• TalkBass has been independent since 1998. Add your voice.
    Create a free account to reply to discussions, view embedded media, and browse with fewer display ads.
    Join free Log in
    Want zero display ads or expanded classifieds tools? Compare plans.

How much of your own setup and maintenance do you do?

How much maintenance do you perform on your own instruments?

  • I have a tech do it all for me. My hands are for playing and that's it.

    Votes: 10 2.2%

  • I change my own strings as needed.

    Votes: 153 33.1%

  • I change my strings and do my own setups.

    Votes: 356 77.1%

  • I feel comfortable doing some electronics work.

    Votes: 260 56.3%

  • I feel comfortable installing new hardware on my bass.

    Votes: 311 67.3%

  • I can do some basic woodwork on my bass if it needs it.

    Votes: 157 34.0%

  • Techs? Who needs em? I handcraft all my instruments and make strings out of ore that I smelt myself.

    Votes: 43 9.3%

  • I'm too busy enjoying this carrot to respond to the poll.

    Votes: 15 3.2%
  • Total voters
    462
#3
2saddleslab said:
I could have checked multiple boxes. Assembly, setup, stringing, wiring, & mods are done by me. I can prep for refinishing but leave the spraying & frets to the experts.
Click to expand...

I set the poll up so that you can check as many boxes as you like. I figured there would be a lot of people out there who can do some configuration of setup, hardware, electronics, and/or woodwork.
 
  • Like
Reactions: MCF and 2saddleslab
#6
For myself, I do my own strings and setup, I have installed and soldered pickups and pots, and have done a little bit of hardware work. I don't mess around with the wood though except for conditioning rosewood fret boards. The work I've done on other home projects involving wood comes out sloppy and amateurish, so that I leave to someone who knows what they are doing.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Riff Ranger
#7
On my Fenders, I do it all. They are like old cars with points, plugs and condensers, and no computers, easy to work on.

I have a guy that handles my Rick, not because it is complicated or technologically advanced, but because it is too finicky and tedious to get "right." 1/32nd of a turn the wrong way and it goes from slick and cool sounding, to a warped piece of lumber from Lowe's with four strings on it.
 
  • Like
Reactions: bassdude51, samdan61, bobba66 and 6 others
#10
I've assembled basses and guitars from parts (necks, bodies, bridges, pickguards, some electronics).

I can do string swaps, intonation, bridge and neck relief adjustments, pickup swaps, and neck and body swaps for most FSO's, so I set up my basses most of the time.

I've found I have weaknesses in assembling complicated electronics (for example, P/J's with tight cavity spacing, Nashville Telecasters with that hellacious "wheel of potential shorts" in the pickup selector switch, etc.) and I'm not good with installing tuners on a brand new neck. (I almost always drill through the front on at least one of them.) I have a tech friend who has bailed me out a few times while discovering these shortcomings.

But as Clint Eastwood said in one of his movies, a man's got to know his limitations. ;-)
 
  • Like
Reactions: Riff Ranger and Isaac_James
#11
ArteK said:
But as Clint Eastwood said in one of his movies, a man's got to know his limitations. ;-)
Click to expand...

I'm getting better at realizing when I know just enough about something to get myself into even worse trouble than when I started. Not 100% there yet, but getting better.

I'm also getting better at fixing stuff without getting into trouble though, which can lead to overconfidence on occasion.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Riff Ranger and bakageta
#13
I learned early on how to do setups. I tend to be pretty handy, so there's no part of a bass I don't feel comfortable working on, everything from electronics to woodwork. The only things I don't really do are fretwork, finishing, or changing/filing the nut (because I don't have the tools and they're expensive).
 
  • Like
Reactions: Isaac_James
#14
Yeah, I build my own basses, as well and buy a few pre-made.

HKFinal1.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: MadJack, The Expendable Clay, amper and 14 others
#16
sawzalot said:
I learned early on how to do setups. I tend to be pretty handy, so there's no part of a bass I don't feel comfortable working on, everything from electronics to woodwork. The only things I don't really do are fretwork, finishing, or changing/filing the nut (because I don't have the tools and they're expensive).
Click to expand...

I found a $40 set of nut files on Amazon, and used them to file down the existing nut slots on a bass that were just a smidge too high. They are limited to just a few different sizes and I don't know that I'd trust them, or myself, to file channels on a brand new nut but for what I needed they worked great.

The only thing I've ever done as far as fretwork goes is a polishing with fine steel wool. Anything more than that is a job for someone more experienced than me.
 

Latest posts

Top Bottom
Back