Standard Relief?

[tjclem]

What do you all aim for when setting relief on a fretted bass? 10 thousands? 20? 30? Thanks

[Zooberwerx]

Sorry, not a builder here but I go for .012-.014. Nice balance between playability and minimal fret noise.

Riis

[mikeyswood]

Varies by player. You have the right range, but I have some players like like a huge bow and some, like myself, that prefer a dead-nuts straight neck.

[tjclem]

Originally Posted by mikeyswood

Varies by player. You have the right range, but I have some players like like a huge bow and some, like myself, that prefer a dead-nuts straight neck.

How can you have a dead straight neck without having the bridge sky high?

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by tjclem

How can you have a dead straight neck without having the bridge sky high?

Interestingly enough, Bass Player covered this same topic some years ago....can't recall who the bassist was. IIRC, it requires some mighty fine fret work (including some degree of drop-off), compensation at the nut to prevent "back buzz", judicious height adjustment at the bridge, and most importantly, some skill on the part of the player. I think a ramp was involved, as well. As for me....forget it, I can't make it work. YMMV.

Riis

[mikeyswood]

Have a look at how Sadowsky runs his frets after the 15th fret, Tom. Alembic and early BC Riches are able to be straight without buzz but it takes a player that doesn't beat their bass to be able to play them that way.

[202dy]

.012", +/- .012".

Originally Posted by tjclem

How can you have a dead straight neck without having the bridge sky high?

It is unusual, but not unheard of, to have a dead straight neck and have the instrument play well. It is seen more often on standard guitars than in bass guitars. The bridge does not necessarily have to be high. That is dependent on neck angle.

The success or failure of this kind of setup is also dependent on both the accuracy of the fretwork and the technique of the player. If either is heavy handed all bets are off.

[scottbass]

Originally Posted by Zooberwerx

...I go for .012-.014. Nice balance between playability and minimal fret noise.

+1 That's where I set mine.

[bobunit]

How do you measure relief on the neck? Feeler gauges at the point where there is the most bow? I have a Stingray that has some relief, but I would like to how much.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by bobunit

How do you measure relief on the neck? Feeler gauges at the point where there is the most bow? I have a Stingray that has some relief, but I would like to how much.

Feeler gauges: Yes.

How depends on tooling. If a precision straight edge is available, then the measurement is taken at the seventh fret. If using the string fretted at the first and last fret, most folks say the eighth fret.

All measurements are taken from the top of the fret to the bottom of the straight edge or string. This is where the straight edge really shines because it doesn't move when the gauges are inserted. Those who have embraced bifocals as a way of life sometimes have a hard time seeing the string move.

[tjclem]

This is what i use what about you guys?

http://www.stewmac.com/shop/Tools/St...ctures#details

[251]

Originally Posted by tjclem

What do you all aim for when setting relief on a fretted bass? 10 thousands? 20? 30? Thanks

Standard relief? I think setup is very personal & you can define a standard that works well for you with just a little experimentation.

With a dead straight neck the minimum bridge height will be determined by your right hand touch. The harder you dig in, the higher the bridge must be. Anthony Jackson says a dead straight neck is the logical way to go. I've tried dead straight & a little relief is what works best for me.

Likewise, the minimum amount of relief in the neck is related to your right hand touch. Dig in hard & you need more relief for the vibrating string to not buzz the frets. The closer you come to minimum relief/bridge height, the more sensitive your bass will be to changes in temperature & humidity. Furthermore, in humid seasons, like Summer in New England, I can set 0.005-0.008" relief. In dry seasons (Winter) I increase to 0.010-0.015". I don't understand why, it is just what I see myself doing. In Massachusetts, the wood shrinks so that I can feel the fret ends from mid-January 'til mid-March. YRMV, in Florida.

I find with a wood bass, the setup needs a tweak every 4-5 months. I often carry a simple setup kit with me & can do a set up with the bass hanging on my shoulder in under 10 minutes. If I don't have 10 minutes, I'll raise the bridge 1/32" (a full turn of a 32 pitch screw) & deal with the slightly higher action. Perfection just isn't important enough to delay a session.

[bobunit]

Originally Posted by 202dy

Feeler gauges: Yes.

How depends on tooling. If a precision straight edge is available, then the measurement is taken at the seventh fret. If using the string fretted at the first and last fret, most folks say the eighth fret.

All measurements are taken from the top of the fret to the bottom of the straight edge or string. This is where the straight edge really shines because it doesn't move when the gauges are inserted. Those who have embraced bifocals as a way of life sometimes have a hard time seeing the string move.

Thank you.

[202dy]

Originally Posted by 251

Standard relief? I think setup is very personal & you can define a standard that works well for you with just a little experimentation.

.012" is simply a standard. Start there and commence tweaking.

It is easy to get caught up in the numbers. They're important in that they help in bringing each instrument to a recognizable, repeatable benchmark from whence to start dialing in the ideal set up. That is, remembering that the ideal setup is dictated by the player's technique.

I find with a wood bass, the setup needs a tweak every 4-5 months. I often carry a simple setup kit with me & can do a set up with the bass hanging on my shoulder in under 10 minutes. If I don't have 10 minutes, I'll raise the bridge 1/32" (a full turn of a 32 pitch screw) & deal with the slightly higher action. Perfection just isn't important enough to delay a session.

Bold: Commit to memory.

[251]

Oh No. Not the bold, not the bold type! LOL

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by tjclem

What do you all aim for when setting relief on a fretted bass? 10 thousands? 20? 30? Thanks

As straight as I can get it.
Pretty much no relief.
Works well for me.

[tjclem]

Those of you with little or no relief what is the measurement from the last fret to the bottom of the "E" string?

[FunkMetalBass]

Never measured relief, but I shoot for "as straight as possible."

I haven't had the pleasure of shimming the neck and rolling off the upper frets yet, so my views may change after that.

Consider this: your frets are placed based on a flat fretboard. If you curve it, you are changing the distance between the fret tops, and negatively impacting intonation.

[cnltb]

Originally Posted by tjclem

Those of you with little or no relief what is the measurement from the last fret to the bottom of the "E" string?

just shy of 2mm to the fret, 3mm to the fingerboard.
Same on all strings.
The nut is 2.5mm from string to fingerboard..on all strings.

[Turnaround]

Originally Posted by FunkMetalBass

Consider this: your frets are placed based on a flat fretboard. If you curve it, you are changing the distance between the fret tops, and negatively impacting intonation.

I hope you are kidding . At 12 thousandths of a inch of curvature over a 24 inch fingerboard, the change of distance between fret tops is of no consequence at all.