Double Bass How do I set my string height using this tool?

[commonplayer]

I recently acquired a new-to-me Shen upright bass after playing electric only for about 20 years. I know I should take it to a pro to get it set up, but the closest guy to me is about 30 minutes away and I just don't havre a lot of time or occasion to make the trip. Mostly I just want to make sure the string height is ok, so I bought one of these tools from Amazon but I have no idea how to use it. Any ideas?

 

[Steven Ayres]

Where are you starting? Is the bridge uncut, or is it just the factory bridge? Do you know what you want to change?

 

[Chris Fitzgerald]

That’s a general bridge cut for orchestral playing. If you play pizzicato, the disparity between the G and D will likely be too great and it will likely mess with your physical technique. I would advise driving the 30 minutes (for me here it’s 90 for setup issues like this) and let the luthier know what it is that you do and what you are going for. The great ones will watch you play and setup accordingly.

 

[bass player 53]

I don’t think that tool gives you information about string height.
The GDAE is the string placement
on top of the bridge. The nut spacing
is the string spacing at the nut.
The bottom four mm numbers are
measurement numbers for measuring
various parts of the shape of the
bridge.

 

[porkynuggets]

Just a heads up: If you change your string height it's possible that will require a fingerboard dressing as well

 

[Dave Leighton]

As a long time EB player that did all my own work on my basses, I’ll say it’s way not the same and if you start screwing around with stuff, it could cost you.

What are the string heights at the end of the finger board? Being a Shen I assume it has an adjustable bridge. String type, style of music, how you play will all affect where you will settle on your string height.

Right after I bought my first DB I took it to my luthier and she said everything looked good. Play it, learn it and come back when I knew what I wanted.

 

[Paul New]

Man, I drive 3 & 1/2 hours. I would kill for a luthier 30 minutes out!

 

[Tim Skaggs]

I found the pic below on a similar tool for sale on Amazon. It has a few more “gauges” on it than the picture of the one you attached to your opening post, but the labeled items on this one that are also on yours should be for the same purpose / measurements.

As @Chris Fitzgerald said, you’ll want to set up the bass for your playing style; if you play pizzicato, you don’t want to set up for arco or vice versa.
This tool gives you positioning of the strings on the bridge top, at the nut, and provides a way to measure the height of the strings at the end of the fingerboard. This might be referred to as a “tool”, but it’s actually a “gauge”. To set the bass up to meet the measurements shown on this gauge will require actual luthier tools that I seriously doubt were included with the gauge.

Good Luck,

 

[Ryan in PDX]

I would return it and drive the 30 min.

 

[logdrum]

3 hours I can understand, but 30 minutes is not very far IMO unless you have to take the bus and you have to walk a few more blocks to get to the luthier. My luthier just uses various short metal rulers.

 

[logdrum]

I am pretty sure my other bass is set up for bowing because I bought it from a young man who was upgrading his conservatory instrument. I did not recut anything and barely turned the adjusters . It does not seem to be any different when I am using it for pizz. I bow a lot though

 

[mclean_justin]

I recently acquired a new-to-me Shen upright bass after playing electric only for about 20 years. I know I should take it to a pro to get it set up, but the closest guy to me is about 30 minutes away and I just don't havre a lot of time or occasion to make the trip. Mostly I just want to make sure the string height is ok, so I bought one of these tools from Amazon but I have no idea how to use it. Any ideas?

View attachment 7521999

I'd drive the half an hour. A setup goof on an electric means you loosen a screw or tighten the trussrod - on an upright, it means hundreds and hundreds of dollars.

 

[SAlcott]

30 minutes???

 

[Dave Leighton]

I’ll admit I’m very fortunate to be 20 to 30 minutes from my luthier. About a 6 week backlog, but she’s well worth it. Dorothy at Allegro Strings in Fair Haven Washington.

 

[41 Hz]

Ok. I'm joining the side quest on this thread. I'm a 16 hour (960 miles) drive away from a luthier.

 

[SAlcott]

At least an hour on two subway lines, 3 flights of stairs, 10-15 minute walk, or $85 one way for car service.

 

[porkynuggets]

Ok. I'm joining the side quest on this thread. I'm a 16 hour (960 miles) drive away from a luthier.

I think you've won. It makes me wonder what is the largest geographic distance one can be from a luthier?

 

[Rebop]

I think you've won. It makes me wonder what is the largest geographic distance one can be from a luthier?

I shipped a bow to a someone working in Antarctica about 15 years ago.

Probably that guy.

 

[Ryan in PDX]

I shipped a bow to a someone working in Antarctica about 15 years ago.

Probably that guy.

Carrier pigeons are OUT. Carrier penguins are IN.

 

[Dave Leighton]

@commonplayer can you share some pictures of your new bass?