Bass String Action

Garlic Suplmnt

Hey, I just bought a brand new Mexican Precision. It seems the strings are banging off the frets at the body end of the neck which is a pain in the arse. It sounds like someone's lightly hammering sheet metal while I'm playing, an effect which is amplified by my amp. I've just moved up from a Squier Jazz Bass and never experienced this.

Looking at the net it would appear that maybe the string action is too low. Is this someting that could reasonably be attempted to fix myself or would I be better off taking to a store/technician for more expert attention?

Cheers

eoin5

Garlic Suplmnt wrote: »

Hey, I just bought a brand new Mexican Precision. It seems the strings are banging off the frets at the body end of the neck which is a pain in the arse. It sounds like someone's lightly hammering sheet metal while I'm playing, an effect which is amplified by my amp. I've just moved up from a Squier Jazz Bass and never experienced this.

Looking at the net it would appear that maybe the string action is too low. Is this someting that could reasonably be attempted to fix myself or would I be better off taking to a store/technician for more expert attention?

Cheers

Yep, its simple. You just detune the string a bit, screw in the grub screws (should be 8) up to the height you think should work best, tune up and check, and repeat until youre happy.

The fact that its more at the body end indicates that a truss rod adjustment might help too as well as normal action adjustment. Its something you can do, good resource here: http://www.fretnotguitarrepair.com/trussrods.htm . Dont do it if youre not sure about it though, its possible to damage the instrument by doing it incorrectly.

Rigsby

Here is another goodlink for setting up a bass...





http://acapella.harmony-central.com/showthread.php?t=2067718&highlight=kindness+set+up

Organeer

If you bought the bass locally just go back to the shop & ask them to fix it. It is their responsibility to correct any setup problems. If you fiddle with it they may refuse to sort it out. If you did not buy locally, then you are very much on your own, as any savings you made would likely be used up on a proper setup job.

Garlic Suplmnt

Thanks very much for the advice folks, I'll try raising the strings first and see how that goes before even thinking about the truss rod. Will post back and let yis know how I got on!

Tomas911

Garlic Suplmnt wrote: »

Thanks very much for the advice folks, I'll try raising the strings first and see how that goes before even thinking about the truss rod. Will post back and let yis know how I got on!

I take it he got it online?
Should of gone to specsavers.
To be honest with the amount of stores competing with online nowadays, I cant see any reason for sending money to the uk or germany?
Its all leading to fully destroying our economy.

reniwren

Tomas911 wrote: »

I take it he got it online?
Should of gone to specsavers.
To be honest with the amount of stores competing with online nowadays, I cant see any reason for sending money to the uk or germany?
Its all leading to fully destroying our economy.

It all comes down to the choice of brands
Usually Irish shops don't have what I want anyway

Garlic Suplmnt

Tomas911 wrote: »

I take it he got it online?
Should of gone to specsavers.
To be honest with the amount of stores competing with online nowadays, I cant see any reason for sending money to the uk or germany?
Its all leading to fully destroying our economy.

I got it for £420 (€470) from dolphin music in the Uk. Cheapest I've seen the same guitar for in Ireland was €620. Go figure.

Tomas911

Garlic Suplmnt wrote: »

I got it for £420 (€470) from dolphin music in the Uk. Cheapest I've seen the same guitar for in Ireland was €620. Go figure.

Thats a savage deal alright.
I was not attacking you personally, but I know lots of guys that are still buying strings, sticks, all that kind of stuff online and it can be got in shops here for near enough the same prices once you take in delivery costs into it. And alot of instruments, amps etc are being price matched aswell, but dolphin obviously must be sellin that model for nothing?

reniwren wrote: »

It all comes down to the choice of brands
Usually Irish shops don't have what I want anyway

What kind of brands do you be buying?
You can get pretty much anything in Ireland nowadays, its not like it was 10 years ago, hell, not even like it was 5 years ago

reniwren

Try find a set of strings for a 7 string bass in Ireland also, i like SIT strings,Bartolini pickups cant be got, no fbass, no Schroeder cabs no tech 21, EBS and Markbass have only recently came into Ireland and at that its only the basic models,

its not like 5 years ago but its 10-15 years behind in technology

Rigsby

Tomas911 wrote: »

What kind of brands do you be buying?
You can get pretty much anything in Ireland nowadays

Not in my experience you cant. I agree with reniwren. Even a basic thing like strings have a limited choice. Even "X Music" only stock a very limited selection of brands. Same goes for choices of bass guitars, especially more high end brands. This has nothing to do with the recession, as it was the same in the "boom years".

Tomas911

reniwren wrote: »

Try find a set of strings for a 7 string bass in Ireland also, i like SIT strings,Bartolini pickups cant be got, no fbass, no Schroeder cabs no tech 21, EBS and Markbass have only recently came into Ireland and at that its only the basic models,

Come on Bartolini pick ups? You can only buy those pick ups in like 10 countries in the world, same goes for fbass, SIT strings and Schroeder cabs.
Its not because Irish shops wont stock them, its because all those companies are too small to distribute worldwide and not enough people buy them.

Besides there is load of high end amps and basses in Ireland nowadays. You obviously just like getting things that no one else has.

Its like going in to Guitar Centre in the states and complaining that they don't have any Lowden guitars in the store.

reniwren

Oh dont give me that crap of no demand there would be a demand if the average player knew any better like for god sake you cant even get hartke agular or eden 3 massave brands

fifth

Back on topic, if it's a truss rod adjustment I find most places will usually do the adjustment free if you've just gotten it and ask nicely.

Garlic Suplmnt

Tomas911 wrote: »

Thats a savage deal alright.
I was not attacking you personally, but I know lots of guys that are still buying strings, sticks, all that kind of stuff online and it can be got in shops here for near enough the same prices once you take in delivery costs into it. And alot of instruments, amps etc are being price matched aswell, but dolphin obviously must be sellin that model for nothing?

It would seem that prices are coming down significantly in the uk too judging by online prices. I was watching that particular model for a while and almost bought one in february for 500 sterling. Thank Odin for the stray credit card digit that made me hesitate long enough to decide to hold off for a while! Besides, the missus bought me the Squier at xmas, she'd have taken a scissors to me if I ditched it for a new one after only 2 months!

Eoin Madsen

It really does sound like it needs the truss rod loosened a little.

The selection and prices in Ireland still suck appallingly. I try to buy here when I can, but it's rarely justifiable for anything. Frankly, it astounds me how uncompetitive our music shops still are after all this time.

Anyway, I'm an EU citizen, I feel patriotic enough to be contributing to the EU economy.

Tomas911

Eoin Madsen wrote: »

Anyway, I'm an EU citizen, I feel patriotic enough to be contributing to the EU economy.

Yeah, sure if you ever get sick you can always go to the UK for treatment or if someone robs you, you can ring the Bobbies, then again they still might turn up quicker than the cops here

i57dwun4yb1pt8

Tomas911 wrote: »

I take it he got it online?
Should of gone to specsavers.
To be honest with the amount of stores competing with online nowadays, I cant see any reason for sending money to the uk or germany?
Its all leading to fully destroying our economy.

yes, now watch me not give a fcuk

eoin5

Eoin Madsen wrote: »

It really does sound like it needs the truss rod loosened a little.

Tightened probably, Garlic said the buzzing was coming from the body end of the neck.