String to fret height... is this normal?

[Tristan]

I bought an Ibanez SR1200 Premium, and the electronics were whack. Exchanged it, and I think the neck on the new one might be a little funky.

I noticed that the G string is furthest over the frets at the 9-15ish area but closer at the end i.e. high twenties. Should this ever happen?

I notice the E and other strings are not like this this.

I am at work and haven't measured exactly, but wanted to know if this was at all normal.

The piece of wenge on the G side of the neck has water-spots on it but the middle and E string piece do not so I wonder if it was not dried properly or something.

 

[Mushroo]

Have you set up your bass yet? Any new instrument will need a setup, this is normal (and you should have negotiated this before you walked out of the store with an unplayable bass).

http://www.talkbass.com/forum/f18/all-basic-setup-questions-answered-here-125382/

 

[Tristan]

I was working on the setup when I noticed this.

Do you know specifically if having a bigger gap at the mid frets than the higher frets is ever normal? I wouldn't really expect this profile even with excess relief, but I'm not an expert.

It was a swap of a bass I bought from the store online so it was new-in-box from Ibanez and I can return it at will.

 

[Mushroo]

I would consider that too much bow and adjust the truss rod, personally.
If it works for you, then rock on!

 

[gard0300]

It would be normal if the truss is not adjusted properly. Try tightening the truss a 1/4 turn. If your not comfortable, hire a professional to do this for you.

 

[Tristan]

Thanks guys. I don't mind doing my own setups, I just figured if this was a non-starter I would return right away. I'll give it a shot.

 

[Tristan]

OK so I've set the neck profile pretty close to flat, but the upper frets on the G are still closer than the mid frets.

Now would this be called an issue?

 

[gard0300]

Without seeing it hard to tell. But there will always be a natural bow the neck.

 

[Tristan]

Thanks gard.

I returned it anyway. There were some high frets on the G and some fret sprout.

 

[edpal]

How's height at the nut? I've noticed the space somehow doesn't visually look as high up by the nut as in the middle, even if by all other methods they are the same. THink it's an optical illusion caused by the widening neck.
BUt yeah, little tweak of truss rod should do it. And a neck is usually slightly bowed - a flat neck is just too tricky to setup unless you are a pro or very patient. Or don't mind a lot of fret buzz. G-luck man.

 

[Tristan]

Hey edpal, thanks for the tip.

I was actually measuring with a small ruler so it wasn't an illusion.

I returned the bass anyways.

Tristan

 

[Solarmist]

OK so I've set the neck profile pretty close to flat, but the upper frets on the G are still closer than the mid frets.

Now would this be called an issue?

Can you take any pics, and show us?

Also a great little measuring tool is the Stew-Mac string action gauge - lay it across the frets, and sight underneath ... works beautifully.

 

[Tristan]

Hey Solarmist,

I returned the bass already. Thinking about the Carvin Bromberg 4 now.