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Originally Posted by ack  I've heard several things repeatedly referenced in other forums, and I was hoping some of you can explain them to a semi-newbie:
1. Fret dressing - how can I tell if I need one - I've got a few cheapies (SX Jazz, Turser '51 P), but being a bit green at all this, I really can't find any blatant fret problems (compared to my G&L L2k for instance). What should I look for? |
If there is visible fretwear the frets can be dressed. While it's a bit expensive, frets can be dressed several times before refretting is necessary. If you wait until there are ruts under the strings the bass will probably be ready for a partial refret. It always begs the question: Why play on a raggedy surface when you can have the advantages of a custom level and crowning?
BTW, if the bass retails for less that a couple of grand it may need to be dressed when new. There just is not enough time or money available to do a first class job in the factory at these price points.
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2. Swapping out the nut - since the nut basically holds the strings in place between tuners and bridge, what does it matter what material they're made out of?
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The nut affects tone on the open string. It has very little, if any affect on tone once the string is pushed against a fret. Some people will want to argue this point citing that denser material will transfer vibration to the neck better and therefore improve sustain through preservation of energy. It might. Try to quantify it.
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2a. If swapping out the plastic nut on my SX would enhance anything, I'd be interested to know the procedure. I have a bone nut that I bought from StewMac just lying around.
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Performing this task correctly requires a substantial investment in tools. If you take a look at the Stew-Mac site you will find the
files and a
tutorial. While you do not need to buy the entire kit because there are files that are used for non-bass guitars, it is easy to see that the dollars will add up fast. The learning curve is steep, too.
There are some folks that advise the use of a tapered micro file in lieu of spending a lot of money on tools that, unless you decide to become a tech, will only be used a few times. This makes a little bit of sense. But understand that it makes the job a lot harder if precise slots are desired.
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3. Crappy tuners - how can I distinguish good tuners from crappy tuners, other than having to constantly re-tune. I mean, people are always saying "brand-x makes crappy tuners, you should use brand-y". I mean, I've only been at this a year or so, and I've only needed to touch the tuners a handful of times (and I take one of them with me when I travel). I must be doing something wrong.
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The need to constantly retune is usually due more to incorrect stringing and/or tuning techniques than inexpensive tuners. The advantage to quality tuners is that they permit the player to dial in a precise pitch without any slipping that can make hard to get there. But if the guitar is correctly strung and the slack is removed from the tuner then "crappy" tuners will work, too. Remember, you can only tune up. You cannot tune down.
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4. Action - Now, if I understand correctly, action is the height of the strings when not pressed against the frets, correct? I always read in ads "Really low action". I think that depending on the style of play (slap, fingerstyle, pick, etc) you may want/need your action set differently. Is there a general rule of thumb? I have all my basses setup the same, (the famous "credit card width" test) so I really don't know what I would like better. I only play fingerstyle (if that's the correct term) if that is a factor in determining proper action.
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See the sticky at the top of the page.
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I know that these are really dumbass questions, but I tend to over complicate everything I touch and I promised myself that the bass was going to be nothing more than a fun hobby to me.
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There are few stupid questions. There are many stupid answers. These questions are very good ones that many who lurk on this site are dying to ask.
If you're not doing anything, and have a few moments, steer me in the right direction. Thanks
ack[/quote]
