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Double Bass Raising slots in nut / bridge

Bass

Bass

Nov 10, 2003
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#1
I changed strings from Innovation Rockabilly's to Jargar Dolces, but the G string and perhaps the D as well are sittting too low in the bridge slot. The G string especially is losing alot of sustain.

What is the recommended solution?

I was thinking about having a new bridge made so I could use either the Jargars or the RAB's.
 
#2
Bass said:
I changed strings from Innovation Rockabilly's to Jargar Dolces, but the G string and perhaps the D as well are sittting too low in the bridge slot. The G string especially is losing alot of sustain.

What is the recommended solution?

I was thinking about having a new bridge made so I could use either the Jargars or the RAB's.
Click to expand...

If you have adjusters in your bridge a luthier can trim off the section that is too deep and cut new notches. You raise the wheel one turn and all should even out.

If you don't have adjusters they can inlay some wood in the bridge and raise it back to zero and start over with the notch.
Or add adjusters...

It is fixable, with or without a new bridge.

YMMV
Brian
 
#3
I tried the ole superglue plus baking soda today. It worked for me. (you must have a needle file to re-slot the bridge).
I applied super glue in the bridge slot, then sprinkled Baking Soda on it. Once it dried, I sanded it smooth on either face of the bridge, then along the lip and curve. then I re-filed the string slot. The super glue files away faster than Maple wood does, so it didn't take much.
It did the trick for me. I changed to a thinner D string and had to get the new one up a bit higher. It helped with sound, position, and response.
 
#5
With all respect I suggest to forget about the baking soda nonsense and try ebony powder! I have an old broken french frog I have used several times now. Just get the sandpaper AA120 (Resin cloth) work the ebony until you have a nice little amount (takes few minutes) then you do the superglue trick, I've done several nut groove over the years and once extended my ebony hatpeg by 3mm after a luthier cut it little too short before installing it! Very easy, neat method if you handy with tools, finish it of with fine wet/dry use the right needle file to do the new groove and seriously you'd need a forensic expert with a microscope to spot that there was a repair on the nut. Also use face mask doing it! With bridges, inlays work best.
 
#6
I would have used hardwood powder if I had any. But I don't. So I used Baking soda. I don't have any vellum/parchment, either. I know plenty of luthiers, but I didn't see the need to pay them and drive all over town with the bass just to fill this slot at the bridge. It would take me longer to pack up the bass and drive to a shop (even if I could get an appointment immediately) than it took me to glue and file twice.

The baking soda seemed to help give the glue something to harden. I have used superglue with no soda on electric bass nuts. THe results were acceptable, but the soda is a big helper in 2 ways:
It accelerates the process greatly, as the glue alone takes all day to harden; and it provides a substance to harden onto, as the glue alone shrinks and multiple coats of superglue must be used.

I too am curious how this will hold up over time. If it sinks much, I'll get some parchment or take it to a shop for some ebony powder.
cheers-
 
#8
SeayBass said:
I would have used hardwood powder if I had any. But I don't. So I used Baking soda. I don't have any vellum/parchment, either. I know plenty of luthiers, but I didn't see the need to pay them and drive all over town with the bass just to fill this slot at the bridge. It would take me longer to pack up the bass and drive to a shop (even if I could get an appointment immediately) than it took me to glue and file twice.

The baking soda seemed to help give the glue something to harden. I have used superglue with no soda on electric bass nuts. THe results were acceptable, but the soda is a big helper in 2 ways:
It accelerates the process greatly, as the glue alone takes all day to harden; and it provides a substance to harden onto, as the glue alone shrinks and multiple coats of superglue must be used.

I too am curious how this will hold up over time. If it sinks much, I'll get some parchment or take it to a shop for some ebony powder.
cheers-
Click to expand...

I am in Australia but still happy to send you ebony powder if you wish. I think its very handy to have some ebony around, eBay great source to get some for cents. A luthier if not too stingy will also give ya some I think. Once you use it you'll see how easy it is to work with, you don't need no luthier at all for this. Put the dust in then drop glue on it and repeat if need to, it'll get hot from the chemical reaction. Great fun too. I actually have 2 nuts :) I swap around, one for my spiros the other for gut fetish :) held by small spot of super glue easy to pop it off to put the other on. It's wonderful how many things we can do without paying $.
 
#10
I just filled and thus raised my solo A, orchestral G string's slot slightly by first cleaning, then filling it with rock maple sawdust (which was easily created with a rotary power sander, 80-100 grit, on a scrap piece of maple found at a local cabinet shop), and (very carefully!) adding a few drops of thin cyanoacrylate adhesive (super glue). It'll smoke a little; no worries, that's normal. After it fully dries in a few minutes, gently sand it flush with the bridge, and with a thin rat tail file, re-cut the slot just to its proper depth.
 
#11
If you know you will be swapping strings from thin to fat or fat to thin on a regular basis, another possibility is making 2 separate sets of notches on the top of the bridge.

The notches for each individual string should be made closely enough together that lateral movement of the bridge to switch from one set of notches to the other will be minimal.

I've seen this done on a number of DB bridges in roots music circles and it's handy for quick string switches, ie: from Spios to guts and vice versa.

Usually the nut will have notches sufficient for fat strings and work sufficiently well for fat or thin strings.
 
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