Checking And Adjusting The Angle Of Your Bridge (Upright Bass) 

That's great I am happy that I could help you Eric!

Thank you!!

Thank you very much!

Hello Elvis, good idea for a new video, thanks! In the last months I was too busy to make new videos, I hope I will find some time soon. It is unusual that a string breaks while setting it up. Which type of string was it?

Hello Eduardo, there is no real "best height". It depends on your taste and the type of strings you use. I normally have 7 to 10 mm (G to E) measured at the end of the fingerboard. But that's already high. 1 or 2 mm less are better for a start. But I recommend going to a specialized bass workshop to have them make that setup.

Thank you! Hmm I am not a specialist, but I will think about it. The optimal height also depends of the type of string and of your personal taste. My standard height (measured at the end of the fingerboard) is G: 7 mm, D: 8 mm, A: 9 mm, E: 10 mm. But for steel strings that's already quite high.

Hello! Well, i am Playing Rockabilly since 34 years now. You can use a simple trick: You can check the height of the strings, by putting the tip of your middlefinger straight on your fingerboard on the height where you actually use to slap. Then check at every single string on which point the string crosses your fingertip. For the slap-tecnique, you need to undertake the string with the half of your fingertip (Still meaning the middlefinger). If the string is setted too low, you will not be able to undertake the string enough. Your finger will "Slip away". If the Height is too high, you surely will be able to pick up the String mit your fingertip, but you will need too much strengh to make the string sound, wich will hurt you on your wrist after a while. So at last, every single String should be around 10 to 12mm high from the point you use slap on the fingerboard.

Scott it helps to rub a thick soft pencil (B or softer) in the bridge grooves to coat them with graphite. You can do this by detuning one string at a time, keeping the others up to pitch

@@geofharris5546 Thank you very much

Good idea, thank you for this!

As far as I know the bridge position is the same regardless of your playing style. But the bass setup (especially choice of strings and action) should probably be adapted to rockabilly.

@@stringmatrix thankyou for your reply it helps 😊

Hi Tim. My husband plays jazz, AfroCuban jazz, swing, bluegrass, traditional Ska@$ in the Skatalites], rockabilly n psychobilly psychobilly on both upright and electric upright. No setup alterations are necessary, other than the fact that you're going to want your strings higher off, for galloping, pizzicato n slap -@-Billity. Cheers

Hi! Difficult to answer your questions: 1) I don't really know about the advantages/ inconvenients of different bridge types. A good bass Luthier (preferably one that is not only into classical setups) will know more. If the present bridge is still good, he may also suggest to put adjusters in that bridge. 2) it is totally normal that the strings almost touch the fingerboard at the nut. Some say: it is correct if a business card fits between string and fingerboard. So yes you'll have to lower the height of the bridge. And to avoid buzzing you need an optimal fingerboard concavity (there's probably another English word for that). And here too: only experienced luthiers know all the details about this and how to realize it.

Sorry, I don't have a 1/4 to check this. Good luck!

I'm not an arco specialist and it also depends on what kind of a pizz sound you want. But as a general "thing in the middle" to start with I would say Pirastro Evah Pirazzi Weich (light).

@@stringmatrix Muchas gracias!

The curved side is the one that you can see when you play the bass. I should have said this in the video... Good luck!

@@stringmatrix Oh dear, I have put it wrong then. Probably the reason I have a hard time tuning it correctly. Thank you!

Check all the screws. If this doesn't help, then the "spiral shaft" (I don't know how this is called correctly) or the "gear" might be worn out. In this case, you can get help with elastic bands which should pull the problem-key in a certain direction. Experiment with elastic bands. It's not a beautiful repair, but even some orchestra players do it this way because the "correct" way would be to replace the whole tuning device.

It's an Otto Rubner from 1960 but the top was made new around 2000 by Peter Emich.

@@stringmatrix Peter Emich! Bought my bass from him. Very happy with it and his repair work. Too bad he is retired now. Do you have any recommendations for a good bass luthier in southern Niedersachsen?

@@gil_evans Leider habe ich keinen Tipp... Es ist eigenartig, in Hannover gibt es keinen Bassspezialisten, und alle fahren nach Bremen (M. Henkel), Celle (M. Stemann), Hamburg oder Berlin. Ich hatte letztens bei Markus Däsch in Aschaffenburg etwas machen lassen, er hat super gearbeitet - leider ist es eine weite Fahrt von Hannover.

@@stringmatrix Ok, trotzdem danke. Habe dich letztens bei den JazzSummit-Aufnahmen gesehen. Hoffe, du bist zufrieden mit euren Aufnahmen.

@@gil_evans Ah ja jetzt erinnere ich mich!!

These should be the Efrano gut strings. I have a presentation video here: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-duTK6n0Vzow.html

That's a good point. I should have shown it. If you loosen the tension (maybe one whole step on each string) you can adjust the position by hitting the sides of the bridge's feet carefully with your palm.