View Single Post
  #10  
Old 02-18-2011, 10:21 AM
Ken Smith's Avatar
Ken Smith Ken Smith is offline
Bassist, Luthier & Admin
 
Join Date: 01-18-2007
Location: Perkasie, PA
Posts: 4,851
Ken Smith is on a distinguished road
Cool yes, or..

Quote:
Originally Posted by Anselm Hauke View Post
i think ONE card should be enough
I agree but one card at the very most. On my basses that I have tweaked, you can feel the bass squeeze a piece of paper against the nut because I take it down almost to the board.

While you have your 'straight edge' out, check along the neck/fingerboard joint to see if the neck under the board is perfectly straight. Depending on how true your straightedge is, check everything with both sides of the tool. We have machined steel and aluminum ones here. They are sent out on occasion to be re-trued.

For the 'band aid' fix as you put it, lower the Nut almost to the board so that the single card is squeezed tight when slid under the string when it tries to touch the nut unless your board is perfectly flat. If flat and I highly doubt that, one card height for medium playing and two for animal attack hard playing.

On the sound post, place it right under the bridge foot, centered one post diameter below it. Further down or out might make the bass feel tighter regardless of the sound difference.

On the TP length, 2 octaves and a fourth in sound for the after-length but the A and E will be sharp with a regular TP so just the G and D tuned. The G to a C and the D to a G. That's your starting point for the tailwire but if you let the TP up more towards the bridge, at least you will know where 'one/1' is if you have to go back.

On the TP wire over the saddle, like you cut notches in the bridge, I cut notches in the saddle deep enough so the wires are in place and do not slide away. The width that comes out of the tailpiece to the endpin collar in a continuous taper if any is fine for me. No drastic pushing them tighter or further apart hokus-pokus in my book. Just secure so it does its job.

Down the road, as far as your neck-set goes or you string length, remember that shortening the length will push the notes higher towards the bridge unless the Top is cut or the bridge is moved up. I have had many 43's-44's shortened to 42" and it's not so easy to get the notes around the octave where you want them as the body of the bass with its shoulders were designed for that length you have now. Maybe the design is good or maybe not or maybe shortening will put the notes in even a better place. The good thing is as you mentioned is you are coming to Arnold's and he is one of the best in regards to placing where the notes go and so on. Working with him on several restorations and set-ups has greatly broadened my knowledge of the 'whole picture' concept in regards to this particular issue with basses that are too long. If you have an Eb neck, it's easier to shorten. If it's a D at 43", then you or rather Arnold has his work cut out to do this job in regards to note placement near the octave area.
Reply With Quote