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Post subject: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:32 am
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After weighing the situation I decided to go with a Vintage style (4 saddle)Fender bridge. It will allow intonation and is the closest thing I have in the parts box to what is on the Sting bass from the factory-- meaning the closest thing as far as bridge mass and vintage look.

In order to use the replacement I have opted to go top load. No string thru the body with this 4 saddle bridge. I hope the ferrules don't fall out of the body at a gig.

I removed the 2 saddle bridge and put the 4 saddle bridge on the body and put the center plate screw in it and started measureing. I measured many times over. I don' t do this stuff for a living so I measure like crazy a bunch cause I have no time limit. I'm working on my own dime.

I know the pics are not the best but you can still tell what's going on :D

I put down tape and marked the point at which the 2 saddle bridge was adjusted to before removing it.
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You can see that with the 4 saddle there is room on the plate to move the saddles enough to get it intonaned or at least much closer intonated properly than with the 2 saddle.
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I put the string on with only the center screw in the bridge and held it in at the nut slot. It looks like it will line up. I did it with the G too.
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Pilot hole drilled thru tape- not chipping the finish
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This pic shows that the holes are within the outer edge of the original 2 saddle bridge in case I want to put it back-- you won't see the holes I drilled (by hand)
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4 saddle installed
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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:56 am
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Did you ever consider just drilling 4 new holes in the backplate of the original bridge ? it would've worked and I did'nt mention it because I thought you wanted to keep the string thru design,had I known it did'nt matter I would have suggested comparing the 4 saddle with the 2 saddle and mock-up the same distance,size ETC...with a marker and just drill the 4 holes onto the 2 saddle bridge I dont think it would have compromised the stability of the bridge in any way.
Regaurdless you did a great job and as long as it performes how you want it to then its all gravy from there on in.
G/LUCK :mrgreen:

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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 9:18 am
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I swapped out my bridge on my '54 RI. Couldn't intonate the strings seperately. It worked out great. Sounds great, and a breeze to intonate. Strings less zingy when they are new too. I think you'll be pleased with it. My auth Fender service guy did it for me. I think we only used three screws. No drilling if I remember. And I abandoned string-thru too, as you can see in the pic.

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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:54 am
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lawsuitbass wrote:
Did you ever consider just drilling 4 new holes in the backplate of the original bridge ? it would've worked and I did'nt mention it because I thought you wanted to keep the string thru design,had I known it did'nt matter I would have suggested comparing the 4 saddle with the 2 saddle and mock-up the same distance,size ETC...with a marker and just drill the 4 holes onto the 2 saddle bridge I dont think it would have compromised the stability of the bridge in any way.
Regaurdless you did a great job and as long as it performes how you want it to then its all gravy from there on in.
G/LUCK :mrgreen:


The heel / backplate of the 2 saddle bridge does not go all the way across the back of the plate. There are only 2 rounded bent over tabs.


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 11:58 am
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lungimsam wrote:
I swapped out my bridge on my '54 RI. Couldn't intonate the strings seperately. It worked out great. Sounds great, and a breeze to intonate. Strings less zingy when they are new too. I think you'll be pleased with it. My auth Fender service guy did it for me. I think we only used three screws. No drilling if I remember. And I abandoned string-thru too, as you can see in the pic.

Image



Yes only three screws - one in the middle and the two outside ones that I drilled the holes for- none of the holes on the 4 saddle bridge except the center one lined up with the holes in the body. I think your guy had to do it that way too. Nice bass BTW


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Tue Jul 26, 2011 8:54 pm
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As I have mentioned before in another thread about when you were planning this, there are several bridges that will work without drilling required. Two of them I talked about but the third one I haven't tried. The first two are the Fender USA Deluxe bass bridge and the Leo Quan BAIII which is discontinued. The Fender one has real short saddle travel which would not shorten the strings enough to intonate correctly. The BAIII does NOT look vintage at all and is real pricey. The third one I have not tried but it looks intriguing and that is the Wilkinson Tilt-Saddle bridge which is a direct replacement. The bridge saddles on the Wilkinson tilt to allow more adjusting. Not sure how well the Wilkinson works exactly or how stable it is but I do know that it is not convertible, meaning it is for body-through stringing only, which takes some flatwounds out of the running as a string choice.

I wish Fender would make a 3 screw convertible bridge with the saddle travel of a 5 screw bridge for these first generation P-Bass designs available. I'm sure they'd sell a lot of them.


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 12:08 pm
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The 5 hole bridge I put on the bass had plenty of travel to intonate the Sting bass. There is still room for the saddles to go farther forward but they don't need to. The set up came out good. I can tell the difference in sound with the 4 saddle bridge . I lowered the pickup a little more. The bass is hot into the amp (Ampeg 350 basement rig) and if I hit it hard on 5 it wants to distort a bit. I don't play real hard so it's no biggy. I'm glad I did the bridge mod. Next step is to take it to a gig and put it to the test. The gig is the best place to test drive anything I'd say.


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 4:27 pm
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stroker vance wrote:
.... The gig is the best place to test drive anything I'd say.


So true!

That SD SCPB3 pickup you have is a good pickup for gigging. I have one in a gig bass and I play it more than any other. It really cuts, but has some serious lowdown too. Nice gigging pickup for most things. Also I like the sensitivity.

If you crank down the preamp stage (if you can) it should clear up the distortion when hitting it really hard. It is a very loud pickup for a passive.

What tone cap are you using?


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Wed Jul 27, 2011 8:35 pm
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The cap is a 22-green chewing gum Radio Shark(90% sure) I've been working on a few basses ( 08 Jazz, 03 P) and changing pickups etc --- I wrote down what I put in the Sting in my guitar journal so I'll have to go down and look to make 100% sure.

This SAT we have the big opener so I'm going to hold off on the Sting untill next Tuesday -- I need to go with the tried and true P bass for SAT. Tuesday we play a National Night Out gig in my hometown and I'll test the Sting.

The spb3 P is definately the loudest -- it's louder than the spb3 Jazz's I have in the 08. I'm actually thinking about removing the spb3's from the Jazz.


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Thu Jun 14, 2012 9:20 pm
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I still have the Sting bass , At one time I put it on Craigs and had no response.Some time passed then I put it back on there and got a response saying I ruined the bass. The guy was mad even though everything I did to it could be reversed back to stock and you wouldn't be able to tell anything was done to it. I had a better pickup installed - a better bridge- and a cool black p guard that gave the bass a nice look. One mans medicine is another mans poison I guess. I don't use it too much. That kind of thing happens when you have more than 5 basses I think. One usually gets not played. Not because it is inferior- it's just that alot of basses are available. This is not a problem though.


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Post subject: Re: Sting Bass Harmonics II Bridge install with pics
Posted: Wed Jun 27, 2012 1:03 am
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lawsuitbass wrote:
Did you ever consider just drilling 4 new holes in the backplate of the original bridge ? it would've worked and I did'nt mention it because I thought you wanted to keep the string thru design,had I known it did'nt matter I would have suggested comparing the 4 saddle with the 2 saddle and mock-up the same distance,size ETC...with a marker and just drill the 4 holes onto the 2 saddle bridge I dont think it would have compromised the stability of the bridge in any way.
Regaurdless you did a great job and as long as it performes how you want it to then its all gravy from there on in.
G/LUCK :mrgreen:


There actually is just enough metal on the two screw tabs to seat the screw for the bridge saddles and not enough to drill four more holes on the two tabs. There really is not a back plate, just two tabs large enough for the screws.


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