Loose neck???

burnthill · #1 02-26-2002, 02:42 PM

Just picked up a new (to me) '94 Wasburn XB-500 5 string with "active electronics". I love the tonal range I can get, but noticed something the other day that bothered me.
I'd be tuning one of the 3 lower strings and my meter would register "right on", but when I let go of a tuning knob, the needle would register a bit flat. Yes I may have been pressing down some on the knob.
If light hand pressure tightened the string and taking it off, loosened it, wouldn't that indicate the neck is not tight to the body? If so, what's the best way to deal with the problem? Get out a screw driver and torque away, or is it more complicated than that?

burnthill · #2 03-02-2002, 06:48 AM

...took the bass by the horns and took a screwdriver to the neck. Some of them made a half-turn without any resistance. Intonation and adjustment are part of the warranty work, according to the salesman, so it's in the shop today. But I'll bet that solved the tuning problem.

merlin · #3 03-02-2002, 05:10 PM

I have a XB500 too. Amazing bass, its ma baby. lol

I tune with a electronic tuner and yes it does go a bit flat, but i only use the tuner as a guide. Use your ears instead. I often find, even though the tuner says "perfect" i can octave tune and i am slightly out. And the thing is, after i octave tune i become perfectly in tune with my guitarist... and thats all that matters!

Merls

Chasarms · #4 03-04-2002, 10:30 AM

I have never seen a bass (or any other stringed instrument) that doesn't do this a little bit. As the string loses energy, it tends to go flat. It is probably more accurate to say that it starts sharp and then "resolves." But that isn't important.

The extent of it is based on both the instrument and the player. The more aggressively you strike the string, the bigger an issue this is.

If it is severe, it could be mechanical, but I am almost certain it isn't a loose neck. You would have more problems than that if that were the case.

If it is exactly tied to your release of the tuning gear, it could be the gear itself is a bit loose or perhaps failing, and it is letting go a bit after you release it.

A tip: Always release the tuning gear going forward with tension. That is, if you are a bit sharp, tune past correct until flat and then back up to correct pitch. IME, this helps the tuners stay tight. (Plus if tuning by ear, I think it is easier to hear the note go into correct pitch moving up rather than down, but that may just be me.)

Chas