Geddy Lee Jazz Nut

[Merlin_127]

Hi everyone

Just a quick question.

I bought a Geddy Lee jazz back in August and I've been using the stock Fender strings with it until yesterday with no issues. I bought a new set of Rotosounds and finally put them on. Immediately, I noticed that the A string does not sit in the nut properly when I play. I have it wrapped around the posts properly as far as I can see, and I cut the string to the same length as the prior set. When I hit the A string it comes out of the groove of the nut and slides up towards the E string.

Any solutions?

I was thinking that I may have cut the string a bit too short, but I have not had this problem with any other bass I've had.

Thanks

[mortar]

How much of the string is sticking up past the top of the nut?

Is there room to add a extra wound or two?

With a new string that is.

[Merlin_127]

Well, there is not much string left. I suppose I could cut it a bit shorter and re-wind it, but I can't see that doing it any better.

It has only been wound around the post 2-3 times.

[mutedeity]

Post a picture of the winding and the nut

[Merlin_127]

Ok, give me a second
It's going to be webcam.

[mortar]

What I meant was. How deep is the nut slot compared to the string?

[Merlin_127]

Ok here are 3 pictures.

2 of which deal with the current subject. I know it's a bit hard to pick it out, but I tried my best with my laptop webcam. Anyway, I'll explain.



Ok so this is what it should look like; the strings are all in the appropriate slots.



And this, is what's going on after I pluck the A string. The damn thing just moves out of the slot and it stays there until I push it back in the hole.

There is another picture of my action, I think this may have something to do with it.

[mortar]

Definitely not much of a break angle on that string.

Maybe get a new single string an don't cut it as short.


Does the action seem uncomfortable?

[Merlin_127]

Ok, I'll try that.

I'm not completely used to these strings. Rotosounds seem to be very tight compared to other strings. But overall the action seems a bit higher than usual. When I first got the bass it was perfect, but with the winter setting in and where I live the weather is f-ing ridiculous I suppose the neck shifted big time. I've had this issue with my neckthrough Washburn before, but its not a huge deal.

I should tighten the truss rod a bit then I guess?

Probably is, is taking off the pick guard, might strip the screws.

[mortar]

How much relief do you think these strings and weather changes have added?

Does it look abnormally bowed?

[Merlin_127]

Well the relief has definitely changed over the past 4 months for sure. The new strings haven't changed it much, but they feel a lot tighter, but that's probably where they haven't been stretched.

In any case, yes, the relief seems a bit excessive. I'd like to lower the action a bit at least. I've got a ten day break from school starting tomorrow afternoon, so I'm going to try and work on the bass tomorrow. I might even lug the thing down to where I bought, see what the guy says.

Anyway, thanks for the tips and anything else you guys might suggest!

[blowabs]

i just put rotos on mine....luckily no problem...
you slot for the A string looks offly shallow on your nut there.... looks like it is not cut deep enough.

folks are right...try another string.

[mortar]

You might try rewinding it but try and keep the wraps going down towards the headstock more.

See on this page he actually has one or one and a half more wraps on his post. here.

As for the relief if don't feel comfortable messing with the vintage style neck adjustment ask the place you bought it if they can do if for a small fee. Or free, free is good.

Your nut slots do look shallow but with a prober break angle you should be able to get buy with half the string in the slot on the bass side.

[mutedeity]

As far as I can see the problem is that the string isn't depressed enough from the machine head to keep it in the nut groove. You need to put a new string on and wind it on until it touches the bottom of the machine head.

Also it might be that your truss rod needs adjusting to some extent but usually it would have to be pretty bowed to cause that kind of problem. Your action does seem pretty high to me.

It might even be worth having your bass professionally set up.

[mortar]

See how the break angle on my A string is greater then yours? You can increase this by adding more wraps. But that would take buying a new string.

See if re-wrapping it helps first.

[BlackLake]

I can see that you are in good hands here, so I'll just stick around in case you need further help.

That being said...that bottom pic is just sooooo cool. "your bass has a tv in it, in fact now I see 2!"

That there might make a nice avatar.

[Merlin_127]

I'm going to the shop today, just to check it out. I'll let you guys know.

I'll try the re-string before I go up.

[rhix]

I don't know if it's the same problem I had but I'll tell you how I fixed mine. I bought a thicker gauge string so for some reason it wasn't sitting in the slot properly(it looked liked it fit fine, but the angle was different than the other strings) and was popping out like yours. All I did is slack the string, push down the winding so it was all the way at the bottom of the machine head and re tightened it. The whole time I was winding it, I was also pushing down on the string. This forced it to sit down in the nut slot and it stopped popping out. Are your new strings thicker than your old one perhaps? I permanently fixed the problem by filing the nut slot a tiny fraction to accept the larger string. It hasn't popped out since.

[Merlin_127]

Alright guys, thanks for all the help. I have it fixed now, I took the bass to the store for a setup.

Last night before I did anything else I unwrapped the string and then let a little more of it out of the peg. I believe it was cut too short and where my neck had been bowed in quite a bit it wasn't helping.

Anyway, I learned that I had to take the neck off in order to adjust this bass. I have never had to that before with any of my other basses, so I just chilled out at the store and watched the guy fix it up.

He said that the rod was loosened completely, probably because that's how they shipped it. Now it's perfect.

[mortar]

Good!!

Bet that's on sweet bass?