I cannot get the action low enough on my franken bass to make it playable and I have done everything including shiming the neck and I still can't get it down ( it's almost an inch away from the fretboard) I'm going to be taking it to a tech tomorrow unless anyone on here has one more thing for me to try.
Enjoy the benefits of a premium membership!
Upgrade Account
-
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.
Ive been defeated
- Thread starter mathewcanhaz
- Start date
lowering the bridge saddles or routing the bridge into the body is something you can look into but as someone said, how is it possible that your strings are an inch off the fretboard ?
Yeah it's bad I can stick my index under each string without picking the string up. Now when I shimed it I put the shim on the bottom closest to the pickguard. Should I have put it on the side where the neck bolts are
I imagine the "inch" is on the higher frets (unless you've got a crazy, tall nut)... It's possible that the neck joint needs a shim (google it & you'll find out what to do)...
My recent FrankenJazz parts didn't quite mesh & a shim was required to get the action worked out...
I had shimmed before with a piece of business card & this time around I shimmed with a thin piece of HIPS (plastic) and sanded it from about .5mm to almost nothing - I thought a graduated shim would keep more of the neck & body in contact - and I think more contact is better...
EDIT - SPOKE TOO SOON (before finding out that you tried a shim)... I think you had it in the right place too... Is your neck straight? or seriously bowed?
My recent FrankenJazz parts didn't quite mesh & a shim was required to get the action worked out...
I had shimmed before with a piece of business card & this time around I shimmed with a thin piece of HIPS (plastic) and sanded it from about .5mm to almost nothing - I thought a graduated shim would keep more of the neck & body in contact - and I think more contact is better...
EDIT - SPOKE TOO SOON (before finding out that you tried a shim)... I think you had it in the right place too... Is your neck straight? or seriously bowed?
Hmmm....
I'm sure you're like me & can't face defeat!
Maybe more shim? Although a little in the neckpocket goes a long way when the angle translates down the fretboard to the headstock...
I'm sure you're like me & can't face defeat!
Maybe more shim? Although a little in the neckpocket goes a long way when the angle translates down the fretboard to the headstock...
Yes, you should have. Place it on the face that the neck is clamped against by the screws, at the rear, between the rear screws and heel. This will tilt the neck and bring down the action.
That's the stuff - I thought you had it in the right spot... closer to the body (vs closer to the headstock - relatively speaking)... but it definitely goes between the neck & body where the bolts are & in your case need to be closer to the body of the bass to tilt the headstock away.... but google some pictures or vids, words can be confusing...
Cheers
Yup, that's not where the shim should go... but that's quite a gap & should likely get filled somehow as well...
Goes in between the body and the neck... Neck Screws will screw THROUGH the shim. All you're managing to do by what you're doing now is to extend your scale length, which will throw off your intonation.
Definite neck shim fail......LOL
On a more serious note, what kind of bridge are You using on said parts bass?
On a more serious note, what kind of bridge are You using on said parts bass?
Yeah.. This is a dreaded case of neck pocket too deep/neck heel too thin.
Shim the entire pocket like mad. Maybe even a thin piece of wood instead of cardboard stock.
Shim the entire pocket like mad. Maybe even a thin piece of wood instead of cardboard stock.
