Why Plek a brand new bass?

[Hurricane Jimmie]

Not a bass, but hear me out.

This is James Gay, master builder at G&L. In this video, he's going from a plank to a custom built guitar for Jerry Cantrell (Alice In Chains, solo).

At 18:30, he takes the guitar that he JUST got done setting up and puts it in the plek machine. My feeling is that if the guy who spent days building the guitar as perfectly as possible uses the Plek to make it absolutely perfect, then probably the off-the-shelf instrument from Sweetwater could use it as well.

So Anyway, thanks for posting. It's nice to see what goes on at the Custom Shop.
Except now I want a G&L Fallout from the Custom Shop.

#GoFundMeHurricaneJimmieWantsAG&LCSFalloutBass

 

[osv]

My custom G&L SB-2 came with a PLEK and I really didn’t see a difference between it and my other cheaper basses without it. I think a decent setup including nut filing which is often needed will be enougn as long as all frets are properly seated.

 

[JohnnyChatter]

I just set my own basses up because I know how I like them. If I buy a new bass and it needs a plek I send it back. Honestly I have made cheap basses and they play and sound great for a few hundred bucks. I also have bought very exspensive basses I didn’t find up to the price tag. So I rather just buy used nice basses and do any work myself. There’s to many people out there who “work” on guitars and really have no idea or passion for craftsmanship.

 

[Ritter667]

I got 2 basses that costed just about around 200$ each from new (Ibanez, if you ask), and they got absolutely dead on perfect leveled frets right from factory.

It's necessary on every new bass. You either pay the manufacturer to do it, pay a tech after you've bought it, or you do it yourself. Any of the ways, every new bass needs it.

If you're saying every customer should be forced to pay for it to be done by the manufacturer, yuck. I'd rather the most qualified to do the work do the work.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Or, you could just go fretless? Just kidding.

I think if I was going to spend a couple grand for a really nice bass I might be tempted to pay the extra and get the PLEK.

 

[DrBnz]

Depends how good does it play now. If its great all across the fretboard then I wouldn't see the point. If it isn't, or if I didn't know, then I can see the benefit. I mean you don't know how accurate your luthier is - or if he's even skilled at fretwork. I just take some comfort in thinking that a scientific approach has been taken with highly accurate measuring tools has to be better. Then again. If its a good neck, it probably doesn't matter and your luthier will do fine. Yet if it has imperfections I'm hoping the PLEK will see them and compensate by removing material exactly in the right spots. I'd also think the PLEK will tell you if you're wasting your time on a neck that is just too far out of tolerance. So yeah... it depends.

 

[Clark W]

I bought a new bass from a music store for $1500. When I got it played fine burst I really wanted the action quite a bit lower so I returned it. I spoke with Sweetwater about it and they said with a Plek they could get the action very low with no fret buzz.
I ordered one from them and they were correct. The action is super low with zero fret buzz. It was worth it for me.

Yeah, for someone wanting the action as low as it can go, I can see getting it done.

 

[BassicJazzy]

Depends how good does it play now. If its great all across the fretboard then I wouldn't see the point. If it isn't, or if I didn't know, then I can see the benefit. I mean you don't know how accurate your luthier is - or if he's even skilled at fretwork. I just take some comfort in thinking that a scientific approach has been taken with highly accurate measuring tools has to be better. Then again. If its a good neck, it probably doesn't matter and your luthier will do fine. Yet if it has imperfections I'm hoping the PLEK will see them and compensate by removing material exactly in the right spots. I'd also think the PLEK will tell you if you're wasting your time on a neck that is just too far out of tolerance. So yeah... it depends.

The only bass I ever played with a lower action than my SR1350B, which hasn't even had a set-up, is my SR706EF fretless, which came low and then got set up perhaps even lower. How low can you go? If you get too low you have to lighten your touch to the point you lose all control of expression.

But,
I never played a super high end bass so probably don't know *** I'm talking about and should stay quiet on this point.

 

[J Wilson]

No.

IF I need that sort of work, I prefer an experienced, veteran guitar tech who can size up everything and do what's appropriate. A PLEK is indeed a wonderful tool but can't address or fix any other connected problem
Sweetwater offers this as an add-on to any new bass or guitar, and I always wonder how on Earth every new axe could need it.

This Just In: They don't.

 

[LowWay]

Anyone know a good Plek service in the northeast? Peekamoose gets real mixed reviews. Any other recommendations?

 

[EricOnTheBass]

I live in the Southwest desert and every new bass I get shipped to me changes a LOT during the first week or so. The moisture comes out of the wood, the neck bows, the action rises, and screws and nuts loosen. I feel like getting a Plek done before they ship it to me would be a waste.

 

[Clark W]

If you get too low you have to lighten your touch to the point you lose all control of expression.

Yeah I enjoy being able to play lightly but then digging in really hard when the need arises. Gotta have a little room if you want to do that for sure.

 

[KJMO]

I feel like I would just get the bass I want and if it turns out it needs to be plek’d, I’d plek it. I don’t know that I’ve had a bass that needed it though. Maybe if I had one plek’d I would get why it is a good thing to do. I know some techs can level as good as a plek, but many probably can’t. And even good ones probably have bad days.

 

[KJMO]

I bought a guitar at Guitar Center and the tech put it on the bench and did a check and he said he couldn’t get it within manufacturer’s spec. I figured maybe the action couldn’t get within the string height the manufacturer suggests as a starting point. So he got a different one out of the back and unboxed it, and it was “within spec” (whatever that was). I like this idea. If it’s possible to get it set up the way most people want it, that’s good enough. But if someone wants lower action than that provides (and Fender can’t afford at all price points to have that precision) then you have to have it worked on (plek’d or whatever). The analogous car thing would be buying a Camry that handles within spec (good enough for most people). If you want better than that, have some stickier tires and/or coilovers installed, but that’s not something you get to expect from Toyota.

 

[erratick]

It not a simple setup, it is physically modifying the bass, removing material, or in other words a repair, that should not be necessary on a new bass, as far as I am concerned.

And yes, something is indeed being fixed in both a setup (that is why a bass bridge and neck is made adjustable though), but in particularly and plek/fret leveling job.

If nothing was getting fixed then what would even be the point of doing it?

Fret level and crown is maintenance, not repair. Over the life of fretted instruments, it's expected. Repair depends on something breaking.

Maintenance: drain and refill transmission fluid. (fret level/polish/crown) Repair: rebuild transmission (replace frets).

 

[Major Seven]

Some people buy the undercoating. If it makes them feel good, who am I to judge?

I don't like undercoating. It holds onto water.

 

[Major Seven]

If you’ve played a bass with a plek job done right, then it’s pretty much worth it on anything you plan to play for a while. Just so happens my $1800 bass came plek’d from the maker - that’s how it should be!

What make is that?

 

[prndltech]

What make is that?

Well, more than one make. One was a 1 off custom build from a local guy, a p bass with lollars and it was also plek’d. the other is a Modern Vintage bass from Rob Erick and John Files. If you ever get to play one, do it. You’re in for a treat!

 

[KJMO]

Fret level and crown is maintenance, not repair. Over the life of fretted instruments, it's expected. Repair depends on something breaking.

Maintenance: drain and refill transmission fluid. (fret level/polish/crown) Repair: rebuild transmission (replace frets).

The problem is that you shouldn’t have to do maintenance on a brand new bass, or car for that matter.

 

[LowWay]

The problem is that you shouldn’t have to do maintenance on a brand new bass, or car for that matter.

You shouldn’t have to, but you might want to upgrade it.