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Double Bass Stagg EUB megathread

#901
Just finished reading 45 pages of posts! I had assumed this thread had closed till I got to the end. I recently acquired a Stagg from The Guitar Center, but when it arrived, the bridge was cracked. After the GC forgot to follow up, I orderd a Delux from Musicians Friend, arriving Friday.

I used to play Bluegrass Bass in Roger Sprung's (Those bluegrassers from the NE will know him) band 50 years ago and decided to get back to it. I have addressed most of the issues covered in the thread. For the bridge, I filled the adjusters holes on the bottom of the bridge with wood glue and blew compressed air into the hole, forcing glue through the hailine cracks, then clamped it. Seems to be holding.

I also made a head cover with 1/2" neoprene on the back and white canvas on the fron. It keep the bass from sliding when leaning against a wall or window and protects the tuners in the event of a fall. I am going to get some neoprene that has a textured rubber side and a nylon fabric side and use a different fabric for the front and improve it. I have also replaced the strings with Kevlar core synthetics. My first gig with the base is tonight.
Bob
 

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#902
The bridge is badly constructed. The action is the same for all strings which doesn't work for a double bass situation. You cannot set the adjusters that much different, because the bridge becomes clamped between the adjuster threads. So either scrape some black lacquer from the top of the bridge and file down some wood there (might not look that nice) or make a completely new bridge with no or lighter DB adjusters.
 
#903
Bob Denton said:
Just finished reading 45 pages of posts! I had assumed this thread had closed till I got to the end. I recently acquired a Stagg from The Guitar Center, but when it arrived, the bridge was cracked. After the GC forgot to follow up, I orderd a Delux from Musicians Friend, arriving Friday.

I used to play Bluegrass Bass in Roger Sprung's (Those bluegrassers from the NE will know him) band 50 years ago and decided to get back to it. I have addressed most of the issues covered in the thread. For the bridge, I filled the adjusters holes on the bottom of the bridge with wood glue and blew compressed air into the hole, forcing glue through the hailine cracks, then clamped it. Seems to be holding.

I also made a head cover with 1/2" neoprene on the back and white canvas on the fron. It keep the bass from sliding when leaning against a wall or window and protects the tuners in the event of a fall. I am going to get some neoprene that has a textured rubber side and a nylon fabric side and use a different fabric for the front and improve it. I have also replaced the strings with Kevlar core synthetics. My first gig with the base is tonight.
Bob
Click to expand...


Good idea for the cover. I had a tuner go bad right before a gig. I had to do the whole gig with my A string at Ab.
 
#905
Bob Denton said:
The advantage of fretless. The first gig went well and I guess it's like riding a bicycle. I did no harm! The bridge is a POS. I'll probably make a new top when I receive my delux model.
Bob
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Better make a new bridge. The adjuster threads of the original bridge are very heavy.
And if you use the current bridge to find the best height for each string (not necessarily available at the same time) you don't even need adjusters and if needed you can add shims at the bridge feet later.
 
#906
DoubleMIDI said:
Better make a new bridge. The adjuster threads of the original bridge are very heavy.
And if you use the current bridge to find the best height for each string (not necessarily available at the same time) you don't even need adjusters and if needed you can add shims at the bridge feet later.
Click to expand...
How does the foot spacing of a proper maple bridge compare with the Stagg?? Could one take an off the shelf Maple bridge and adapt it? I have experience with mandolin and banjo bridges.

Bob
 
#907
I doubt that the Stagg bridge is made out of maple. Any light hard wood should do. If you cannot get maple, beech would work too.
I doubt that a DB bridge works. Too high (even after cutting the top down and reducing the feet length. I'm planning to make one out of beech, but I doubt that it would happen any time soon.
A cello bridge wouldn't been stable enough and is probably too small anyway.
 
#908
I have replaced the Stagg bridge with a DB bridge by cutting the feet shortly below the middle part. The result fitted after a little rounding into the holes on the Stagg. Had to take away wood directly above the cut feet to make the space between the very short feet more rectangular. After fitting the top, the modified bridge works forme.
 
#909
Ludwig said:
I have replaced the Stagg bridge with a DB bridge by cutting the feet shortly below the middle part. The result fitted after a little rounding into the holes on the Stagg. Had to take away wood directly above the cut feet to make the space between the very short feet more rectangular. After fitting the top, the modified bridge works forme.
Click to expand...
Could you post a photo of the bridge in place?
Danke
Tschuess!
 
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#910
Ludwig said:
I have replaced the Stagg bridge with a DB bridge by cutting the feet shortly below the middle part. The result fitted after a little rounding into the holes on the Stagg. Had to take away wood directly above the cut feet to make the space between the very short feet more rectangular. After fitting the top, the modified bridge works forme.
Click to expand...
Thanks for the information.
A picture of the bridge on the Stagg indeed would be nice.
 
#914
I've just realized (taking it apart) that the feet of the bottom part of the bridge are factory cut at an angle. Meaning the brigde is made to lean somewhere. I say somewhere because mine did towards the fretboard which makes no sense - the difference between string angles below and above the bridge pushes it upwards anyway. So, if anything, the other direction would make more sense. Now, I bought mine used so probably it was disassembled before and whoever did it may have turned it around and reinstalled it in the wrong direction. Does anybody know which way it leans as it comes out of the factory?
 
#917
Bob Denton said:
I would suspect the tightening of the strings has pulled the bridge forward. I have mine set st 90 degrees and if it starts to lean a bit I push it back vertical. It is not uncommon to tilt a banjo bridge back toward the tail piece but not, AFAIK, a bass.
Bob
Click to expand...
I was surprised to see how far mine was tilting and have pushed it back to vertical.

It doesn't see much use since I got a better EUB a year ago (FarWest Readhead) and recently a DB (CCB, BSO) but I have resisted selling it because I still have a bit of a soft spot for it.
 
#918
What I'm saying is if you take out the bridge and put it on the table you'll see that the bottom of the feet are factory cut at an angle. It is meant to lean. My question is which direction is correct. I don't see why the factory would have cut the feet in the direction that helps leaning towards the fingerboard where the strings push it anyway. The opposite direction would make sense if anything.
 
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#920
Before I swapped strings, the bridge for intonation purposes leant towards the bridge with the stock strings, and I think the undersides of the feet were flat (I could be wrong on that, it was a few years back). Replacing the strings with Thomastiks meant I could have perfect intonation with the bridge upright. Not sure if this helps, but I stood mine in the position the intonation worked best.
 

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