This! I meant to offer my recomendation, if you LOVE everything else about the bass, throw a shim in there... I've shimmed just about every guitar/bass that I've owned that wasn't a complete custom.
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New bass needs a shim
- Thread starter monkeyfinger
- Start date
This! I meant to offer my recomendation, if you LOVE everything else about the bass, throw a shim in there... I've shimmed just about every guitar/bass that I've owned that wasn't a complete custom.
I'd get quotes for a whole pocket shim. If the price is reasonable i'd go that route. I've done personal testing of no shim/smal shim/whole pocket shim using pieces of maple veneer and found that the small piece at the bottom of the pocket does work great at fixing the issue, however I did notice better sustain and volume when I did a whole pocket shim.
My short answer is find out how much for a whole pocket shim. If its too much then single piece in the pocket will work good enough to not worry about it.
Edit: I also want to add that I got better sustain and volume with a whole pocket shim than with no shim. the shim seemed to have created a better neck/body connection than not having one.
My short answer is find out how much for a whole pocket shim. If its too much then single piece in the pocket will work good enough to not worry about it.
Edit: I also want to add that I got better sustain and volume with a whole pocket shim than with no shim. the shim seemed to have created a better neck/body connection than not having one.
I shim basses as a matter of course, during assembly without even playing them. I don't see how it could hurt anything, and I prefer to not have the saddle height screws sticking out a whole lot.
I'm going to go ahead and be that guy that says I don't think anyone should have to shim the neck on a brand new bass. There, I said it, and I feel better now. 
Do you have super hearing? I find it hard to believe that you heard a difference in sustain and volume. I'm not trying to be a douche but I just don't believe it.
If I did this to fix an issue, like the neck angle was off, I would agree. But in this case, the bass plays very well as is. I just see the potential of having super low action. Right now the string height is around 3/32" at the 17th fret and the relief is around .010". So i can't complain about the setup at all. I just think that I might be able to get is down another 1/32". So in some ways this is nothing but vanity. 
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
If I did this to fix an issue, like the neck angle was off, I would agree. But in this case, the bass plays very well as is. I just see the potential of having super low action. Right now the string height is around 3/32" at the 17th fret and the relief is around .010". So i can't complain about the setup at all. I just think that I might be able to get is down another 1/32". So in some ways this is nothing but vanity.
I feel better since you said this because I was also wondering why you would need to shim a brand new bass? I'm also jealous because I never have any shim stories to share I feel cheated
I'm going to go ahead and be that guy that says I don't think anyone should have to shim the neck on a brand new bass. There, I said it, and I feel better now.
In an ideal world, I completely agree. I only use a shim as a last resort, and I am certain that far too many people use it far too soon instead of investigating the many other real causes of set-up issues.
However, after checking every other possible cause for saddles bottoming out, I have on occasion found a shim to be the only fix short of heroic measures with the neck heel/pocket relationship. I have a brand new MIJ Jaguar. We have tended to the nut slots, fret leveling, and played with the relief. The saddles have bottomed out to achieve the action desired. A shim seems to be our only option at this point.
Sometimes, they're just cut a little sloppy in the factory.
To avoid shimming, I have even gone so far as to counter-sink the entire bridge plate. Time-consuming, expensive, less practical than a shim.
I've had great results making a ramp out of 1" masking tape. 3 layers at the heel, then 2, then 1 at the open end. It's paper, so it compresses well under pressure and maintains decent contact. This recipe should have you raising your saddle +/- 1/8" to maintain the action you presently have.
[EDIT] I've found that when using a paper or cardboard shim, it's a good idea to check the tightness of the neck screws after a week or so and the paper has compressed.
[EDIT] I've found that when using a paper or cardboard shim, it's a good idea to check the tightness of the neck screws after a week or so and the paper has compressed.
I understand where your coming from. If I had not experienced it I would not believe it either. It does sound extremely far fetched.
To answer your question no. I consider my hearing to be a 6/10. To be honest I was taken back when it happened. I had read arguments of full shim vs. partial and since I was in need of a shim I thought I would try both to see if there was any merit to either side of the argument. After I put in the full shim which as simply a maple veneer (chose maple because the neck and body are maple) cut to fit the pocket perfectly, I tuned it up and noticed it projected more and sustained longer. The bass was unplugged and my house was dead quiet at the time, being that it was about 4am. Amplified or in a noisy environment I am not confident the difference would be audible.
I feel better since you said this because I was also wondering why you would need to shim a brand new bass? I'm also jealous because I never have any shim stories to share I feel cheated
+1.
I've had five basses to date, and have always been able to get the action I want without a shim. I don't get the idea of shimming necks as a matter of course, unless I'm missing something.
If I did this to fix an issue, like the neck angle was off, I would agree. But in this case, the bass plays very well as is. I just see the potential of having super low action. Right now the string height is around 3/32" at the 17th fret and the relief is around .010". So i can't complain about the setup at all. I just think that I might be able to get is down another 1/32". So in some ways this is nothing but vanity.
If you think the neck angle is right then I would recommend getting a wood veneer and just do a flat whole pocket shim. a partial shim will change the angle to fix the problem rather than the height of the FB from the body.
anti-shim people:
Have you taken the necks off all of your bolt on basses to make sure there's no shim in there? I've found shims in a lot of basses that I didn't know were in there.
I agree that if a bass cannot be set up to be pretty good without a shim, there's a problem.
I just prefer the neck to sit up a little higher. You get more adjustability with the pickups, and the saddle height. I also just don't like the look of pickups sunk down below the level of the pickguard, and I prefer to be able to palm mute at the bridge without danger of slicing my hand open.
Have you taken the necks off all of your bolt on basses to make sure there's no shim in there? I've found shims in a lot of basses that I didn't know were in there.
I agree that if a bass cannot be set up to be pretty good without a shim, there's a problem.
I just prefer the neck to sit up a little higher. You get more adjustability with the pickups, and the saddle height. I also just don't like the look of pickups sunk down below the level of the pickguard, and I prefer to be able to palm mute at the bridge without danger of slicing my hand open.
Also, if the saddles have to be extremely low or extremely high to get the action where I want it, I would prefer to shim the neck and get the saddles near the middle, so I have some adjustability in the future.
Turnaround
Commercial User
I find it interested that despite the number of times shims are discussed, debated, justified, slammed and praised, I don't recall many (if any) discussions about re-routing the neck pocket. It's really a pretty easy thing to do with a decent router, a follower bit and simple deck/platform. For those who are handy enough to make a tapered shim, it's not a difficult DIY.
This would work with a shallow neck pocket/thick neck heel scenario.
But most of the shim suggestions on this and other threads deal with a neck pocket that is too deep (or a heel too slim, take your pick), and saddles bottoming out. Unless I missed your meaning, routing the neck pocket deeper would only worsen the problem.
Some have advocated filling the neck pocket with a complete shim that covers the entire pocket floor.
SirMjac28
Patiently Waiting For The Next British Invasion
Turnaround
Commercial User
I am talking about changing the angle of the pocket. In a typical scenario, the saddles are bottomed out and the action is too high. In the method I describe the height of the neck at the heel of the pocket remains the same, and the pocket is cut a few thousandths of an inch deeper at the other end. This changes the neck angle without changing the height at the end of the neck. It's my preferred method.
Ah, yes, that makes sense. Great idea actually. Rather permanent.
Although I doubt most folks who could cut a shim out of a credit card would be able to create such a precise angle with a router. Sounds tricky to me.
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