Double Bass warped bridge

[chris clay]

any suggestions for unwarping a warped bridge, please

 

[jtlownds]

I had a friend who would soak the bridge in water for 24 hours, the lay it on his back steps with a cinder block on top of it for a couple of days, but he was a cheap bastard. You're probably better off getting a new bridge.

 

[Marcus Johnson]

I've steamed them straight and then clamped them to a flat object. It works for awhile.

 

[Silversorcerer]

any suggestions for unwarping a warped bridge, please

How's that bridge fitted? When these warp (assuming it is a decent enough bridge), usually something is not quite right with the fitting of the bridge. I've seen quite a few that were installed backwards.

 

[chris clay]

not sure how it happened ..it was donated to me by someone who knows i play bass and who thought it might come in handy one day !!!..its pretty much banana shaped though.
i'll try steaming it just for interest and see what happens...thanks for the suggestions anyway

 

[kurt muroki]

a while ago... mid 80's i boiled one and put it under heavy bricks... didnt sound the same afterward, but not bad... maybe i should have sauteed it.

 

[chris clay]

well folks...there seems to be some kind of recipe book taking shape here...could start a whole new thread...i'll stick with lightly steamed bridge with blocks on the side for now..thanks for the ideas

 

[KSB - Ken Smith]

well folks...there seems to be some kind of recipe book taking shape here...could start a whole new thread...i'll stick with lightly steamed bridge with blocks on the side for now..thanks for the ideas

Maybe if you show some pics of the Bass/Bridge strung up you can get some more definite advice!

 

[chris clay]

thanks for your interest ken but, unfortunately, the bridge came to me without the attached bass so i cant take a shot of it insitu...for interest,though, the top-edge is about 1 1/2" off vertical.

if i do manage to steam it back into shape will it then have an inbuilt tendency to warp again once its put back under compression.

 

[forester]

"easy living through science" shallow saucer, H2O,microwave.. clamp..repeat as needed. fibers are pulled...short lived. get a new one & adjusters.

 

[Matthew Tucker]

Chris, as the forces on a correctly fitted bridge are perpendicular to the top, it seems odd that any bridge would bend on its own, unless just too thin.

I'd guess that if it is thick enough, can be straightened, and is then re-fitted properly, it might be OK for a while.

But if it is too thin, it'll bend again. If it is incorrectly fitted ... it will bend again.

 

[Bob Branstetter]

In a perfect world, the strings would equalize the tension on both sides of bridge by sliding freely over the top. When the strings fail to slide over the top of the bridge, the act of tuning will have a tendency to pull the bridge forward toward the fingerboard. If the player does not remember to straighten the bridge (keeping it perpendicular to the top) periodically, the bridge will frequently start to bend in the middle or top of the bridge where the wood is thinner. Better quality bridges are usually more resistant to warping than the cheaper ones, but they will all warp if care is not taken. Rubbing graphite from a pencil in the grooves or putting a drop of super glue in the grooves will help the string slide over the top rather than sticking.

Once a bridge has warped, any attempts to eliminate the warpage with hot water or steam is going to be temporary and will usually return within a month or two .

 

[dchan]

...... putting a drop of super glue in the grooves will help the string slide over the top rather than sticking .......

Hopefully you meant after the glue dried and not during.

 

[ctregan]

Put water on the concave side of the warped bridge only, then stick it in the microwave.

 

[Bob Branstetter]

Hopefully you meant after the glue dried and not during.

Good point. Sometimes a little information can be a dangerous in the wrong hands.

 

[Rosenfield]

I heard Swedish bassist Anders Jormin talk about this a while ago. He suggested to let the bridge soak in water (with some object on top of it so it doesn't float) for a few days, then clamp it to a straight surface until it is dry (that would take a week or so, I guess). According to him the result will be good, "although not as good as having a new bridge". At least it would be fun to try.

 

[chris clay]

i've got it soaking overnight and will clamp it in the morning between two pieces of board while it dries...looks almost flat now
thanks for the advice...anything interesting happens to it i'll let you know