Pre-EB MusicanStingRay Electronics Fault

[obbm]

[quote name='faceman' post='843927' date='May 21 2010, 10:58 AM']Talk about luck! I did a post on the EB forum and fellow has emailed me and offered me a pre-EB bridge for $150 with a brand new mute assembly. He said it's got hollow saddles so it's pre-EB but not through-body stringing, which is what I need! It's used with some scratches and a little rust in some areas but overall very good condition for its age. It has the mute screws but not the mute spring assembly. Said he has an assembly he has one he can add on to it the deal as well. Thoughts?

He has said he would throw in a new set of the two large screws that are on either side of the saddles but said I would have to check your bass to see if the original bushings for those two screws are still in the bass. What are these?![/quote]

Well done. Very lucky to find the bridge.

Here's a picture of the bridge on mine with the two large screws that hold the bridge to the body clearly visible.

[Ou7shined]

It's definitely a step in the right direction and as your bass isn't original, does it matter to you if it's not string through. Pics would be good before taking it any further - I once saw a bridge that had the front end sawn off described as being in good condition.

The bridges can be screwed down at the back but there also 2 large bolts which locate into bushes that are pre-installed into the body. You should whip off your bridge to see if your body has them.

[faceman]

I've just taken the bridge apart and as you would expect, it looks every so lovely underneath there

Anyway, some photos are attached so would I be able to drop in a this bridge or not? Also on another photo you can see the bridge in depth as it is now as well as how the pick guard hits the mounting plate. Would this be a problem with the proper MM bridge? I'm wondering if it is the bridge that is too big, or the pick guard?

[Ou7shined]

Yup it'll fit. (it might be prudent to check centre to centre dimensions on the side screws to be absolutely certain)

Your body isn't string through anyway.

Edited May 21, 2010 by Ou7shined

[faceman]

Yeah sorry I was going to say, because it's a late pre-EB one it isn't body through. Hopefully this bridge will be decent and hopefully be ideal! It looks like it still has the brushings for the big screws. One step closer to an 'original' bass

[obbm]

Looks to me as if the pick-up is too far back. Please can you take off the scratch plate and take a photo of the bare body from the neck to the bridge.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='obbm' post='844034' date='May 21 2010, 12:36 PM']Looks to me as if the pick-up is too far back. Please can you take off the scratch plate and take a photo of the bare body from the neck to the bridge.[/quote]
Surely the p/g wouldn't fit if this were the case.

I'd be interested to see what lies beneath none the less. :brow:

[4 Strings]

[quote name='obbm' post='844034' date='May 21 2010, 12:36 PM']Looks to me as if the pick-up is too far back. Please can you take off the scratch plate and take a photo of the bare body from the neck to the bridge.[/quote]


Position looks fine to me.

The bridge you've got looks fine to, quite nice in fact. I wonder if its worth replacing or just getting on with. Not original, of course, but looks nicely made.

[obbm]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='844044' date='May 21 2010, 12:43 PM']Surely the p/g wouldn't fit if this were the case.[/quote]

Could be if it was custom made to fit a non-standard bass with a different bridge.

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='4 Strings' post='844058' date='May 21 2010, 12:51 PM']Position looks fine to me.

The bridge you've got looks fine to, quite nice in fact. I wonder if its worth replacing or just getting on with. Not original, of course, but looks nicely made.[/quote]
It doesn't allow the p/g to fit properly.

[faceman]

Attached are photos of the body without the pick guard. if you look at the body, the pickup hasn't been moved but if you look at the closer photo, you can see the bottom hole where the pick guard should screw into. I'm sure the bridge is either misaligned or plain wrong. Also I've compared the old pickguard and the one I bought. The old one has been cut across the bottom to fit it seams.

It's pretty good bridge, I'm not massively fussed about changing it However, the offer has come up for a proper pre-EB MM one so i think I'd be stupid not to take it!

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='obbm' post='844060' date='May 21 2010, 12:52 PM']Could be if it was custom made to fit a non-standard bass with a different bridge.[/quote]
And it just so happens to fit Faceman's too. Bit of a coincidence don't you think?

Anyway he said earlier that he replaced it with a MM one.

[faceman]

If you look at the past photos when I took the bridge apart, you can see the pickguard lies on top of the bridge slightly and in the latter photos, one of the screw holes is covered up by the bridge.

Are the MM pick guards always the same fit and size?

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='faceman' post='844077' date='May 21 2010, 01:03 PM']Are the MM pick guards always the same fit and size?[/quote]
Excluding different pup combos, yes but there may be minuscule differences. I had a MM p/g on my SUB - it was a 99.999% fit.

[faceman]

[quote name='Ou7shined' post='844101' date='May 21 2010, 01:20 PM']Excluding different pup combos, yes but there may be minuscule differences. I had a MM p/g on my SUB - it was a 99.999% fit.[/quote]

The screw holes don't 100% meetup but it basically still fits! So, is the lack of fit due to this strange bridge then? And I do need the big screws but don't need the brushes because they still appear to be in the body, yes?

I'll let you know what deal I agree with the fellow on the EB forums. I've learnt so much about MM basses in the past few days!

[Ou7shined]

[quote name='faceman' post='844109' date='May 21 2010, 01:25 PM']The screw holes don't 100% meetup but it basically still fits! So, is the lack of fit due to this strange bridge then? And I do need the big screws but don't need the [b]brushes[/b] because they still appear to be in the body, yes?

I'll let you know what deal I agree with the fellow on the EB forums. I've learnt so much about MM basses in the past few days![/quote]
The trick is to get all the screws in most of the way (but not nipped up) [b]then[/b] nip them up and you p/g will find it's optimum position itself.

That bridge is definitely too long for the job. You will need the "big screws". There are no brushes but your body appears to have it's own [b]bushes[/b] (a good sign that it is at least a real MM) you will need to put in your own 3 screw holes at the rear.

I just found you thread on the EB forums - I'm glad they confirm pretty much everything I said here. You really need to get some pics before splashing out over 100 quid on it though - also factor in import charges seeing as it is coming from the Pacific North West.