nut advice on a paesold bass

[Tomas Bouda]

here is my problem.
i have a 2003 paesold 593 bass (i am the original owner/player) and i have been really happy with the way it performs. however, i have always noticed that the d string actually touches the fingerboard about a half inch before the nut...which makes fingering across the strings a really weird exercise in ear training. but, seriously its about a half inch off. i want to know what my options are, and i look forward to what you guys (pros) know.
thanks a lot!
ps
it also came with a wittner composite tailpiece...but i think it sounds really wimpy. having a heavier wood, or even just wood would make it sound ballsier, wouldn't it?

thanks again!

[Ken Smith]

here is my problem.
i have a 2003 paesold 593 bass (i am the original owner/player) and i have been really happy with the way it performs. however, i have always noticed that the d string actually touches the fingerboard about a half inch before the nut...which makes fingering across the strings a really weird exercise in ear training. but, seriously its about a half inch off. i want to know what my options are, and i look forward to what you guys (pros) know.
thanks a lot!
ps
it also came with a wittner composite tailpiece...but i think it sounds really wimpy. having a heavier wood, or even just wood would make it sound ballsier, wouldn't it?

thanks again!

Blind advise is not always accurate having not seen the bass in person.

So, tell me this being that you have had the bass for several years now;

Has this situation been there all along or is it something you just noticed recently?

I like my strings as close to the Fingerboard as possible. Sometimes after getting it just perfect I change to a different string. If the String is a smaller diameter or requires a lower bridge set-up (steels vs synthetics) the Nut can become too low for one or more string.

If it is all the way across you have two options in my book. Shim the Nut slightly of shave the Fingerboard just under the Nut till it plays the way you need. If the problem is just on one string, shave the Fingerboard under that one string up near the Nut till all is well.

I have done all of the above with good results. No need to make a whole new Nut or completely dress the Fingerboard. Just tweak it till it's right.

That my opinion. The Basses I play for the most part are quite expensive and I feel confident I am not hurting anything making these minor playability adjustments.

On your Tailpiece question I am sorry to say I have no experience with that type you mention. Believe it or not, most of my basses do NOT have Ebony TPs. They are black in color but being that they are very old, they pre-date the modern use of Ebony as the standard TP wood. I guess I have some in Maple, Boxwood or Sycamore. I never shaved the black stain off to see. They were all made long before any of us here were born.

I say that the lighter the TP, the brighter the sound but I don't necessarly buy that. I have one in Cocobolo and one oldie in stained Maple. In a tap test the Maple was deeper. How then does the brighter sounding heavier weighted Cocobolo make the bass deeper? This in itself confuses me. Also, woods that ring more might have more high end due to the comparison that woods that don't ring might deaden the sound. It's not a science. Just trial and error matching what's best on your bass. It's a pain in the butt doing these changes but how else will you know? For me, unless the TP is pure crap, I leave it alone.

[Tomas Bouda]

wow, thanks for the super fast response.
i have noticed this problem off and on, likely due to the extreme humidity changes in southern ontario. the point you made about changing strings is one that hadn't even crossed my mind - i have, in fact, changed my strings to obligattos, from flexocores.
i should elaborate on the bass itself:
about two years ago i began playing in fifths. so, thats' CGDA, low to high, just like a 'cello. i wonder if changing the strings resulted in altering the tension of the strings - could the nut problem be a result of this?

[Tomas Bouda]

say, if i want to remove the nut and add a shim - how do i go about doing it?

[Ken Smith]

say, if i want to remove the nut and add a shim - how do i go about doing it?

The Nut is glued in 'hopefully' with hide glue. Tapping it (strings off) with a small tool and mallet (or hammer) at the exposed ends back and forth should do it. Tease it like hot a Dentist pulls a tooth. You do not want to splt the Nut along the grain anf have to make a new one.

After the Nut is off, you will need to wash or scrape the old glue off all surfaces. THen you need some very thin Veneer. Any species will do. Any Cabinet shop or wood working place will have scraps lying around. Cut a small piece oversized and square the bottom where it touches the fingerboard. Put glue for now only on top of the shim and the not where it touches the shim/pegbox area. A small amount only as it will slip and slide. Put the Nut in place and use the Strings on half tension maybe (with Bridge) and use this as a clamp. When the Glue is dry, Tap off the Nut again like befor WITH the Shim glued to the back of the Nut only. The Nut might be slightly stuck to the Fingerboard or Pegbox but not as much as before, hopefully. Then, trim the excess wood of the shim till it's flush with the Nut. Take a magic marker and stain the shim wood so it matches the Nut better. Then, glue in place and re-cut any of the Nut ****s that are too high. Do this after the glue dries and with the bass string up so the tension gives you an accurate read... ok?

[Tomas Bouda]

sounds great. i can't wait to do the work.
thanks ken.
tomas