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North London - looking for a 'setup' recommendation


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Hi,

While I've had my bass (Aria Pro II IGB 30) for 20 odd years, it doesn't get played very often. I've just started a concerted effort to learn how to play, but it's probably been three or four years since it last saw daylight.

It could probably do with someone giving it the once over - truss rod, maybe some new strings - and there's an annoying buzz / rattle from the 5th fret and thereabouts. I'm sure that eventually I'll figure out how to do this work by myself, but for now I'd rather hand it over to an expert.

I'm in North London (Enfield), and work up near Victoria, so just wondered if anyone could recommend someone / somewhere to get a basic setup done, either in central London or the Herts / Middx area?

Thanks!

Boo

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[quote name='BooTheMightyHamster' timestamp='1458411712' post='3007461']
Thanks Billy - that's looks ideal.
I'll give them a ring on Monday.
[/quote]

He's set my two Spectors up. Cost was about £40, plus I supplied new strings for him to put on. When he did my first Spector, it was like getting a new bass back. It was right at last! :)

Edited by Billy Apple
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  • 2 weeks later...

Dropped the bass off at the Gallery yesterday. I've never seen so much stuff crammed into such a small space!! Seemed like good people though.

Quick question - I was asked how low I liked the action. I shrugged and said that I'm still learning scales and have pretty clumsy fingers at the moment, so it probably didn't matter, so go 'middling'.

Presumably once you start getting confident, a low action means less effort for your fretting hand, but for the beginner, is there any advantage to having it high/middling/low?

Cheers!

Edited by BooTheMightyHamster
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It all depends how much you like to dig into the strings with your plucking hand.

Martin at the Gallery tends to try to get it as low as possible as he mainly deals with / builds very high end basses that can handle this without excess buzz.

As mainly a Fender player I prefer a medium action as I like to dig in a bit. But to answer your question generally a lower action equals more playability.

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  • 2 weeks later...

I picked the bass up last Thursday. The chap I spoke to invited me to have a noodle on it for a few mins, but being novicetastic, I just managed a few scales and proclaimed it 'great'! It certainly sounds a lot twangier with new strings.

Having got it home and had a rather more considered look at it, and played some exercises up and down the neck, it became apparent that there was a grim and exceedingly annoying buzz from the 5th fret on the G. Spoke to Fat Rich who was of the opinion that it could and should get sorted, so popped back to the Gallery on Wednesday of this week. It was looked at again, and a 'fret dressing' was prescribed, so I've left it with them. As I said to them - chances are I've only spent about £50 on it in the last 20 years, so if a bit of TLC is what's required, then so be it.

Meanwhile, Rich has lent me a Japanese repro of a '62 Jazz to practice on. The tone is fab but my spine is now a peculiar shape. My Aria might not have the oomph of some other basses, but by God it's light!

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