RaginRog
Last guy you want to see is Employee Relations guy
That is the Gibson one that I was thinking of. I would think that even a Schaller would fit...those Gibson 3 points are pretty tall.
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Gene Simmons LoBue Tribute Build
- Thread starter bassgod76
- Start date
RaginRog
Last guy you want to see is Employee Relations guy
No picture?
I've never built a bass...just offering amatuerish advice
Its a link to the pic.
You should ask david for his advice on the neck pocket. He's the best out of all of us to tell you exactly how deep it should be. It does look like it should be deeper, but, imo, i wouldn't do anything more until you've contacted david or he stumbles upon this thread again.
You should ask david for his advice on the neck pocket. He's the best out of all of us to tell you exactly how deep it should be. It does look like it should be deeper, but, imo, i wouldn't do anything more until you've contacted david or he stumbles upon this thread again.
David? Oh! The guy who made my pickup. Let me ask
RaginRog
Last guy you want to see is Employee Relations guy
Looking good man. Starting to look like something!!
I think Andii means SGD.
I would definitely rout the pocket a tad deeper. The saddles should end up in the middle of their travel somewhere. I would measure how high the saddles are now, (or how high they are when the string just touches the last fret) and lower them so they are about half way or just under. The sum of the difference is how much deeper I would rout. That will put you halfway into the saddles travel and you will be able to go up or down easily. Right now you can't go much higher if you needed to.
Anyway that's how I would do it, I'm sure a pro would have a more scientific method. Or not. I'm sure there's plenty of eyeballing going on...
BTW, some Gibson bridges are high, because a lot, if not most, of their guitars have a neck angle.
I think Andii means SGD.
I would definitely rout the pocket a tad deeper. The saddles should end up in the middle of their travel somewhere. I would measure how high the saddles are now, (or how high they are when the string just touches the last fret) and lower them so they are about half way or just under. The sum of the difference is how much deeper I would rout. That will put you halfway into the saddles travel and you will be able to go up or down easily. Right now you can't go much higher if you needed to.
Anyway that's how I would do it, I'm sure a pro would have a more scientific method. Or not. I'm sure there's plenty of eyeballing going on...
BTW, some Gibson bridges are high, because a lot, if not most, of their guitars have a neck angle.
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 253
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- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
I'm trying to remember exactly how I made your pickup. Normally my pickup is not as tall as the stock pickup. What I have been doing with the ones that go in the Epi or LP basses is I use a piece of copper clad circuit board the same size as the brass plate those pickups are mounted on, and then I use some standoffs to raise the pickup to the same height, so that it doesn't have to be shimmed up much.
I think with yours I left it lower so you wouldn't have to rout such a deep cavity.
But as long as the strings clear the cover you are OK.
I think you need to make the neck pocket a little deeper. Then if you need to, you can put a shim in the pocket to angle the neck. Routing an angled neck pocket is the best way to go, but it's tricky, and almost no one does that.
The Schaller 3D bridges are nice, and should fit under the cover fine. They do come with a shim that snaps under the bridge (the whole bridge is a zinc alloy, not brass). If you shim them up and then have the saddles very low, I have experienced the strings hopping out of the rollers. So on basses where I needed to have the bridge higher, but ended up with the saddles too low, I just raised the saddles.
So you think I should shim and angle and shim the neck? I was going to leave it flat, Fender style. Bad idea?
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 253
- 68
- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
Fender uses shims too, or the micro tilt adjuster, which is the same thing. The only bass with no neck angle is a Rick, and they recess the bridge in the body and use a very thick fingerboard to compensate. You don't need much of a neck angle, but do need one.
Here's a good illustration:
Fender uses shims too, or the micro tilt adjuster, which is the same thing. The only bass with no neck angle is a Rick, and they recess the bridge in the body and use a very thick fingerboard to compensate. You don't need much of a neck angle, but do need one.
Here's a good illustration:
So like a business card shim or something thicker?
