setup ?s

[axeinurface]

i have a couple basses that DEFINITELY need to be setup. however, i am pretty broke right now so i'm going to give it a try myself, i've been playing long enough i have a pretty good idea how it works but i had a couple questions that none of the videos i have seen addressed.
#1: what is the first step i do with a setup? (i.e. string height, intonate,neck adjust)

#2: for the first bass i'm trying to fix, i think the truss rod needs to be tightened. it plays OK with no string buzz but the string are kind of high on the upper frets. the saddles are pretty much lowered all the way (i bought the bass like that). i just want to be sure i'm getting the right idea of what i'm seeing. the g string is about 3/32" @ the 1st fret and 6/32 at the 12th. i doubt it has ever had anything done before.

i put a post on here before but i couldn't find it to read any replies, but i figured out how to do it easier..thanks for any help.

[Tracebassplayer]

Go here for info on setup, neck relief, string height, etc. Spector has put it all in writing for you and you won't miss anything.
Stuart Spector Designs, LTD - Owner Support Tech Tips
Ok the link it really long but it is "owner support" page where they show you how to setup and maintain your bass.
3rd pic down you will see "Tech Tips" click there and read up.

[Steveaux]

Set-up answers ...

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

[202dy]

Originally Posted by axeinurface

i have a couple basses that DEFINITELY need to be setup. however, i am pretty broke right now so i'm going to give it a try myself, i've been playing long enough i have a pretty good idea how it works but i had a couple questions that none of the videos i have seen addressed.
#1: what is the first step i do with a setup? (i.e. string height, intonate,neck adjust)

#2: for the first bass i'm trying to fix, i think the truss rod needs to be tightened. it plays OK with no string buzz but the string are kind of high on the upper frets. the saddles are pretty much lowered all the way (i bought the bass like that). i just want to be sure i'm getting the right idea of what i'm seeing. the g string is about 3/32" @ the 1st fret and 6/32 at the 12th. i doubt it has ever had anything done before.

i put a post on here before but i couldn't find it to read any replies, but i figured out how to do it easier..thanks for any help.

1: When making adjustments, neck adjustment is first if necessary. Check the relief to make sure that it is within spec, roughly .012" +/_ a couple of thousandths. Feeler gauges and a precision straight edge are the tools of choice for this. In the absence of these, fretting a string at the first and last fret (or the seventeenth, fourteenth, or neck/body joint, whichever makes sense to you). Otherwise string height adjustment is the first thing to do. Intonation is last.

2: Measure string height at twelfth and last fret on both the bass and treble sides. This will give you an idea as to the neck angle. If it is good, move on to the rest of the set up.

3: Measuring string height at the nut is usually accomplished by fretting the string(s) at the third fret and measuring the clearance at the first fret. The benchmark is approximately .003". That is the thickness of a piece of note book paper.

[axeinurface]

@202dy:
so i fretted @ the 3rd and i used a piece of paper to check it (don't have any feeler gauges at the moment) and it seems like it is just passing through it (i can hear the string & fret lightly touching the paper). does this mean it is good as far as that goes? i wouldn't be able to slide the paper between the fret & string if it was too low...correct?

unfortunately all the techs around here i have talked to don't want to offer any help unless i pay them to fix it....and they don't wanna show me what they are doing.a-holes.

[AmadeusXeno]

The way I setup my basses is new strings, adjust truss rod, adjust action, then intonate. I do it in exactly that order. For the truss rod loosen for more relief, and thighten for less. For action raise or lower the bridge saddles to where you like. To intonate adjust the screws at the back of the bridge. When the string is in tune the 12th fret should be in tune at the same note, just an octive higher. If it is too sharp tighten the screw on the back of the bridge for that string. If it is too flat loosen the screw (might have to push the saddle too because string tension could keep it from sliding twords the neck). Retune after intonation adjustment and check again till done. Hope this helps.

