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.
p-bass and baddass II
- Thread starter xshawnxearthx
- Start date
Okay... I've done this three times now, it's not hard. I install the bridge and look to see where the notches need to be to get string spacing okay, then take it off again to work on it. I also have a neat little Excel spreadsheet where you type in the string gauges and string width at the bridge and it calculates where the notches should go - it's useful as a guide. PM me with your email if you'd like a look at this.
Each notch needs to seat about 1/3 of the string or so, they're pretty shallow. The shape of the saddles will naturally make the notches slightly taper towards the string mount side of the bridge, and I angle them down slightly towards the string mounting holes. I take a tiny bit of the front edge of the notches just to round them slightly. In fact, the main thing to ensure when doing this is to make sure (by close inspection and by feel) that there's no sharp edges anywhere that could cause string breakages (not had a problem with this yet). BTW, I use a little round needle file that I bought in a local hardware store for £2.
Hope this helps!
EDIT The way I do this as described here, the front edge of the saddle does have a narrow U shaped cutout in it where the string sits.
Link Removed
I found this pic online, but it looks pretty much like the way I've described the job.
Each notch needs to seat about 1/3 of the string or so, they're pretty shallow. The shape of the saddles will naturally make the notches slightly taper towards the string mount side of the bridge, and I angle them down slightly towards the string mounting holes. I take a tiny bit of the front edge of the notches just to round them slightly. In fact, the main thing to ensure when doing this is to make sure (by close inspection and by feel) that there's no sharp edges anywhere that could cause string breakages (not had a problem with this yet). BTW, I use a little round needle file that I bought in a local hardware store for £2.
Hope this helps!
EDIT The way I do this as described here, the front edge of the saddle does have a narrow U shaped cutout in it where the string sits.
Link Removed
I found this pic online, but it looks pretty much like the way I've described the job.
sup guys,
i actually just got one installed for me yesterday along with a complete set up afterwards.
At first glance when i played it there and checked it out it felt great...
however, when i plugged it in at home it was a different story.
Im positive that it has nothing to do with the BA2 so i believe they botched the setup job...
when i dig in, or come even remotely close to digging in (or even attack with 2 fingers) I can hear a loud noise of the strings banging angainst the fretboard in some spot!
In fact i have to be quite careful when i play so as not to hear the noise....
It makes no sense to me how they could not get this right!
Before, i used to get a little noise every now and then if my attack got sloppy..... but this now is rediculous.... its every string other than the G and E
Shouldnt they have caught this? now i gotta take it back. Id fix it myself but i already paid for a complete set up, so i figure they owe me a good setup! :scowl:
Anyone have any idea whats up?
Is it just the action or bow of the neck or hight of the saddles or what?
Lazy sons of their own mothers... i bet theyre a bunch of guitar players!
anywho, any ideas for this constant "banging"...
Thanx,
LET
i actually just got one installed for me yesterday along with a complete set up afterwards.
At first glance when i played it there and checked it out it felt great...
however, when i plugged it in at home it was a different story.
Im positive that it has nothing to do with the BA2 so i believe they botched the setup job...
when i dig in, or come even remotely close to digging in (or even attack with 2 fingers) I can hear a loud noise of the strings banging angainst the fretboard in some spot!
In fact i have to be quite careful when i play so as not to hear the noise....
It makes no sense to me how they could not get this right!
Before, i used to get a little noise every now and then if my attack got sloppy..... but this now is rediculous.... its every string other than the G and E
Shouldnt they have caught this? now i gotta take it back. Id fix it myself but i already paid for a complete set up, so i figure they owe me a good setup! :scowl:
Anyone have any idea whats up?
Is it just the action or bow of the neck or hight of the saddles or what?
Lazy sons of their own mothers... i bet theyre a bunch of guitar players!
anywho, any ideas for this constant "banging"...
