NHM

Schaller 3D-4 Bridge I wanted a replacement 4 string bridge to give me a narrower string spacing than the standard 19mm. I like a spacing of 17mm, but there aren't that many options out there. When looking at the Schaller product literature online, it said that the string spacing had a range from 14.5mm to 24.5mm; so I took the plunge as the spacing range would give me the 17mm plus scope to experiment. Also I liked the aesthetic of the design, which is really important to me. When it arrived I was very impressed by the build quality / engineering. The bridge oozes class, it really is stylish. My first impression was 'every bridge should be of this standard'. Even the box it is packaged in is one of the classiest you'll come across! However, there are a few pitfalls to be aware of: (1) String spacing: you may be able to set two strings to a 14.5mm spacing, but not all four, so that figure is pretty misleading! The narrowest the bridge will go is about 53.5mm overall (E-G), so a string spacing of about 18mm is the tightest you'll get. Also, when you fit the strings the rollers rotate, so it is hard to get accurate/consistent spacing without a fair bit of trial and error. (2) The saddles are so long the intonation range is much more limited than a standard 'barrel' saddle bridge. That isn't a problem in itself - before fitting the bridge I lined up the saddles as much as possible with the existing bridge, which meant there was only about 5mm of intonation travel available. Care is needed when screwing the bridge down to get its location spot on, as there is such little amount of play available to adjust the octaves. Also, this meant new screw holes were needed in the bass body. Fortunately for me, these were nearer the strap button so the bridge covered the old holes. (3) The bridge comes with a 3mm thick base plate to raise it up should you need to. I didn't, which I was glad about as the base plate alone weighs 48g and this just adds unnecessary weight to the instrument (the bridge without the bass plate weighs 195g). Instead of using the plate it seems longer grub screws can be fitted in each saddle to get the same effect. The grub screws Schaller supply are quite short; the ones I took off the outgoing saddles were about 5mm longer so more than compensated for the base plate thickness and I'd have used these had I needed to. (4) the strings come through the back of the bridge at 19mm spacing, so there is a bit of a change in linear direction as they pass over the saddle. I hope this doesn't cause the saddles to move or encourage the strings to jump out if played aggressively. We'll see. Overall a stunning looking bridge. However, you need to give some careful thought to how to fit it before you start drilling new mounting holes. There are some design issues that could be improved: I think it would be a better bridge if the saddles were a little shorter and the string spacing was set at 18mm rather than 19. Finally, if I'd known that 18mm string spacing was the narrowest I could get, then there are other (and cheaper) options out there to consider and I wouldn't have bought this bridge; I'm disappointed that I could not get the 17mm spacing that the literature lead me to believe.

It's only a bit of re-soldering to try out both parallel and single options see which one works best. Thanks for the help.

we're still looking. Auditioned about half a dozen since my last posting, sadly none cut the mustard for one reason or another. Is it asking too much to find someone that ticks these five boxes: a bit of charisma a decent range a bit of raw power reliable gets 'em in while we're setting up no. 5 obvs being the critical one.

Thanks itu, that's really interesting. So parallel has the advantage over single coil of slightly higher gain; single coil has the advantage of a bit more edge (I assume you mean more 'cut' as in an eq-shape - or is it better 'attack' - or something else?). I can't see the point of having impractical options available (sort of devalues the modification), so perhaps I'd be better off going with a two way switch rather than a three. Decisions, decisions, another thing to worry about at night!

Thanks Maude. It is a four wire pickup, so I expect I'll go for a series/parallel/single as you suggest.

I'm working on a body refurb of a short scale bass (fitted with flats) which has a single TV Jones Thunderblade pickup installed. I really like the humbucker sound, but while I'm doing the refurb I'm considering fitting a switch to tap into other sounds available by splitting the coils. Are there other modes available that will give a distinctive sound to significantly contrast with the humbucker sound? Or, given short scales with flats have such a narrow sonic/harmonic band, is it worth the bother? I'd welcome any advice from your esteemed coil-tapping experiences!

Thanks for all the advice, bassers. I've just bought a Schaller 3D-4: it looks great and is not a look that is immediately associated with a particular instrument (to my knowledge!), it's fully adjustable with a very wide range for string spacing so I should be able to fine-tune it exactly to my needs. German engineering and a reasonable price to boot. Maude - I've also got a Musicmaster so I've had sleepless nights over the intonation problems - now sorted with Hosco compensated saddles, an expensive solution but it has sorted out this bass without compromising the look. And I didn't want such a distinctive look for the bass I'm working on at the moment. DocJ, I don't mind putting in extra holes as it means I can set the bridge a little further back now and the Schaller will cover the outgoing bridges' holes. best wishes to all

yeah I'd seen the one on Reverb but it's listed as sold out. The DV247 is 5 string. Thanks for the Schaller and Hipshot suggestions, I'll get my tape measure out...

