Are there any tools you can use to do this yourself? (the bridge filing, grooving).. Would I just need a rat-file and some graphite and a micro-ruler?

A thin needle-type file is one handy tool. If you get yourself a FB planing and a new bridge, I'd recommend getting a slightly high-ish cut, as some luthiers do seem to think that as long as it doesn't rattle, the string should be as low as possible. With one of these, it's a piece of cake to file off some excess wood. (But some carefulness is advised, as wood can be filed away but not put back!) If you think you have filed them too far into the bridge, any luthier will be able to file down the bridge until your strings rest as deep down in the grooves as you want 'em. You could even do this yourself if you're not afraid of a displaced sound post of misplaced bridge - I sure as hell wouldn't, but that's just me. You'll also become every other student's best friend, as you're hardly the only one with setup issues! :)

Anyways, if you think you couldn't handle higher strings for solo playing in thumb position, you MAY have a slightly too concave fingerboard. I played this one bass that had been set up by a violin specialized luthier. You couldn't play it as the vertical shape of the FB made each string rise very steeply. And yet you couldn't file down the bridge, because then the strings would rattle against the end of the FB. Consequently, the string height at the en of the FB was very (too) low but at the highest spot, I'm not joking when I say it was at least 15mm even on the G. If you have noticed even the slightest tendency towards this, a planing is indeed to be considered. It sounds strange that there should be no good bass guy in the area. Where does Joel Q repair his instruments, for instance? Send him a mail, for all I know. I think you can do that if you click on his profile.

Oh, and! Congrats on the successful audition! It was your first, right?
http://www.horolap.com/images/0203a.pjpeg

Thanks to Joel and Arnold for the great advice. Much appreciated, guys!

FB
 

Calvin,
your fingerboard is too flat for the string spacing / bridge curvature you like, as Arnold said.

If you will make it planed with the same curvature of your present bridge, you will not lower as now the A and the d strings when you press them to the fingerboard in high positions.

The more the fingerboard is concave, the more this effect is noticeable

So, probably you will need less bridge curvature for the same bowing.

A way is to plane the fingerboard with a bit less arch than the one of your present bridge, and then to set up the bridge again.

Find a good luthier to do this.
A good luthier is someone who can listen you, realize what you really need, share with you his opinions and make the work.

Is the fingerboard thick enough to plane it?
Have you adjusters on your bridge?
Are you going to play soon for auditions?

Thanks for the great info. I was just on the phone with the bass maker, he suggested the ideal height for the G string to be 5mm and that I should do the following:

Raise both adjusters so the E string has 8mm clearance, then file down the bridge notches until the strings are: G-5,D-6,A-7...After that he told me to use 120 grit sandpaper and gently file down the bridge until the strings are 50-75% in the grooves.

??..
 

For Bowing a Bass, a Flatter arch will NOT work as the Bow will hit 2 strings at the same time on the middle D and A. There is a minimum arch you need for bow clearance. Slide a long pencil along the top of the bridge touching the G and A string. Eyeball the height of the D to see that arch. Do the same with the E and D and look at the A-string clearance.

If I had a dollar for every Bridge top, height and or Arch I have re-cut in my life it would be more than.. Dinner at a nice restaurant. I work on almost every bridge of every bass I play to tweak it just right. If the Fingerboard is not right then get that fixed as well but never match the Bridge to a bad fingerboard. That will only cost you a new bridge later on. Maybe doing both at the same time is best but Bridges can be saved sometimes.

As I mentioned before, a 1-1.5 mm height graduation is what works best but that depends on the board as well under the strings.

I measured a bass yesterday as several points and the relations between strings are similar up and down the board showing a good arch from nut to bridge.

More playing and less fixing is always best. Get it done right the first time and get back to playing..;)

Hey Ken, what did you mean by this?
Thanks.