- Aug 21, 2008
- 10,386
- 253
- 68
- Disclosures
- Owner, SGD Music Products
Yes, you can use business cards, thin wood veneers, plastic, etc. fender uses card shim with their name printed on it. I've also seen guitar picks used. It doesn't really matter, and unlike what some people think it doesn't effect the tone of the bass. People get hung up with this whole vibration transference thing, but as long as the neck is firmly attached, it works as it should.
It will be a set neck, but I may countersink and bondo some screws for added strength.
Such a newbie at this type of bass.
Like two business cards pieces on top of each other, placed in the back floor of the neck pocket, right?
I'm not an expert but I have shimmed before. One card will do a fair amount, so I'd try one before trying 2. The Fender shims are pretty thin, thinner than credit cards.
Hopkins
Commercial User
Looking at the pictures on the previous page, I don't see any reason you would need to shim your neck. Your neck pocket is already pretty shallow, and your saddles are adjusted pretty high. You wont need a shim to achieve a low action.
If you can bottom out the strings against the frets with the saddle adjustment there is no need for a shim. I wouldn't deepen the pocket any, because it would make it more difficult to access your truss rod adjustment, which is going to be limited with a set neck anyway.
If you can bottom out the strings against the frets with the saddle adjustment there is no need for a shim. I wouldn't deepen the pocket any, because it would make it more difficult to access your truss rod adjustment, which is going to be limited with a set neck anyway.
Last night I was unable to rout my neck pocket deeper. Craziness at home delays bass builds. :-(
However, I'm glad I wasn't able to...
I apologize to Ampeg Fuzz for doubting him. He was correct. That pickup cover is rather thick. This is what I found when messing with the bass this morning.
I also have to account for the fact that the pickup sits atop a pickguard.
Using a piece of small cardboard backing from a blister pack, I shimmed the back end of the neck heel.
With the current setup, this is where my saddles come to, to where the bridge is level with the frretboard.
I have a little more to go up, but not much.
Due to pickup height, I may have to shim the bridge. I wonder if Gene's bridge was shimmed to when he went from the two piece LP style to this one?
Raising the bridge has me concerned about bridge cover clearance. I will check spacing out tonight.
I know you guys suggested the Schaller bridge, but I'm "trying" to maintain the look of the LoBue Mark VI
However, I'm glad I wasn't able to...
I apologize to Ampeg Fuzz for doubting him. He was correct. That pickup cover is rather thick. This is what I found when messing with the bass this morning.
I also have to account for the fact that the pickup sits atop a pickguard.
Using a piece of small cardboard backing from a blister pack, I shimmed the back end of the neck heel.
With the current setup, this is where my saddles come to, to where the bridge is level with the frretboard.
I have a little more to go up, but not much.
Due to pickup height, I may have to shim the bridge. I wonder if Gene's bridge was shimmed to when he went from the two piece LP style to this one?
Raising the bridge has me concerned about bridge cover clearance. I will check spacing out tonight.
I know you guys suggested the Schaller bridge, but I'm "trying" to maintain the look of the LoBue Mark VI
No apology necessary i wonder it you can start asking around the "corner" and see what bridges have fit under a fender bridge cover. I imagine lots of people have tried over the years. Also if you use a bridge shim, might be a ok idea to put a couple extra holes in the front of the bridge as well as the 5 in the back. I've seen it on cheaper bent metal bridges before. What about a bent metal bridge made of thicker metal. I've seen that too in cheaper bridges.
i wonder it you can start asking around the "corner" and see what bridges have fit under a fender bridge cover. I imagine lots of people have tried over the years. Also if you use a bridge shim, might be a ok idea to put a couple extra holes in the front of the bridge as well as the 5 in the back. I've seen it on cheaper bent metal bridges before. What about a bent metal bridge made of thicker metal. I've seen that too in cheaper bridges.
I have an Ibanez Soundgear bridge lying around at home. I may check it out. I still think I could get away with routing 1/16" of an inch off the neck pocket. The shim lifts it a bit. I will do some more measuring before any router is fired up.
