Problems with Badass II

JcHc · #1 06-09-2006, 06:29 PM

Hey, I put on a Badass I bridge on my MIM deluxe active jazz.
With all of the saddle as low as they can go, the action is incredibly high still. I had my bass teacher mess with the neck, and that helped, but it is still very high for my liking.

Any help or suggestions please?

I heard from the guy that filed my saddles( should he have filed the slots dwon more?), that i can put some business cards under the neck to raise it(in return, lowering the action), and I don't know if I want to do something that drastic....thanks

JcHc · #2 06-09-2006, 06:33 PM

I hope this is in the right topic, if not please move it

vindy500 · #3 06-09-2006, 06:35 PM

jus t shim the neck

truckin88 · #4 06-09-2006, 06:36 PM

most likely it will be the saddles, especially if the action change was after the bridge install, this is the one reason i prefer the gotoh 201 over the BA, less work, plus it is cheaper and just as good.

I would recommend paying 30 bucks for a full setup by a pro, and at this point you might as well swap the nut, so everything gets perfect. If you do not know how to do a setup, go to the garywillis setup guide, it has great illustrations. and read the setup forum here

truckin88 · #5 06-09-2006, 06:37 PM

do not shim the neck if that is not the problem.

Setups involve the bridge saddles, the nut, and the truss rod, you need to find where your problem lies

I was taught by the fellas I worked with that you go to shims last.

JcHc · #6 06-09-2006, 06:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckin88

most likely it will be the saddles, especially if the action change was after the bridge install, this is the one reason i prefer the gotoh 201 over the BA, less work, plus it is cheaper and just as good.

I would recommend paying 30 bucks for a full setup by a pro, and at this point you might as well swap the nut, so everything gets perfect. If you do not know how to do a setup, go to the garywillis setup guide, it has great illustrations. and read the setup forum here

thanks, could you give me that web address please?

JcHc · #7 06-09-2006, 06:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckin88

do not shim the neck if that is not the problem.

Setups involve the bridge saddles, the nut, and the truss rod, you need to find where your problem lies

i know, but what about the idea of raising the neck( in return, lower action)?

truckin88 · #8 06-09-2006, 07:24 PM

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

**bassybill** · #9 06-09-2006, 07:34 PM

You need to shim the neck. Just think about it. The bridge is thicker than the stock one and that raises the action. Adjusting the saddles isn't bringing the strings to where you want them because your bridge is too still too high.

This is really easy stuff to sort out if you look on the web for setup advice. Don't worry about shimming the neck, it won't cause any adverse effects on your bass and is a normal part of the setup process whenever your body/neck/hardware combination requires it.

Nino Valenti · #10 06-09-2006, 08:36 PM

Shim the neck, end of story.

truckin88 · #11 06-09-2006, 10:53 PM

Well I would listen to nino, he builds one hell of a bass.

shimming the neck won't cause any problems, but what if it is not the problem? Bring it to a pro, to find what the problem is, especially if you do now know what your are doing. It can be hard to diagnose over the internet

FROM LQ BADASS WEBSITE:

"For years, we have informed builders and players that each of our string saddles must be file cut with round files equal to the diameter of each string. Sometimes the installers or resellers do not inform the players, and the result is a less than optimum sound.

Unlike Round saddles of most other bridges, we've maintained the need to custom fit every string to every instring. This results in the very best of tone transfer from string to body, and provides a precise "Speaking Point" ( a phrase we coined ) which is far more accurate than a prenotched rounded saddle. As they say, if you are a serious artist, you will use serious tools; so please take the time to have the work done properly by an experienced professional guitar repair person - you wouldn't believe how many saddles we sell to people who thought they could file the notches and save a few dollars and time :-( So, do it right the first time. Thank you."

JcHc · #12 06-10-2006, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nino Valenti

Shim the neck, end of story.

so, could some one tell me what the hell shimming the neck means?

Supergroup · #13 06-10-2006, 01:19 AM

You need to file your saddles more. I had the same problem... you want to control your action through the truss rod and the saddle adjustments, not a shim. The BA II is thicker than the stock bridge on an MIM Jazz so the tolerences aren;t the same. Take it from a guy that has been there... not a guy that owns Sadowsky and Valenti basses.

**bassybill** · #14 06-10-2006, 02:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supergroup

You need to file your saddles more.

You probably won't be able to do this far enough to make enough difference. You only want your saddle slots to be about half a string thickness deep, not 3-4mm.

Quote:

Take it from a guy that has been there...

I've got three basses with BAII bridges - two out of the three needed neck shims to get the action where I wanted. As I said, it's a normal part of setting up and a quick search will tell you how it's done.

Nino Valenti · #15 06-10-2006, 06:03 AM

pkr2 · #16 06-10-2006, 06:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Supergroup

You need to file your saddles more. I had the same problem... you want to control your action through the truss rod and the saddle adjustments, not a shim. The BA II is thicker than the stock bridge on an MIM Jazz so the tolerences aren;t the same. Take it from a guy that has been there... not a guy that owns Sadowsky and Valenti basses.

Poorly worded bad advice.

If you replace a bridge with a thicker bridge and the saddle heigth wont adjust low enough, a neck shim is the normal way to correct the prob.

Lots of basses have been built with a tilt adjustment. The tilt does identically the same thing that a shim does.

Filing the bridge to lower the action is a NON REVERSIBLE MISTAKE! In other words if filing it doesn't work (and it wont) all you can do is throw the bridge away and replace it. A shim is a reversible adjustment. If you're not happy with the results just remove the shim and you are back where you started. No harm, no foul.

JcHc, shimming the neck means to remove the neck and put a strip(s) of cardboard such as a business card between the neck and the body and reattatching the neck. It serves the same purpose as making the bridge thicker or thinner, depending on where the shim is located in the pocket in the body that the neck goes into.

If I were you, I'd try to find some help since you are new to set-up. Shimming the neck is a little more involved than the normal setup adjustments and may require two or three tries to get it just right.

Consider the advice that Nino offered as golden. That is some pretty high caliber advice, considering that this man has proven his expertise by designing and building great instruments. He doesn't just own great instruments he starts with raw wood and creates great basses.

Good luck.

truckin88 · #17 06-10-2006, 09:06 AM

like I said bring it to a pro, to see what is wrong, $30 and you are on ur way

pkr2 · #18 06-10-2006, 10:12 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by truckin88

like I said bring it to a pro, to see what is wrong, $30 and you are on ur way

Bottom line, you're exactly correct in your answer. Only prob being that every request for help could be answered with the same reply.

There really wouldn't be a need for the set up forum any longer. We don't want that, do we?

werbo1 · #19 06-10-2006, 10:19 AM

Whats a Shim? What Nino Showed with that little piece of matter to raise the neck?

lonote · #20 06-10-2006, 10:26 AM

IMO, there are some folks here with limited knowlege who offer advice that is just flat-out wrong...they have the best of intentions but we all know where what the road to hell is paved with. On a forum like this, people with questions, especially newbies, don't know who to trust about set-up issues so all advice given here carries the same weight. Nino, pkr2, Joshua and Hambone know which end is up. Other people here do also, but a lot of people don't know what they're talking about. Please, please...if you don't KNOW 100% FOR SURE what you're talking about, don't offer advice...read and learn but don't offer advice until you KNOW what you're talking about.