Tuning / Setup issue - Need Help

[T.A.P Bass]

I think the setup on my '97 MIA Jazz Deluxe 5 is no longer good to go.

My band plays in Drop C, so my tuning (low-to-high) is ACGCF.

I've been playing in this tuning for years and have never had any issues.

Recently, I've noticed that when I'm tuning with my Boss TU-2 I'm a 1/2 step sharp. I thought that maybe my tuner was out of calibration somehow so I A/B'd it with my guitarist's TU-2 last night at practice and well both tuners are equal in the pitches that they are showing....

I replaced strings a couple of times and have never had this problem. I recently replaced my strings about a month ago.

Can someone shed some light on this.... does my bass need to be set-up did my neck bow on me without me knowing it....


Please help.

[mikezimmerman]

Maybe I'm missing something obvious, but if the bass is tuned 1/2 step sharp, why don't you just tune it down another 1/2 step?

[T.A.P Bass]

I can see the confusion and sorry for that. What I'm trying to say is that when I tune to C, it's actually C#...

[mikezimmerman]

I'm afraid I still don't get it. Does the tuner say C, or C#?

[T.A.P Bass]

Sorry, the tuner says C, but I'll be a 1/2 sharp of my two guitar players.

[mikezimmerman]

And the guitarist's tuner says C when you use it, as well? Maybe the guitarists are tuned wrong?

[T.A.P Bass]

I wish that were the case, lol, but they sound like they are in tune with one another and I'm the odd man out...

[Buzzi]

Does your tuner work with other frequencies ???

Some time ago something similar has happened to me:
I accidentally touched the frequency button and was trying to tune my bass in 432 hertz instead of 440 (or 443... I do not recall what is the correct frequency

[T.A.P Bass]

Not that I'm aware of. But thanks for the heads-up. I'll have to look when I get home.

[rockstarbassist]

When was your last setup/intonation adjustment? If you have just been changing strings and not intonating/adjusting your bass each time that's probably the culprit.
It doesn't make a huge difference if you just did it once, but multiple changes over an extended period of time could def make that happen.

[T.A.P Bass]

I've changed strings twice since I had it setup & intonated which was two years ago...

[JTE]

So, you play a C note on the bass, and the tuner registers it as C, but it sound like C# compared to the others. And when you used the guitarist's tuner, you read a C on the tuner, but it sounded like a C#?

If that's the case, and it's reading open strings, it's not the bass. There's something wrong with the calibration of the tuner. Use a good fixed reference pitch to check both tuners' calibration. I'd suggest a tuning fork. Plug your bass into the tuner, hit the fork and hold it over one of the pickup pole pieces. If the tuner is calibrated correctly it should show the pitch of the fork. If it does, check the other tuner with the same instrument. If both show correctly calibrated, then check to make sure everyone's using the tuners correctly.

I'm serious- I did some gigs with a guitarist who told me he tuned down a half-step. We couldn't get in tune. Then I found out that he wasn't tuning down a half-step, but tuning so the needle on his tuner was halfway between the center (in tune) and the last mark on the tuner's scale, closer to about a quarter step down. I unfortunately explained how to really tune down, and he started tuning to Eb all the time- I hated that gig...

John

[rockstarbassist]

Originally Posted by T.A.P Bass

I've changed strings twice since I had it setup & intonated which was two years ago...

Try the tuner calibration as noted above, but 2+ years is a good ways to go without a good setup/intonation, IMO.

[T.A.P Bass]

Ok, thanks a ton guys... This is a first for me, since this bass has never given me any troubles at all.

[rockstarbassist]

It's just the bass' way of telling you it wants some TLC!