This means that the Strings at the Nut should just be above the fingerboard a slight amount so pressing down in the lower positions is not excessive work. Playing a Forte open string should be the test. The Bass should not buzz much if at all at the Nut/Fingerboard joint if played fairly hard. Actually, my basses do usually on some strings because I do not set-up the bass for open string playing. Leaving the string high at the nut makes the string height higher up and down the fingerboard when pressing down from the open string. It also adds tension to the string as well.

If the bass has more scoop starting at the Nut then you can almost file the Nut down to the fingerboard itself like I do. On my basses, you can barely slide a piece of paper under the string by the nut. The general ruls is 1 or 2 business cards. Anything more is just extra work playing the bass. I prefer lower but that;'s just me!

I played a friends old Kay yesterday and the nut slots were so low I couldn't get a business card within 1/2" of the nut and the bass played great. I wouldn't tempt fate like that, but whadayaknow?

well..
 

I can't slide a piece of paper under some of mine either and they play like butter. The Camber/fb curve makes up for this.

Hi all, so I decided to try plaining the bridge myself and am very pleased with the results. It was slightly more labor intensive than I thought it would be, but I suppose that makes sense considering how out of whack the string heights were to begin with.

This process took me 5 hours and I used some 120 grit sandpaper and a few different shaped rat-files.

I raised the adjusters to give me 9 mm on the E and then I began lowering the grooves. Once I got to 5.5/7/8/9 I had to sand off the top of the bridge...Really tiring work.

I decided to go for 5.5 instead of 6 on the G because I needed a bit more clearance from the D string.


Overall, I'm really happy with the results and I have all of you to thank!

Ken, do you need to file the entire nut down in height or can you make a "slope" (ie. angled lower at the edge)?

Thanks.

humm..
 

I am not sure of your exact question but I will tell you how I file a nut. The strings enter straight in from the fingerboard and are angled back to the tuners or the other way around but one end of the Nut goes to a straight pull and the other an angle. The slot must follow the angle. I use a jewelers rat-tail file. Nicholson's are the easiest for me to fine here but "Swissmade' are as good but impossible to deal with that company.

The string should not be under the surface of the Nut but like the bridge, 1/2 -3/4 the depth of the string diameter. Same diameter rules to be used as on the Bridge, just the other anchor end and different wood. As you file deep, stop and rasp off or file off (depending and using a flat file of sorts) the excess ebony so the slot is not so deep. When all done, sand and polish it carefully and oil up the Nut.

Be careful not to slip with the file and hit the bass with it. Also, wear glasses or safety goggles. If you pull out of the slot quickly while filing fast and jam the file tip into the edge of the Nut missing the slot, the tip of the file can break off and go in your eye. I have had tips hit my face and forehead. I count my blessings.

Now, please do not get my next statement confused with something else.. ok? :cool:

I have handled more Nuts in my life than most Double Bass Lutheirs..:eek:

You know.. the Nut for the strings.. lol.

In my Electric Bass Business, I have handled over 5,800 in Brass alone. Brass Nuts.. Try them on for size..:mad:

The Ebony DB Nuts are easy for me in comparison to cutting Brass. I made a wide stepped Nut of Ebony for my Carl Thompson Electric Bass back in 1973/4 way before I started my business. Carl asked me NOT so Show off my NUT because everyone else will want one. Just one Ebony NUT, what harm can that do?.. ;)

So, filing the Nut slots from the FB to the peg box it's at an angle. The Nut shape will follow that pattern or it will be too high over the strings.

I made this temporary Nut the day I bought the Bass. Simple but functional. Note the gentle slope/angle from front to back, fb to peg. It stayed on the Bass till Arnold chopped the Neck off and be-headded the Scroll/Pegbox for its restoration. When it's done, it will have a new Grafted Neck, a C-extension and a new Nut for 3 of the Strings next to the Extension as usual.
http://www.kensmithbasses.com/double.../scroll_fr.jpg

Thank you VERY much.