dmccombe7

Thanks Mike, its not something i need to do very often and always check the correct practice before adjusting the truss. Dave

I use feeler gauges on the 7th fret while using a capo on 1st fret and holding down 12th fret (i'd need to confirm the 12th fret as its been a while and might be where the neck meets the heel) Generally i just eyeball along the neck and make sure it has the slightest relief. Once happy with that i'll measure it and move onto the string height and intonation. I usually reference a set up guide i found on Fodera basses. Dave

I guess that's really how i do it, until i'm happy with a bass but being an engineer i like to measure the end result. That's probably why my VM4 is slightly lower than other basses. I adjusted it after changing to Elixir strings which have a little more tension and it just felt right and when measured it was 1.8mm no fret buzz. Some basses i've tried taking lower but i either get fret buzz or choking and when i reach that point i just bring it back a touch and then measure it. Its more a reference point in my head. Dave

Yep that's the Sandberg bug. It sneaks up on you and when it bites you get it big time. Just great basses. I've never had a bad sound using my VM4. Its why i tend to take it to every gig these days. It just never lets you down. Dave

Its weird but my VM4 arrived set up perfectly for me at 2mm altho i think it was done by Classic and Cool guitars. I think its down to 1.8mm at the moment. My MarloweDK which i had assumed would have a very low action arrived at 3mm at 12th fret. It was 2nd hand. When trying to set it up i had some major issues with the saddles bottomed out it was still high no matter what i did. I eventually had to shim the neck very slightly and its now around the 2mm at 12th fret too. I usually start at 2.5mm right away if its not there or lower and then slowly work my way down to 2mm. Anything less i tend to get some fret buzz when i play harder which is something i'm trying to remedy. Play lighter, save my fingers but 2mm is usually my target figure. The VM4 was tweaked a bit further by mistake and it was fine so i left it there. NB : i play fingerstyle. Dave

And all thanks to our Rob. Dave

Possibly people away on Easter hols causing less footfall in local bars. We use Google Calendar with each different 2nd band having a different colour for fast recognition. We all put in our various gigs / rehearsals or personal events that might prevent taking a booking. Only the band members have access to it. Works really well. If our singer gets a request for a booking he can quickly see at a glance what dates are available and book it. Dave

Standard British lacing i reckon. Dave

All in you've made quite a lot of changes to how you play these days Lozz. I've had a set of the Elixir steels on my Warwick Thumb for over 12 yrs now and they still sound ok. TBH i only play it in the house on rare occasions. My gigging basses will get approx 6mths to a year before i notice the tone rolling off. I need to try the steels on my VM4 to see if they sound any different. Dave

It all helps. My basses are set up to 2mm at 12th fret or just under. I guess if you use a pick you probably need it a bit higher than that. I'm not great with a pick. Have you tried lighter gauge strings @Lozz196 ? I'm using Elixir Nickels 45, 65, 80. 100 Dave

A Vans guy that doesn't tie his laces makes you supercool and young at heart. I hate loose shoe laces. Dave

I'm 65 but what i found in last few yrs was that the harder i plucked with my right hand the harder i fretted with my left hand. These days i tend to play a bit lighter with my right hand and the left hand is almost just touching the frets. I try not to push the strings onto the fretboard but its difficult to achieve that during a live gig as my head goes into auto pilot. With age also comes thinning skin and i was getting piercing stabbing feelings on my fretting index finger and that has almost gone now too. It makes a reappearance if i've not been gigging for a couple of weeks to a month. When gigging a lot it never happens. Maybe just my skin hardening with more gigs i do. Dave

I was suffering hand cramps at one stage when doing 2.5-3hr sets and decided to follow the "experts" guidance and use the thumb on the back of the neck as much as possible and i very rarely get any probs now. I do occasionally get lost in the moment and forget but i soon get back to it. Also tried keeping my hand in the 1st finger 1st fret, 2nd finger 2nd fret kind of thing mainly when i'm playing around the 5th fret areas as i struggle to do it nearer the nut having small hands. Dave