Professional setup?

Tim · Posted: Sat Dec 31, 2005 5:01 pm Post subject: Professional setup?

I think my neck has too much curve in it but when I checked it using the 'rule of thumb' in a book I've got it seemed ok, my bridge is very low though so I was thinking maybe my neck needs straightening and my bridge raising?

Anyhoo, this added to the fact I've never adjusted the intonation etc (we're talking 6 years here) made me think about getting my bass professionally set-up, then I can at least see what things should look like for my own tweakings.
Does anyone know roughly how much this would cost in the UK? What will they do? Is it worth it? Any opinions would be great, thanks,

Tim.

1bassleft · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:18 am Post subject:

Tim, I had various bits 'n' bobs done, plus a setup, by Steve in Sale, Manchester, for £30.

I have a rough "howto" that I can pass onto you. I'm assuming your nut's fine...

1BL

Tim · Posted: Mon Jan 02, 2006 6:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks that'd be great. As far as I know everythings fine, it's just never been set up properly.

The strings are a couple of mm off the fretboard at the nut, I assume this is ok?

Thanks again,

Tim.

1bassleft · Posted: Wed Jan 04, 2006 6:51 pm Post subject:

Sorry for the delay Tim - still holiday time. OK, if you go to Peavey.com, go to the support bar and click on "search manuals". Type "bass guitar" and go search. Select the Dynabass 5-string manual and download it as a .pdf

After the initial blurb about the bass and its controls, there is a pretty good section on setting up your bass. I've followed these instructions and succesfully tweaked a couple of basses to get action and intonation better. Hope this helps Smile

Tim · Posted: Thu Jan 05, 2006 2:27 pm Post subject:

Looks useful, thanks, Ill have a look see if I dare do it myself!

Tim.

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Jan 06, 2006 4:34 am Post subject:

The scary bit is how quickly they suggest a truss-rod tweak. I'm with Peavey, though. If the action is ridiculous at the 12th fret, or the intonation is out, I'd go for a quarter turn on the rod. Raising and lowering saddles is a lot more complicated and involves radius-knowledge, steel rulers and allsorts. Very easy to get it Pete Tong and end up calling the guitar tech. Snapping the rod takes real ham-fisted doofusness, in comparison.

Tim · Posted: Sat Jan 07, 2006 12:08 pm Post subject:

The funniest bit is definately changing the strings every month, although some players may wish to change them more often!!!

I last changed mine when I snapped my E during a battle of the bands.

1bassleft · Posted: Sun Jan 08, 2006 5:04 pm Post subject:

Oh yeah, I remember reading that bit; presumably Peavey sell their own brand of strings Laughing

. If you like a really bright "Tang!" then stainless steel rounds, like the Elites I used, do dull off after a while. A brand new "E" sounded almost like a piano. OTOH, some of those Motown players using flats reckoned they weren't broken in until after a year Smile

I've got nickel rounds on the mahogany bass and they sound better now (2 years) than new. I kindof like the way there isn't much attack.

Tim · Posted: Wed Jan 11, 2006 8:56 pm Post subject:

I always fancied flats but I could only ever afford one set at a time so I went for what I knew.

1bassleft · Posted: Fri Jan 13, 2006 1:22 am Post subject:

If you can cough up for more than one bass, then a different type of string on each can be interesting.

Warm wood (eg, mahogany) and nickel strings give a different complexion to the same riff compared with ash or alder and stainless steels. And that's just sticking with roundwounds. I'm also anal enough to prefer a maple fretboard over a rosewood one. I can feel my kagoul rustling, though Laughing

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