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G&L Club Part 7

#15,941
But looking at the StewMac site again, it doesn't look like they make a flat shim - only angled: 0.25, 0.5 and 1 degree.
I've read other posts on shimming and some people use plastic from soda jugs or aluminum from aluminum cans as neither of these will compress to a degree that would matter in this application and are readily available.
I don't have a problem with buying the StewMac shims. I want to do this job right.
 
#15,942
BassPilot said:
But looking at the StewMac site again, it doesn't look like they make a flat shim - only angled: 0.25, 0.5 and 1 degree.
I've read other posts on shimming and some people use plastic from soda jugs or aluminum from aluminum cans as neither of these will compress to a degree that would matter in this application and are readily available.
I don't have a problem with buying the StewMac shims. I want to do this job right.
Click to expand...

They do flat shims too. At present I use pieces of maple veneer from Lee Valley, cut precisely to shape—much like what StewMac offers. Works a charm.
 
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#15,946
Well, the SB-2T came in late yesterday. The following pictures are not great and don't do it any justice. I'll be cranking on it later as well as getting the film off the pick-guard.

IMG_0484.JPG IMG_0485.JPG IMG_0486.JPG IMG_0488.JPG IMG_0493.JPG IMG_0491.JPG
 
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#15,947
BassPilot said:
Correct. I can't get the strings lower because the saddles are bottomed out. If I can raise the neck in the neck pocket I'll be able to bring the saddles up to get the action I want.
But I think I want a flat shim. I don't see a reason to use an angled shim. Anyone have arguments for/against angled shims?
I've see a lot of recommendations to put a narrow strip of something or even a pick in the back of the neck pocket - not something that sits flat across the bottom of the neck pocket and the neck the way the StewMac shims do. I agree with the StewMac guys that that is a bad idea that can cause problems in the future.
Click to expand...

Had it backwards.
I just measured a few business cards and they were all .014" thick.
Let's say they were really a 1/4" thick; don't think they would compress any more with force than a piece of maple. It's not like the "high heel" effect is going to take place with a point load since the pocket is something like 2"x2".
I'll skip any conversation about tone properties of shim stock although you could easily buy the suitable gauge material in brass, aluminum, plastic or SS also from mcmastercarr.com and cut with tin snips.

While I have seen Fenders with a short piece of business card as a shim right out of the factory, I don't think the reason was to angle the neck but rather than to have a 10 second fix.

I don't believe any angle was designed into the neck pocket of any bass at the factory so why introduce one now?
Make them full size with holes like SM; easy-peasy with scissors and an Exacto knife or drill and radius the inside corners.

I have 6 Fenders; a 1960 and 5 from 72'-74'. They were so cheap to buy in the 70's and early 80's.
Also have an 83' SR (had two before that), a Sandberg, and a G&L JB2 Tribute.
Not one has had (or needed) a shim.
Have had a cheap off shore copy bass that came with and needed a neck shim though.
If this is a common issue on G&L, I'm becoming less interested in buying another as this speaks directly to QC.
 
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#15,948
madbassplaya said:
So, how common is this neck shim issue? Considering a JB5.
Click to expand...

I have no clue, and it might vary by production year, but I've read multiple accounts of shimming G&L basses on TB and elsewhere. With CNC production it should be extremely rare, but wood moves so who knows?

I currently have four G&L basses and previously owned another. Only one might warrant a shim, a JB-5 I bought used last year. It sets up well enough for decent (not fantastic) playability, but the G string saddle has bottomed out. I think it could go lower with no fret buzz, and there might be a high fret or two, so it's in the shop for both issues. I've never encountered anything like this on my other G&L basses, which were made from 2006 through 2013.

Perhaps the size of G&L's bridge saddles has something to do with this. They're pretty thick top to bottom. Shave off one millimeter at the bottom or cut the string groove a little deeper, and maybe fewer basses would get shims.
 
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#15,950
Partial shims can be helpful achieving lower action when you do have a touch of ski jump and some travel left in your truss rod - assuming an otherwise straight neck. A twisted neck usually requires fretwork, at the very least.

I’ve never seen a partial business card shim worsen the ski jump condition, and that’s looking at several Fender-type basses over many years.

I also have a 40-yr old L1000 with a very slight bump in the tilt-adjust (3-screw), and it never budges - sounds great too! I assume others haven’t been as lucky?
 
#15,951
donahue said:
Calm down fellas. Usually folks add shims if they are trying to really fine tune their action. No bass "needs" a shim. It's just like fine tuning anything be it a spoiler on a car or alignment etc.
Neck shims have way too much of a stigma attached to them.
Click to expand...

Completely disagree although there is always a small percentage of quality consumer goods that have issues with either materials, manufacturing, or QC.
If the bass won't set up to factory specs without a shim, it needs one.

Not being able to hold decent tolerances on a $1,500 - $2,000 bass in 2020 tells me manufacturing and QC are not doing there job. Sounds like there are a half a dozen mentioned in the following two pages. Doesn't make them bad instruments, just sloppy construction.
I've bought, sold, and played probably 100 quality basses since the mid 70's (mostly non CNC), and I would estimate less than 5% had shims. Agreed you can't always see a shim if it's just a strip at the front of the neck pocket.
 
#15,953
BassPilot said:
Cool. Is Lee Valley a hardware/home repair store?
Click to expand...

Sort of. Family-run specialist store for woodworkers, gardeners, do-it-yourselfers. Really nice stuff. They sell these single-ply maple veneer "business cards" that are just the thing. Fifty of them for $4.50 Canadian!

upload_2020-5-8_13-9-6.png
 
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#15,958
jmlee said:
Sort of. Family-run specialist store for woodworkers, gardeners, do-it-yourselfers. Really nice stuff. They sell these single-ply maple veneer "business cards" that are just the thing. Fifty of them for $4.50 Canadian!

View attachment 3820423
Click to expand...
They also sell great travel coffee cups - useful if we some day get to travel again :)
 
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#15,960
donahue said:
Calm down fellas. Usually folks add shims if they are trying to really fine tune their action. No bass "needs" a shim. It's just like fine tuning anything be it a spoiler on a car or alignment etc.

Neck shims have way too much of a stigma attached to them.
Click to expand...
Check out this letter Ed Friedland sent to Paul at G&L (presumably Paul Gagon) and his response. Both said they often benefit from a shim. Not a bad thing.
"By the way, I totally agree with you about the neck shims. All our basses benefit from them. Unfortunately we have many customers that won’t accept them, and in fact send basses back if they find one." Paul

https://www.bassesbyleo.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=28&t=2278
 
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