8 String Bass Bridges with 8 Saddles

[teeder]

I marked one up real quick to compare to the bridge I have in-hand. Cutting the slots isn't something that should be done in a hurry. I suggest going in small increments.

[aceonbass]

That bridge assembly is the one I did for Paul Yan. After slotting the saddles, he wanted them chrome plated, so after plating I had to go over the slots again due to the thickness of the plating. As part of the mods I do to the bridge, I drilled and tapped the bridge height adjustment screws for the next size up, I believe 8-32 threads, and drilled the holes all the way through the tailpiece and 1/4" into the body. If all of the bridges were made using Pauls bridge as a pattern, then anyone who buys one will have to enlarge the small pockets on the tailpiece that these screws rest in.
That bridge is a work of art Kevin

[dminer]

"That bridge assembly is the one I did for Paul Yan." Paul...when did you get an 8 stringer? Welcome to the "SPIDER CLUB" please send me or post some pics....Oh and Teeder, those bridges look fantastic...great work from start to finish...I can't swing one now but maybe someday i'll put on on my 87 4003s8 "Juggernaut"

[teeder]

I drilled and tapped the bridge height adjustment screws for the next size up, I believe 8-32 threads

My bridges are 8-32 also.

[aceonbass]

"That bridge assembly is the one I did for Paul Yan." Paul...when did you get an 8 stringer?

About two years ago Paul sent me a new 4003 to be converted to an 8-string, as well as other mods. It is currently with someone else getting a new finish and....other mods

[rickaddict]

...anyone who buys one will have to enlarge the small pockets on the tailpiece that these screws rest in.

I think I'll have my brother (he's got this ultimate set of tools, dude!) turn down the tips of the height adjustment screws on his lathe instead.

That bridge is a work of art Kevin

+1

[gearhed289]

Looks FANtastic! Can't wait to get the S/8 properly intonated.

[dminer]

"About two years ago Paul sent me a new 4003 to be converted to an 8-string, as well as other mods. It is currently with someone else getting a new finish and....other mods "
Thanks Dane...I need to pm him anyway and catch up ...dm

[weemac]

I drilled and tapped the bridge height adjustment screws for the next size up, I believe 8-32 threads

My bridges are 8-32 also.

H'mmm, note to self.... must machine steps in the end of grub screws if I want to use standard tailpiece...

Eden.

[rickenbrother]

I didn't know a Spider Club existed! I guess I'm a member!

[teeder]

H'mmm, note to self.... must machine steps in the end of grub screws if I want to use standard tailpiece...

I set one of these into a C64 tailpiece and believe the screws would probably work fine without modding anything, but you may have to take all tension off the bridge to adjust the height.

[aceonbass]

There is no way these screws will fit into the old holes without modification to the original tailpiece. Over the years RIC has made the original holes a little deeper to resist "bridge tilt", so just setting the bridge in the pocket and adjusting it as is isn't really a good idea. I don't know why the bridge would have to be removed to adjust string height (wouldn't that be a lot of fun with 8 strings), but it's such an easy fix. Just get the appropriately sized drill bit and enlarge the pocket. It would take two minutes. Is this really that hard to do, or worse yet, are there some here worried it will be considered an irreversable mod that will devalue their bass? As has been said here countless times before..."Just do it". I know this isn't your fault Kevin, but it would have helped if Paul had simply told you the bridge was modded before you went to work taking measurements off of it. Still, one of the reasons I do this mod is to make the bridge more stable. Drill the holes all the way into the body and use longer Allen screws and you'll get more sustain too.

[weemac]

If you machine the bit of the grub screw that goes into the hole down to the same diameter as the original screws, it will work.
the bridge sits fairly low on my 4008 (as can be expected) and tilt will not be a problem.
I have no trouble modding an instrument to make it work, but in the case of the tailpiece of my 4008 it's just not the thing you see everyday for sale when you want to make original again.
I can see the merit in Dale's mods, but it is not neccessary in all cases....

Eden.

[aceonbass]

You could probably put the height adjustment screws in a drill chuck and hold a file to it to turn it down to size if you don't have access to a machine shop. As for 8-string tailpieces not being common, well they all start out as 4-string tailpieces that had four extra holes drilled in the rear. If the holes aren't enlarged and the bridge is any distance above the tailpiece, it will tilt backward. It would seem to me that anyone concerned enough about intonation to buy this bridge would also care about things like bridge tilt and sustain. Why would anyone want to return an improved instrument to stock? Who would notice the larger screws anyway? I think Kevin's bridge is an awesome piece, but I just don't spend enough time above the 12th fret to justify the expense at this time. Intonation is more of an issue when the fundamental string is 1st for reasons I've discussed elsewhere on the forum when 8-string Ricks are talked about.

[rickaddict]

If the holes aren't enlarged and the bridge is any distance above the tailpiece, it will tilt backward. It would seem to me that anyone concerned enough about intonation to buy this bridge would also care about things like bridge tilt and sustain. Why would anyone want to return an improved instrument to stock? Who would notice the larger screws anyway?

For me, I would like to be able to return my 4003S/8 to stock because I'll be reversing the string order (fundamental and octave) and spreading out the distance between them a bit. Just popping the old bridge and nut in will return the bass to stock, so why not keep that option open for the next owner? It will cost me nothing except what I could sell the old bridge for.

Also...tilting bridges have never been a problem for me on any of my Ricks including my 8 string ever since my luthier told me this one little trick: Tilt the bridge all the way forward until it hits the mute housing and make sure it doesn't move as you string up and tune your bass. None of mine have ever moved once tuned, and the bonus to this method is that the bridge will be in the same place (hence your intonation will have the same settings) when you go to re-string it.

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