Fender 3-bolt neck and micro-tilt adjustment. Evil or genius?

[mcnach]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1343557995' post='1751978']
I suspect when the Fender bass was conceived, no one expected bass players to change their strings often for fresh ones or want super low action. Upright bass player leave the same strings on for years and have to have the instrument properly set up usually by professional, Leo was probably trying for a fairly dead thumpy sound from flatwound strings (this was before roundwounds were popular) and foam mutes.

So, like Jamerson you kept the same set of strings for the whole of your career. Which meant you didn't need to remove the ashtray covers, take the old strings off, put the new ones on, take them off and remove the neck, adjust the truss rod, put the neck and the strings back on, then off and adjust, back on, set the action (nice and high), the intonation and finally put the ashtray covers back on. There's a guy here on Basschat with a very nice 70s Mocha Fender who hasn't changed the strings yet, and probably hasn't needed to adjust anything either.

It was when people like John Entwhistle made the zingier roundwound sound popular, and Anthony Jackson put fresh strings on not just for every session but for every take, that you needed to get to the gubbins regularly to make the adjustments.




It's your thread, you can do what you like!
[/quote]


Yes, that makes sense, historically.
But when Fender says "let's bring out a new series, based on classic periods, but without having to adhere strictly to the peculiarities of the period, bringing up a modernised version of the classic period... and we can call it Modern Player series!", and they replace the 6-screw vibrato system on the strat for a simpler and more stable 2-point one... but they leave the body-end access truss rod neck... THAT is madness.

[mcnach]

[quote name='Fat Rich' timestamp='1343557995' post='1751978']
It's your thread, you can do what you like!
[/quote]

I don't own it, I only started it.

[dfl3tch3r]

Works for me

Edited September 22, 2015 by dfl3tch3r

[Geek99]

[quote name='Delberthot' timestamp='1343533216' post='1751788']
So its like shimming a neck but you don't have to take the neck off?
[/quote]
Yes - a bolt bears on a metal plate in the neck heel to push it out

[Muppet]

[quote name='Geek99' timestamp='1433313189' post='2789885']
Yes - a bolt bears on a metal plate in the neck heel to push it out
[/quote] He's waited three years for that answer

[Cairobill]

The three bolt system is brilliant. in my experience. I have a 75RI that plays ridiculously well with the neck angle tweaked *just so*. It's also the biggest sounding/thumpy jazz I've ever owned so I'm not sure about the criticisms re: neck to pocket contact and tone etc Sounds great and plays great.

Edited June 3, 2015 by Cairobill

[Geek99]

I was responding after http://basschat.co.uk/user/32123-dfl3tch3r/ who responded earlier? Mr "cynical didn't read the thread properly before being sarcastic"

[Muppet]

I read the thread properly if you are referring to me. I was commenting on the fact that you answered a question posted in 2012 (you even quoted in in your post) and I would have hoped that the person asking the question would have received an answer before now. Oh well, these things happen when old thread get resurrected.

[gafbass02]

I much prefer the micro tilt three bolt on my 75 reissue. Wish it was on all my basses tbh

[mcnach]

[quote name='gafbass02' timestamp='1433332467' post='2790141']
I much prefer the micro tilt three bolt on my 75 reissue. Wish it was on all my basses tbh
[/quote]

same here

[ivansc]

I have aan original model G&L ASAT guitar with microtilt and it works like a dream. Leo got it right the second time it would seem.

[gary mac]

[quote name='ivansc' timestamp='1433671664' post='2792897']
I have aan original model G&L ASAT guitar with microtilt and it works like a dream. Leo got it right the second time it would seem.
[/quote]

I think Leo probably got it right the first time, the workforce managed to get it wrong.