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Neck modification
- Thread starter woody357
- Start date
Take it to a good tech. I got my bass plekked some years ago, and part of that process was some manual finishing work that included putting a little bit of “fall-off” into the higher frets to keep the higher notes from buzzing. The bass plays incredibly. The Plekking part is important but probably less important than the manual finishing part to make it play exactly the way I wanted.
I also find the size of the fretwire makes a huge difference. For example, Lakland necks use relatively small fretwire and IMHO they play consistently great, if you have a light touch. Older fender jazz necks used thin fretwire also IIRC.
I also find the size of the fretwire makes a huge difference. For example, Lakland necks use relatively small fretwire and IMHO they play consistently great, if you have a light touch. Older fender jazz necks used thin fretwire also IIRC.
Yep, which is why repair folks just file the frets and leave everything else alone :rolls eyes:
My point being that you don't file frets to lower the action. The action is the gap between string and the fret not the string and the fret board. You file frets to even them out.
If I can't lower the strings any more, the nut is cut corectly and the trussrod is properly adjusted then I shim the neck. This is usually a seasonal mod (for me) because of humidity or temp. Take it to a good luthier.
Which is why it pays in so many ways to tool up and learn to do your own basic setups. I set my j basses up way lower than Fender calls for in their setup instructions. A lot of folks who’ve played my basses want to know where i get my setup done. When I tell them i do it they ask if I’ll set up their basses. I thank them for the opportunity but politely decline. I don’t have any interest in doing setup work because i’m not equipped or experienced enough to start taking a file to someone else's bass and i don’t want to take in a job and not be able to do it. The only fret issue I ever ran into was corrected with new strings so I’ve never had to deal with any fret issues. I can do nut slots and correct them if they need a bit more relief on the machine head side or lowered a little, something I’ve run into quite a bit, but never anything serious requiring a new nut of major nut surgery.
dont know about 5 string basses, but i couldn't get my strings on my MIM Jazz any lower with the default bridge until i added a HM hipshot and a business card shim then tightened the truss rod a bit. All my basses are strung with RS 66's
My tech will set mine at start and end of heating season. Some basses don't change at all. Keeping them stable in temp and humidity allows them to also stay stable for sessions, gigs and practices when they are out of that storage place.
So Anyway, ditto on taking it for a pro setup. If it can benefit from a fret job, they'll tell you.
Even if you learn to do your own setups, and have a lot of basses, you might do 2 a month. A pro might do 3 or 4 every day....and has been doing that many for years. There's no shortcut to this experience. Most pros will also make sure it plays to your specs and do a final fine tune to get it there.
I once hesitated on spending $50 for a set-up on a $300 MIM P bass that played 'OK'. After the setup, it was so much easier to play....didn't give me the hand fatigue that often comes with a lot of gigs in a short period of time.
Even if you learn to do your own setups, and have a lot of basses, you might do 2 a month. A pro might do 3 or 4 every day....and has been doing that many for years. There's no shortcut to this experience. Most pros will also make sure it plays to your specs and do a final fine tune to get it there.
I once hesitated on spending $50 for a set-up on a $300 MIM P bass that played 'OK'. After the setup, it was so much easier to play....didn't give me the hand fatigue that often comes with a lot of gigs in a short period of time.
Once my axe is done via setup by the same tech I’ve used for the last 20 or so. I tip my best workers so even if he tries go get off without collecting I struggle to stick money in his pocket.
