Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
Join free Log in
Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.
Do my strings look off center
- Thread starter Frety_Kruger
- Start date
Yes.
1. Loosen the neck bolts
2. Nudge the neck into the center
3. Tighten neck bolts
4. Profit!
1. Loosen the neck bolts
2. Nudge the neck into the center
3. Tighten neck bolts
4. Profit!
Get a drill and move all of the dots over.
Does it bother you much, I have a couple of basses that don't line up quite smack on. In fact, quite a few I've played are slightly off, it doesn't concern me as long as the spacings are ok.
Does it bother you much, I have a couple of basses that don't line up quite smack on. In fact, quite a few I've played are slightly off, it doesn't concern me as long as the spacings are ok.
Yes.
But it's not bad enough to start tearing up the bass to try to fix it. If it's a new bass, the yanking-the-neck-over trick will probably not work, since it'll have a pretty precise, slop free neck/body joint. If it has the tin-can plate metal Fender bridge on it, the saddles on the E and G string might simply have slid a little out of place. Do NOT replace that Fender bridge if so. It's a fine bridge; just push the saddles over a little bit.
Otherwise, I wouldn't worry about it. That's definitely within the normal variation of most basses below about the $1500 or even $2000 mark and it'll have a long fruitful life...
L
The strings look more or less well centred to allow for the same number of millimeters either side of the fretboard edges to that of the outside strings. If they aren't though, the above trick will fix that.
If however you're talking about the centre dots, they can never be true centre -it's physics. The E string is many times thicker than the G and if you cut the nut slots to centre them both, i.e. have 3mm between the fingerboard edges and the outside of each string, this will always result in the strings favouring the G string side. Nut slots aren't usually cut to position the centre cores of each string, they are usually cut to have equal distance between the neck edges to the beginning of the strings' thickness.
If however you're talking about the centre dots, they can never be true centre -it's physics. The E string is many times thicker than the G and if you cut the nut slots to centre them both, i.e. have 3mm between the fingerboard edges and the outside of each string, this will always result in the strings favouring the G string side. Nut slots aren't usually cut to position the centre cores of each string, they are usually cut to have equal distance between the neck edges to the beginning of the strings' thickness.
The alignment doesn’t look perfect, but it’s not bad. How’s the playability? Sometimes it’s nice to have a little more fretboard room for the bigger E-string. Unless it really bothers you, I wouldn’t mess with it.
In my opinion of course.... Yes, but not enough to bother me. And it's better than many Fender Custom Shop models I've seen.
I would suggest looking at a bunch of other Fenders until yours looks good by comparison because that's actually a good one.
Yanking the neck never worked for me, it always shifts back. Installing threaded inserts for the neck may help or you could swap to a bridge with adjustability, or remount the bridge slightly to one side. That's how Tobias fixed this issue for me back in '85 though it was much worse than what you have.
I would suggest looking at a bunch of other Fenders until yours looks good by comparison because that's actually a good one.
Yanking the neck never worked for me, it always shifts back. Installing threaded inserts for the neck may help or you could swap to a bridge with adjustability, or remount the bridge slightly to one side. That's how Tobias fixed this issue for me back in '85 though it was much worse than what you have.
I wouldn't worry. As long as you can groove on it, you're golden.
You could look at a Fender vintage bridge, you could use the grooves that suit you.
or you could try out some new pedals or a new cab. Just for fun.
or you could try out some new pedals or a new cab. Just for fun.
It's only about a milimetre off. You might be able to fix it by fitting a vintage Fender bridge with the threaded saddles, and then seating the g string between the threads at the point where string alignment is more to your satisfaction.
All things considered though, I think it's within acceptable parameters...and I'm pretty OCD when it comes to string/bridge alignment
All things considered though, I think it's within acceptable parameters...and I'm pretty OCD when it comes to string/bridge alignment
Last edited:
Bit of a generalization there.
I have a 2004 EBMM SR 4H - superbly constructed bass. The string alignment virtually mirrors that of the OP's Precision, in other words the G is ever so slightly closer to the edge of the board than the E.
Not an issue.
Last edited:
Yea they look fine, you may be able to kick them all to the low side a smidge since your bridge plate isn't grooved or as stated above I was going to suggest threaded saddles no need to replace the bridge. I would just rock it if it doesnt hamper your playing. I have one like that. No biggie...
It wont bother all the girls you will pickup playing bass!!
They wont even notice!!!!
They wont even notice!!!!
