STRING SPACING... help please.

[Greg.Bassman]

Hi all. Come to pick your brains once more if I may please. Not sure what forum this should go in, 'Bass guitars' or 'Repairs and technical'? So sod it, I did both lol.

I'm thinking of going for a narrower string spacing on my next axe.

My current MIM Fender Standard Jazz is about 19mm I think (correct me if I'm wrong): fine for slapping, but abit of a stretch when it comes to finger style (I play lot by the bridge pickup vs small hands).

I have been eyeing up some basses that are 16.5mm; fantastc for finger style no doubt, but have a feeling would be a nightmare for slap.

What would you say is the best compromise between the two... 17mm, 17.5mm, 18 perhaps?

Cheers. Greg.

[BassBus]

Well, Mark King slaps quite a bit on his basses and has 16.5mm on all of them.

[Greg.Bassman]

True. I forgot about the status basses lol

[R.I.P.]

If your into modding, here's a great bridge and you can space to your liking

[url="http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135112/Bassbridge-2000-4-string.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14ef6171416X145d"]http://guitar-parts....4ef6171416X145d[/url]

Edited August 4, 2015 by R.I.P.

[CamdenRob]

I had a corvette fiver once that was seriously tight... sounded great (as have all Warwicks I've tried) but was way too tight for my agricultural technique

[HazBeen]

I have just bought a Custom Jazz 5 string, it has 19mm spacing and have been playing that for a few weeks only. I tried my M2500 yesterday (which has 17mm I believe) which was my main bass for the past 2 years or so and it felt so different (never noticed it before). I can now say I prefer the 19mm as it gives you a little more room to place your sausage fingers, but with practice all will work well enough. So, if 19mm is too much for you I would expect that if you go to lets say 17.5 you will notice the difference and will need to become a little more fluid in technique when slapping, but with practice it all works well enough.

[fretmeister]

I often move between a Marleaux Consat which has 19mm spacing to a Stringray 5 at 17.5mm

The difference is very obvious, but I really like both.

In the past I've owned a Status with 16.5mm spacing and it was far too narrow for me - even for non-slap work. It's only 1mm tighter than my Stringray5, but it was so very different to play.

[synthaside]

The Olp mm5 ive got Is a 16.5 m spacing , but my status vintage P 4 is standard P dimensions ... so i dont think thats true for all status basses .

Edited August 4, 2015 by synthaside

[fretmeister]

[quote name='synthaside' timestamp='1438675972' post='2836226']
The Olp mm5 ive got Is a 16.5 m spacing , but my status vintage P 4 is standard P dimensions ... so i dont think thats true for all status basses .
[/quote]

No one said it was - it's an optional extra on a Status to have the narrow spacing. Costs more money!

[Sibob]

I consistently move between a 19mm 4 string Precision and a 17.5mm 5 string Fodera, and that seems like an easy move to me.
I don't think I'd make too much fuss over string spacing, I accept an old Precision as 19mm, and my 5 as 17.5mm, that makes them the instrument that they are, why I play them

I've also had 19mm 5 strings and have an 18mm 5 string too, everything has been comfortable after a little while.
My only excretion to that was an ACG 5 I had, set to 16mm and that was toooo thin for me, was adjustable probably to 17mm or so, but sold before I changed it.

The Scott Devine Overwater Jazz 4 string is 16.5mm and that just looks weird, bet it's fast though!

So, I wouldn't get caught up in string spacing (no pun intended), try a bunch of basses, buy the one that is most comfortable.

Si

[BigRedX]

Your OP illustrates exactly why IMO measuring the string spacing at the bridge only is mostly a complete waste of time.

Nearly all basses are made with tapered string spacing with the strings being further apart at the bridge than the nut, and this taper isn't at all standard from one model of bass to another. This means that simply measuring the string spacing at the bridge tells you very little about the string spacing at the points where you pluck/slap the strings which are the places where it is actually important.

From the OP it sounds like you need relatively wide string spacing at the neck for slapping and relatively narrow string spacing at the bridge for finger style. My advice would be to measure the string spacing at the points where you are actually playing. Try lots of basses and find the narrowest neck measurement you can get away with for slap and the widest one you can get away with for finger style near the bridge and from those two measurement you should be able to extrapolate your ideal bridge and nut string spacing. Then you can look for a bass with those specifications, or if none exist get one made especially for you.

My basses all have very different string spacing at the bridge, but because they also have very different nut widths it turns out that at the point along the string where I actually do the majority of my plucking the overall width of the strings from low B to high G only differs by 1.5mm. I would imagine that a lot of the bassists who say they can cope with a wide variety of bridge string spacings would find similar results.