Thanx,
LET
LET,
This sounds like they may have set the neck with too little relief. Surprising really as installing a new bridge should only mean very minor adjustments to this if any at all (unless it was way out before).
Yes, it's almost certainly a botched setup and I would take it back until they get it right to your satisfaction - that's what you've paid for after all.
This sounds like they may have set the neck with too little relief. Surprising really as installing a new bridge should only mean very minor adjustments to this if any at all (unless it was way out before).
Yes, it's almost certainly a botched setup and I would take it back until they get it right to your satisfaction - that's what you've paid for after all.
yeah thanks Bill,
I took it back and just picked it up... they looked over it and said everything really is set pretty darn good...i checked it myself and the relief is good, as high as it can get without any problems i think.....
but they did admit to hearing a little excessive fret noise.....
They told me that this might be due to the neck i have....
Grant it its a standard Jazz MIM, all stock with a BAII, so its not the best of basses but its not a crappy lowend one either... i should have a nice tone either way shouldnt I?
Anywho, they said it could be that a few of the frets on the higher end could be too high, and filing them down and rerounding them might solve that... :scowl:
jeez... waddaya think?....
LET
I took it back and just picked it up... they looked over it and said everything really is set pretty darn good...i checked it myself and the relief is good, as high as it can get without any problems i think.....
but they did admit to hearing a little excessive fret noise.....
They told me that this might be due to the neck i have....
Grant it its a standard Jazz MIM, all stock with a BAII, so its not the best of basses but its not a crappy lowend one either... i should have a nice tone either way shouldnt I?
Anywho, they said it could be that a few of the frets on the higher end could be too high, and filing them down and rerounding them might solve that... :scowl:
jeez... waddaya think?....
LET
Any half-decent bass should have a playable action with no major fret buzz. I should try to sample a couple of other basses in the same price region and see what you think. Unless the action is set WAY too low you should be able to play without hearing a lot of buzz, unless you play REALLY hard. My MIM Jazz has a reasonably low action and very little fret noise.
I don't think you should need to start filing frets! The first thing I'd check would be the neck relief - it sounds to me like the neck may be either dead straight or even bowed back a bit rather than forward. This link will help you check the relief...
http://www.weedhopper.org/Bass_Guitar_Setup.asp
If it played okay before and doesn't now, it's really up to them to put it right.
EDIT - what do you mean by the relief being "as high as it can get"?
I don't think you should need to start filing frets! The first thing I'd check would be the neck relief - it sounds to me like the neck may be either dead straight or even bowed back a bit rather than forward. This link will help you check the relief...
http://www.weedhopper.org/Bass_Guitar_Setup.asp
If it played okay before and doesn't now, it's really up to them to put it right.
EDIT - what do you mean by the relief being "as high as it can get"?
I got the badass on my p-bass (MIM) and i didnt do ANY shimming at all... Maybe it was due to me filing the saddles a little more that i should?
I did it all based upon what felt and held up correctly and sounded good....
It is heavier and bigger than the stock crummy bridge and I do notice much more sustain...
If i got my bass up to my chin (think intimate practice sessions or more like me trying to hear what i am playing over al lmy houses background noises hehe) but it totally makes my jaw and head shake. Sounds good through an amp too. Beefier yet clear and resonant. I am a fan. All my future P basses will have one of these bad boys.
Just a though... i got a graphTech Nut too, maybe that and my truss rod adjustment caused me to not need the shims???
I got them as low as i need.
I did it all based upon what felt and held up correctly and sounded good....
It is heavier and bigger than the stock crummy bridge and I do notice much more sustain...
If i got my bass up to my chin (think intimate practice sessions or more like me trying to hear what i am playing over al lmy houses background noises hehe) but it totally makes my jaw and head shake. Sounds good through an amp too. Beefier yet clear and resonant. I am a fan. All my future P basses will have one of these bad boys.
Just a though... i got a graphTech Nut too, maybe that and my truss rod adjustment caused me to not need the shims???
I got them as low as i need.
