taking apart bridge assembly question

[hieronymous]

How difficult is to disassemble the Alembic bridge? My Stanley Clarke Signature 5-string began life tuned BEADG but I quickly had it converted at the Mothership to EADGC. But now I'm thinking of switching back. I'm wondering if it's something I can do relatively quickly and easy (I have the original saddles) or if it's more than I should take on by myself. I should polish the bridge pieces too - they're getting pretty tarnished - but their appearance doesn't really bother me too much.


Also, are there any special tools I will need to remove the bridge saddles? I believe I have the correct allen wrench but will have to check.



Please let me know what you think!

[keith_h]

Nothing very hard about taking one apart and putting it back together. Just take a picture beforehand as there is a right and wrong way to reinstall the adjustment screws, slide and saddles.

[hammer]

It's not a difficult process and for me to state that, being a total mechanical klutz, says a lot.  It doesn't take that long unless you are dealing with REALLY tarnished parts to your bridge.  I think most people use Flitz Metal Polish to clean non-lacquered brass parts though one of our club members who knows a lot more about instruments than I do has suggested a number of other options. Flitz has always done it for me.  The best bet to insure that you re-install your bridge as intended is to make to take a photo prior to the disassembly process.  In addition, while you have it apart lube the threaded parts. As suggested by other in the club I've also always coated the parts that are not lacquered with a light coating of VO5 (the hair stuff) after cleaning for additional protection.

[edwardofhuncote]

Watching with interest... I may one day give my Distillate the Will Gunn treatment and convert it to B-E-A-D setup, which would involve switching out the nut and bridge saddles. (I'd keep the originals of course, so it could be returned to standard)

FWIW, I'm lazy... after removing the bridge from the body, I simply toothbrushed the whole thing with Brasso, then rinsed and coated all the threads with Teflon-infused Rem-oil. They both turned out shiny, and work slick as all giddy-up. Plus I didn't have a bench of small parts to keep up with.

[hieronymous]

Nothing very hard about taking one apart and putting it back together. Just take a picture beforehand as there is a right and wrong way to reinstall the adjustment screws, slide and saddles.

It's not a difficult process and for me to state that, being a total mechanical klutz, says a lot.  It doesn't take that long unless you are dealing with REALLY tarnished parts to your bridge.  I think most people use Flitz Metal Polish to clean non-lacquered brass parts though one of our club members who knows a lot more about instruments than I do has suggested a number of other options. Flitz has always done it for me.  The best bet to insure that you re-install your bridge as intended is to make to take a photo prior to the disassembly process.  In addition, while you have it apart lube the threaded parts. As suggested by other in the club I've also always coated the parts that are not lacquered with a light coating of VO5 (the hair stuff) after cleaning for additional protection.

Thanks for the advice, both of you! I have heard the advice to take pictures first, this will help me to actually remember to do it!


Any suggestions for lubricant?

Watching with interest... I may one day give my Distillate the Will Gunn treatment and convert it to B-E-A-D setup, which would involve switching out the nut and bridge saddles. (I'd keep the originals of course, so it could be returned to standard)

FWIW, I'm lazy... after removing the bridge from the body, I simply toothbrushed the whole thing with Brasso, then rinsed and coated all the threads with Teflon-infused Rem-oil. They both turned out shiny, and work slick as all giddy-up. Plus I didn't have a bench of small parts to keep up with.

I think I am approaching this kind of like you - I have limited space to work and limited tools. Since I would be taking the whole thing apart it would make sense to at least give the pieces a once over - Flitz perhaps? I used to have a bottle lying around that I never used.


I think I am going to put this project off for now. I am starting to play with a guitar player from one of my recent bands that is on hiatus - we are playing for the first time with a new drummer Monday night! Unfortunately, I didn't spring for a low B, I only got EADG & a high C string. I don't need the low B, though we have a few songs in F where it would be nice to be able to play it further up the neck and have access to the low Eb. But for now I think I'm going to restring with the EADGC set and set it up - fretboard is already oiled!


Thanks again, and any further advice or comments gladly accepted!

[bigredbass]

Yes; d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y take a picture (or make a diagram, or a pictogram of runes in a midnight sun). 

The first time I did mine, I put it back together with the saddles facing the wrong way.  Righted that ship and then installed it backwards on the bass.

Pictures. 

Joey

[hieronymous]

Yes; d-e-f-i-n-i-t-e-l-y take a picture (or make a diagram, or a pictogram of runes in a midnight sun). 

The first time I did mine, I put it back together with the saddles facing the wrong way.  Righted that ship and then installed it backwards on the bass.

Pictures. 

Joey

So you think I should take some pictures? I got your pictures right here!








All kidding aside, I do intend to carry through with this project eventually. But for the time being the body, neck and headstock are polished, the fretboard oiled, and a new set of stainless steel DR Lo-Riders with a high C have been installed! Jam session is Monday night so I've been trying to play at least 30 minutes to an hour a day to get some semblance of chops back (haven't played with people in over a year!) and now to break in these strings. Here are a couple of shots I posted on Instagram:

[lbpesq]

Harry, taking apart and reassembling the bridge is a piece of cake.  The hardest work will be polishing.  After polishing, I always rub on a little Alberto VO-5 hair dressing.  It keeps the brass shiny longer.  When you're done, you'll probably need to reset the action and intonation.  If you want any help, you can always bring it over.  We can put it on my workbench and I'll guide you through it.

Bill, tgo

[tbrannon]

Harry,
The other benefit of taking it apart and putting it back together is that you'll inevitably gain a bit of appreciation for how simple, yet how perfectly engineered these bridges are.   The radiused saddles to match the fretboard, the simple adjistmemts..... i took mine apart and was so impressed with the design!

[hieronymous]

Harry, taking apart and reassembling the bridge is a piece of cake.  The hardest work will be polishing.  After polishing, I always rub on a little Alberto VO-5 hair dressing.  It keeps the brass shiny longer.  When you're done, you'll probably need to reset the action and intonation.  If you want any help, you can always bring it over.  We can put it on my workbench and I'll guide you through it.

Bill, tgo

Bill - thank you so much for the offer! I will gladly take you up on it at some point, maybe after Labor Day Weekend - depends on how things go Monday.

[hieronymous]

Harry,
The other benefit of taking it apart and putting it back together is that you'll inevitably gain a bit of appreciation for how simple, yet how perfectly engineered these bridges are.   The radiused saddles to match the fretboard, the simple adjistmemts..... i took mine apart and was so impressed with the design!

So I've been doing some tweaking getting ready for this jam, wanted a bit more relief in the neck and raised the action a fair amount - I'm not big on super-low action, especially this gig which needs more of a round, fat sound than fast and trebly. This meant that I had to adjust the string height and intonation, and definitely felt some of the appreciation for the design!

Jam session is tomorrow night - I hope this drummer works out!

[hieronymous]

Lots has happened since my last post - main thing I want to report is that I found some strings that I hope will work, and I disassembled the bridge! Put it back together with the original BEADG saddles.




Two things I did not do - polish and lubricate. I'm not so concerned with the polishing, but I think I should have lubricated the parts. Next time!


I haven't had a chance to play it through an amp yet with the BEADG tuning, but did play it though my headphone rig - a little too early to tell, but I think the bass is happy to be back the way it was originally intended! It seemed to come alive, but I want to withhold final judgment until I play it out through an amp with other musicians.