just done my first setup :-)

hello gang

I just completed my first setup ever, so I'm feeling pretty pleased and thought I would share. Please feel free to tell me what I did wrong, or offer any tips for next time.

The bass in question is my EBMM StingRay 4 (picture attached)

When I bought it, it had a very low fast action, but it buzzed a little on frets 3, 4 and 5, all strings.

So here's what I did...

(no filing on the nut, that's way too scary and it's a brand new bass!)
(assume that I retuned every time I changed anything at all)

1/ adjust neck relief. I capoed at fret 1, fretted at fret 17 and loosened the truss rod about a 1/4 turn until I could get a business card under the E and G at fret 8. My understanding is that by doing this, I have slightly increased the relief. Is that right?

2/ adjust saddle height. First of all I raised all the strings quite a lot, just to see what a buzz-free but intolerably high action would feel like. Then I brought each string down until it just started to buzz, then wound its saddle up, a half turn each time (180 degrees with the Allen key), both saddle screws together.

3/ check intonation. It didn't seem to need changing on any of the strings but I'll check again in the morning

And now, it plays beautifully, fast and smooth and in tune. With no buzzes!

Any further suggestions gratefully appreciated

and so to bed

 

thanks man