setting up a GT-7

**Josh Ryan** · #1 08-26-2003, 02:28 PM

Is it the same as any bass? I'd like to lower the action by a hair, but I'm feeling a bit intimidated by this neck. Anyone have experience with this truss rod situation? Is there anything I really need to worry about that is outside the realm of normal bass set-up? I screwed around with this before, but I can't remember if I did anything outside of the norm. Thanks!

**Josh Ryan** · #2 08-27-2003, 10:56 PM

Well I guess the thing is to go slow and count the turns for both rods. Worked for me anyway.

**Josh Ryan** · #3 08-28-2003, 05:09 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Josh Walsh

This is correct (I am assuming it is a dual rod). Check relief on both sides of the neck and proceed slowly...

Yep dual rod. The neck is very similar to a coffee table, so I wanted to make sure I avoid cracking it. I wonder though, how slowly is really needed? I am doing a small adjustment (sorry, I didn't measure I'm going by feel) over the course of a day and a half.

**john turner** · #4 08-28-2003, 08:59 PM

how much do you want to lower the action? you shouldn't have to change the neck that much for this.

Killdar · #5 08-28-2003, 09:20 PM

I'd like to know how the fret buzz situation is with GT-7's when the action is lowered and setup by yourself. Is the construction and build quality so good as to be able to not buzz very much if at all when lowered to what may be considered low action?

Forgive that possibly obvious question. My bass buzzes a lot, which may or may not have to do with my own setup, (it might be that the frets need work or something) but I often hear of well made basses (such as sadowskys etc.) having action extremely low with no buzz whatsoever. Is this possible with just a well made bass and an unprofessional setup or is the cause something along the lines of a professional setup by the luthier?

I guess it goes for all basses like that...but it seems a good time to ask such a question.

**Josh Ryan** · #6 08-28-2003, 11:21 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by john turner
how much do you want to lower the action? you shouldn't have to change the neck that much for this.

Just a hair, I turned it maybe a half turn each, and it's where I like it now. I maybe went SLIGHTLY faster than I should have, but it seems to have worked out great.

Killdar- no problem with buzz. I'm not at Wooten levels, but it's a reasonably low action.

Killdar · #7 08-29-2003, 12:58 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Blisshead

Killdar- no problem with buzz. I'm not at Wooten levels, but it's a reasonably low action.

cool...even if you dig in does it still not buzz?

(sorry for being persistant, but I gotta know.)

On a similar note, I remember reading when some TBer (forget who) was playing one of Wooten's Foderas, he couldn't get them to not buzz profusely. I'm not sure how relevant that is here, but if certain basses don't buzz even at the lowest of actions and hardest of digging-ins, wouldn't it make sense for a company like Fodera to be similar in that respect? Or am I missing something?

**Josh Ryan** · #8 08-29-2003, 07:29 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Killdar

cool...even if you dig in does it still not buzz?

(sorry for being persistant, but I gotta know.)

On a similar note, I remember reading when some TBer (forget who) was playing one of Wooten's Foderas, he couldn't get them to not buzz profusely. I'm not sure how relevant that is here, but if certain basses don't buzz even at the lowest of actions and hardest of digging-ins, wouldn't it make sense for a company like Fodera to be similar in that respect? Or am I missing something?

It's all in how you play it. Wooten's Fodera's don't buzz when Wooten plays them...he has them set extremely low. Every bass will buzz at super low action until the player developes ther technique to the point where they can control it.

**john turner** · #9 08-29-2003, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by Killdar

On a similar note, I remember reading when some TBer (forget who) was playing one of Wooten's Foderas, he couldn't get them to not buzz profusely. I'm not sure how relevant that is here, but if certain basses don't buzz even at the lowest of actions and hardest of digging-ins, wouldn't it make sense for a company like Fodera to be similar in that respect? Or am I missing something?

that might have been me - i played on his bass and even the open strings were practically fretting out. he just has his action set really really low. fits his style of playing, obviously.

**john turner** · #10 08-29-2003, 08:41 AM

i know you've done it already, but hopefully if you were tightening the rod you loosened the strings first

**Josh Ryan** · #11 08-29-2003, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by john turner
i know you've done it already, but hopefully if you were tightening the rod you loosened the strings first

Yep, I'm pretty OK at doing this on a single truss rod...but for some reason the double scared me. I think I've read too many truss rod horror stories lately. I actually loosen the strings either way, habit maybe?.