[testing1two]

#1
Actually, the first step should be to re-string IMO. This gives you an opportunity to lube the nut slots and more importantly, to ensure you have enough string wrapped around each tuner post. Having at least 3 wraps around the post (2 for B & E strings) will ensure proper break angle and down pressure on the nut. New strings should also be used when setting intonation.

Once the new strings are installed, set the neck relief, then the action (use a ruler), then the intonation. Re-adjust the action to compensate for any changes made during intonation and you're all set.

#2
Adjusting the truss rod won't affect the action of the upper frets. In fact, the truss rod should only be adjusted to set the neck relief in the middle of the neck. To check the neck relief hold down the first & last fret on the E string and inspect the gap between the top of the fret and the bottom of the string around the 7th-9th fret. This gap is your neck relief. It should be fairly small, say the thickness of a heavy guitar pick. If it is greater then you should tighten the truss rod in small increments until it is correct. If the string is touching the fret, then loosen the truss rod in small increments until the relief is correct.

If you can't achieve the proper action in the upper register by lowering the bridge saddles, then you can try adding a shim underneath the neck. This is done by placing a thin strip of shim stock (a piece of a business card works great) in the neck pocket closest to the bridge.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by axeinurface

@202dy:
so i fretted @ the 3rd and i used a piece of paper to check it (don't have any feeler gauges at the moment) and it seems like it is just passing through it (i can hear the string & fret lightly touching the paper). does this mean it is good as far as that goes? i wouldn't be able to slide the paper between the fret & string if it was too low...correct?

That is correct.

unfortunately all the techs around here i have talked to don't want to offer any help unless i pay them to fix it....and they don't wanna show me what they are doing.a-holes.

The "disrespectful term" to whom you refer possess knowledge and skills that you do not. It has cost them much time and money to acquire those skills, to say nothing of the specialized tooling that litters their shops. To ask them to perform a repair for free is to take the bread from their tables. Expecting them to provide instruction without remuneration is unconscionable.

[JTE]

Originally Posted by 202dy

That is correct.

The "disrespectful term" to whom you refer possess knowledge and skills that you do not. It has cost them much time and money to acquire those skills, to say nothing of the specialized tooling that litters their shops. To ask them to perform a repair for free is to take the bread from their tables. Expecting them to provide instruction without remuneration is unconscionable.

Quoted because you said it better I would have.

John

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by 202dy

The "disrespectful term" to whom you refer possess knowledge and skills that you do not. It has cost them much time and money to acquire those skills, to say nothing of the specialized tooling that litters their shops. To ask them to perform a repair for free is to take the bread from their tables. Expecting them to provide instruction without remuneration is unconscionable.

+1. They earn part or all of their living by performing this service, and you expect them to tell you how to do it for free?



The next time your toilet is leaking, try calling a plumber and asking him how you can fix it yourself.

There are web sites that tell you how to fix plumbing problems. There are web sites (like TalkBass) that tell you how to set up your bass. But you are WAY off base to expect a skilled tradesperson (luthier, instrument tech, plumber, whatever) to give it up for free.

[bolophonic]

I have a bass that needs to be set up and I know I have to learn how to do it, which might take a long time. The OP should just find a tech who is willing to teach him how to do it and pay whatever it costs to learn it once.

[Tracebassplayer]

Originally Posted by bolophonic

I have a bass that needs to be set up and I know I have to learn how to do it, which might take a long time. The OP should just find a tech who is willing to teach him how to do it and pay whatever it costs to learn it once.

+1 That's good advice.

That's partly how I learned to do it.

[Joshua]

First and foremost, report don't respond if you have a trouble with someone's posts.

Secondly, coming into a forum populated with lots o' folks who either have made or currently make some/all of their living repairing instruments and making disparaging comments about brother's and sister's shop rules is not going to go over well.

Also, the liability of showing a customer how to perform a repair "at the shop" opens up way too much liability for my comfort ("but that's how you said to do it!").