Norton Merlin Vinatge Fretless Bass, Aluminum tube frame with sliding pickups!

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#42
Eilif said:
I'm pretty sure it's a stock "schaller roller bass bridge" .
Schaller_4-String_Roller_Bass_Bridge.jpg

It's not a super popular bridge, but it's a good solid design that has been around for at least 30 years and is still made today. It's also adjustable for different string spacings and can be had for around $60-$70 online. Installation should just be a matter of unscrewing the old one and putting on the new one. You can use whatever screws or bolts the bass came with since they don't appear to be gold.

Also, since it's a fairly old design, it might be possible to find a used example on ebay with a bit of patina if you want it to look "original". This one might have potential and it's around $50.
Vintage 1980s Schaller No Logo Rolling Bass Bridge Made in Germany Fits Kramer | eBay

The strap hooks should probably get swapped out too, but that's also not hard since they look like standard Dunlop straplock hooks.

Now that I take a closer look, it appears possible that this bass may have originally had all gold hardware, and perhaps just the tuners have been changed. Strikes me as an odd visual choice for a bass with so much brushed aluminum on it. Just my opinion, but I think that various white metals mix much better than aluminum and gold.
Click to expand...



Hey, Thanks so much for the informations!!!
 
#44
sobemtv said:
Hey, Thanks so much for the informations!!!
Click to expand...
Happy to help.
I'm a stickler about certain visual things, but I hope you get it just the way YOU like it and that it brings you much happiness. At the very least you got an awesome avatar out of it!

One other quesiton. Are the picukps modular and easily removable like the current Norton instruments? It strikes me that if one were removed you could more easily fiddle with the pickup placement of the remaining two. Still, even as they are now, being able to make tiny adjustments and match established ideal positions or find the perfect "sweet spots" could be a very rewarding activity.
 
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#49
Eilif said:
I'm pretty sure it's a stock "schaller roller bass bridge" .
View attachment 2442730
It's not a super popular bridge, but it's a good solid design that has been around for at least 30 years and is still made today. It's also adjustable for different string spacings and can be had for around $60-$70 online. Installation should just be a matter of unscrewing the old one and putting on the new one. You can use whatever screws or bolts the bass came with since they don't appear to be gold.

Also, since it's a fairly old design, it might be possible to find a used example on ebay with a bit of patina if you want it to look "original". This one might have potential and it's around $50.
Vintage 1980s Schaller No Logo Rolling Bass Bridge Made in Germany Fits Kramer | eBay

The strap hooks should probably get swapped out too, but that's also not hard since they look like standard Dunlop straplock hooks.

Now that I take a closer look, it appears possible that this bass may have originally had all gold hardware, and perhaps just the tuners have been changed. Strikes me as an odd visual choice for a bass with so much brushed aluminum on it. Just my opinion, but I think that various white metals mix much better than aluminum and gold.
Click to expand...
You are correct, it was that exact Schaller bridge :)
 
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