Andyjr1515

OK Starting with the most likely - the saddle tight and not seating properly: - take the strings off - pull the saddle out of its slot - if it is very tight, use pliers but protect the saddle with a bit of paper - check that the piezo element in the bottom of the slot is all the way across the slot and that there isn't a solder knuckle/lump showing at one end ... if it isn't or there is, report back - check that the saddle, while being a snug fit, will slide down to the bottom of the slot and can be removed with normal finger pressure. If it is tight, run the side of it over a piece of fine sandpaper until it is a snug fit but easily pushes to the bottom of the slot. Don't sand it too much - you want to avoid the saddle being a sloppy fit. Put the strings back on and see if it now works. - while you have the saddle out, does the bottom look straight and flat? If not, report back. Let us know how you get on Andy

For reasons I can't remember, I think there is a slight change in tone when you do this but as @paul_5 says, it's very easy to do so why not try it. If it does change the tone and you don't like it, just swop it back. If it doesn't change the tone - or if it does and you like it - result. I wired wwgringe' s African build directly and it sounded great...

Has it always been like that or has it just started? Assuming it's an under saddle piezo, it is usually that the saddle isn't resting properly on the piezo element. That can be because the saddle is a bit tight in the slot or that the bottom of the saddle isn't flat or for other reasons. Usually easily fixed. What bass is it?

I made a mix of chestnut spirit stains using their very useful sample packs (which I'd already got - both their wood colour samples and their poster colour samples) For the neck it was a mix of Light Mahogany + Yellow + A teeny touch of Orange + meths to thin it down and reduce the intensity Just wiped on with a cloth. Couple of coats For the Ash, because of the brown tint to the wood, it needed something extra. I was going to add more orange, but in the end added some thinned Yew stain to the neck concoction and a drop more meths. I did 1/2 dozen samples on some scrap and tweaked the shades and tones until it looked about right for what the client was asking for. Pleased to say that I've heard back from him and he's happy for me to use that as the basis

It will darken when I do the proper job to an extent. I'll see what the man in Hawaii thinks

We're still experimenting with colours and contrasts. I always find that it is only when you pin down one element that you can see the valid options of the next and, with the fretboard and neck now the colour the owner wants, it is time to look at the other elements. And hmmmm….the back.... While the ash was quite dark alongside white maple, this neck is now SUCH a strong colour, the ash looks a bit wishy washy? Also the yellow tint from the strong amber clashes with the brown tint of the ash - certainly when you see it in real life. With a bolt-on you can often get away with this, but a through-neck, in my view, needs to coordinate (whether with contrasts or complimentary shades) between back, sides, top, neck and fretboard and this doesn't yet do that. So time for some more experimenting. One thought was to maybe go for complimentary colour between the back and neck and a greater contrast between sides and top. So I did loads of colour checks with some ash offcut until I came up with this one. The dye on the ash is a totally different mix of dyes in a different strength to that applied to the neck but the result is quite close to each other in the colour spectrum. This is a test only so don't worry that it's a bit patchy! It's sufficiently different to still have a distinct through neck-look but now both back wings and neck have an amber hue on the orange/yellow side And, to my eye, the depth of colour makes the sides contrast better with the top: I've sent the shots across to 'our man in Hawaii' to see if this is getting close to the overall look he had in mind.

I've stained the neck and fretboard and started applying the finishing oils. Ref the fretboard and neck, the owner has always preferred a strong amber tint. For particularly the fretboard, to contrast it needs to be lighter or darker than the top. I did a few trials (my own inclination was to go lighter, like @Len_derby 's, rather than darker) but in the end we pitched for a match of a bass he sent me a photo of and which contrasts the other way round - strong colour neck making the body top actually look a decent number of shades lighter than it actually is. Fascinating stuff. Anyway, I'm about 1/2 way through the finish application and this is how it's looking: Couple more days of finish application and then that can be sitting hardening while I do the remaining jobs. Oh yes, and there's probably Christmas in between those two sets of activities

In terms of supply, I get my Schaller M4's from Touchstone Tonewoods. The 2r2l sets are on back order at the moment but are between £52 and £56 a set - less than half the cost of the Hipshots.

