so I've bought a 2nd hand fretless bass....

[redname]

and I'm trying to do some setup for this bass.

I've met some difficulties and i hope I can get some help from TB.

1) I've got the neck straight but the relief of the E-string is more than a credit card thickness. what can i do to make it lower?

My neck is already very tight cause it was quite hard to tighten it already at the later stage. Would a lower nut or lighter strings help?

My saddle is already at the bottom but I'm not sure will this help in adjusting the relief.

2) as the bass is old, there are some screws at the pickups which already have their slots rounded.

how can i go about removing them?

I don't have any power tools at home and I'm concern also as the screws are so small, so it wld be difficult to remove them using power tools.

any suggestions?

thanks in advance

[202dy]

Originally Posted by redname

and I'm trying to do some setup for this bass.

I've met some difficulties and i hope I can get some help from TB.

1) I've got the neck straight but the relief of the E-string is more than a credit card thickness. what can i do to make it lower?

My neck is already very tight cause it was quite hard to tighten it already at the later stage. Would a lower nut or lighter strings help?

My saddle is already at the bottom but I'm not sure will this help in adjusting the relief.

2) as the bass is old, there are some screws at the pickups which already have their slots rounded.

how can i go about removing them?

I don't have any power tools at home and I'm concern also as the screws are so small, so it wld be difficult to remove them using power tools.

any suggestions?

thanks in advance

1. Anomalies/straightening the neck: If the fingerboard is straight under tension when verified with a straight edge the only thing that can be done is to plane the fingerboard. It is possible that a custom set of strings might allow the bass side to lie straight.

2. When the truss rod nut is tight the usual remedy is to release the tension on the neck and then clamp the neck into a back bow while readjusting. If the nut is bottomed out the remedy is to place a washer or two on the rod to extend the thread travel of the nut.

3. It is not clear as to why the neck is to be straighter. What is the goal?

4. Saddles have nothing to do with relief. When the saddle is bottomed out on a bolt on neck the remedy is to shim the neck. This changes the geometry and allows for more saddle travel so that the strings can be lowered to the fingerboard.

5. Screws with rounded slots can be removed with pliers. Vice grips work even better. Another alternative, if the screw can be accessed, is to cut a new slot in the screw head with a file or Dremel tool. Then a regular slotted screwdriver is used to back the screw out. Whichever method chosen, replace the screw with a new one.

[redname]

Originally Posted by 202dy

1. Anomalies/straightening the neck: If the fingerboard is straight under tension when verified with a straight edge the only thing that can be done is to plane the fingerboard. It is possible that a custom set of strings might allow the bass side to lie straight.

2. When the truss rod nut is tight the usual remedy is to release the tension on the neck and then clamp the neck into a back bow while readjusting. If the nut is bottomed out the remedy is to place a washer or two on the rod to extend the thread travel of the nut.

3. It is not clear as to why the neck is to be straighter. What is the goal?

4. Saddles have nothing to do with relief. When the saddle is bottomed out on a bolt on neck the remedy is to shim the neck. This changes the geometry and allows for more saddle travel so that the strings can be lowered to the fingerboard.

5. Screws with rounded slots can be removed with pliers. Vice grips work even better. Another alternative, if the screw can be accessed, is to cut a new slot in the screw head with a file or Dremel tool. Then a regular slotted screwdriver is used to back the screw out. Whichever method chosen, replace the screw with a new one.

wow, I think I'm kind of lost here after reading these.

Let's see if i understand you.

1. by planing the fingerboard, that would widen the gap for the relief right? Cause i want to actually reduce the relief as my current relief is too much (about 2 credit card thickness, I test it by pressing down the string on the 1st fret and the last fret.

by saying custom set of strings, do you actually mean that a lighter set of strings might reduce the relief? cause that's what i want.

2. i don't undestand what you mean by "clamp the neck into a back bow while readjusting"

i assume adding a washer to the nut will raise the nut? would this lower the relief?

3. no goal actually, was reading some articles and it mentioned that the neck needs to be straight.

4. what is "shim the neck"?

5. haha, this i understand, will try this out.


sorry for my noobness, still trying to learn setting up, i just like to do work like this myself, it's really satisfying

[202dy]

Originally Posted by redname

wow, I think I'm kind of lost here after reading these.

Let's see if i understand you.

1. by planing the fingerboard, that would widen the gap for the relief right? Cause i want to actually reduce the relief as my current relief is too much (about 2 credit card thickness, I test it by pressing down the string on the 1st fret and the last fret.

The fingerboard is straightened and planed flat so that there are no bumps or dips. That means that all the high spots would be removed, which in this particular case is everything that is "straight".

by saying custom set of strings, do you actually mean that a lighter set of strings might reduce the relief? cause that's what i want.

"Light" doesn't have anything to do with it. It is all about tension. If the bass side strings are at less tension they may allow the neck to straighten across the fingerboard.

