warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Background: I've a Maruszczyk Jake custom bass (above) which I bought used and took to immediately; gigged it since arrival and done nothing to it to set it up (it arrived set up as close to my ideal). I've been using it in a band project which necessitated me playing a little solo/interlude/noodle, so I started messing about and noodled up the dusty end. I confess I rarely have to do much above the 12th fret in any other band situation, so it transpired I noted the intonation was all to pot! I set about fettling the bass and adjusting the intonation. This is where my problems started... I adjusted ALL bridge saddles as far back in their travel as I could and this 'just' got the G string intonated; the D, A and E strings couldn't be intonated sufficiently! Initially I wondered if it was a miscalculation re. the nut/zero fret but after chatting online with a friend I measured from the nut and zero fret to 12th and then double checked from 12th fret to the bridge. The centre of the bridge is defo at 34" however if you look at pictures of the bridge you'll note that the saddle break point is near on 34"... with no possible adjustment of the saddle assembly further back! The issue is that the saddle assembly is fairly long with most of the mass being to the rear of the assembly (in relation to where the actual saddle is) and it only has the option to adjust forward from this position not back. I'm unsure if Maruszczyk are aware of this but it seems a pretty big oversight. I'm left in a position where I'll either need to move the whole bridge further back; not my favoured option as it is soft satin paint and I have a feeling I'll be pulling paint off the body. Alternatively, I can try and source some alternative saddle assemblies (possibly Warwick ones) but this really shouldn't need to be done by an owner! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sambrook Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Would it be possible to turn the saddles back to front, thus putting the break point further back? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jonno1981 Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Might be worth trying another set of strings? I wouldn’t discount it. I’ve had intonation probs that went away with a new set. Otherwise you’ve described all the options. Sounds like the bridge isn’t correctly placed to allow enough adjustment given the design of the bridge. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 2 hours ago, Sambrook said: Would it be possible to turn the saddles back to front, thus putting the break point further back? Thought about that but the saddles are bottomed out in their mounts (go no lower) and turning the whole unit will take the string height up... unless I start grinding off the bottom of the saddle. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 I can't see how you would be able to correct that without moving or replacing the bridge. Seems it was put too far forward. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 There isn't too much in it - mine is about 1/8" further back than yours Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 2 hours ago, jonno1981 said: Might be worth trying another set of strings? I wouldn’t discount it. I’ve had intonation probs that went away with a new set. Otherwise you’ve described all the options. Sounds like the bridge isn’t correctly placed to allow enough adjustment given the design of the bridge. It is part of my plan but if I put my preferred brand/gauge on there's no guarantee it'll be better... could be worse. I really don't want to have to fit gauges/brands that I don't like, just to get it to work. 2 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: I can't see how you would be able to correct that without moving or replacing the bridge. Seems it was put too far forward. As you can see, the centre of the 'possible' travel in that trough is just about at 34" (the tape reads 17" as I was measuring from centre 12th fret) so technically it is in the right place but the fact that they used these long saddle mounts, boogers up the possibility of moving further rearwards. If the saddle assembly were narrower back to front and the saddle in the middle of the mount, I'd likely get enough movement on it... but I can't and it's exacerbated by the fact the saddle is wound down as far as it will go. I'll try a few things but worst case scenario, I may have to reposition the bridge, which I can do but I'm 90% certain that this bridge will be embedded in the paint and it'll rip part of the paint up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 2 minutes ago, Woodinblack said: Yep, so the saddle mounts aren't as long and there's still room to wind yours further back. I think I have spare 'W' saddles, so I might be able to do something with them but we'll see when I get the chance to get it on the bench tomorrow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 In general when placing a bridge you want the G string saddle adjusted nearly on it's minimum adjustment (furthest forward, shortest speaking length of string) and place the break point of that saddle on 34". I say nearly as that allows for any slight miscalculation/mismeasurement/tuning anomalies. All the other saddles will usually need to be adjusted progressively further back. @Woodinblack's an example of why you want that little bit of leeway as his D saddle is slightly further forward than the G. But placing the G saddle where it is on @warwickhunt's leaves practically no chance of ever intonating the G, let alone the E, A & D. It seems odd that a manufacture like Maruszczyk would get it that wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 11 minutes ago, Maude said: But placing the G saddle where it is on @warwickhunt's leaves practically no chance of ever intonating the G, let alone the E, A & D. It seems odd that a manufacture like Maruszczyk would get it that wrong. It had me scratching my head and actually wondering if they'd got the scale length wrong. HANG ON... they have messed up and I know why/how! The bass has a nut and a zero fret. I reckon they have measured the baseline setting from the 'nut' rather than from the zero fret which if the bridge was placed based on the zero fret it would move the bridge a good few mm further back! Shame on you Maruszczyk! