Buying and fitting an adjustable bridge.

[ambient]

I recently bought a nice Stentor conservatoire model 3/4 size double bass. 
 

The bass has already been set up by a luthier. I’d like to experiment with the string height though, get it so that it’s ‘right’ for me. I’ve been looking online at adjustable bridges. There’s quite a disparity in the price of them, from extremely cheap to the very expensive.

I was wondering if there was a certain model to look out for, one that people recommend?

They also come in different sizes?

How easy are they to install, I’m guessing I could just use the existing bridge as a template? 
 

Thanks in advance for any help given.

Edited August 21, 2021 by ambient

[NickA]

It's the fitting the feet to the belly of the bass that's the hard part.  You need to tape some sand paper to the bass then rub the bridge back and forth till the bridge feet have the same curve as the bass.  Harder than it sounds.  I think pros chisel off most of the foot then sand the last few mm.

 

Worth paying to have a bridge supplied and fitted I think.  Though most luthiers will find "other work" that needs to be done and you end up spending a load.  Stand firm!

[ambient]

5 minutes ago, NickA said:

It's the fitting the feet to the belly of the bass that's the hard part.  You need to tape some sand paper to the bass then rub the bridge back and forth till the bridge feet have the same curve as the bass.  Harder than it sounds.  I think pros chisel off most of the foot then sand the last few mm.

 

Worth paying to have a bridge supplied and fitted I think.  Though most luthiers will find "other work" that needs to be done and you end up spending a load.  Stand firm!

Thanks for the reply. I’ve taken it to a place in Stone, Staffordshire. They’ve quoted me a very reasonable £130 to fit adjusters to the existing bridge.

[NickA]

Tim Toft.  They're very good. You'll not go wrong there.

 

I'm looking to get an adjustable on my own bass, Tim Bachelor also quoted £130 to modify my existing bridge .. so that seems to be THE PRICE. sadly I think my existing bridge is knackered.

[ambient]

3 minutes ago, NickA said:

Tim Toft.  They're very good. You'll not go wrong there.

 

I'm looking to get an adjustable on my own bass, Tim Bachelor also quoted £130 to modify my existing bridge .. so that seems to be THE PRICE. sadly I think my existing bridge is knackered.

Moseley violins in Birmingham quoted me almost £300 to fit adjusters.

 

There’s a place in Oxfordshire quoted me £100, I’d already dropped it into Tim Toft though.

[NickA]

Just got my bass back from Tim Batchelar.  He re-used the bridge Malcolm Healy fitted for me some 25 years ago (it's very good quality apparently and just needed re-fitting a bit) and fitted it with aluminium adjusters.  £230 all told including the re-fitting to the bass's belly and the fitting of my new set of Eva Ps in place of the spiros; he also replaced the rubber thingy on the end of the spike.

 

Including the £200 for the Evahs and petrol to Leicester and back (twice) that's over £450 I've just spent !!!!  Ahhh people spend less than that on a whole bass.

 

It does sound good though .. much more mellow than with the Spiros on it, scratch free bowable from the outset (and the Evahs should play in over the next few days).  It shows up all the mistakes with astounding clarity as the bass now speaks so quickly!  Also it was nice to get it checked over by an expert ... who said it was just fine.

 

NB:  Evah Pirazzi Mediums... on the advice of David at Bass Bags.  He reckons they bow better than EP Weichs and are better suited to the "larger" bass (mine's 40" scale) and as I'll put the spiros back on for classical free periods, they don't need to be A1 for Pizz... also he had them in stock!!  Wonder if I could tell the difference. 

[ambient]

29 minutes ago, NickA said:

Just got my bass back from Tim Batchelar.  He re-used the bridge Malcolm Healy fitted for me some 25 years ago (it's very good quality apparently and just needed re-fitting a bit) and fitted it with aluminium adjusters.  £230 all told including the re-fitting to the bass's belly and the fitting of my new set of Eva Ps in place of the spiros; he also replaced the rubber thingy on the end of the spike.

 

Including the £200 for the Evahs and petrol to Leicester and back (twice) that's over £450 I've just spent !!!!  Ahhh people spend less than that on a whole bass.

 

It does sound good though .. much more mellow than with the Spiros on it, scratch free bowable from the outset (and the Evahs should play in over the next few days).  It shows up all the mistakes with astounding clarity as the bass now speaks so quickly!  Also it was nice to get it checked over by an expert ... who said it was just fine.

 

NB:  Evah Pirazzi Mediums... on the advice of David at Bass Bags.  He reckons they bow better than EP Weichs and are better suited to the "larger" bass (mine's 40" scale) and as I'll put the spiros back on for classical free periods, they don't need to be A1 for Pizz... also he had them in stock!!  Wonder if I could tell the difference. 

Nice. I get mine back from Tim Toft on Tuesday.