I love the gold glitter PG - snazzy but not overdone. Elvis would have approved!
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NBD Squier Debut Series…
- Thread starter C Stone
- Start date
@tomassobass mounted labella DTF (high tension) flats and it set up for them fine.
I installed EB Group 3 (45,65,85,100) flats with only a small trussrod tension adjustment.
@DoctorZeus To get my action low enough for my liking I put a thicker shim in the neck pocket too. Not strictly necessary it setup low without the shim, but saddles were bottomed out.
To address the high frets: I located the high spots and marked with a sharpie. Removed strings, tapped with a hard rubber mallet directly on the mark, to seat the fret better. Remounted strings.
This was enough for 2 of the three spots.
The other ( 17th fret G string) I topped that with a crowning file, polished back with 1500 sandpaper and buffed with dab of polishing compound.
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Either by a fret rocker, or my method,
Flatten the neck to completely straight ( check by using string, held by a capo on first fret, and hold down with finger at 19 or 20, and turn truss rod till all relief is removed
r a straight edge steel drafting ruler)Tune to pitch, lower action as low as it can go and not choke out at fret 12-19 plucking LIGHTLY.
Still plucking lightly, start at fret 1, (single string) go up fret by fret , if buzz is encountered, play up till buzz or fret-out/ choked note stops, THAT fret is high ( the place you are playing, the fret wire closest to the bridge) mark it. Trim down that fret, or reseat with mallet, repeat process each string.
If there is more than 3 or 4 spots, I will do a complete fret level with a sanding beam, and recrown and polish.
Example:
Full setup walkthrough:
To add to what /\/\3phist0 posted.
I primarily use budget basses (and guitars) and I've noticed, the last few years the frets are coming from the manufacturer better and better. Not perfect, but much better. The biggest issue I find are an occasional high fret. These can be easily found by using a fret rocker/checker. Most can simply be tapped down with a nylon or hard rubber faced tapping hammer. One occasion I had one that when tapped, popped back up. I could press it down by hand and it would pop back up, so I put just one drop of super glue and pressed it down and held it for about a minute (careful not to glue you finger down!
) and it sat just fine ever since. A couple of times I had to spot level, as the fret didn't tap down enough.
Of all the budget basses and guitars only a couple in the early mid 2010's needed full fret levels. In my experience, since about the later 2010's the frets on the instruments have been easily correctable, if any correction is even needed.
I primarily use budget basses (and guitars) and I've noticed, the last few years the frets are coming from the manufacturer better and better. Not perfect, but much better. The biggest issue I find are an occasional high fret. These can be easily found by using a fret rocker/checker. Most can simply be tapped down with a nylon or hard rubber faced tapping hammer. One occasion I had one that when tapped, popped back up. I could press it down by hand and it would pop back up, so I put just one drop of super glue and pressed it down and held it for about a minute (careful not to glue you finger down!
) and it sat just fine ever since. A couple of times I had to spot level, as the fret didn't tap down enough.Of all the budget basses and guitars only a couple in the early mid 2010's needed full fret levels. In my experience, since about the later 2010's the frets on the instruments have been easily correctable, if any correction is even needed.
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Look for the ones with the Cheetos and chocolate on them . . .
So you’re saying the high fret is the 4th string, fret 20?
Did some work to my Debut . Put a Geezer pickup and a Guyker bridge . I also did a little fret work , filed the ends and gave them a polishing . I had one high fret but it tapped down okay . The pickup sounds great and the bridge got the strings spaced out like I wanted but is pretty hard to adjust . I have a Fender deluxe bridge and it's much smoother . DR Pure blues and it's done .
Wow, that's gorgeous!
What's the change in sound with your new Geezer pups compared to the stock pups?
Thanks!
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They sound pretty close .
The Geezers have some more clarity overall but I've also changed strings so that might be most of what is different with the tone. I do know the setup I did made it play much better . I am going to force myself to play this bass till I could call it my main if needed . I will know more next Monday night at band practice night through my main rig .
The Geezers have some more clarity overall but I've also changed strings so that might be most of what is different with the tone. I do know the setup I did made it play much better . I am going to force myself to play this bass till I could call it my main if needed . I will know more next Monday night at band practice night through my main rig .
Mine has been my main player at home. Gigged it almost immediately.
The stock pickups were greatly helped by better wire, pots, and SwitchCraft jack.
The full shield made it nearly silent.
I wanted to upgrade the pots and jack and maybe the pickup , the bass sounded good stock but I wanted better durability . Getting new pots and jack and a good p pickup from Fender or Duncan would cost about the same or more than the Geezer that came with quality pots and jack . Plus the shielding . All the reviews I have read said the Geezer is just a great P pickup so that's what I went for . I got the pickups , knobs and a roll of copper shielding tape for my birthday . I was going to shield the bass but the EMGs didn't need it . I know I spent more on the mods than I did on the bass but the bones are good on these and I have a very good P bass for less than $300 .
Thanks, this is a textbook lesson in upgrading a P. Fingerboard is really nice grain. Only thing is don't understand is how bottom of bridge got so scraped up, unless it's one you've been using awhile (and i would go with threaded barrels)
My advantage was that I have several pots and jacks on hand! Not a slight on your choice in the least, the EMG harness, and pickup was a solid choice!
I sanded the spot to create a better electrical connection with the ground wire, which although not pictured, I soldered to the bridge, chrome doesn’t solder bond well
Great discussion on mods to this dandy P bass. Thanks for the specificity.
I've only done shielding and that really made it silent.
Great stuff.
I've only done shielding and that really made it silent.
Great stuff.
Soldering the ground wire is not strictly necessary, it’s just a thing I do.
The Fender HiMass bridge arrives Monday.
Gigging it again Tonight.
Real test , noisy power, neon signs and fans on dimmers :-0
So I have my sunburst debut. I am baffled at how good this thing is for the price. I want some bigger knobs for it. Anyone have a source? Does it require changing the pots to get bigger knobs on it?
