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BASS SETUP HINTS


cyberpunk409

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Posted

hey guys... i just got a new bass and found it quite hard finding GOOD websites online to help you with setups for BASSES (action, relief and intonation type stuff). I come from a guitar playing background, and whilst the setup techniques are identical, the measurements (action/relief) are NOT.

 

Here's some helpful websites:

 

KINDNESS's setup tips in PDF format

(removed the link at his request, a google search will show you the way)

 

Some pretty vague setup hints

http://www.modulusguitars.com/v2/products/genesisbass/m.html

 

Some OK tips

http://xstrange.com/vintagesetup.html

 

Fender's tips (good sight)

http://www.fender.com/support/basses.php

 

That's about all i could find that actually mentioned measurements and stuff.

 

I got a 2nd hand bass the other day (SX SJB62 Jazz Bass). The strings were 4 yrs old, the frets rusty, and fretboard covered in gunk and crap. So i bought a set of 45-105 bass strings (website to exact set: http://www.daddario.com/DADProdDetail.aspx?CodaID=638&ID=3&Class=ACBA )

 

I took off the old strings, and with 0000 steel wool proceeded to rub the rusty frets AND gunky dried rosewood fretboard. IMPORTANT: you must put masking tape on your pickups before starting this (i found out the hard way). I then lemon-oiled the fretboard... here are some before and after shots (each side-by-side pic shows the SAME area, left=before, right=after):

 

281440242.jpg281440245.jpg

 

281440240.jpg281440246.jpg

 

281440241.jpg281440244.jpg

 

amazing what a bit of steel wool, elbow grease and lemon oil can do huh?

 

next i setup my bass... here are my setup measurements (which is what i struggled so hard to find online):

 

STRINGS: 45-105

RELIEF (measured at 7th fret with 1st and last fret depressed/fretted): 0.010"

ACTION (measured at 17th fret with 1st fret capoed): Bass Side - 2.5mm, Treble Side - 2mm

 

What was a crappy $100 bass, is now a pretty decent instrument!!!

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Posted

Lemon oil doesn't last all that long. I use Fast Fret on my fretboard, which is a light mineral oil like 3-in-1 oil. I did it the beginning of last year and it's still oiled OK.

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