Help required - Selecting a new bridge

[henrywillard]

Hi all. Hoping for some help with my bridge

I have a 3/4 violin body [url="http://thesoundpost.co.uk/westbury%20double%20bass.htm"]Westbury bass[/url] currently with a non-adjustable bridge, fitted with my Wilson pickup and Evah Pirazzi Weich's.

I feel my action is slightly too low as I find the E and A strings are slapping against the fingerboard a fair bit when I'm playing naturally, which is causing problems particularly when recording.
At the bottom of my fingerboard, from the fingerboard surface to first contact with each string, my current string heights are as follows:
E: 8mm; A: 7mm; D: 7mm; G: 6mm.

Are there any experts here who would agree it sounds like my action is a bit too low?

If so, I am looking into getting a new, adjustable bridge, however am a little confused about a couple of specifications.
I am looking at a Dispau bridge, and on their website there are a number of customisable options:

[b]1. [/b][url="http://chevalet-despiau.com/catalogue-despiau/index-en.php?act=rub&id=4"]They list four different French models - CT1, CT2, CT6, CT12, all slightly different in shape[/url].
[i]-How do I know which particular shape to go for? How does each shape affect playability/tone etc?[/i]

[b]2. [/b]Heart position - Normal heart or high heart.
[i]- Does this make any difference to the tone etc?[/i]

[b]3. [/b]Fairly fine and regular grain, wood with less pronounced medullary rays
[i]or[/i]
Wide and fairly regular grain, wood with less pronounced medullary rays
[i]-Is this purely aesthetic preference?[/i]

[b]4. [/b]In terms of bridge size, their website specifies their 3/4 size bridge to have a distance of 150mm exterior leg width, and their small 4/4 size bridge to have an exterior leg width of 158mm.
[i]-My current bridge has an exterior leg width of 154mm. Which should I go for? Would it make a significant difference?[/i]

[i][/i]

Any help on any of my above questions would be greatly appreciated. Many thanks!

[fonzoooroo]

Yes, it's a bit low, unless you have hard steel strings.
1&2:
It's more about the fitting than the bridge blank shape. A higher or lower heart is relevant mainly to the top curve height. .. In practice, unless your bass has the lowest elevation EVER, it's pretty irrelevant!

You may hear intricate tonal differences on a £10K bass, but (no offence intended!) not on a Westbury.... And if you're mainly playing amplified, you've got even less to worry about.

I've fitted quite a few of these (link below) to run-of-the-mill instruments (I've got one on my own '70s blonde ply beastie)

[url="http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DOUBLE-BASS-BRIDGE-MAPLE-FRENCH-STYLE-CHOOSE-4-4-3-4-1-2-1-4-1-8-UK-SELLER-/321266058780?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&var=&hash=item4accf3061c"]http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/DOUBLE-BASS-BRIDGE-MAPLE-FRENCH-STYLE-CHOOSE-4-4-3-4-1-2-1-4-1-8-UK-SELLER-/321266058780?pt=UK_Musical_Instruments_Sting_Instruments&var=&hash=item4accf3061c[/url]

which are fine if trimmed/fitted well! (there's a good couple of hours labour in bridge fitting, and most people want it keeping under £100 bottom line, so with the cost of a Despiau or Aubert *** being up there before the labour charge, you can see the issues!)

3: Fine is normally dearer (better)

4: 158... The feet are too big on a blank, so are trimmed to suit.

[keeponehandloose]

Ive just replaced an adjustable bridge with a solid one , the sdjusters were not goog when amplified,
really messed the sound up. why not have a solid fitted with a higher action?

[Jezyorkshire]

hows your fingerboard relief, it may measure that at the end but it may not give a bigger picture of the action elsewhere, I recenty bought a used westbury and the action is similar to yours at the end of fingerboard but its about 1-2mm higher in the middle and at the nut end it gets high quickly so I will be getting an easier relief applied to the board, its also got spiro mittels on which are higher tension than I prefer so im going to be putting some weichs on, no one can tell if your action is to low as there are many factors involved, go see a luthier and he will be able to advise from your playing technique what relief/string height you need and maybe even an adjustment or not in your right hand technique, im not an expert , im sure someone else with more experience will be able to comment on what I have said, all the best mate, Jez

[ubassman]

Fitting a new bridge is a real art and as its the powerhouse of the DB sound its so important to get right. I use a chinagraph pencil to mark the centre line position of the bass bar, check the symmetry of the bass and alignment of the 'f' holes and the neck (quite often the neck has twisted and isnt centred any more on the centre line of the bass). I also mark the current position of the sound post with the china graph pencil and then think about the best width of the bridge feet which want to be equidistant from the f holes and the bass bar centre line gives you the info you need. Choice of bridges is something that is ideally done in the flesh rather than ordering on line . I look at the stacking and even-ness of the grain, whether it has a slope and if so which way, and perhaps most importantly , I tap it to get a feel for its ring - some bridges are just completely dead . Then there's the profile of the bridge and making fine adjustments to take out thickness where needed and fitting it to the top to get best contact. In short, a lot to get right.

Just wondering if maybe your best option is to utilise your existing bridge and have the adjusters fitted by a luthier who has the experience to fit these well? Your string height does seem a bit on the low side but not unworkable. You could get a luthier to beef up the feet with maple shims and stick with a fixed bridge, or have him look at whether the fingerboard needs shooting to take out any buzzing? All the best with it.

[henry norton]

I would suggest having some adjusters fitted. You sound like you're not too sure about the action - a new bridge plus fitting will cost allot more than having a pair of aluminium adjusters fitted so it'll be a big old waste of money if you have a higher bridge fitted and decide it's too high.

Your action's not ridiculously low but it does depend on the type of strings you're using and how hard you play. Regarding hearts, it depends on the profile of the top of the bridge - if the heart ends up too close to the top it can weaken the bridge, but it has to be pretty close. The grain and figure in the bridge won't necessarily have a positive effect on the sound and your db will benefit more from a better luthier than a 'better' bridge.

[henrywillard]

Many thanks everyone for your input, I really appreciate it
Can anyone recommend a particularly good luthier in or around Kent that could be trusted to do a good job on my bridge?
I have previously used Malcolm Healey who was absolutely fantastic, but I spoke to him after he closed his shop, and I got the impression he wasn't doing too much repair/adjustment work these days.

I most recently went to Malcolm Tysoe in Farnborough near Bromley, but I'd be interested to hear of any other luthiers in my area that people have used and had good results with.

[ubassman]

Try giving Colin Cross a call at Deal Violins http://www.dealviolins.com He used to be Buxton Violin Shop and used to make DB's . He works part time in London and part time at home in Deal. Last time I spoke to him about 6 months ago he says he's really cut back and isnt doing to many DBs as he doesn't have much space but a bridge is a day job and you might be able to persuade him . Great Luthier and knows how to get a bass to sing !