IB-5 bridge string spacing?

[Tindrrel]

What is it that I need? Does the nut need to be cut with a smaller string spacing?

Shouldn't the bridge also have a smaller string spacing or else it will still widen out as it gets to the body?

[wokkaboy]

Sounds to me the newer bridges are 4mm wider than the older ones hence the strings are 2ish mm closer to the fretboard edge. so the saddles are all touching each other with no gaps with your 68mm?

[Tindrrel]

Sounds to me the newer bridges are 4mm wider than the older ones hence the strings are 2ish mm closer to the fretboard edge. so the saddles are all touching each other with no gaps with your 68mm?

Yes. 68mm from 1st to 5th with the saddles pressed together.

[wokkaboy]

Maybe DB has an old Bridge laying around. Sure that is the problem

[dingobass]

If the G string is sitting 4mm off the edge, that is fine.

The B string at 2.5 is too close, so a new nut cut correctly will pull that back to 4mm.
Wont matter too much if it goes down to 3 at the end of the neck as it is unlikley you will use the B string that far down the neck often enough for it to be a drama...
So yes, a correctly cut nut should solve the problem.

[Tindrrel]

You know what. I think I'm just making mountains out of molehills and optical illusions.

I think my measurement of the B string to the edge is fixed by moving the bridge over the smallest fraction.

There's even a lump under the bridge where the ground wire hole is drilled which might be affecting things.

I think I'll just build it as is with the stock parts and see what happens.

Need to figure out how to level that lump though. Sanding it down may work.

[Brendan]

Tindrrel - sanding the lump will work - just spreads a little due to the low angle of the ground wire hole to make it through to the control cavity. The bridge is big enough to cover it.

[dingobass]

Ahhhh, my bad... I had assumed that you had sanded the body.....

[Tindrrel]

Ahhhh, my bad... I had assumed that you had sanded the body.....

I got the impression predrilling was better done before any sanding/finishing.

[wokkaboy]

Tindrrel, I'd do that sand the lump in the bridge, make sure you can still push a wire through to the cavity, sand and finish the body/neck, screw the neck in place, then align the bridge as best you can giving the B string a bit more offset than the G string. You will have to compromise the outer string offsets as best you can. If the strings are too close to fret edges you may need DB to cut a nut with slightly closer spacings.
Start a build diary and we can answer any questions you have.