mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 So... I've recently picked up a freebie Columbus EB-3 and overall it's not actually a bad bass. Needs a bit of work doing but nothing I haven't done before or feel is particularly urgent. Except the bridge. The current bridge is bloody awful. Here's a picture: [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/34452882@N05/6199800737/][/url] [url=http://www.flickr.com/photos/34452882@N05/6199800737/]Columbus EB-3 copy body 2[/url] by [url=http://www.flickr.com/people/34452882@N05/]Mr. Dreadful[/url], on Flickr The as you can see there's no way to adjust intonation, and the bridge itself is basically floating, the only parts where it physically connects to the body are the adjustment screws. Not to mention the 'clever' loading/anchoring method which means the strings are bent at right angles against the bridge. Anyway, I've done lots of measuring and looking around the internet and the only bridge that would drop in without me having to drill stuff is the Hipshot 2-point Supertone, which obviously I'm not gonna buy for a bass like this, plus it isn't high enough anyway... the current bridge holds the strings a little over an inch off the body (necessary because of angled neck and the mudbucker being rather high). So I was thinking about a Tuneomatic style bridge but not sure about installing it. I know I'm going to need to fill the existing holes and drill new ones but would i need to put the bridge itself at a slight angle like what you do with guitar Tuneomatics? If so how would I calculate the correct angle? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I'm not very familiar with this type of bridge but looking at it, can't you slacken off the large screws and shift and tilt the bridge to a sort of one size fits all compromise then tighten them up again to lock it in position? Not ideal but a lot less hassle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) Probably not... the bridge slots quite snugly between the screw heads and an integral ring ledge thingy and is pretty thick. The only possible adjustment is up and down. At the moment the action is pretty much ideal, I just hate the bridge. Edited October 11, 2011 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Pretty good, the measurements are pretty much exactly the same. However I don't fancy buying an £80 bridge for this thing and I suspect the Supertone wont be high enough even with the action adjusted accordingly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) I've had a quick look around but no luck finding a clone of the 2-point Supertone... also the 2-point is considerably lower than the 3-point. I guess a 3-point would be do-able but would mean drilling and my drill skills are a bit... special... Edited October 11, 2011 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
henry norton Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 The good thing about the Supertone bridge is that you can take it off and put the old bridge back on if you decide to sell. Also, an inch is quite a tall order for any bass bridge but the Supertone is quite high anyway and height adjustable. You can get Tuneomatics from places like Allparts but if you're having to mod the bass to get a bridge and tailpiece to fit you might as well go for a combined bridge/tailpiece like a Schaller 3D or (dare I suggest it) a Badass, Mike Watt style. That way you're not having to drill big, accurate, straight holes for studs, just 3 or 4 pilot holes for wood screws. You can even get packing pieces for the Schaller to raise it up if it's too low. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Delberthot Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Here's the [url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Hipshot-2-Point-SuperTone-Bass-Bridge-Gibson-CHROME-/330619263918?pt=Guitar_Accessories&hash=item4cfa719bae"]2 point Hipshot[/url] but personally I don't think its worth it as it only fits older Gibsons so if you sell the bass then you're unlikely to find a buyer for the bridge very easily. I'd just fire a normal Fender bridge on there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Yeah, I'd rather drill smaller holes than bigger ones... main concern, as I've mentioned, is getting the height... even if I took out the neck shim, the strings would end up too close to the mudbucker if I had anything lower than the current one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Isn't this a bolt neck? Thus height is not an issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 (edited) Yes, 'tis a bolt neck. Also shimmed (I presume as the neck is angled) and the neck pickup is really high in itself. Hence the height issue. I could potentially replace the neck pickup with something that I can make lower, but that's a whole 'nother issue. Edited October 11, 2011 by mrdreadful Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 How about something a little more Heath Robinson? Bang on a hard wood platform suitable for any bridge of your choice to sit on... you could use the existing fixings thus rendering it reversible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 Could certainly be worth investigating... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr. Foxen Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 If you put a full neck pocket shim in, you can keep it high over the [pickup, but lower it by the bridge end, assuming it is shimmed at one end currently. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 As far as I know it's only shimmed at one end. Haven't taken the neck off to have a look. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 Isn't that huge neck kickback there by design? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrdreadful Posted October 11, 2011 Author Share Posted October 11, 2011 I would assume so... do the original Gibson EBs have it? I know they have similar-looking bridges (I'm talking early 60s here) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ou7shined Posted October 11, 2011 Share Posted October 11, 2011 I don't know if all the basses do but I've been in bands with guitarist who've had SGs and they all had it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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