Ernie Ball slinkys onto mark hoppus bass

[levaz]

Hi guys,

I have just fitted some ernie ball super slinkys onto a hoppus sig bass. Its the first time i have re-strung a guitar.

I have two questions and they are rather noobish sorry:

1. Do you start the turns on the tuning peg from the top and twist the strings down the peg?

2. At first there didnt seem to be alot of clearance on the A string towards the neck (between the string and fret 1,2,3,4 i mean) but as i tightened the string some clearance did emerge. Is there a tolerance / figure in mm or inchs that i should have between the strings and frets towards the neck?

Thanks and sorry for nooby questions

[gregmon79]

I'm not too sure on the tolerance question but as far as stringing it goes, that sig bass is a fender right? If so you want to wind the tuner so the string winds in a downward spiral towards the base of the tuning peg. That way when it comes off the nut, it gets more tension. The correct amount of tension I suppose you'd say. Oh and if it has that thing in the headstock to feed the D and G string, talk about a noobie haha, you want the spiral to go downward but keep at the top of the tuning peg. Example below:



Not sure if I did the greatest job myself on this one but hopefully this helps.

[gregmon79]

Actually, my A could be lower. But I messed up and put long scale flat wounds on my squire. So I suppose it's not the ideal example. Still hope this helped. Sorry!

[levaz]

Thanks for your advice greg, so i need to have the strings coming off the top of the nut for the d and g strings? I have attached some photos

[levaz]

more photos

[levaz]

photo

[levaz]

more peg photos

[gregmon79]

Looks damn good to me. One thing, I usually cut some of the E string off before I wind it so theres not a spiral all the way down the peg. That's just me though. I read that somewhere it's better to have not so much of the string be wrapped around the peg so much. Different strokes different folks.

[FourBanger]

I was going to point that out as well. Also it looks like the circular string tree could be loosened a bit so it sits a bit higher.

If you are not getting the string action you like after changing strings you may need to tweak the bridge saddle height and possibly truss rod a bit, this is normal whenever you put different strings on a bass.

As you des ribed the action improving as you tightened it up, this is because the tension of the strings pulling forward on the neck bows it out a little, and a bass is designed to work this way.

[levaz]

thanks guys

[gregmon79]

You're welcome. Hope your results were good and want you were trying to accomplish.