Tricks to lowering bridge height on acoustic bass?

[Rocks]

I need to lower my bridge on my acoustic bass and am wondering if there are any tricks to taking off enough without taking off too much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

 

[202dy]

I need to lower my bridge on my acoustic bass and am wondering if there are any tricks to taking off enough without taking off too much. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Tricks? No tricks.

Simple math.

1. Measure string height at twelfth fret.
2. Determine desired string height at twelfth fret.
3. Subtract the smaller number from the bigger number.
4. Multiply that number by two.
5. The result is the amount that should be removed from the saddle.

If there are shims under the saddle the thickness of the shims should be deducted from the amount of material to be cut.

Since this a game of thousandths, precision tools are helpful in marking the saddle.

Otherwise, this is a straightforward, simple repair.

 

[Rocks]

Thats the problem, I'm not sure how much I can lower it without getting fret buzz.

 

[202dy]

Well, that is a different problem altogether. And it is one that is impossible to advise for lack of data. Please provide string heights at twelfth and last fret on both bass and treble side. Also measure the relief at the seventh fret. Saddle height from the top of the bridge to the top of the saddle and the overall height of the bridge (not the saddle) might be helpful. Depth of the saddle slot would be deluxe.

In the alternative, you could make a replacement saddle and shims. Then play with it until you find the right height through trial and error.

Measuring is quicker.

 

[Rocks]

I think it might be easier/better to take it to a guitar tech I know, he'll add a bone nut and saddle for about $40 which would be much better than the cheap plastic ones.

 

[202dy]

I think it might be easier/better to take it to a guitar tech I know, he'll add a bone nut and saddle for about $40 which would be much better than the cheap plastic ones.

Easier? Maybe.

Better? Only you can determine that. While this is simple work, it does require good hand and eye skills.

As far as saddle material goes, if it is an acoustic electric, synthetic saddles tend to transmit vibration to the pickup better than natural materials. The idea is that synthetic material is uniform, while bone, ivory, etc are porous.

 

[Rocks]

Easier? Maybe.

Better? Only you can determine that. While this is simple work, it does require good hand and eye skills.

As far as saddle material goes, if it is an acoustic electric, synthetic saddles tend to transmit vibration to the pickup better than natural materials. The idea is that synthetic material is uniform, while bone, ivory, etc are porous.

Ok, I'll keep the materials in mind, but coming from a guy that wears trifocals the good eye would be an issue, lol

 

[JTE]

There is of course the painstaking trial-and-error method. Buy an extra set of strings, get a pegwinder that fits your bass, and some sandpaper. If you find a big bottle of patience, that's real helpful too!

Put the sandpaper on a thick piece of glass (this helps ensure it's very very flat) and carefully sand the BOTTOM of the saddle down, while not rocking it side to side. After you've taken some off, put the saddle back on, string it up and tune to pitch, and check it. Repeat as needed.

John

 

[PJSShearer]

... and buy a spare saddle - just in case

 

[Slowgypsy]

Measure how much you want to take off. Use a straight edge and x-fine point sharpie and draw that line on the side of the saddle. Gently sand up to that point. Here's a very useful link....
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[Philbiker]

Be really careful taking material off the bottom edge of the bridge saddle. If you are the slightest bit uneven and have a Piezo bridge pickup you could end up with wildly inconsistent string-to-string volume from your pickup.

 

[Rocks]

Be really careful taking material off the bottom edge of the bridge saddle. If you are the slightest bit uneven and have a Piezo bridge pickup you could end up with wildly inconsistent string-to-string volume from your pickup.

Crap, and I just fired up the chain saw, back to the drawing board.....

 

[JTE]

... and buy a spare saddle - just in case

OH YEAH!!

And don't drink either coffee nor beer while doing this... one might make you jittery and anxious, the other sloppy.

 

[JLS]

Measure how much you want to take off. Use a straight edge and x-fine point sharpie and draw that line on the side of the saddle. Gently sand up to that point. Here's a very useful link....
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Any type of sharpie is too inexact for this. One of the better methods is to figure out how much lower you want the action at the 12th fret to be, double that, and enter it on a dial caliper. By tilting the calipers slightly, you can scribe a fine line that's parallel to the existing saddle bottom. Usually, rubbing this line with your thumb will darken it enough to be visible.

 

[202dy]

Any type of sharpie is too inexact for this. One of the better methods is to figure out how much lower you want the action at the 12th fret to be, double that, and enter it on a dial caliper. By tilting the calipers slightly, you can scribe a fine line that's parallel to the existing saddle bottom. Usually, rubbing this line with your thumb will darken it enough to be visible.

Exactly. Some will holler tool abuse. No argument here, but it is a time honored method.

If you just washed your hands, a little pencil lead rubbed into the scribed line will do a good job, too.

 

[PJSShearer]

Hey, I know from experience of things like this. If you buy a spare you won't need it, if you don't then you're bound to make a mess of things and and have to go out and get one anyway .... Mr. Murphy and his Law will get you!.