Get off my LAWN! "Grumpy Old Farts"

[GwenOnBass]

Should I decide to string with a .105 again ... that's only 5 hundredths difference ... The Dunlops are there for the day and no filing required!

Maybe my problem is I like playing in strings ...

 

[SoulReflection]

Should I decide to string with a .105 again ... that's only 5 hundredths difference ... The Dunlops are there for the day and no filing required!

Maybe my problem is I like playing in strings ...

A hammer would make that string fit.

 

[BargeOn]

Weller makes good ones. No more than 40 watts will do you fine.

While we're on the subject: does any one have a tip for soldering the ground wires onto a pot?

I used to be a half decent solder jockey but I never figured how the pros do such a neat job of that. My pot solders always look sloppy.

 

[beans-on-toast]

Should I decide to string with a .105 again ... that's only 5 hundredths difference ... The Dunlops are there for the day and no filing required!

Maybe my problem is I like playing in strings ...

That sort of difference is not a problem.

A nut slot is actually a complex groove. never cut straight. There are rounding sand curves.

It should be curved downward on the back (headstock) side of the nut. The back side edges are rounded over. How much so depends on the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner. You don't want the string catching on an edge. The slot is also flat at the front side and cut at a rounded downward angle towards the headstock.

It sounds more complicated than it is, but it should be done properly for the bass to be set up properly.

This video summarizes the cut angles.

 

[GonePlaid]

That sort of difference is not a problem.

A nut slot is actually a complex groove. never cut straight. There are rounding sand curves.

It should be curved downward on the back (headstock) side of the nut. The back side edges are rounded over. How much so depends on the angle of the string from the nut to the tuner. You don't want the string catching on an edge. The slot is also flat at the front side and cut at a rounded downward angle towards the headstock.

It sounds more complicated than it is, but it should be done properly for the bass to be set up properly.

This video summarizes the cut angles.

Or get a bigger hammer.

 

[beans-on-toast]

While we're on the subject: does any one have a tip for soldering the ground wires onto a pot?

I used to be a half decent solder jockey but I never figured how the pros do such a neat job of that. My pot solders always look sloppy.

• First clean the pot case with isopropyl alcohol (at least 70% rubbing alcohol from a pharmacy), you don't want any grease where you are soldering.
• Apply some flux paste, not too much. The paste cleans the area but also helps conduct the heat. Do not get any inside the pot case.
• Apply sufficient heat with the iron, then add the solder. It takes more heat to solder a pot case than it does to simply solder a wire. if you have a variable heat iron, turn it up a bit for this type of job. It sounds that that may be your problem.
• Clean up the excess flux with isopropyl alcohol on a Qtip.

 

[Passinwind]

• First clean the pot case with isopropyl alcohol (at least 70% rubbing alcohol from a pharmacy), you don't want any grease where you are soldering.
• Apply some flux paste, not too much. The paste cleans the area but also helps conduct the heat. Do not get any inside the pot case.
• Apply sufficient heat with the iron, then add the solder. It takes more heat to solder a pot case than it does to simply solder a wire. if you have a variable heat iron, turn it up a bit for this type of job.
• Clean up the excess flux with isopropyl alcohol on a Qtip.

I find that using a heavy enough tip is key. I sometimes swap up to a 4MM screwdriver tip for the old school 24mm pots, that helps reduce exposure time a lot.

 

[alaskaleftybass]

I'm sure I'm the odd duck here. I've been playing Ibanez basses for nearly 30 years. Cut my teeth on Fender P and J's. When our band went for a more aggressive sound in the early 80's I heard a bass player with an Ibanez Roadstar II and loved the tone so much I went out and bought one. I still have the original. I have to flip my string nuts because I play left handed but strung upside down. I use the old credit card space from second fret method. Not very scientific but I get my strings pretty low. I use Ernie Ball Extra Slinky's and Hartke Hard Attack Light gauge. So, no flats here! I should actually string up my Ibanez P-bass clone with flats just for funs...

 

[beans-on-toast]

I find that using a heavy enough tip is key. I sometimes swap up to a 4MM screwdriver tip for the old school 24mm pots, that helps reduce exposure time a lot.

It certainly helps. When soldering to a large metal surface such as a chassis, I use a Weller W100PG iron. Good for stained glass work as well.

