Bridge Installation

[Cyrus Comiskey]

Hi Guys,

 I'm installing a bridge on a Gibson SB-300 bass guitar. This is a fix of a previous repair where the holes were drilled too big for the sound post bushings. It's an after market bridge that the client brought to me. The thing that's confusing me is that the previous repairman had placed the bridge so that the very front of the bridge is at the 30 1/2" mark. But at it's most forward position, the adjustable saddles are still a good 1/4" behind this point. Shouldn't I place the bridge a little forward so that the saddles are able to hit the 30 1/2" mark? There is about 3/4" of play in the saddles, from it's most forward position to the back most position. I'm just wondering if the previous repairman figured something out that I haven't. It would be a shame to use his positioning and have to redo it again! Thanks for your help!

 Cyrus

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

If your mesurement are correct, the last repair was a poor one and you should place it so that the saddle in its most forward position just hits the 30 1/2" mark.

[Cyrus Comiskey]

Thanks Pierre! I thought was the case. I just wanted to double check with someone more experienced. Looks like I got to take a little more care in plugging the old post holes and be a little more concerned with matching the color!

[Jim Bancroft]

Saddle needs positioning so that intonation is correct. That is generally slightly back from the 30 1/2" position.

 

Jim

[Pierre-Antoine Roiron]

For an electric bridge, I'm used to just hit the mark, since the saddles have a lot of travel, it gives you some safety.

[Jim Bancroft]

I do very little work on bass guitars or electrics, so I could be wrong, but, with a bass guitar, with heavy strings, the intonation would be set back more than a standard 6 string. Also with individual saddle adjustments you do have lots of room for adjustment.

 

Jim

[Cyrus Comiskey]

On my P-Bass (34" Scale) the G string sits back a little less than a 1/16" from the 34" mark using a set of regular ernie ball slinkys (.105, .085, .070, .050) and the distance increases with the bigger strings. Am I right in thinking that with a smaller scale length on the SB-300, the distance on the G string would be slightly less? That is, using a similar gauge of strings.....

[Alexander López]

I'd try to intonate the bass using the existing configuration. If you do, it's less work to do. If you don't, then it's woodshed time!