Author Topic: Bridge to tailpiece distance. (Read 181 times)

jazzyvee · « **on:** March 22, 2013, 05:30:49 AM »

I recall a thread a while back that discussed the positioning of the alembic bird tailpeice and whether it's centre point should be aligned with the centre neck laminate or not. My question about the same area of the bass is, what is the significance of the distance between the tailpeice and the bridge?

On my basses there are differing distances between these two points. It's not the speaking length of the string so i think I'm right in assuming that it won't affect string tension or anything like that. So what is the reason for the difference?
Cosmetic or functional?

Jazzyvee

cozmik_cowboy · « **Reply #1 on:** March 22, 2013, 08:39:12 AM »

You're correct, it's outside the speaking part and thus wouldn't affect tension. The bridge/tail distance does, however, affect the angle at which the string breaks over the saddle and thus, I would think, the amount of downward pressure of string onto bridge. It seems to me that a sharper angle should mean more transferance of energy through the bridge into the body, leading to an increase in sustain. Whether this increase would big enough to be noticable, I have no idea.

Peter

slawie · « **Reply #2 on:** March 22, 2013, 01:59:55 PM »

Peter there is a noticeable difference.
At least I noticed it.
When I replaced my tailpiece I had to relocate it because there was a portion of a screw stuck in the body of my bass
I could not replace the tailpiece in exactly the same location.
Also there was a degree of hacking done by the previous owner to the body of the bass when they changed strings and gouged out furrows leading up to the string entry hole of the tailpiece.
For cosmetic reasons and the obvious mechanical (screw portion stuck in wood) I moved the tailpiece away from the fingerboard about 1/4.
Well I'll be darned if the sound changed.
What I thought to be a minor tailpiece relocation now has given me the capacity to make my bass sound like an upright!
The tension on the bridge has been altered affecting the amount energy transferred to the resonant portion of the bass.
I have no science to back this up just my ears.
slawie

jazzyvee · « **Reply #3 on:** March 22, 2013, 02:47:08 PM »

Interesting observation, does the bass have the bridge screwed into a brass tone block or is the bridge fitted directly to the body of the bass?

Jazzyvee

slawie · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2013, 03:08:56 PM »

Hey Jazzy,
My bass has the brass tone block with the non adjustable intonation flat straight edge blade bridge. Here is a picture you can see the gouging by the previous owner I tried to hide.
slawie