In the coming moments, I'm going to pull all of the hair out of my head.

[TaxMan88]

Okay peeps, I'll admit it . . . . I'm a piano player through and through but I'm no stranger to bass. I've been playing bass on and off for about a year. About six months ago I bought a Rogue violin bass because I think it's one of the best looking basses there is (the violin style that is, not the rogue in particular) and I read a lot of reviews saying that it was a pretty versatile sounding bass (which it is - it sounds great). Anyway, I'm really starting to spend some time on it now. Before when I was just plucking away it didn't make any difference, but now that I'm getting serious with it it's driving me crazy. The strings are in tune, but the intonation is off. Easy enough, right?? WRONG!! The thing's got a stupid floating bridge. I know that I can intonate this thing myself and save the cash it would cost me at a music store (yes, I'm a REALLY broke bastard). However, I can't find instructions ANYWHERE on how to intonate a bass with a floating bridge. Can someone on here help me out PLEASE??? I've searched the archives, hell I've searched the WHOLE NET and I can't find crap. If anyone has experience in this department PLEASE HELP ME OUT!!

I hope someone can help!!

--Tax

[Roel]

Bass with a floating bridge?? What's the use of that?? On guitars they do it for allowing to bend the tremelo in the other direction. What's the deal on bass??

Anyway, it's not so hard to do intonation. You do it by comparing the harmonic at the 12 fret, with the note at the 12 fret. Then just adjust the bridge to get them in tune. (forward, backward, not up-down, ofcourse). Even with floating bridges...

That's about it... Ain't no magic there...

[TaxMan88]

Obviously it's not a floating bridge like on a guitar. It's probably more appropriately called a "removable bridge," meaning that if I took the strings off the bass, the bridge would fall off. It's not glued on (no, it's not supposed to be)

Thanks Roel, I wish it were that easy. But a regular guitar this is not. I've tried intonating it that way, but it won't work with this bridge. Let me see if I can put this into more detail.

The part of the bridge that lays against the guitar is a solid piece of wood. Now, on the left and right sides, there are bolts (one on each side). On top of the bolts, there is another piece of wood with metal bars on it to go under the strings. ARe you starting to get a mental picture?? If you loosen the screws, you raise the bridge and the action and vice versa. Maybe I should show you a picture, hmmm??


Forgive the large picture, but I was doing this in a hurry (and let me assure you that it's not easy to scan a bass. lol

Thanks for being patient.
--Tax

[Tapehead]

If you'd be able to afford it, your bass would benefit from a new bridge. The arrangement shown in the picture is not ideal as you are losing a lot of tone due to the poor contact between the strings and the body of the instrument. But that doesn't answer your question. This bridge does not look adjustable to me, as the position of the entire bridge is adjustable only for height, not for the position of the individual saddles (the things under each individual string). Look at most other basses and you'll see these can be moved towards or away from the bridge to set intonation precisely.

[Roel]

Nope... Doesn't look adjustable to me neither... Well... This is adjustable, but you don't want to start on that, unless you're an experienced guitar-builder. Like they adjust it for classical guitars, adjusting the bridge-thingy with a file or something. I would put an adjustable bridge on it to, if the intonation really bothers you...

[Hard2Hear]

I agree with you guys, the bridge is non-adjustable. Try taking it off and turning it backwards and see what happens. Hey, you won't hurt it and you never know what it may do. BTW- I';m not saying this will work or is a solution....I just like to mess with things.

H2H

[TaxMan88]

My fingers hurt like hell from turning those washers to raise the bridge, it took a lot of time (that I don't have) and a lot of patience, but I've got it. I've got the action where I want it and the intonation is nearly dead on. The tone is sooooo much better now that the strings are closer to the pickup! I'm utterly astounded. I didn't think I'd have to patience to do it, but I did. And I didn't even have to put the bridge on backwards. Thanks guys for trying to help! I appreciate it.

-- The newly intonated TaxMan