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Short Scale Bass - Bridge Position


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Scale length, if you wanted to put frets down or position markers, inlays, doodads etc. at fret positions, is measured from the leading edge of the nut to the leading edge of the bridge on the first string. That distance grows longer as you move toward the bass strings to compensate for increasing string diameter. Half the distance between said nut and bridge positions is where the crown of the 12th fret lies. For finding where all the other frets lies would involve using a fret calculator, search in Stewmac.com

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What scale length is it, because we can't do anything without that.

Sorry, New to this. How do I give you that info. Is it the distance between the nut and the twelfth fret marker?

yes, measure from nut to centre of 12th fret, then double it - this tells us you scale length.

the actual string length will be slightly longer because of compensation/intonation , but if you move the saddles on the bridge most of the way forward (about 7/8ths of the travel) and place those saddles on the scale length you will usually still find it has enough adjustment to intonate properly

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Hi all

I have a short scale kit fretless that I'm using for a testbed for a fretboard led project. Can Anybody tell me how to correctly position the bridge for a short scale so the intonation is correct?

i may be wrong here but if its fretless(i have never delt with any thing fretless) then wont just put the bridge at the scale lenth since you really cant inotate it?

Edited by Tim37
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depends if its got any markers - if it has you really want to intonate so the markers are accurate, even without markers it makes sense to intonate so notes are in the same place on each string. But it is less of a stress because you can adjust with your ears whilst playing!

anyway - i did miss that this was a fretless. you mention led markers so i assume fret positions are marked on it and you can work out scale length by measuring from nut to 12th fret and doubling the number. but if it is completely blank fretless you can place the bridge wherever you want

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Thanks everybody

It is a fretless but it has (very crud wide markers) on the fret board which I'm hoping I can remove with a light sanding. I won't need them as the LED markers will effectively replace them. I measured the distance from the nut to the center of the twelfth marker as 401 millimeters or 15.78737 inches (online conversion calculator. lol) I will double this for the position of the fully forward saddle of the G string.

This is the kit. Wish me luck :D

DSC02837.jpg

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