Determining bridge placement on bass.

[AK Bass Guy]

I’m replacing a neck on a bass that use to have a 32 scale to a 34 scale. The bridge needs to be shifted lower to have proper scale. I know the obvious part that I need to have 34” between nut and bridge saddle.

But my question is should I do the measurements with the saddles in a neutral, mid travel position? Is there a particular string I should set it to? And any good shady mechanic tips?

Thanks in advance.

 

[ardgedee]

Start with the saddles maybe 1/8" away or less from the end of travel (toward the neck) on the bridge plate. You will almost always have to intonate by moving the saddles backwards rather than forwards. The G string saddle will move back the least, the E saddle will move back the most.

(edit: Bruce Johnson, as usual, writing from experience in this post)
(edit: made a bunch of edits in my post too, sorry.)

 

[Matt Liebenau]

Like @ardgedee said, set one of the saddles most of the way towards the neck and use that as your scale length measurement point.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Any recommendations on techniques how to make sure the bridge is centered properly on the solid body?
I was thinking maybe something like running shoe laces or twine running thru the tuners across the nut and thru the bridge and then setting center by eye and using measurement of distance between bridge plate and bridge pickup route.

 

[96tbird]

I would start with the bridge.

You need to determine the neck centre line:

Take a meter stick (yardstick) and lay it along each side of the neck, Place a strip of painter tape under the stick from pocket to tail each side of the neck and draw lines on the tape that follow the neck edges. Your lines will diverge just as the neck gets wider along its length. You’ll use that later to set dead centre.

Determine your scale line: Measure the 34” scale length. Lay a large square of tape down in the approx area where to place the bridge. Re-measure the scale length from each side of the nut, E&G sides, and mark that on the tape square. Join those two marks (perpendicular to the string path) so you’ll have a scale line on the square long enough that you can see it when you lay the bridge over it. You will Use it as saddle reference.

Then mark out the middle of that square using your neck edge lines, both sides of the bridge. This neck centre line will be parallel to the string path.

Now you wil have dead center marked. The Scale line crossing the neck centre line.

Set your saddles as suggested above. 1/8” back from fully extended.

Put some tape on each end, neck side & tail side, of the bridge to mark the centre to lay on your neck centre line. Be sure your bridge doesn’t offset the saddle grooves from the plate as some do, depending on the saddle adjustment mechanism. Once you’re sure your bridge centre is good Lay the bridge down, align the neck and bridge centre lines and scale length with the E& G saddles and mark your screw holes.

Use a similar method to lay out your pup route.

 

[JRA]

Any recommendations on techniques how to make sure the bridge is centered properly on the solid body?

i don't think of the bridge being "centered on the body" so much as it is placed on the body to 'center' the strings on the fingerboard --- at the correct distance from the nut, of course, as above.

i actually eyeball the whole procedure with the help of rubber bands acting as the G and E strings on my 4-string axes. i hope these pics are self-explanatory, but i'll detail more if needed:



quick, easy, accurate! good luck with your new neck!

 

[AK Bass Guy]

i don't think of the bridge being "centered on the body" so much as it is placed on the body to 'center' the strings on the fingerboard --- at the correct distance from the nut, of course, as above.

i actually eyeball the whole procedure with the help of rubber bands acting as the G and E strings on my 4-string axes. i hope these pics are self-explanatory, but i'll detail more if needed:

View attachment 6997009 View attachment 6997010 View attachment 6997011 View attachment 6997012

quick, easy, accurate! good luck with your new neck!

Thanks for the insight and the pics. Rubber banding sounds like a much better option than string or twine.

 

[JRA]

Rubber banding sounds like a much better option than string or twine.

they work great!

i've tried them all (string/twine/yarn, bass strings) but none are as handy or easy as rubber bands. i found some super long ones, but smaller ones work just as well ---you just need more of them to make the 'string' long enough.

they don't have to be that stretched or taut --- just enough that they'll raise up and off the fingerboard at the proper length. also, you can drop the pickups in the cavities to adjust that 'look'/alignment, too, while you're at it.

good luck!

 

[kodiakblair]

but none are as handy or easy as rubber bands.

That's a wonderful idea, much more compact than the straight edge/yard stick contraption I've been using.

 

[Wood and Wire]

I’m replacing a neck on a bass that use to have a 32 scale to a 34 scale. The bridge needs to be shifted lower to have proper scale. I know the obvious part that I need to have 34” between nut and bridge saddle.

Is it fretless?