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 34 minutes ago, warwickhunt said: The bass has a nut and a zero fret. I reckon they have measured the baseline setting from the 'nut' rather than from the zero fret which if the bridge was placed based on the zero fret it would move the bridge a good few mm further back! Shame on you Maruszczyk! Mine is a Maruszczyk as well, with the same (if black and 5 string) bridge, and the same zero fret so seems unlikely. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 Maybe a different employee set up the jig for the 5 string bridge placement? It defo makes sense as I can simulate where the saddles would be if the scale was measured from the nut, not the zero fret and it would work then. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 I wonder if the custom/non-standard builds like mine go through a different process/handling. Don't know why I didn't think of it earlier but it's easy to check as I have a regular Jake cased in my music room... off to check what's going on with that! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Mine was a custom Elwood, sort of a L24 with a few differences, ie, lightweight, 24 fret, neck like an ibanez, 3 / 2 machine heads. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 1 hour ago, warwickhunt said: It had me scratching my head and actually wondering if they'd got the scale length wrong. HANG ON... they have messed up and I know why/how! The bass has a nut and a zero fret. I reckon they have measured the baseline setting from the 'nut' rather than from the zero fret which if the bridge was placed based on the zero fret it would move the bridge a good few mm further back! Shame on you Maruszczyk! That would make some sense, although looking at your picture I'd say the bridge would want to be around 15mm further back to put the G saddle in the right place. Not good at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 The bridge is in the wrong place! Just measured from the 12th fret to the front of the bridge (same bridge) on my regular Jake and it is 8mm further back than the orange Jake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 13 minutes ago, Maude said: That would make some sense, although looking at your picture I'd say the bridge would want to be around 15mm further back to put the G saddle in the right place. Not good at all. 3 minutes ago, warwickhunt said: The bridge is in the wrong place! Just measured from the 12th fret to the front of the bridge (same bridge) on my regular Jake and it is 8mm further back than the orange Jake! Scrub my 15mm, I have no idea why but I read your tape measured completely wrong. Yes I'd of said 10mm (ish) looking at your picture properly so that 8mm makes perfect sense. Where are the fixings, can you move it back enough without exposing the old fixing holes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 1 minute ago, Maude said: Scrub my 15mm, I have no idea why but I read your tape measured completely wrong. Yes I'd of said 10mm (ish) looking at your picture properly so that 8mm makes perfect sense. Where are the fixings, can you move it back enough without exposing the old fixing holes? Fixings are at toward the back of the bridge, so plugging and refitting shouldn't be an issue BUT... this paint is fairly thin, satin and soft. I'm fairly sure the bridge will have bitten into the paint and it'll come away stuck to the bridge. Only one way to find out but if it doesn't lift off easily I'm going to be pretty miffed at Maruszczyk for managing to get this so wrong! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Is it just the line of four screws at the end of the saddle slots? Maybe try loosening them just enough to give the bridge room to move and twist (rotate) the bridge one way then the other rather than lifting it up, hopefully it shouldn't pull on the paint as much this way. 🤞 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris2112 Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 They do seem to churn out the instruments at fairly cheap prices so it's not surprising that there will be a gaffe or twelve along the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 The plot thickens! 1 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
simisker Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Could a Hipshot Kickass bridge have been specced originally? They have a 5-hole mounting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Woodinblack Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 48 minutes ago, warwickhunt said: The plot thickens! I guess at this point it probably wasn't Maruszczyk who put this bridge on after all unless it was a change in production. Either way, it seems to have come off without much damage Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
miles'tone Posted March 12, 2023 Share Posted March 12, 2023 Easy fix so no worries. Loving that orange with the chrome! Are they T-bird pickups? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
warwickhunt Posted March 12, 2023 Author Share Posted March 12, 2023 All done. Bridge back 10mm and loads of intonation adjustment. @simisker - I have a Hipshot here and the holes weren't quite lined up so no. @miles'tone - Haussel Bassbars (N & B) 8 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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