The Mediocre Builders Club

[Daveyj]

First of all check if the neck is dead straight. Use a long ruler or straight metal bar to check over the frets (in between the middle two strings).
If it is and the strings at the 22nd fret are touching the fret, you'll need to adjust the bridge to raise the strings to about 1 or 2 mm above the 22nd fret.
After that you need to adjust the truss-rod tension. It should have a very light bow in it so that the strings at the 10th fret are at about the same height as the ones at the 22nd fret. Note, this also raise the strings at the 22nd fret so it's a combination of adjusting the rod and the bridge.
Next you need to check the first and second fret. The open strings should not be buzzing against the fret, if that is the case then probably your nut is too deep and you either need to fill it or replace it. If you press the string at the 2nd nut, it should have the 1-2 mm clearance at the 12th fret.
If everything is already you should no longer have any buzzing or a too high action and then you can adjust the pups to the right heght.
Good luck.

btw, if you're not able to get the required spacing of the strings, either because the bridge needs to be too high or too low, you'll need to either deepen the neck pocket or use shims to get the neck to the correct height relative to the body. This is why the first step needs to be done with a straight neck. And of course with strings under tension otherwise the neck will have a backbow and you won't get it right.
Truss-rod adjustments are always done in 1/8 of turn, no more, otherwise you might overdo it with the tension leading to other problems you do not need right now.

Also, do you adjustments one step at a time, if you do several thing at one time you won't be able to see where it fails if it does.

Thanks, I loosened the truss rod a tiny bit and left it over night, the difference was there, so I loosed it more, and again more difference. It was completely tight before, so mabe the neck was flat or back bowed maybe. I think it may just need a bridge adjustment now to sort out the height maybe, the only bit that was still not raised was around the first fret. I used the ruler to check the fret level and they seem fine to me

 

[enzodm]

I am back with a mediocre build! My Wine Box Bass (build log here). The excuse has been a Chianti Magnum bottle with its nice wooden box. Still working on it, however already functioning.

 

[enzodm]

Finished (minus some detail). Now, surprise for the band at the first rehearsal (as mediocre builder and bassist too, 2 strings are more than sufficient )

 

[MirandM]

Finished (minus some detail). Now, surprise for the band at the first rehearsal (as mediocre builder and bassist too, 2 strings are more than sufficient )

View attachment 7311240

yep, who needs more than two strings? GREAT.