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Action and Nut adjustment.

E

EggplantofDoom

Sep 27, 2011
68
0
#1
I have a Dean edge quilt 6 bass. 35'' scale.
I wanted to adjust the action just a tad, and the tension on it seems like the neck needs to be able to hold itself straighter than its doing, likely due to a higher tuning I'm using that puts pressure on it.
It (I think, I'm a novice at this) is a hipshot bridge. sitting on top of the bass itself, screwed in i think.
What am i to do to change the action and neck tension to straighten it.
 
#2
Get a friend. Press down the 1st fret and the last fret. Take a business card and fold it in half. Slide it in @ the 7th fret.
It should slide in and out easily. Not snug and not too loose. If the gap is bigger tighten the truss. If the gap is tighter, loosen the truss.

Grab a nickel. Serious. Slide it under the last 2 frets (nearest the bridge). Now lower your bridge saddles accordingly to where each string barely touches the coin. The nickel is approx. 1.98mm and gives the perfect lower action.

Use the coin to also measure your pickup height and adjust this too.

Keep tweaking everything till everything feels good to you. Remember, buzz past the octave normally needs to be tightened, and middle neck buzz normally means your neck is too straight.

Warwick has amazing multi-part setup videos on youtube too that will help you out. I have noticed I prefer my B string a little higher than the 2mm gap, but use this and hopefully it'll help you out!
 
#4
NelsonNelson said:
Get a friend. Press down the 1st fret and the last fret. Take a business card and fold it in half. Slide it in @ the 7th fret.
It should slide in and out easily. Not snug and not too loose. If the gap is bigger tighten the truss. If the gap is tighter, loosen the truss.

Grab a nickel. Serious. Slide it under the last 2 frets (nearest the bridge). Now lower your bridge saddles accordingly to where each string barely touches the coin. The nickel is approx. 1.98mm and gives the perfect lower action.

Use the coin to also measure your pickup height and adjust this too.

Keep tweaking everything till everything feels good to you. Remember, buzz past the octave normally needs to be tightened, and middle neck buzz normally means your neck is too straight.

Warwick has amazing multi-part setup videos on youtube too that will help you out. I have noticed I prefer my B string a little higher than the 2mm gap, but use this and hopefully it'll help you out!
Click to expand...

1,98 mm is a little high to me. Bit for basic medium to medium low its ok. Lol. I would also add I prefer my necks allmost dead straight. So little bit straighter then your measurement method. But again ok for medium to medium low action. fret levelling can often make lower measurements easier to get to. But thats something for a pro not a average amatuer. All in all the coin trick is good start point. And easier to use then a micrometer thingy. lol. only time I measure though is when answering question about my setup though. I do it entirely by feel and sound for best to me. Truss rod is mostly done by just sighting down the neck. Heck i remember some basses back in the 70's that would of required two of them coins stacked to reach the strings. I never bought any of those though. Lol.
 
#7

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