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Old 08-18-2008, 06:40 AM
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Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
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Join Date: 01-18-2007
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Cool Measurements..

Ok.. With the pics and the numbers I think I know a little more now. Your Bridge is a good height but the neckstand is still shallow. The Wedge is common because it is easier to do than remove the neck, add a button and re-fit the neck. That would be better but more expensive. Also, I believe your Neck is pitched back some. This does two things and the Shim under the fingerboard may have been put to help this along. The pitched back Neck helps to raise up the bridge height and can also slightly lengthen the mensur/string length as well.

To fix and get to under 107cm or 106.5, the easiest is the Bridge moved up to sit above the F-notches, not on the centers. Being that you are between a D and Eb Heel, a false Nut would help correct that to a D and also shorten the mensur as well.

I did this 'exact' same thing on my Loveri. It was over 109cm (43" or so) and I wanted it under 42"/-107. The Heel stop was also between a D and Eb just like your Bass so, I made a false Nut for it and moved the bridge feet up. I ended with about 41.5"/105.4 or so and a D-Neck as well.

Look at the pics here of the way it was after my work;


How does this affect the sound? Well, the longer string length is a looser feel and deeper sound but only slightly. The shorter length is tighter and more focused sounding, slightly only again.

With a good sounding Bass, playability is more important than 10% of sound difference. If you can't play the Bass, what good is it to you?

Remember to move the soundpost as well when you 'cheat' the Bridge forward.

This Loveri by the way was recently sold to a fine professional Orchestral player working in Europe. He sounds way better than I ever did on the Bass. I am glad the Loveri has a new home now. Buying old un-playable or barely-playable Basses and restoring them gives me great joy when the conclusion is a new home with a pro orchestra player and a renewed life for the Bass as well. That's what it's all about!
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