 

[JRA]

...much more compact than the straight edge/yard stick contraption I've been using.

i still use a tape measure/yardstick to get my scale distance, while 'centering' the strings the way i want/need --- but i've stopped measuring and calculating the edge-to-edge of the fingerboard.....i just eyeball it! i've attached a half dozen necks to that many bodies in the last several years with rubber bands!

 

[byacey]

I would start with the bridge.

You need to determine the neck centre line:

Take a meter stick (yardstick) and lay it along each side of the neck, Place a strip of painter tape under the stick from pocket to tail each side of the neck and draw lines on the tape that follow the neck edges. Your lines will diverge just as the neck gets wider along its length. You’ll use that later to set dead centre.

Determine your scale line: Measure the 34” scale length. Lay a large square of tape down in the approx area where to place the bridge. Re-measure the scale length from each side of the nut, E&G sides, and mark that on the tape square. Join those two marks (perpendicular to the string path) so you’ll have a scale line on the square long enough that you can see it when you lay the bridge over it. You will Use it as saddle reference.

Then mark out the middle of that square using your neck edge lines, both sides of the bridge. This neck centre line will be parallel to the string path.

Now you wil have dead center marked. The Scale line crossing the neck centre line.

Set your saddles as suggested above. 1/8” back from fully extended.

Put some tape on each end, neck side & tail side, of the bridge to mark the centre to lay on your neck centre line. Be sure your bridge doesn’t offset the saddle grooves from the plate as some do, depending on the saddle adjustment mechanism. Once you’re sure your bridge centre is good Lay the bridge down, align the neck and bridge centre lines and scale length with the E& G saddles and mark your screw holes.

Use a similar method to lay out your pup route.

Also check that the string paths are equidistant from the ends of the pickups, just to make sure the neck isn't canted one way or the other. Otherwise you may have the perfect string path to the bridge, but the pickups will end up being off center.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Is it fretless?

Unfortunately no, because if it was it would be unlined without side dots and I could put it at any scale I wanted to. So I am at the mercy of frets and proper intonation.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Here is the neck with 4 or 5 applications of Howard’s.

 

[Reedt2000]

I always start with centerline from the neck down through the pickup routes to the bridge, laying it out with masking tape. Then I like butchers twine for a string stand-in. It will stretch a little letting you pull it nice and taught to get the final alignment. Have done it this way many times with good results.

 

[sissy kathy]

NO! Don't use the neck to determine the centerline of the body or bridge. While that would work well on a set neck or neck through, a Fender neck on a Fender body has significant wiggle room and there is no dependable way to get the neck centered. Instead use the heel end of the neck pocket and the pickup routes; they are absolutely stable relative to the rest of the body and there is no wiggle room. Once the centerline is established, then you can worry about scale length.

 

[Reedt2000]

NO! Don't use the neck to determine center of the body or bridge. A Fender neck on a Fender body has significant wiggle room and there is no dependable way to get the neck centered. Instead use the heel end of the neck pocket and the pickup routes; they are absolutely stable relative to the rest of the body and there is no wiggle room.

In using the neck, I start by mapping its center line, then lining it up w the pocket and routes center line, so neck is aligned to the body properly. Cause you're correct, bolt on necks can have some wiggle side-to-side.

 

[byacey]

In using the neck, I start by mapping its center line, then lining it up w the pocket and routes center line, so neck is aligned to the body properly. Cause you're correct, bolt on necks can have some wiggle side-to-side.

That is exactly why I suggested aligning the center line to the center of the pickups.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Just an update. Still have to apply a coat or two more of Howard’s to the neck so I haven’t repositioned the bridge yet.

I do appreciate everyone’s input and time to post.

One benefit for me is the original bridge position was centered near perfectly so I have a reliable reference point to work with.
I still like the rubber band idea just so I have a visual after measuring and before drilling to see if everything lines up well.

I did test the heel neck pocket fit and it is super tight, but not so tight anything is going to crack and there is zero wiggle to the neck when placed in the neck pocket. Pre drilled Warmoth neck mounting holes line up perfectly. This actually surprised me because the body is a Squier and with previous Squier Frankenbasses I’ve had to address the neck pocket issues. Warmoth has always been reliable but Squier parts can be a gamble. I do plan on changing the body at sometime in the future with a roasted swamp ash, just not anytime soon.



Cheers.

 

[AK Bass Guy]

Thanks for all the guidance folks. I used a bit of all the recommendations and everything came out great. Bridge centered, scale proper, and near perfect alignment on neck.