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Replacement for 09 AmStd Bridge

#61
dedpool1052 said:
this may be a total longshot, but with the HMV, the back part that holds the intonation screws is a separate piece and is fastened to the base plate. could the screws/fasteners that hold it on be loose and cause an issue?
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No, but you did force me to take a closer look back there, and son of a gun if there isn't an issue...I can see light under the bridge on the G string side...like it's slightly bent upward. It sits more flush under the D string saddle, but I think that's where the bend stops. Yeah, pretty sure there's a bend in it. That's totally got to be the problem, no? But how the heck does that happen?!?

Anyway, I think we have finally solved the mystery.
 
#63
Wow, read this whole thread like a mystery novel. Glad you found what you were looking for.

I've never liked the HMV bridge. My pet peeve is that when you top load the strings it holds the ball end in place and does not allow it to rotate as you tighten the string. There are ways around it, but it is just more annoying. Also, the ball end of some brand strings (namely GHS precision flats) get stuck in the bridge sometimes. Not a huge deal for me lately as I string thru body, but often just wish it had a simple bent metal bridge.
 
#65
sigmafloyd said:
Wow, read this whole thread like a mystery novel. Glad you found what you were looking for.

I've never liked the HMV bridge. My pet peeve is that when you top load the strings it holds the ball end in place and does not allow it to rotate as you tighten the string. There are ways around it, but it is just more annoying. Also, the ball end of some brand strings (namely GHS precision flats) get stuck in the bridge sometimes. Not a huge deal for me lately as I string thru body, but often just wish it had a simple bent metal bridge.
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Yep, that's a good point. I can deal but it does take a little more care when winding. I'm not a fan of high mass bridges in general, though. Just don't see the point. I will probably get another correct bridge for it later on down the road if I find one for a good price, but I'll probably just stash it unless I decide to sell the bass down the road. The AmDlx bridge is more my thing.

sigmafloyd said:
I will say that you must be dedicated to that brand of string to change bridges for
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:D Well seeing that the bridge is actually bent, I'd have replaced it regardless, although I probably wouldn't have discovered it yet if this hadn't happened. But yeah, the Dunlop Super Bright Nickels do rule hard. Low tension but not crazy low, has the top end of Rotosound steels but the warmth of nickels, price isn't bad...been using D'addario XL's for 30 years, but I had to switch to these once I tried them.
 
#66
i don't see how a slight bend in a bridgeplate would affect anything except maybe somebody's perception of sustain or tone.

that's got nothing to do with the intonation point or the anchor point of the string.
 
#67
I can vouch for the fact that there can actually be string (defective) that will not intonate correctly. I've seen it with my own eyes. I replaced it with a different, identical, same brand string and it intonated just fine. I realize it is not the same problem, but it can actually happen. I could not see anything apparently different with the bad string either.
 
#69
walterw said:
i don't see how a slight bend in a bridgeplate would affect anything except maybe somebody's perception of sustain or tone.

that's got nothing to do with the intonation point or the anchor point of the string.
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Hey man, it's all I got ;)

Here's my theory, Walter...since the bend seems to start directly under the D string, it creates a reaction with the string due to its unique build process (nickel over steel, low-ish tension) that doesn't manifest itself with other strings. Therefore, I'm now thinking I could replace it with any old bridge and fix the problem. We'll see in a couple days. If not, I guess I'll get the brass Hipshot, but I sure would like to avoid it.

96tbird said:
Yeah, I'm pretty sure we've all seen strings that are fubar and won't intonate. That possibility was eliminated a couple pages back. Ah, the trials and tribulations we bass players must endure. Real horror show my droogen brothers, real horror show.
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It really is. This is one of the most traumatic incidents I've had to endure. I may never be the same. But you're right...it's not the strings since they intonate fine on two other basses, and I think trying the aluminum Hipshot did prove it's something wrong with the AmStd bridge.
 
#70
i dunno, i think it's still a safe bet that weird voodoo intonation issues like this are pretty much always due to string anomalies. (also, "string anomaly" sounds like a plot device on a star trek episode.)

didn't we establish that all the dunlop Ds doing this are from the same bulk batch, and that other brand strings don't behave this way?
 
#71
walterw said:
i dunno, i think it's still a safe bet that weird voodoo intonation issues like this are pretty much always due to string anomalies. (also, "string anomaly" sounds like a plot device on a star trek episode.)

didn't we establish that all the dunlop Ds doing this are from the same bulk batch, and that other brand strings don't behave this way?
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Yes, except for the first set I got. Well maybe you're right, but with two other basses that accept them just fine and one bridge replacement proven to work, evidence sure points to the bridge being wonky.
 
#72
Well this sucks...got the AmDlx bridge, and the exact same problem happened. Fortunately, in between last week and now, the guy at HD Custom Guitar Supply got Hipshot A FM2 bridges in brass/chrome and is selling them for $73, so I ordered one. Didn't want to resort to it, but looks like I have to. Oh well, there are worse things...
 
#73
JimmyM said:
Well this sucks...got the AmDlx bridge, and the exact same problem happened. Fortunately, in between last week and now, the guy at HD Custom Guitar Supply got Hipshot A FM2 bridges in brass/chrome and is selling them for $73, so I ordered one. Didn't want to resort to it, but looks like I have to. Oh well, there are worse things...
Click to expand...

I think there has to be something wrong with that string. If not, then something else besides the bridge. How could 2 bridges both be at fault? I know you've tried those strings on other basses and they work, but maybe there is indeed something wrong with them and it is only brought out by this bass.
 
#74
sigmafloyd said:
I think there has to be something wrong with that string. If not, then something else besides the bridge. How could 2 bridges both be at fault? I know you've tried those strings on other basses and they work, but maybe there is indeed something wrong with them and it is only brought out by this bass.
Click to expand...
But they worked with the first Hipshot aluminum bridge on that bass. That's the only thing.
 
#77
Jimmy, I may have missed it, but have you at least tried another type of string? Unless the bridge is screwed in at a weird angle, I really can't imagine any other culprit at this point. The bridge that you didn't experience the issue with may have had an alloy or just the right mass to compensate the resonant disparity of the string. I'm just theorizing, but it's worth a shot?
 

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