2. i don't undestand what you mean by "clamp the neck into a back bow while readjusting"

A strong bar is placed on cauls at the first and fourteenth fret. A clamp and caul are located at the seventh and clamped to the back of the neck and the bar. Pressure is applied to pull the neck into a back bow.

i assume adding a washer to the nut will raise the nut? would this lower the relief?

Truss rod nut, not string nut. The string nut has nothing to do with relief.

3. no goal actually, was reading some articles and it mentioned that the neck needs to be straight.

If there is no goal, there is no reason to tweak the set up.

4. what is "shim the neck"?

The neck is removed and a small (.030") shim is inserted at the bridge end of the neck pocket. This result is raising the body end of the neck. When done correctly, the saddles will have the correct amount of range.

5. haha, this i understand, will try this out.


sorry for my noobness, still trying to learn setting up, i just like to do work like this myself, it's really satisfying

However, given the questions, fraught with danger. These are issues best resolved by a pro.

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by 202dy

However, given the questions, fraught with danger. These are issues best resolved by a pro.

Uh-huh!

[redname]

Originally Posted by 202dy

The fingerboard is straightened and planed flat so that there are no bumps or dips. That means that all the high spots would be removed, which in this particular case is everything that is "straight".

"Light" doesn't have anything to do with it. It is all about tension. If the bass side strings are at less tension they may allow the neck to straighten across the fingerboard.

A strong bar is placed on cauls at the first and fourteenth fret. A clamp and caul are located at the seventh and clamped to the back of the neck and the bar. Pressure is applied to pull the neck into a back bow.

Truss rod nut, not string nut. The string nut has nothing to do with relief.
If there is no goal, there is no reason to tweak the set up.
The neck is removed and a small (.030") shim is inserted at the bridge end of the neck pocket. This result is raising the body end of the neck. When done correctly, the saddles will have the correct amount of range.

However, given the questions, fraught with danger. These are issues best resolved by a pro.

aaaaaaahhhh, now things starts to makes sense.

thanks man yah, I'll be looking for a pro to do this if there's need for some tools but i might try to shim the neck myself

[redname]

ok, i successfully shim the neck after reading some guides online, wasn't that hard.

i tried to take out the worn screw by another method. i used a screwdriver and placed it on top of the screw and used a hammer to gently hit the screwdriver, this way the screwdriver will cut into the worn screw head and create slots.

[bassbenj]

Originally Posted by redname

ok, i successfully shim the neck after reading some guides online, wasn't that hard.

i tried to take out the worn screw by another method. i used a screwdriver and placed it on top of the screw and used a hammer to gently hit the screwdriver, this way the screwdriver will cut into the worn screw head and create slots.

Nope neck shimming is easy. I like to use pieces of metal shim stock. (brass) and some people like to use thin plastic. "Traditional" is a piece of matchbook cover from a dive bar....

The "hammer method" can work. I've used it some myself. Just hammer and don't remove the screwdriver. keep pushing into the screw and try to remove the screw. Try brand new screwdrivers with SHARP edges in different sizes. That can sometimes work. And finally if all else fails I'd go with the recommended slot sawed in the screw head. Best way to do that is a Dremel tool with a tiny abrasive metal cutting disk attachment. Note screws are steel so tape pickup to keep grinding dust from sticking all over your poles. Note that pickup screws ALWAYS end up with buggered heads. This is why I always try to replace them with Allen head machine bolts and threaded inserts. (this is a pretty complex operation for a beginner)

I wouldn't worry about all the "see a pro" stuff. You have the right idea. Second hand bass and use it as an "educational" project to learn all about setup. You'll only need to see a pro if disaster happens like say one of those screws you are trying to remove snaps off down in the bass! You are doing good!

[redname]

Originally Posted by bassbenj

Nope neck shimming is easy. I like to use pieces of metal shim stock. (brass) and some people like to use thin plastic. "Traditional" is a piece of matchbook cover from a dive bar....

The "hammer method" can work. I've used it some myself. Just hammer and don't remove the screwdriver. keep pushing into the screw and try to remove the screw. Try brand new screwdrivers with SHARP edges in different sizes. That can sometimes work. And finally if all else fails I'd go with the recommended slot sawed in the screw head. Best way to do that is a Dremel tool with a tiny abrasive metal cutting disk attachment. Note screws are steel so tape pickup to keep grinding dust from sticking all over your poles. Note that pickup screws ALWAYS end up with buggered heads. This is why I always try to replace them with Allen head machine bolts and threaded inserts. (this is a pretty complex operation for a beginner)

I wouldn't worry about all the "see a pro" stuff. You have the right idea. Second hand bass and use it as an "educational" project to learn all about setup. You'll only need to see a pro if disaster happens like say one of those screws you are trying to remove snaps off down in the bass! You are doing good!

i used a name card actually to shim the neck, cut off about half the name card, traced the shape and cut it into size