[chris_b]

You can slap narrow spacings as Gerald Veasley does, or play wide spacings as Esperanza Spalding does with her small hands. A good technique and practice should overcome any spacing issues.

I prefer 18mm-20mm but I also need consistency, so whichever you choose, I would always keep to the same spacings on all instruments.

[Skol303]

I'm learning to slap on a Warwick Corvette, 5-string. I think the spacing is 16.5/17mm (?).

So far I'm finding it to be ok... but I'm a beginner and so my approach is somewhat hamfisted, regardless of string spacing

When I switch to a 4-string with wider spacing it does feel more 'forgiving' - so I'm hoping that the narrower spacing of the Warwick will prove to be good discipline in terms of sharpening my technique.

[R.I.P.]

[quote name='Skol303' timestamp='1438684505' post='2836325']
When I switch to a 4-string with wider spacing it does feel more 'forgiving' - so I'm hoping that the narrower spacing of the Warwick will prove to be good discipline in terms of sharpening my technique.
[/quote]
It will

[mcnach]

[quote name='R.I.P.' timestamp='1438648096' post='2836146']
If your into modding, here's a great bridge and you can space to your liking

[url="http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135112/Bassbridge-2000-4-string.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14ef6171416X145d"]http://guitar-parts....4ef6171416X145d[/url]
[/quote]


very nice!

[R.I.P.]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1438715815' post='2836667']


very nice!
[/quote]
Thanks. I'm running them on a 4 and 5 string. A millimeter doesn't seem like a lot, but it does make a big difference.

And if you like your current bass but want to change the spacing, its a great way to go.

[hubrad]

[quote name='R.I.P.' timestamp='1438648096' post='2836146']
If your into modding, here's a great bridge and you can space to your liking

[url="http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135112/Bassbridge-2000-4-string.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14ef6171416X145d"]http://guitar-parts....4ef6171416X145d[/url]
[/quote]

Yup.. Schaller 2000, brill bridges. I have a couple on basses. Certainly available 4, 5 and 6 string. Iirc they go from 15.5 to 20mm

[mcnach]

[quote name='R.I.P.' timestamp='1438720431' post='2836726']
Thanks. I'm running them on a 4 and 5 string. A millimeter doesn't seem like a lot, but it does make a big difference.

And if you like your current bass but want to change the spacing, its a great way to go.
[/quote]

Oh, I know how 1mm can make a noticeable difference!
I've been using those old threaded saddle Fender bridges on a few basses precisely so that I can adjust the spacing. It's very rudimentary but the difference it makes is nice, for me. I like that on the Schaller I can set the spacing more easily, and it'll stay unchanged through string changes.
I had no idea these bridges existed!

[R.I.P.]

[quote name='mcnach' timestamp='1438721713' post='2836743']


Oh, I know how 1mm can make a noticeable difference!
I've been using those old threaded saddle Fender bridges on a few basses precisely so that I can adjust the spacing. It's very rudimentary but the difference it makes is nice, for me. I like that on the Schaller I can set the spacing more easily, and it'll stay unchanged through string changes.
I had no idea these bridges existed!
[/quote]
There are a few other manufacturers also. But I thought I should mention if anyone is interested in these that I selected the 2000 bridge because you can lock down the position of the saddle with a hex wrench. The attached site shows a different style which you can adjust with your finger. I didn't really like that option thinking that the saddle would move every time you changed strings. I preferred something more fixed....but to each his own

http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135061/Bassbridge-3D-4.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14efb3e7a3cX1036

Edited August 5, 2015 by R.I.P.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='R.I.P.' timestamp='1438648096' post='2836146']
If your into modding, here's a great bridge and you can space to your liking

[url="http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135112/Bassbridge-2000-4-string.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14ef6171416X145d"]http://guitar-parts....4ef6171416X145d[/url]
[/quote]

Which would be a great solution except that it doesn't magically make the neck of the bass wider or narrower to compensate for changing the string spacing. On a well made bass the outer strings should be equidistant from the edge of the neck along its whole length. Simply altering the string spacing at the bridge is going to change this, and IMO affect playability.

The reason bridges like this exist is not so players can mess about with string spacing, but so that Schaller can sell a single version of it to all their manufacturer customers and it will fit the bass irrespective of the string spacing that has been chosen for of the OVERALL DESIGN of each different bass that the bridge is fitted to.

