Neck angle...with respect to body?

[ajacquem]

Hi Folks,

there's a question I ask myself about "setting".

I know a lot of tips and techniques about setting action but I never tried to deal with the famous "tilt" adjsutement.

On 70's Jazz Bass models there's a 3 screws plate to fix the neck and a small screw for tilt adjsutement.

Is this screw here only to compensate the wrong range of bridge setting or does it really have an influence on the action setting?

Some luthier add a shim under the neck and I've heard a lot of things about this. Does it (as many people say!!!) influence the clarity of high frequencies? Does it influence the action setting?
In my modest opinion, the fact of adding a shim reduces the contact surface between the neck and the body and in consequence reduces sensitively the vibration transmission through these important elements! In the same direction, the "tilt" adjustement screw of some Fender JB is creating a "point" contact which is dramatic for the sound conduction!

Am I wrong?

[dropbass]

im haveing issues with my jazz...i feel the neck is back too far...i dunno any pics??? guys

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by ajacquem

Is this screw here only to compensate the wrong range of bridge setting or does it really have an influence on the action setting?

The screw allow you to substitue a different bridge (perhaps one with a thicker baseplate) and adjust the neck angle to compensate for the difference of the bridge. Does it have an effect on "action"? - depends what you mean by that term. Tilting the neck back will bring the strings closer to the fingerboard. But when you raise the bridge to gain back the string height, the "action" returns to what it was before. The only effects will be a greater string break angle at the bridge and a bit more clearance between the strings and the body.

Originally Posted by ajacquem

Some luthier add a shim under the neck and I've heard a lot of things about this. Does it (as many people say!!!) influence the clarity of high frequencies? Does it influence the action setting?

Some people say they can hear the difference once a shim has been added. I haven't been able to hear any change. And in a band setting I think it would be impossible for your audience to detect even the slightest difference.

Yes if you add a shim (or adjust the micro-tilt) you will need to adjust the "action". Assuming your neck relief was set correctly before adding the shim, you will only have to adjust the bridge to get correct string height.

[Widdershins]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

a great explanation

+1

end of story

[dropbass]

Originally Posted by Turnaround

The screw allow you to substitue a different bridge (perhaps one with a thicker baseplate) and adjust the neck angle to compensate for the difference of the bridge. Does it have an effect on "action"? - depends what you mean by that term. Tilting the neck back will bring the strings closer to the fingerboard. But when you raise the bridge to gain back the string height, the "action" returns to what it was before. The only effects will be a greater string break angle at the bridge and a bit more clearance between the strings and the body.



Some people say they can hear the difference once a shim has been added. I haven't been able to hear any change. And in a band setting I think it would be impossible for your audience to detect even the slightest difference.

Yes if you add a shim (or adjust the micro-tilt) you will need to adjust the "action". Assuming your neck relief was set correctly before adding the shim, you will only have to adjust the bridge to get correct string height.

k lowered saddles to flat ...the neck is straight with a hair of relief... then i use the micro tilt to raise the neck to where its touching the strings.(maybe a bit more so i have up and down adjustment on the saddles...at the heel its making an angle where the end of the neck touches the strings..now i compensate with the saddles...when i raise saddles to suit...where the neck ends...it plays awesome till the 12 fret then like dies out on all frets. cause the angle is too extreme...then when i raise to just where it wont fret i can shoot arrows cause of the string height...is it the radius of the fret board not liking the badass brdge....the bridge was installed at the factory...sorry im not trying to beat this to death...i just wanna play my bass wahh

[santucci218]

I read a little and added a shim to my Jazz bass. Man did it make a difference!

Buy this book. It teaches you how to Shim your bass, and do anything else you would ever want to do, lol. (really buy it, best book i ever got!)

http://www.amazon.com/Guitar-Player-...4706408&sr=8-5