bridge. Really. It's so uneven yet it creates balance
When I first bought the CT, I did adjust the truss rod and took the bridge down a little evenly but there were no buzzes over the G and D strings, merely light ones over the E string on 12th fret; something got to do with the fret, but I didn't mind.
Thanks for the reply

 

[JimmyM]

oh, you had an older set from before? never mind, then

anyway, what johnk said is true...you'd think you wouldn't need to change string height if the strings are the same and the intonation doesn't require moving the bridge drastically from where it was. has the weather changed drastically there lately? i wonder if your weather conditions might have caused the neck to be flatter than it was before. unfortunately, without having your bass in our hands, the best we can do is guess what happened. but if you're concerned about the bridge being uneven, maybe a quick trip to the repair shop for a second opinion about the setup is in order.

 

[baritajolo]

Well,

Probably “the weather” has merely got a little to do with this issue.

I couldn't stop wondering over that funny look on the uneven bridge that I finally decided to loosen all the strings simply to get clear. Then I found out that both Tailpiece screws were too tight, somehow it caused the Tailpiece to be uneven, with the G-side lower than the E. I didn't pay attention on this until I closely look at it. The floating bridge was simply “notifying” me about the problem. The E-string became way too hard to press, while the G got all the buzzes. So, I loosen those tiny screws and press the Tailpiece-end lower against the soundboard, loosen up the Truss rod a little - considering that it's already been too tight anyway - put the strings back on. I was hoping this would solve the problem; it did.. To me, the floating bridge has always been “floating” a bit higher for those thumps and tone definitions. Consequently, when I adjusted the Truss rod at first, it was quite tight to compensate the floating level. However, the bridge floats evenly now, as it should.

I have always been such an ignorant bass player when it comes to this matter. My bass serves as a workhorse, it has to withstand my playing. I don't care “how”, as long as it serves its purpose. It's the reason I chose a Hofner CT (than the expensive V62/63); the sound-block makes it versatile, the construction is good enough to “withstand” my playing. I took the bass for hours of gigs – usually I even had a 3-hour set non-stop. Anyway, somehow through the years, the screws got pressed against the body, it held the Tailpiece way too tight, and that was it.. The overall CT setup has always been good, I just have to be a little more careful with those tiny bits from now on.

And I'm going to change from Fender 5250XL-set when my spares are all out. Probably my CT could use a little break with sets of TI, La Bella or Pyramids. The Fender-set sounds good, though I know that “I get what I paid for.”

Thanks for the replies. I really do appreciate it.
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[JimmyM]

great detective work!