3/4 DB bridge keeps falling

[fender73]

Hi all. Probably a common thing, but I am new to DB. Replaced steel strings on newly acquired bass (3/4 cheapie bought 2nd hand) with lower tension strings, and now the bridge is constantly falling forward and seems to keep leaning towards the neck. Luckily post hasn't fallen inside yet. Any easy solution? I have googled etc and have seen multiple things from putting rosin under the feet, reshaping the feet with sand paper, graphite in the nut slots etc. 

 

Ultimately will I think end up trying steel strings again as when they were on, the bridge never shifted. 

 

Is this common? 

 

Thanks in advance 

[Happy Jack]

That could easily be a side-effect of the fitting of new strings, regardless of what type or tension they are.

 

I assume you replaced one string at a time, rather than taking off the old ones and then installing new ones?

[fender73]

Hi, yes one at a time and all carefully done with tuning and tension etc. 

[Burns-bass]

Sometimes the strings can drag the bridge forward. It’s worth checking the angle, especially if it was fine before. 
 

What lower tension strings are you using? 

[Beedster]

As new strings stretch the bridge can get pulled towards the neck, if so you'll need to pull it upright frequently, but once they settle down the bridge should be stable

[fender73]

The strings are Thomastik Super Flexible. 

 

[Paddy Morris]

Good video by Hervé Jean here:

 

 

But also if the new strings are a wider gauge than the old ones, maybe the slots in the bridge are too narrow, so the strings are tending to stick as you tune up and pull the bridge forward?

 

A luthier won't charge very much to adjust the bridge feet and slot width for you.  So if it continues then get it booked in.  I went from steel to gut and my bridge was always collapsing. A luthier fixed it for £150.

[fender73]

Thank you all for your advice, must appreciated 

[fender73]

Carried on trying everything within my skill set and knowledge  but bridge still drops. Am worried I'm going to damage it now so off to the luthier it goes. Let's see what happens. 

 

Again, thanks for the advice all. 

 

 

[Paddy Morris]

4 hours ago, fender73 said:

Carried on trying everything within my skill set and knowledge  but bridge still drops. Am worried I'm going to damage it now so off to the luthier it goes. Let's see what happens. 

 

Again, thanks for the advice all. 

 

 

Good luck!

[Beer of the Bass]

On 03/01/2026 at 22:40, fender73 said:

The strings are Thomastik Super Flexible. 

 

 

Thomastik Superflexible aren't a low tension string, they're a steel core string with fairly high tension. They're one of Thomastik's older designs, named because the core is braided steel rope which is more flexible than a solid steel core, but the standard Superflexible set is still comparable to something like Spirocore mediums. Though there is also a Solo gauge intended to be tuned a whole tone higher, that will be relatively low tension for steels at standard pitch. 

So I don't know that what your experiencing is a "low tension strings" issue, or that changing to a different steel core string would solve it. 

Edited 49 minutes ago by Beer of the Bass

[HeadlessBassist]

Is your bridge actually falling, or slipping slightly? That can be due to the feet of the bridge not being 'fitted' properly - this is usually fixed by taping a piece of sandpaper to the front and physically running the bridge feet up and down it, so that the feet are matched to the curvature of the front plate.

 

Traditionally, the bridge should be angled very slightly, so the top of the bridge is slightly 'pulling' away from the tuners. You may have to adjust it several times during initial tuning when re-stringing, as it will naturally move as the tension increases.