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Post subject: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:18 am
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So the other day, I was playing someone else's bass, which had a bridge cover. Which I quite enjoyed, due to playing with a pick down by the bridge, and the bridge cover made a great hand rest when playing like that. So I decided to add a bridge rest.

I have a '51 reissue Sting model (that I recently had to replace the jack input plate on and got the good solution on this here forum--that Electrosocket things, which is awesome). I ordered a '51 era (new from Fender) bridge cover. I read a bunch of good information about installing a bridge cover here (drill through tape, etc.). But still have a few questions for people who have bridge cover experience:

1) You need to remove to cover to change strings, yes?

2) Is there any chance that the bridge cover will mess with sound or impact on the strings as I'm playing? (I mean, other than, like, stuffing it with foam intentionally).

3) I read some stuff about grounding covers--I'm assuming this is only needed on pickup covers (which I'm *not* installing, just the bridge cover) and only on older basses, yes?

4) Should I be concerned about the screws that attach the bridge cover getting loose over time or stripping the holes in the body (that I will be drilling)? If so, is there a way to avoid this?

I don't have a ton of experience modifying guitars--I successfully replaced my input jack recently, and in doing that, had to solder some loose connections inside (that came from the old, busted Telecaster style input jack twisting for years). I am generally crafty, however, so not real concerned about the actual attachment, but any other insight would be handy.

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 7:44 am
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I have the bridge cover on my roadworn P all the time, packed it out with some foam, for the ol' motown thump, not noticed any interference from the cover itself, I play mainly pick, but with a bit of fingerstyle and the bridge cover does make for a very comfortable playing position and rest.


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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 2:26 pm
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Ooh--and also, will a P-Bass "ashtray" bridge cover (#001-0108-000) fit over the bridge of a '51 style bridge? Or does it just have to be the '51 style bridge cover (which is the one I ordered, but just curious).

Thanks!


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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 4:16 pm
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bakija wrote:
So the other day, I was playing someone else's bass, which had a bridge cover. Which I quite enjoyed, due to playing with a pick down by the bridge, and the bridge cover made a great hand rest when playing like that. So I decided to add a bridge rest.

I have a '51 reissue Sting model (that I recently had to replace the jack input plate on and got the good solution on this here forum--that Electrosocket things, which is awesome). I ordered a '51 era (new from Fender) bridge cover. I read a bunch of good information about installing a bridge cover here (drill through tape, etc.). But still have a few questions for people who have bridge cover experience:

1) You need to remove to cover to change strings, yes?

2) Is there any chance that the bridge cover will mess with sound or impact on the strings as I'm playing? (I mean, other than, like, stuffing it with foam intentionally).

3) I read some stuff about grounding covers--I'm assuming this is only needed on pickup covers (which I'm *not* installing, just the bridge cover) and only on older basses, yes?

4) Should I be concerned about the screws that attach the bridge cover getting loose over time or stripping the holes in the body (that I will be drilling)? If so, is there a way to avoid this?

I don't have a ton of experience modifying guitars--I successfully replaced my input jack recently, and in doing that, had to solder some loose connections inside (that came from the old, busted Telecaster style input jack twisting for years). I am generally crafty, however, so not real concerned about the actual attachment, but any other insight would be handy.

Thanks!

1. Yes you have to remove it for setups and bridge setting access.
2. Should make no impact on tone at all in reality to me, however it does slightly change the mass of the instrument and theoretically it will have a miniscule impact either positive or negative on sustain due resonance. A micro-second here or there.
3. You can also ground the bridge cover. However there is little if any benefit in doing so. Far more benefit in grounding pickup cover.
4. Don't over-tighten the screws. Use correct cover screws which are a different thread from pickguard screws and usually included with the covers. I don't buy the covers without the screws included.

As to your additional question, I've never tried a 2nd generation cover on a 1st generation bass. It will look wrong. I'd stick to the era correct cover. The bridge cover is Fender part # 0032979000. The pickup cover is Fender part # 0033167000 and I get them from Darren Riley's guitar shop and they include screws there.


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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 5:21 pm
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Thanks again, Brotherdave. You are a credit to the internet :-)


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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:35 am
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I did a tech briefing on grounding these extra covers some time ago. I'll repeat the tech memo here if you missed the original posting:

Quote:
When installing a bridge cover to get that retro look, there is one step that many tech's and do-it-yourself bassists forget. An ungrounded bridge cover in close proximity to a bridge area pickup can cause 'hum' and 'pops' occasionally due to static buildup. There is a very easy fix for this and it also fixes a potential bridge grounding issue at the same time...

Before you even drill the screw holes for the new bridge cover, loosen the strings to take the tension off the bridge and remove the bridge. Set it aside and wrap it in a soft cloth so it doesn't scratch the guitar body. Most basses have a pigtail ground wire resting under the bridge that grounds the bridge to the common ground buss in the control compartment. That wire is subjected to corrosion from perspiration working it's way under the bridge. When the ground wire gets oxidized, it may loose contact with the bridge plate and create a bridge grounding issue and more hum.

The 'fix' is to get a small roll of electronic circuit solder removal braid called "Solder Wick" - Radio Shack stores have this available under their own brand name. It is a flat brass and copper braid that is normally used with a soldering gun to remove circuit solder from circuit boards so individual components can be removed for testing. However, the flat "Solder Wick" braid is an excellent product to update bass bridge and bridge cover grounding.

The guitar ground wire stub should be carefully scraped clean with a pen-knife. Carefully solder a 4 to 5 inch long piece of "Solder Wick" braid to the clean pigtail. Take some 400 grit extra fine sandpaper and remove any surface corrosion on the underside of the bridge plate. As you re-mount the bridge, make sure that the braid extends out to the control side of the bridge by a couple inches past the edge of the bridge plate. Once the bridge screws are secure, re-tension your strings and then position the new bridge cover over the bridge and check for clearances. Carefully mark the hole locations and drill the screw holes with a 5/64 drill bit to a depth of just under 1/2 inch. As you mount the bridge cover, position the braid pigtail coming out from under the edge of the bridge plate and place it under the bridge cover close to the control side bridge cover mounting screw and secure the bridge cover screws. The compression of the screws on the bridge cover grounds it to the braid pigtail and the bridge screw compression over the main part of the braid pigtail gives much more surface area under the bridge to make sure it stays grounded. This procedure can be used to ground pickup covers as well with some pre-planning on braid location.

If you do not use bridge or pickup covers, this extra braid soldered to the guitar ground pigtail wire can still be a preventive maintenance procedure to keep the bridge properly grounded and to reduce hum, pops or static arcing.

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Post subject: Re: Adding Bridge Cover
Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:38 am
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Ah, yeah, I did see that. Thanks for reposting, though. I can't imagine that the single pickup on the '51 style p-bass is close enough to the bridge that it'd be necessary, but knowing that it might be is handy.

Thanks!


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