Just bought an upright electric

[gtrguy]

This is my first foray into the world of upright bass instruments. The bass was custom built by a bass builder (David Minnieweather) who sadly is no longer with us. It has removable side wings and a adjustable tummy support. Since I never played upright, I removed the tummy support. It has Gotoh tuners, a Piezo pickup in the bridge and an EMG active unit inside, with bass, treble, midrange, and volume. I added a string grounding system, which removed some hum it had.


I have been shaving the bridge legs down to lower the action. I also added some stick on dots till I get used to the 'fret' positions. However, it still seems like a beast! The woods are pretty heavy and it seems very well made. With the removable wings it transports well in the Yamaha silent bass soft case I have.


How would you know if you lower the action too far? I have a friend with a upright and I am adjusting the action on mine to be like his.

[edwardofhuncote]

As a general baseline, at the end of the fingerboard extension, I try to have 5-7 mm clearance under the G, and 8-11 mm under the E. More or less depending upon what type of strings are to be used and playing style employed. (right-hand technique plays a HUGE role here...) If geometry allows, you can get closer, but not often.


Welcome to the Brotherhood of the Doghouse. 

[gtrguy]

Thank you! What are the signs that you have adjusted it too low?

[edwardofhuncote]

Buzzzzzzz...   


Could also be an issue with true-ness of the fingerboard; there is a direct corelation between how low the action can be, to relief in the playing surface. 


(it just so happens, I'm planing a severely worn upright fingerboard tonight... in hopes of getting the action down lower)

[cozmik_cowboy]

If you know what your action measures, and what you'd like it to measure, remove twice the difference from the bridge (at least, that's true on guitars; I assume it holds for uprights as well. Greg?)

Of course, I always do half of what I think I need first, and see where I am then; I have always found it easier to sand off more than to sand some back on......

Peter

[edwardofhuncote]

I have always found it easier to sand off more than to sand some back on......

Peter

I'm going to frame that one somewhere in the shop.


I've actually got a homemade tool for projecting the fingerboard arc onto a bridge and setting the string action. It's pictured in one of my old shop threads somewhere... but your do half at a time method is advice I wish I had availed myself of many times. (after cutting a new bridge too low)

[jazzyvee]

I too am in my first trip into double bass territory. When I got mine the action seemed too low and was choking out so I added a the spacers that came with the bass under the feet of the bridge but then it was far too high. I asked around and got some advice to check the position of the bridge which I think was supposed to be 42". Once I set it to that and removed the spacers it feels and the action is nicely low. If I play it acoustically I can hear and feel some buzz under my fingers on the lower notes but it does not come through the amp.

[pauldo]

Ooh ooh oooh Mr Kotter Mr Kotter!

Sorry for the hi-jack.  But talking upright bridges and reading replies I have a couple questions (looking at Gregory). 
I have a 3/4 Bucharest upright and due to constant humidity changes through the seasons here in Wisconsin I have adjustment knobs added to my bridge.  Last time I was playing it the action seemed too high even with the adjustment set as low as possible.

So, bouncing off of Jazzy’s statement... what is the nut to bridge length for a 3/4 sized bass?  Perhaps my bridge shifted...

I was told that if I wanted to sand the bridge down that loosening the strings, raise bridge, afix emery to top of bass and rub feet on emery to retain the radius of the top.  And pray to high heaven the sound post doesn’t fall.

Thoughts, ideas, wisdom, ridicule?

Thanks!

[cozmik_cowboy]

Well, that's the best way I know to do it on an archtop guitar - but I've never worked on anything with a soundpost, so don't go by me.

Peter

[gtrguy]

There are a lot of youtube and net posts about how to keep the sound post upright.

Lucky for my my upright elec bass bridge sits on flat solid wood.

What would the luthiers on here use to flat sand a wood bridge bottom?

[edwardofhuncote]

Looking at the picture of your EUB David, (nice bass by the way!) I'd use the same technique as on as n upright with a curved surface, if for no reason other than to keep the vertical orientation of the bridge at 90°. Just fasten some 220-grit to the top scratchy side up, and scrub to a mark. I like the Stew-Mac adhesive stuff.

I'll look for it in a little bit, but one of my old Shop Threads has an illustrated post on cutting and fitting an upright bridge. Weirdly, I can't remember whose bass it was... hence searching for it is tricky. I thought maybe it was Dad's '51 Kay, but his is adjustable. 

*Thanks Bro. Elwood! So it was Dad's Kay.
**This thread also has some hints for Paul.

[elwoodblue]

Here ya go..


http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=16223.msg163657#msg163657

[edwardofhuncote]

Paul, put these two items on your wish list:


https://www.internationalviolin.com/ProductDetail/t815_bass-soundpost-setter-made-in-usa


https://www.internationalviolin.com/ProductDetail/t915_bass-soundpost-retriever


...and never worry about a toppled soundpost again. In fact, if you get pretty good at it, you can charge people to reset theirs!   

[pauldo]