 

[Charlie Tango]

Choir singers seem to hate everything.

 

[beans-on-toast]

I'm sure I'm the odd duck here. I've been playing Ibanez basses for nearly 30 years. Cut my teeth on Fender P and J's. When our band went for a more aggressive sound in the early 80's I heard a bass player with an Ibanez Roadstar II and loved the tone so much I went out and bought one. I still have the original. I have to flip my string nuts because I play left handed but strung upside down. I use the old credit card space from second fret method. Not very scientific but I get my strings pretty low. I use Ernie Ball Extra Slinky's and Hartke Hard Attack Light gauge. So, no flats here! I should actually string up my Ibanez P-bass clone with flats just for funs...

With some basses, you can flip the nut as you described. No problem with a bass with a zero fret in place.

But with a bass with a nut cut like below, flipping the nut will not give optimal results. Ideally, you want a new nut where the weight bearing edge is at the front (fingerboard side). One issue, with this nut flipped, the intonation would be off by almost the width of the nut.

 

[Charlie Tango]

Feeling too hinky about filing the nut myself! Choir singers hate wrestling bears for a Kit Kat too.

Really, it's not a big deal. Just need to be mindful a bit. Check DWOFS for tips. He uses dedicated, sized nut files, but you can do the job safely on a bass (wide slots, comparatively) with literally the file attached to a fingernail clipper. So a small file will do it.

It's like when the current End Times hit and I knew I was going to need to figure out a way to give myself haircuts. When I was finally able to actually get a decent clipper kit (who woulda figgered toilet paper, hand sanitizer/wipe and hair clippers would be impossible to get? Except professional-grade $200 clippers, from what I could tell.), I watched a lot of videos and just went for it. Mrs. Tango was press-ganged into doing the edge line at the nape of the neck, and the back of the neck. She eventually showed the before and after pics I took when she went to her hairdresser just recently. That lady said I'd done a great job.

I figured that, even with a professional doing the cutting, the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is about 10 days anyway, so any mistake I made would eventually grow out, and where was I going these days to begin with? With the nut slots, if you screw it up, you can always run it in to the luthier. But you won't screw it up. You only have to take off just a skosh. File, try for fit, rinse and repeat as necessary.

 

[SoulReflection]

Really, it's not a big deal. Just need to be mindful a bit. Check DWOFS for tips. He uses dedicated, sized nut files, but you can do the job safely on a bass (wide slots, comparatively) with literally the file attached to a fingernail clipper. So a small file will do it.

It's like when the current End Times hit and I knew I was going to need to figure out a way to give myself haircuts. When I was finally able to actually get a decent clipper kit (who woulda figgered toilet paper, hand sanitizer/wipe and hair clippers would be impossible to get? Except professional-grade $200 clippers, from what I could tell.), I watched a lot of videos and just went for it. Mrs. Tango was press-ganged into doing the edge line at the nape of the neck, and the back of the neck. She eventually showed the before and after pics I took when she went to her hairdresser just recently. That lady said I'd done a great job.

I figured that, even with a professional doing the cutting, the difference between a bad haircut and a good haircut is about 10 days anyway, so any mistake I made would eventually grow out, and where was I going these days to begin with? With the nut slots, if you screw it up, you can always run it in to the luthier. But you won't screw it up. You only have to take off just a skosh. File, try for fit, rinse and repeat as necessary.

Funny, I just did the same for my future hair cuts. Got a $55 set of clippers from Amazon. Battery or corded, good selection of limit combs, cleaning brush, etc. Figured if I could master it, I could stay away from the barber's germs and pay for it with less than 3 cuts. My hair had 6 months of growth so it was really long. The only mistake I made was getting frustrated with the 1/2" limit comb and used bare clippers in a few spots. But, like you said, it will grow back. Besides, I retired from modeling, anyway!

I also enlisted the better half to do some final touches until I get used to the dual mirror trick.

Now I appreciate why the barber could never do what I asked..."whatever you take of the back, stick on the front". So, I will just have to keep wearing my baseball caps .

 

[GwenOnBass]

Points for a sugar bowl self-haircut

My haircuts are not inexpensive.

 

[Charlie Tango]

Points for a sugar bowl self-haircut

My haircuts are not inexpensive.

