8 String Bass Bridges with 8 Saddles

[hieronymous]

Sorry I'm late, I would like one. Maybe another some time down the line, but for now just one.

[teeder]

You're in Harry.

[teeder]

Progress picture.



The bridges are complete other than the plating, and you'll see the saddles in stick form.

[gearhed289]

Super mega ultra cool! Thanks man. Been wanting something like this for a long time. Saved me from resorting to a Schaller!

[weemac]

They look very nice! I can see a lot of thought went into the design....

Eden.

[cassius987]

I'm not sure if any are unclaimed at this point. I'd still like one but if someone with a 4003S/8 out there still hasn't laid claim yet I'd feel bad bumping them off, as my goal is to mod a 4003 down the road. Probably my 2007 AFG, as lately it's playing second fiddle to my 2010 MG as far as fretted basses go.

Kevin, how many are left for sale? It looks like nice work by the way. Are they making saddles for you as well?

[teeder]

Josh,

The "8" are claimed, but you will see there are actually 9 in the picture. I can pencil you in for that one if you'ld like.

The saddles will be machine out of the "sticks" (bar stock) shown in the picture. They make multiple saddles from each stick.

[aceonbass]

Kevin, that looks an awefull lot like the bridge I did for Paul Yan's bass when I did the 8-string conversion. It looks like the saddles are chrome plated, and I had his saddles plated too. Since one of the mods I performed on the bridge was to drill bridge for larger diameter height adjustment screws which go all the way through the tailpiece and into the body, you'll need to drill and tap his bridge for the larger size also.

[aceonbass]

To clarify, I'm referring to the Rickenbacker bridge in the picture with thhe saddles cut for 8 strings.

[johnallg]

To clarify, I'm referring to the Rickenbacker bridge in the picture with the saddles cut for 8 strings.

Nice you clarified, Dane; I was scratchin' the ole bean over your earlier post.

[teeder]

Dane,

Thanks for the info. That is Paul's bridge pictured. I spec'd out the same screw sizes as what's on the bridge he supplied.

Do you have a recomendation on where I can get the same components? (springs & Screws)

Josh,

Sorry man, the number of bridges is 8. One was a prototype that has some machining issue.

If more people show interest down the road, we may be able to do another batch, with Mr. Hall's blessing.

[aceonbass]

Kevin....I get all my hardware either at the local hardware store, or from McMasrer-Carr. I don't use the RIC supplied springs anymore as I believe they limit travel and occasionally vibrate. The springs were necessary when I had set up bridges to be adjustable from the front, but I found that when using the stainless Allen screws, I could go back to the original rear adjustment since an Allen wrench doesn't have the accessabilty issues a #2 Phillips does. With rear adjustment, the steeper downward string pressure at the rear of the saddle keeps the saddle in place without the need for springs. If you've drilled and tapped these bridges for the same size heigth adjustment screws as are on Paul Yan's modified bridge then anyone who buys one will need to enlarge the pocket in the tailpiece these screws set into with a drill. It's not hard ro do, and because of the thickness of the casting, you can actually go a little deeper into the pocket, making for a more stable bridge than with the smaller screws RIC uses. I think I use a 1/8" or 5/32" drill bit to do this.

[marc61]

Kevin kindly contacted me about this before proceeding and I told him it was fine. He's going to mark them so that there's no confusion that these are not factory parts.

It's too bad others haven't offered us the same courtesy as Kevin did . . .

+1 Nice job Kev

[johnhall]

If more people show interest down the road, we may be able to do another batch, with Mr. Hall's blessing.

If you do more, I think you're going to want to make the bridge out of 360 H02 half-hard brass. If these are aluminum, chances are they're going to bind big time after a fairly short period of time. If they're steel, the tone will be awfully brittle, very nasal sounding. We learned this the hard way when we made the 5-string bass bridges this way.

[Ric N. Backer]

If more people show interest down the road, we may be able to do another batch, with Mr. Hall's blessing.

If you do more, I think you're going to want to make the bridge out of 360 H02 half-hard brass. If these are aluminum, chances are they're going to bind big time after a fairly short period of time. If they're steel, the tone will be awfully brittle, very nasal sounding. We learned this the hard way when we made the 5-string bass bridges this way.

You don't see this sort of input very often.

That was very generous of you, John Hall.

It's amazing how different materials respond and interact. A working knowledge of metallurgy definitely has its rewards.

This is some of the behind-the-scenes work/knowledge that many of us aren't cognizant of.