Hi I've used the Schaller M4 90 tuners on my last couple of builds and will probably use them for my future builds. They look good, they operate smoothly at a pleasingly high gear ratio for accurate tuning and they are noticeably lighter than 'standard' tuners. They claim 40% lighter but I don't know what they are comparing against. I do know that they are 44g each because I've just weighed one. I prefer them to Hipshot because the gearing is sealed and they are a decent price against Hipshots more outrageous costs. The bush is 14mm so if the holes in your bass are also 14mm (can't remember what Warwick are) , you won't need to drill out or pack out but it is very rare that the positioning screw at the back is in the same position for any replcements of anything. If I'm right, it is nevertheless an easy job but you will need to drill a pilot hole in the back to avoid the possibility of snapping one of the small screws. Not tried them, but it is worth looking at Axesrus who sell a licensed ultralite copy of the Hipshot at less than half the price. Anyone tried them? I have to say I've always been pleasantly surprised with the quality of the Axesrus own stuff - their new lightweight 6 string electric tuners are lovely....

Just let them dry first - doesn't take long. Main thing is not to scrunch them up, trapping concentrated flammable gasses while they sre still wet.

Yes - that is correct. Like a lot of finishes, the rags need to be laid out to fully dry in a well ventilated area to avoid the possibility of spontaneous combustion.

Actually - just read the article that David Dyke refers to. It is Birchwood Casey Tru-oil referred to in the article and I am sure that is what David Dyke sells. It's actually an excellent article - 'Well Oiled with Adamson' Google it and the pdf is there

To clarify, 'Tru-Oil' is the registered trademark held by Birchwood Laboratories so the only true 'Tru-Oil' is, indeed, the Birchwood Casey one. But you are quite right - there are a myriad of blended linseed-based out there. I think the key is how hard it sets and how quickly and it will be the additives and blends that will affect that. I assume that the reason that the BC oil gives off that quite strong smell is that something is in there is evaporating to make the gloop harden more quickly. I'm sure that from a wood protection point of view they all do the same job in other respects. I haven't tried David's blend. Might give it a go Thanks for the lead.

Yes - that is the real thing

Thanks for the great feedback, Ewan. One of my favourite projects Have a happy birthday on 27th!

Clearly it varies, but I would say similar prices to you for decent quality woods. For this recent build with amboyna top, maple/purpleheart/mahogany neck, Macassar fretboard, wenge veneer, it was around £400 for the raw timber. And that was using some free-gifted oak for the back wings: Looking at my recent bass builds, the raw timber costs vary between around £350 to £450 I've picked up some decent cheaper timbers for the rear wings in the past - reclaimed mahogany rejected by a flooring company, oak from an old mantlepiece, etc, but I don't risk unknown sources for neck timber and decent bookmatched (or bookmatchable) woods for a top are eye-wateringly expensive pretty much wherever you get them. Occasionally you see a bargain but not often... So, as I say, pretty similar to your estimate...

All packed up and ready to go

With @eude 's bass now sorted and in time for his special date, I can turn my attention fully back to this - and today, I finished the carve! So, plenty, plenty of sanding to look forward to but here's how it's looking. The ash back wings and poplar top are pretty representative of the final colour but the neck and fretboard will be stained amber, per the new owner's request. I will put the stain on after the final sanding stages.

Well, this is all ready to ship. In the final set-up, I realised I'd still got one or two high-spots in an area of the fretboard so re-levelled and polished up. With my style of playing, it plays fine at a much lower action than I would normally set my own basses with some nice 'mwah-ing' going on. So tomorrow I will be making sure that the bass is secure and supported in the Hiscox case Ewan sent me and get it all ready for shipping first thing Monday. So before that, the final shots:

No - I'm afraid not if it's a standard 'modern' 2 way. It's usually welded to the rod...

OK. If it's a modern one that has an allen key, then yes - there is no loose nut and nothing should come undone if you loosen it (counter clockwise) and keep turning until you feel resistance again - which is the rod now bending the other way. Turn it 1/4 of a turn from when you feel the resistance and check if the relief gap is now smaller. If so, then carry on, 1/4 turn each time, checking as you go until the relief gap is where you want it. If, on the other hand, the relief still gets bigger when turning it counter clockwise, then stop and get a tech to have a look...

It's looking very good

Oh...and yes - I'm pretty sure Gretsch are 'normal' righty-tighty...

Ah - maybe not if it's a Gretsch. As @warwickhunt says above - I think Gretsch have a standard nut on a threaded rod - in which case it isn't going to be double acting. You actually can't do any harm because it would just screw back on, but it probably isn't going to solve your problem. But therefore I don't understand why tightening it is increasing the relief. How are you measuring the relief?

OK - try it the other way. If it is a normal modern rod, you will reach a 'loose' mid point. This is where the rod is now straight so there's no pressure on the nut. Keep turning and it will start tightening again, but this time the rod will be bending in the opposite direction. What bass / neck is it?