Also having owned a bass with this particular model of bridge, I couldn't possibly recommend it as IMO it is one of the most over-complicated and difficult to adjust designs I've ever come across. I can only think of one (by Wlkinson) that was less user friendly.

[BigRedX]

[quote name='R.I.P.' timestamp='1438735012' post='2836844']
There are a few other manufacturers also. But I thought I should mention if anyone is interested in these that I selected the 2000 bridge because you can lock down the position of the saddle with a hex wrench. The attached site shows a different style which you can adjust with your finger. I didn't really like that option thinking that the saddle would move every time you changed strings. I preferred something more fixed....but to each his own

[url="http://guitar-parts.biz/hp135061/Bassbridge-3D-4.htm?ITServ=C5ad2c08eX14efb3e7a3cX1036"]http://guitar-parts....4efb3e7a3cX1036[/url]
[/quote]

And having owned several basses fitted with the Schaller 3D bridge, I can confidently say that the saddles do not move when the strings are changed. The wheel mechanism is sufficiently stiff to prevent this.

[hubrad]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1438761448' post='2836912']
And having owned several basses fitted with the Schaller 3D bridge, I can confidently say that the saddles do not move when the strings are changed. The wheel mechanism is sufficiently stiff to prevent this.
[/quote]
This is true.. I had one on a bass years ago, my first conversion job! :-)

[hubrad]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1438757535' post='2836879']
Which would be a great solution except that it doesn't magically make the neck of the bass wider or narrower to compensate for changing the string spacing. On a well made bass the outer strings should be equidistant from the edge of the neck along its whole length. Simply altering the string spacing at the bridge is going to change this, and IMO affect playability.

The reason bridges like this exist is not so players can mess about with string spacing, but so that Schaller can sell a single version of it to all their manufacturer customers and it will fit the bass irrespective of the string spacing that has been chosen for of the OVERALL DESIGN of each different bass that the bridge is fitted to.

Also having owned a bass with this particular model of bridge, I couldn't possibly recommend it as IMO it is one of the most over-complicated and difficult to adjust designs I've ever come across. I can only think of one (by Wlkinson) that was less user friendly.
[/quote]
I know what you mean about the neck spacing, but I've done the 'wrong thing' extremely successfully and in fact two of my favourite basses are on either a too wide or too narrow neck for how I use them. Allegedly.
The Schaller 2000 bridge is actually very simple in use if you take a few minutes to understand it. I clicked with it from the first!

[mcnach]

[quote name='BigRedX' timestamp='1438757535' post='2836879']
Which would be a great solution except that it doesn't magically make the neck of the bass wider or narrower to compensate for changing the string spacing. On a well made bass the outer strings should be equidistant from the edge of the neck along its whole length. Simply altering the string spacing at the bridge is going to change this, and IMO affect playability.

The reason bridges like this exist is not so players can mess about with string spacing, but so that Schaller can sell a single version of it to all their manufacturer customers and it will fit the bass irrespective of the string spacing that has been chosen for of the OVERALL DESIGN of each different bass that the bridge is fitted to.

Also having owned a bass with this particular model of bridge, I couldn't possibly recommend it as IMO it is one of the most over-complicated and difficult to adjust designs I've ever come across. I can only think of one (by Wlkinson) that was less user friendly.
[/quote]

Haven't you ever changed the bridge spacing on a bass?
It is noticeable, the bass is playable, and it's beautiful. We're talking small changes, but noticeable small changes.
Take my 75RI Jazz bass. There is a LOT of space between the edge and the 1st and 4th strings. Using the Fender threaded saddles I widened the spacing at the bridge to just over 20mm-ish. That difference is small overall and it didn't do anything... except feeling better on my plucking hand.

It is a nice option for a lot of people, whether you want to believe it or not

[BigRedX]

The only time I've had to change the bridge spacing on a bass was when I bought my first Overwater bass. The previous owner had messed about with the bridge (probably because it was possible). I put everything back how I thought it should be with the B and G strings running parallel to the edges of the fingerboard and the others spaced out equally between. Not only did it improve the playability for me, but it also improved the volume balance between the strings as they were now back in the proper places in relation to the pickup pole pieces.

TBH string spacing unless it is very wide doesn't really bother me. I have a preferred string spacing for playing finger-style which is 64mm in total from the centre of the B to the centre of the G and with all the other strings spaced equally between at the point where I pluck the strings most of the time, and as I said previously all my basses are within 1mm of this measurement irrespective of the string spacing measurement at the bridge.