6feet7 Posted June 7, 2020 Share Posted June 7, 2020 (edited) Having had the bridge occasionally collapse, thankfully only at rehearsals, probably due to knocking it slightly getting it in and out of the car/rehearsal room etc. I was thinking of how I could stabilise it when I saw a metal, triangular, fully stable bridge going for sale on ebay. Unfortunately it was only for a 4 string DB and mine is a 5'er. Also it went for over £150 - a bit steep I thought. But it gave me an idea. How about fitting a plumbing pipe bracket from the bridge to the neck? As I've already got a Kent Armstrong magnetic pickup fitted to the end of the neck this would be easy. So back onto ebay and for £2.95, plus a bit of old rubber tubing to disguise the steel rod, I got exactly what I was after - photos below (purists and officianados look away now The alternative was to get another bridge, cut the feet off and stick them to the front of the feet on the bass to make a T shape. A bit fiddlier, more expensive and a little less rock 'n roll Edited June 7, 2020 by 6feet7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 I love your solution for the kent armstrong. I've still not got round to fitting mine over a year after receiving it. Looking at your first photo, the pole pieces don't seem to be directly under the B and G strings. Does that affect the amplified sound or is it a trick of the lens? (I also have a five BTW) Graeme Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 13 minutes ago, jacko said: I love your solution for the kent armstrong. I've still not got round to fitting mine over a year after receiving it. Looking at your first photo, the pole pieces don't seem to be directly under the B and G strings. Does that affect the amplified sound or is it a trick of the lens? (I also have a five BTW) Graeme I had the idea how to fix the pickup to the end of the neck and had Simon Farmer at GUS Guitars make it up for me. A block stuck under the end of the neck and the cradle for the pickup screwed into the block. To get the adjustable pole pieces directly under the B & G strings, Aaron Armstrong would have had to make a completely new mould for my bass (which typically was just a slightly different shape to the last pickup he made for a 5 string DB - probably yours , which would have cost a lot more, so he adapted the nearest shape he had (so the middle three strings are directly over the poles) and the B & G pole pieces are at an angle facing the strings rather than right underneath them, so it makes no difference to the amplified sound at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 8, 2020 Share Posted June 8, 2020 When people ask about it, do tell them that you've installed a Brass WonderTone Hydraulic Boost Module which uses carbon dioxide pressurised at 80psi to enhance the signal above 1200Hz ... 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 8, 2020 Author Share Posted June 8, 2020 1 minute ago, Happy Jack said: When people ask about it, do tell them that you've installed a Brass WonderTone Hydraulic Boost Module which uses carbon dioxide pressurised at 80psi to enhance the signal above 1200Hz ... I can offer to sell them one for £250 too 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickA Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 What do you DO to your bass that makes the bridge fall over? Never had that happen, despite smacking it on doorways now and then! Cool solution though and if you're using a may pickup won't change the sound much I guess. I think a totally acoustic player would have a fainting fit. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, NickA said: What do you DO to your bass that makes the bridge fall over? Never had that happen, despite smacking it on doorways now and then! Cool solution though and if you're using a may pickup won't change the sound much I guess. I think a totally acoustic player would have a fainting fit. No idea what I do - it's only happened twice. Probably needs a damn good setup, but I'm too tight for that so had the height adjusters fitted to the bridge. Acoustic pickup tightener bolts added and now the Brass WonderTone Hydraulic Boost Module (© Happy Jack). Trying to get it to look a bit steam punk. You should see what I've done to the heel of the neck - took an electric sander to it to round it off because my technique is so bad that I rest my forearm against it and its so much more comfortable now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheRev Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, NickA said: Cool solution though and if you're using a may pickup won't change the sound much I guess. I think a totally acoustic player would have a fainting fit. I dunno, I use a magnetic pickup and this makes me feel a bit woozy. I'd echo the 'what are you doing to your bass query'. In 12 years, I've only had the bridge fall over three times - two stage invasions and one instance of late night loading into a badly packed van. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 9, 2020 Author Share Posted June 9, 2020 1 hour ago, TheRev said: I dunno, I use a magnetic pickup and this makes me feel a bit woozy. I'd echo the 'what are you doing to your bass query'. In 12 years, I've only had the bridge fall over three times - two stage invasions and one instance of late night loading into a badly packed van. 3 times in 12 years for you. Two times for me in about 10 years. So we're about the same I just don't want it to ever happen again because it makes a god awful noise when it does slip over. You think that something has snapped in half for a second or two until you see the bridge flat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NickA Posted June 9, 2020 Share Posted June 9, 2020 Lucky your sound post didn't fall over too. Stuff of nightmares. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer of the Bass Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 I'd be concerned that any event which would previously have caused the bridge to fall over or shift is now going to be putting unusual stresses on the end of your fingerboard. I can't imagine it'll do much for the acoustic tone and projection either, though I'm guessing you have this bass geared more towards loud amplified use. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 As you can see, I’ve got the mag pickup (for loud gigs) attached to the end of the board already but fitting that and the bridge ‘support’ hasn’t made any discernible difference acoustically (I haven’t gigged it yet, but at home it sounds the same). Also, I’m not sure if you noticed, but I also have an acoustic pickup attached for when I play quieter gigs/restaurants etc, so you guessed wrong As an aside I’ve just bought one of those metal triangular shaped bridges on eBay. It was going for a decent price and it’s for a 5 stringer, so watch this space. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 4 hours ago, 6feet7 said: As an aside I’ve just bought one of those metal triangular shaped bridges on eBay. It was going for a decent price and it’s for a 5 stringer, so watch this space. Like this? Ignore the player, the pic was taken 60 years ago. Oh all right. Have a bloody good laugh if you want to! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Kinell Roger ... is that really you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bassace Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Well, it was, Jack. On the same bill as Sonny Terry and Brownie McGee. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Happy Jack Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 Outstanding, and such a great photo too. You're dressed for jazz, but the line-up implies something else? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
keeponehandloose Posted June 10, 2020 Share Posted June 10, 2020 To the O.P. That ebay one was way over priced..it was made by a guy called Trevor Covney, hes on Facebook. Theyre less than £100 and come without any string grooves. Check with him how wide they are... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
6feet7 Posted June 10, 2020 Author Share Posted June 10, 2020 3 hours ago, bassace said: Like this? Ignore the player, the pic was taken 60 years ago. Oh all right. Have a bloody good laugh if you want to! Yup, like that one 1 hour ago, keeponehandloose said: To the O.P. That ebay one was way over priced..it was made by a guy called Trevor Covney, hes on Facebook. Theyre less than £100 and come without any string grooves. Check with him how wide they are... Not the one on there a few weeks ago. It was yesterday. £65.00 and already got the string grooves. Unlike most people on here, I'm not overly fussed if things are a millimetre wider or narrower here or there. I just pick up play whatever's there (badly I should say :), but when people discuss string spacing being 17.5mm or 18mm etc etc. I'm not bothered (probably a sign of someone who doesn't really know what he's doing but enjoys doing it anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jacko Posted June 12, 2020 Share Posted June 12, 2020 On 10/06/2020 at 19:06, 6feet7 said: but when people discuss string spacing being 17.5mm or 18mm etc etc. I'm not bothered (probably a sign of someone who doesn't really know what he's doing but enjoys doing it anyway I can't imagine Ron Carter or Charlie Mingus or Paul Chambers discussing the minutiae of string spacing so you're likely in good company. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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