Help with 2010 American Standard 'P' bass please.

[REDLAWMAN]

Hi everyone,

I could really use some help from either owners of (or anyone who knows really well) the current American Standard 'P' with the new HMV High Mass Vintage bridge.

I'm having a nightmare with string spacing over the bridge saddles and don't know enough about it to know what's right or wrong.

When I bought it and the standard factory rounds were strung thru-body, the gap between all the strings was equidistant and there was no bend/deviation in the travel of the strings from where they come out of the bridge to where they sit across the saddles.

In a nutshell, I've had it re-strung with La Bella 760 FS flats, top loaded and when I first got it back from the shop, the gap between the 'A' and the 'D' string was noticeably wider than between the other strings.

I've had the strings off and I've seated them on saddle grooves so that all 4 strings now look equidistant, but now there is a very obvious deviation in my 'E' and 'A' strings between where they lock into the back of the bridge and sit over the grooves.

I have no real idea of what's supposed to be right; whether all 4 strings should appear equally spaced to the eye and/or whether it's unavoidable that there will be a bend in some of the strings when I string top-loaded as opposed to thru-body. I've even started thinking that the bridge itself may be defective!!

I have photos of both set-ups if that helps and I live near Hereford if anyone who really knows these 'P' basses well is within traveling distance and wouldn't mind just giving it a 'once-over'.

Leaving this issue aside, the tuning and intonation are spot-on.

Thanks everyone.

[Beedster]

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' post='1001401' date='Oct 26 2010, 05:20 PM']Leaving this issue aside, the tuning and intonation are spot-on.[/quote]

Hi mate

I don't think there's a problem if the above's the case. The mass of the E-string on LBs can cause funny things to happen on some bridges, and sometimes the winding extends over the saddles making things worse. I doubt you've got a dud bridge as I can't imagine they're hand crafted!

Pics here would help us be sure?

Chris

[sk8]

has it just gone into a different groove? Isn't there 3 options on each sadle?

[KiOgon]

Pictures are worth thousands of words, I'm sure we could give you better guidance if we could see the problem.

[Ou7shined]

If it sounds ok and feels/plays ok then it's ok. It's always best to have the strings match the spacing of the pup pole pieces though, how it looks at the bridge is more or less irrelevant.

[REDLAWMAN]

This is how it looks now I've spaced the strings evenly.

[REDLAWMAN]

And here's another of it now.

[REDLAWMAN]

These next 2 are how it was when I got it back from the 'Expert', when the gap between the 'A' and 'D' strings was wider than the other gaps, but the strings followed a largely parallel line of travel into the back of the bridge with no obvious deviation.

[REDLAWMAN]

.....

[ikay]

[quote name='REDLAWMAN' post='1001484' date='Oct 26 2010, 06:19 PM']And here's another of it now.[/quote]

Looks pretty good to me. Fender bridges don't allow for fine string spacing adjustments, it's just a case of finding the best spacing you can with the pre-grooved saddles. You've done a good job!

[Musicman20]

Seems normal. I've spaced mine so the A and D are slightly further apart. Easy to put back to normal.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Musicman20

[stingrayPete1977]

Slap a Badass on it! Sorry I couldnt resist.......

[REDLAWMAN]

So am I correct in thinking that the 'A' and 'D' strings aren't really supposed to be farther apart than the other strings (as the 'tech' in the shop left them), and that all strings should really be equal distances apart to the eye?

And is it right that the fret marker dots don't actually line up in the centre of the 'A' and 'D' strings?

Sorry to be painful, but this is a big learning curve for me......

[REDLAWMAN]

.....

[Ou7shined]

Your first bridge pic is as it should be [b]at the bridge[/b] but it doesn't tally with how the strings should sit over the pole pieces.

Re you fret-markers query : If I'd built it the strings would be equidistant from the fretmarkers.... but this is a Fender so don't expect too much.

Edited October 26, 2010 by Ou7shined

[stingrayPete1977]

The fret markers on my USA Strat are nearer the D rather than centre of the D and G strings nor do the strings run over the pup pole pieces in the centre either so I wouldnt worry too much either.

[KiOgon]

[quote name='ikay' post='1001499' date='Oct 26 2010, 06:29 PM']Looks pretty good to me. Fender bridges don't allow for fine string spacing adjustments, it's just a case of finding the best spacing you can with the pre-grooved saddles. You've done a good job![/quote]
+1

[Musicman20]

Basically, when you move the strings a little on the saddles, they wont be equally spaced over the dots and/or the pickup pole pieces.

If you prefer the strings with different spacings, no probs, just pop them over the groove you want them to sit over.

If you want them totally equal, just line them up so they are all equal

[Musicman20]

I checked mine out last night. All of my strings sit on the middle grooves of each saddle, and the A and D are ever ever so slightly further apart (I think)....we are talking a matter on 1-1.5mm if that. When I bought the bass, the string spacing was totally equal (factory setup) and the strings were not all on the centre grooves if I recall. This was the same with my other 2 Fenders which I sold on.

I can obviously adjust that with moving the A down one or the D up one, and this will mean they are all even....but it makes little difference.

With regards to the dots on the board, are those pictures taken AFTER you have adjusted the string spacing to 'equal' at the bridge? If so, I can see why it appears the dots are closer to the A...as you have dropped the A down one notch/groove on the saddle.

Just experiment a little...I tend to make sure my strings are fairly even over the pole piece spaces of the pickups, and leave it at that.

Edited October 27, 2010 by Musicman20

[dave_bass5]

Just wanted to add, the bend in the strings behind the saddle is ok. Its not going to be a issue.
Also, dont forget the strings are all different thickness's so even if the strings are all in the same (centre) grooves it might still look odd.

I find the best way to adjust the string spacing is to let your fingers dictate where they go, not your eyes. Im getting a vintage bridge put on my P as at the moment they are all equally spaced and it doesn't feel quite as comfortable as my HW-one that has a BAII in it.

[REDLAWMAN]

I'd just like to say a big 'Thank you' to everyone who took the time to reply: as always, you've been a huge help and put my mind at rest.

[greyparrot]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='1002139' date='Oct 27 2010, 10:32 AM']Just wanted to add, the bend in the strings behind the saddle is ok. Its not going to be a issue.
Also, dont forget the strings are all different thickness's so even if the strings are all in the same (centre) grooves it might still look odd.

I find the best way to adjust the string spacing is to let your fingers dictate where they go, not your eyes. Im getting a vintage bridge put on my P as at the moment they are all equally spaced and it doesn't feel quite as comfortable as my HW-one that has a BAII in it.[/quote]



to me it almost looks like an optical illution. The e-a does look a wee bit wider than the d-g, but i think its due to the windings of the string itself on the e string.

[Mokl]

I can't imagine it will ever look perfect due to the difference in string widths. If I stare at my basses, the gap between the E and A strings looks less than the D and G. Switching to different gauges of string will exacerbate the optical effect, but in real terms this perceived "imbalance" will make no discernible difference to playability or sound. As for the break angle of the strings from the anchor point at the bridge to the saddle, all that stringing through the back has done is visually amplified any divergence in the path of the string which would not be so noticeable when strung through the body.

[REDLAWMAN]

Thanks guys and Mokl, I couldn't have put it better myself...!!