What the heck-a-roony is a setup?

kirbywrx · #1 04-15-2001, 08:02 PM

ok this is totally gonna ruin my reputation at talkbass but i have to ask something

what the hell does setting up you bass mean?????
i see all these forum on how to set up your bass and i think it means how to re-string your geetar but yeah
ok well thanks for all your help

oh this is soooooo embarrasing asking this......

chaoslord · #2 04-15-2001, 08:38 PM

A setup includes things such as setting intonation, action, neck relief, etc.

Don't be too embarrassed everybody has to ask to learn.

kirbywrx · #3 04-15-2001, 08:46 PM

and what are those things

**Blackbird** · #4 04-15-2001, 10:02 PM

Welcome to TalkBass, Kirby.

Why you didn't post this in the Setup forum is beyond me. I'll move it there where you'll get all the answers you seek, and then some.

Will C.

reedo35 · #5 04-15-2001, 10:13 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by chaoslord
A setup includes things such as setting intonation, action, neck relief, etc.

Intonation- Adjusting the saddles (those things on the bridge that hold the strings up) so that the string length is such that the Bass will play in tune.
Action- Adjusting the Height of the saddles or the nut so that the strings are higher or lower.
Neck Relief- Adjusting the truss rod in the neck (tigher or looser) so that it has the correct amount of bend in it.

bassbrad · #6 04-16-2001, 02:38 PM

To add to Reedo's reply A set up also includes checking the nut height and groves for the proper height, angle, width and depth. On bolt on necks it can also include the pitch of the neck in relation to the plane of the strings.

A proper set up is important because it allows the bass to be played easily and in tune and if all of the witness points are properly aligned the bass will "speak" the best that it can.

dytakeda · #7 04-16-2001, 06:10 PM

To clarify the reedo35's post -
Intonation means adjusting the string length such that the various fretted notes of that string are in tune.

Setup could also include pickup height.

It could also include fret height and levelling, but that's major work which some may say fall outside of the definition of "setup"

Personally, I strongly believe that all players should be able to intonate their instrument, at the very least. With today's modern tuners, it's cake. Setting action is easy, and everone should be able to do this to, but action is affected by neck bow and that's something that some people don't want to mess with - even though it's pretty simple to do. Simple, but if you mess it up you could permanently damage the neck.

td1368 · #8 04-17-2001, 03:32 PM

Since were asking embarassing questions what does LOL stand for in a reply?

reedo35 · #9 04-17-2001, 03:41 PM

Laughing Out Loud

JMX · #10 04-17-2001, 03:41 PM

http://www.fender.com/customshop/basssetup.html

Cpt_Llama · #11 04-17-2001, 03:45 PM

lol = Laugh Out Loud

and some others

w/ = With
w/o = With Out
ROFLMAO = Rolling on Floor Laughing My A$$ Off
BTW = By The Way
IMO = In My Opinion
IMHO = In My Humble Opinion

td1368 · #12 04-18-2001, 07:01 AM

Thanks, thats what I thought but wasn't sure. Somehow I figured out the other abbreviations including

IME = In my experience
YMMV = Your milage may vary

but for some reason LOL stumped me

Bruce Lindfield · #13 04-18-2001, 07:18 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by kirbywrx
ok this is totally gonna ruin my reputation at talkbass but i have to ask something

Actually, from reading the posts in "Basses" for a few years, I think an awful lot of people don't realise that you can adjust these things on a bass and have no idea what difference a good set up would make to a bass. So you get people saying that they didn't like a particular bass because the action was too low and it's obvious that they don't realise that you can raise this very easily in about 30 seconds with an allen key.

lump · #14 04-18-2001, 07:59 AM

Intonation is for pu$$ies.

Sorry. Couldn't help myself.

bassvirtuoso13 · #15 04-18-2001, 08:21 AM

Intonation is extremely important thank you very much. Chordal work requires that your instrument be intoned at ALL TIMES.

lump · #16 04-18-2001, 08:31 AM

Really? Thanks for clarifying. Not being a virtuoso myself, I am unaware of such things.

Catching the sarcasm yet?

td1368 · #17 04-19-2001, 09:09 AM

Dude why are you trying to pick a fight with someone who's just trying to help? Is that what supporting members do?

lump · #18 04-19-2001, 05:52 PM

Yes.

My first post was a joke. I thought the sarcasm was obvious - intonation (being in TUNE) is important for ANY instrument. My bad if the joke fell short of its mark.

As for Mr. Virtuoso's response, I'm sure he got the term "chordal work" out of a guitar magazine. Do a search on his username and become enlightened by his "virtuosity."

Anyone who uses the word "virtuoso" in his username guaranteed NOT to be one. And any member, supporting or not, has to right to raise the bu!!$h!t flag. That's all I'm doing, and I can assure you I'm not alone.

Check around a little, and you see what I'm talking about.

td1368 · #19 04-20-2001, 07:51 AM

Ok lump I looked around and I see what you are saying. I didn't look at that guys profile I only saw your response. Sorry. 150 posts in 2/3 days is excessive. What is trolling?

lump · #20 04-20-2001, 09:18 AM

We're cool, man.

A troll is someone who posts something controversial just to raise the ire of the local e-community. Trolling is the act of doing so.

bv13 is a troll, and I'm guessing "he" is someone who has been prominent on the board in the past, under a new guise. It happens.

Part of me (a very small part) is sympathetic - something has probably happened to this person which has caused them to develop a low self-esteem (as Munji has pointed out in a related thread), and they are just trying to "be someone" here. It's kinda sad.

But the larger part of me says get the f*** over it, and be a real person. And if you're going to be a liar, for Christ's sake, be better at it.