I swear, just like dry cleaning and laundering women's clothing, women's haircuts are a racket extraordinaire. Since my barber retired many years ago I couldn't find anyone I liked, so I started going to Mrs. Tango's hairdresser, who also does men's hair (duh). My hair is easy, being straight and well-behaved. It takes her no more than 20 minutes to cut, and some of that is chit-chat. I don't do the salon shampoo thing. It's not a horrible price, even for $$$ suburban Washington, D.C., but my entire clipper kit (home quality, with accessories, by a good company) was only $10 more than I pay for one cut. I'm way ahead now, and don't know that I'll ever get it cut in the salon again. In contrast, Mrs. Tango went to the lady's home Saturday, sat out on the sundeck and got her hair only cut, nothing else (again, easy straight hair). $90 plus tip. Three times what I pay. That's just not right, to me.

 

[SoulReflection]

Points for a sugar bowl self-haircut

My haircuts are not inexpensive.

I take it you are referring to a larger "mixing or salad" bowl cut. I wouldn't need the smaller "sugar" bowl cut because, with balding, there wouldn't be anything to cut .

I found that the 1/2" limit comb was the safest. I just did my whole head with that then finished with the trimmers (after my botched experiment with bare cutters).

Prior to my self-haircut, I looked like Einstein. It reminded me of the old expression, "you can't have hair and brains too". So now those two things have been balanced to a little of each.

Your haircuts may not be inexpensive but with my health, I could end up paying the ultimate price if done without an abundance of caution IYCMD!

 

[Jeff Scott]

Weller makes good ones. No more than 40 watts will do you fine.

How about Charlie Watts. (I'll let myself out...........)

A hammer would make that string fit.

Now, why'd you go and open up that can-o-worms? What hammer is best for............?

While we're on the subject: does any one have a tip for soldering the ground wires onto a pot?

A pot of what? (I'll let myself out...........)

 

[SoulReflection]

I swear, just like dry cleaning and laundering women's clothing, women's haircuts are a racket extraordinaire. Since my barber retired many years ago I couldn't find anyone I liked, so I started going to Mrs. Tango's hairdresser, who also does men's hair (duh). My hair is easy, being straight and well-behaved. It takes her no more than 20 minutes to cut, and some of that is chit-chat. I don't do the salon shampoo thing. It's not a horrible price, even for $$$ suburban Washington, D.C., but my entire clipper kit (home quality, with accessories, by a good company) was only $10 more than I pay for one cut. I'm way ahead now, and don't know that I'll ever get it cut in the salon again. In contrast, Mrs. Tango went to the lady's home Saturday, sat out on the sundeck and got her hair only cut, nothing else (again, easy straight hair). $90 plus tip. Three times what I pay. That's just not right, to me.

Wow, I could afford a lot of my mistakes for $90. I was paying $17 plus tip here in Expensifornia...three cuts and I am ahead with no exposure!

 

[Deleted member 268085]

I swear, just like dry cleaning and laundering women's clothing, women's haircuts are a racket extraordinaire. Since my barber retired many years ago I couldn't find anyone I liked, so I started going to Mrs. Tango's hairdresser, who also does men's hair (duh). My hair is easy, being straight and well-behaved. It takes her no more than 20 minutes to cut, and some of that is chit-chat. I don't do the salon shampoo thing. It's not a horrible price, even for $$$ suburban Washington, D.C., but my entire clipper kit (home quality, with accessories, by a good company) was only $10 more than I pay for one cut. I'm way ahead now, and don't know that I'll ever get it cut in the salon again. In contrast, Mrs. Tango went to the lady's home Saturday, sat out on the sundeck and got her hair only cut, nothing else (again, easy straight hair). $90 plus tip. Three times what I pay. That's just not right, to me.

I got tired of paying someone $15-$18 to "put on a 6 and take it off". I bought a high quality electric hair cutter, put on a 6, and take it off. And a 1 for the eyebrows. Now, I cut it when it bothers me. Takes 5 minutes.

 

[SoulReflection]

I got tired of paying someone $15-$18 to "put on a 6 and take it off". I bought a high quality electric hair cutter, put on a 6, and take it off. And a 1 for the eyebrows. Now, I cut it when it bothers me. Takes 5 minutes.

More money for basses and amps!