Does anyone know where to get a bridge with 17mm string spacing for a four string ? After an hour or so trawling the 'net I've drawn a blank. Preferably traditional 'Fender' style (if there's a choice) but other options might be workable. The bass has already been customised, so a particular vibe isn't essential. Why has 19mm spacing become so common? To me it feels far too wide.

When I play with a pick I cut the mids a little as I find the pick over-emphasises the first and second harmonic - cutting the mids can balance this out, depending on which bit of the string you're playing, so I'm talking about playing the area at the neck p/u which is my standard address point. This keeps you in your own sonic space (as Steve XFR says), whilst giving the benefit of the attack of the pick.

nice one. Hope you're enjoying it. bet it sounds great through the ampeg. What strings have you gone for?

Bass player available, Kent. I'm a very experienced gigging musician, recently retired from full time work so with the time and energy to commit to a fulfilling project. Pro attitude, gear, transport and a quick learner. Ideally I want to join a stable and established band, preferably at the rock end of the style-spectrum. I'm happy to play covers or contribute to developing original music.

probably should be discreet over names... If you know anyone you think might be interested, do send them my way...

We've been going with the current line up of guitar, bass and drums for a year and for most of that time we had a brilliant singer - however he's left us to resume a pro-touring career which had been curtailed by lockdown (we knew this would happen sooner or later). So we are looking to replace him. As for choosing a name, it hasn't been a high priority as we haven't yet put out any publicity - but we're currently calling ourselves 'Slow Burn' - which is turning out to be prophetic!

It takes time and experiment to find the best strings for you. If you can start by deciding whether it is rounds or flats, then buy a set and see how they suit you. Tension is a big issue with flats (my choice, I don't know much about round wounds). You may have to try various manufacturers before finding the right ones. Don't pay too much attention to what people recommend as it is a very personal decision. Be prepared to leave a set of flats on for some time as they mellow out as they settle in, so you may grow to like them more after time (or not!). All very subjective, no right or wrong answers! When you find a set that really suit you, you'll know as the instrument will have come alive!

I recommend the Gibson LPJT. I've a number of short scale basses, they're the only type I play now, and the Gibson is my current favourite. Having said that, choice of strings is probably more important than the model you choose, especially for a short scale.

either

We'd be also open to a singer who is also a 2nd guitarist or keyboard player.

If anyone knows a decent singer in the area who is looking for a new band, please will you pass this on? (just spoke to our guitarist who reckons he's better that 'terrific')

No, you come and sing and I'll still play bass! Doghouse in Sturry

I'm a bass player, many years experience, and have been in a classic rock covers band for the last year with a terrific guitarist and an amazing ex-pro drummer - we're very tight/gig ready but we just don't seem to be able to recruit a singer up to the job or willing to commit. Anyone out there who fancies a bit of serious fun and who loves classic rock repertoire? We rehearse in studios in Canterbury.

taken the lid off the DtE this morning - nothing obviously wrong, but gave all the connectors a press down, reassembled and the problem has gone away - well for now. I expect it will return just before the first set of our next gig! Another positive comment to add about this pedal is that being able to set the drive before or after the compressor gives another significant addition to the tonal palette readily available. A downside to this pedal is that it is hard (or I haven't figured out) how to keep the gain sections of each effect under control, so that there's not either a significant increase or decrease in gain when you kick things in or out. It would be interesting to see a circuit diagram (if one exists) to see how the signal path is routed through this baby.

Hi, thanks for confirming I have the tuner plugged up correctly. I hadn't thought about trying a separate power supply. But just tried it and the problem doesn't go away. I'll probably take the top off the DtE to see whether there is an obvious loose wire or something fouling the jack socket. This problem aside, I think the DtE is fab. I've found a compression setting that stays on all the time, and the EQ can kick in as a boost. The drive is OK and pushes into the natural drive of the Bassman to give another switch-controlled tonal variation, but I haven't really found a need it for it the style I play. Of course when it comes to anything subjective, each to their own!

Hi I recently bought a Fender Downtown Express pedal, which I'm really enjoying. But at rehearsals yesterday for the first time I plugged my tuner pedal into the 'Tuner Output' of the DtE and immediately there were electrical problems - loud 'popping' whenever I hit a switch, and also if I tapped my finger on the case or on a pot. When I got home I went through every item systematically in case it was the power supply or a patch cable, and all items seems fine - but the problem persists. (The pedal is fine if you disconnect the tuner patch cable). I'm assuming that the function of the Tuner Out is to connect directly to a tuner pedal, or have I got this wrong?

terrific bass playing - a great musical contribution, really imaginative despite a fairly simple construction, he adds so much energy to the song - as much by his silence as by his playing