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EBMM Stingray /Nut height question

T

theoctavist

Feb 4, 2020
25
18
#1
It is right where I want it feel-wise. Intonates perfectly at the 12th. But the A and D strings are sharp @ frets 1-3 . Did the flat pencil thing.

I see why those notes are sharp now.

The string height @nut should be equidistant across the entire nut, correct?

How to fix this at *only* the A and D string(s)? E and G are perfect. Seems kinda math-y and I'm a dumbass
 

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#2
This does not look like the average Stingray nut, which has compensated string slots for each string. The difference between A-D and E-G strings isn’t that big, I would be surprised if that’s the cause of the intonation issue. Did you try other (newer) strings?
 
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#3
Alban said:
This does not look like the average Stingray nut, which has compensated string slots for each string. The difference between A-D and E-G strings isn’t that big, I would be surprised if that’s the cause of the intonation issue. Did you try other (newer) strings?
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Actually, that looks to be a pre-2006 Stingray nut before MM went to the Compensated Nut.

I’ve had a few Stingrays and one of them, the 2000 model I believe, suffered with an A string and D string that would be slightly sharp on the first 3 frets. I took the bass to my most excellent guitar repair guy and he lowered (filed down) those strings’ nut slots ever so slightly. Took care of the problem.

I would take your bass to an experienced and qualified guitar repair guy and have him check all the nut slot depths. It’s possible that the nut was replaced with an improperly-made nut.
 
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#4
Nut slot files, work carefully with a rat tail file or wrap one layer of sandpaper around a letter / number drill bit that’s the same size as the string. Make sure the slots slope down slightly towards the headstock so the strings break on the front edge of the nut. Or take it to a repair person. As stated above the intonation could be a different but possibly related issue.
 
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#7
theoctavist said:
Thank y'all so much. @uOpt @Matt Liebenau @Geri O @Alban

Luthier it is! Now just gotta find a good one. I'm new to Idaho (from NC) so wish me luck I reckon!
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Where in Idaho? If you’re in the Boise area and Dave Balki (I don’t remember how to spell his name) is still around he does excellent work. I’m remembering John Cleary too, if you can find a number for him. If Bolin’s shop is still doing repairs, he was never cheap but usually good. Doyle retired but they might still have a repair person at Doyle’s Broadway Music. I couldn’t vouch for the new guys there though. Edit: I guess it’s 12th fret music now. If you’re in the Nampa area I think Rick at Rick’s music does repairs. Either way, he’s a good guy and deserves some patronage.
 
#8
Matt Liebenau said:
Where in Idaho? If you’re in the Boise area and Dave Balki (I don’t remember how to spell his name) is still around he does excellent work. I’m remembering John Cleary too, if you can find a number for him. If Bolin’s shop is still doing repairs, he was never cheap but usually good. Doyle retired but they might still have a repair person at Doyle’s Broadway Music. I couldn’t vouch for the new guys there though. Edit: I guess it’s 12th fret music now. If you’re in the Nampa area I think Rick at Rick’s music does repairs. Either way, he’s a good guy and deserves some patronage.
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Hey sir, I'm in Pocatello, but im often in Boise for Work/VA Stuff; Nampa is btw here and Boise iirc. So perfect! Thank you!
 
#9
theoctavist said:
Hey sir, I'm in Pocatello, but im often in Boise for Work/VA Stuff; Nampa is btw here and Boise iirc. So perfect! Thank you!
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Nampa is the other side of Boise if you’re coming from Pocatello. If you ever get south I’m in Ogden and would be happy to help. I don’t know any of the repair guys in your area, I’ve only wandered around in the pawn shops when I’m working there. There’s a music store in downtown I guess it is, the old part of town. I’ve talked to the guys there a couple of times (my in-laws live in Chubbuck) and they seem nice enough, I don’t know if they do repairs.

Doyle’s / 12th fret is not too far north from the Broadway exit in Boise though. Again, I don’t really know the new owners though.
 
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#10
Matt Liebenau said:
Nampa is the other side of Boise if you’re coming from Pocatello. If you ever get south I’m in Ogden and would be happy to help. I don’t know any of the repair guys in your area, I’ve only wandered around in the pawn shops when I’m working there. There’s a music store in downtown I guess it is, the old part of town. I’ve talked to the guys there a couple of times (my in-laws live in Chubbuck) and they seem nice enough, I don’t know if they do repairs.

Doyle’s / 12th fret is not too far north from the Broadway exit in Boise though. Again, I don’t really know the new owners though.
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Fantastic! I have only been here about 2 years, lived in SE NC most of my life, so I'm still finding my way around I reckon! I'll definitely take you up on that. Really appreciate it sir. The guy in Pocatello can do wiring etc but he isn't technical at all(he does my guitar and pedal steel pickup swaps) so I just wanna see what's out there. The in house guy in Idaho falls (chesbro music) is real good(he has all those factory certs from martin , Collings, Taylor etc) but their backlog is like a year last time I checked
 
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#11
theoctavist said:
Fantastic! I have only been here about 2 years, lived in SE NC most of my life, so I'm still finding my way around I reckon! I'll definitely take you up on that. Really appreciate it sir. The guy in Pocatello can do wiring etc but he isn't technical at all(he does my guitar and pedal steel pickup swaps) so I just wanna see what's out there. The in house guy in Idaho falls (chesbro music) is real good(he has all those factory certs from martin , Collings, Taylor etc) but their backlog is like a year last time I checked
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I poked around on Google a bit. I think it was Main Street Music. I haven’t seen their work but Google says they do repairs.

Ogden is about 1 1/2 hours south of Pocatello. I didn’t know if your job takes you this way. I’m occasionally there or the Idaho Falls area for my job but we don’t have anything planned anytime soon.
 
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#12
Matt Liebenau said:
I poked around on Google a bit. I think it was Main Street Music. I haven’t seen their work but Google says they do repairs.

Ogden is about 1 1/2 hours south of Pocatello. I didn’t know if your job takes you this way. I’m occasionally there or the Idaho Falls area for my job but we don’t have anything planned anytime soon.
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I am in Ogden pretty regularly for VA business, so that'll work out great. Main Street Music is owned by a husband/wife duo, and the husband passed away. They don't do repairs, or didn't as of March this year when I checked. Mike's Music does but he has a "shadetree mechanic" approach. Shop there all the time though. For pedals, recording gear, strings and used stuff
 
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