Dylan Steed Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Hi everyone! I am looking for some help, and need to know the size of the Allen key needed to adjust my action from the bridge on my jazz bass. I'm a guitarist, but wanted to get into bass so got it second hand from a friend, but the action is ridiculously high. What size Allen key is needed to adjust the bridge/saddle height. Thanks all! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gary mac Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 Is it Mexican, U.S. or Squier? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Steed Posted February 4, 2018 Author Share Posted February 4, 2018 48 minutes ago, gary mac said: Is it Mexican, U.S. or Squier? It is a squire bass. Sorry, should have said. I've included a photo too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 (edited) Well, I was judging by trial and error with a set of Allen keys snd an old Squier VM Jazz bridge I think you want a 0.050" key, which is normally the smallest key on an imperial set. However, I don't know that all bridges on all Squier Jazz basses from any given year have the same specs Anyhoo, if you're going to be maintaining multiple guitars and basses it's worth getting something like this https://www.amazon.co.uk/Blue-Spot-15320-Metric-Imperial/dp/B0039KE4IC. You'll never use most of them, but you will always have the right one. Edit: On closer inspection I'm not sure all my keys have been correctly replaced in the case, so I'm not entirely sure if I've given you the correct one. Sorry Best to get a complete set. Edited February 4, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoonBassAlpha Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 I think the Squier ones r metric. I'm sure my Korean Tele is Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 14 minutes ago, MoonBassAlpha said: I think the Squier ones r metric. I'm sure my Korean Tele is I think you're right. I suspect I may have put some of my keys back on the wrong side of the case. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 4, 2018 Share Posted February 4, 2018 You are right. Squier basses are metric. It's best to just go and get a good set of Allen keys. Wickes do some good ones. I use this set http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Long-Pattern-Hexagon-Key-Set-of-30/p/167811 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dylan Steed Posted February 5, 2018 Author Share Posted February 5, 2018 On 04/02/2018 at 17:21, Grangur said: You are right. Squier basses are metric. It's best to just go and get a good set of Allen keys. Wickes do some good ones. I use this set http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Long-Pattern-Hexagon-Key-Set-of-30/p/167811 Awesome thanks, everyone! What a great community Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 It's a1.5mm if that helps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hellzero Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 Just for fun, imperial measures are supposed to have been abandoned in 1875 in favour of the metric system ... worldwide. And England was one of the first to adopt it with France where it all started, but some seem really reluctant to use it : you know, old habits... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mentalextra Posted February 5, 2018 Share Posted February 5, 2018 I'd be checking the neck relief before anything else? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 10 hours ago, mentalextra said: I'd be checking the neck relief before anything else? Yes 1. Tune up, 2. Relief, 3. Action height at the bridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Good luck, There's no way I would mess around with those saddles and attempt to lower the action myself. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 2 minutes ago, Bluewine said: Good luck, There's no way I would mess around with those saddles and attempt to lower the action myself. Blue Why not mate its easy and basic maintenance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 2 minutes ago, Thunderbird said: Why not mate its easy and basic maintenance Easy for who ? 😁 Trust rods, saddles all I've ever managed to do is screw things up. $60.00 gets me new strings and adjustments by an ace luthier. I use to do those sort of things when I was young and could see and think clearly. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thunderbird Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 2 minutes ago, Bluewine said: Easy for who ? 😁 Trust rods, saddles all I've ever managed to do is screw things up. $60.00 gets me new strings and adjustments by an ace luthier. I use to do those sort of things when I was young and could see and think clearly. Blue Fair enough I just thought as you are obviously a very experienced bass player you would love to tinker with your basses 🎸 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 4 minutes ago, Thunderbird said: Fair enough I just thought as you are obviously a very experienced bass player you would love to tinker with your basses 🎸 I'm only experienced at certain aspects of playing. Keep in mind ,because some of us have been playing for decades on end doesn't necessarily mean we're all that experienced. To be honest I'd say my claim or real experience is understanding all the dynamics of band culture and how to be in a band. Definitely not the best bass player around. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) Having read Bill Wyman's book about his days in the Stones, it seems within the bands there are some people who are Premier League and others who're not accepted to be in the front line. In the Stones Mick, Keith and Brian were the "in crowd". They lived together in 1 house. Charlie and Bill were never on the same league. Ian Stewart was even never accepted to be on stage even though he was in the band. "A good face for radio", i think is the term used. Bill Wyman says in the book, Jagger tried to convince Stewart that even if he wasn't on stage he was just as much a member of the band. Bill did he best too to help hold it together, but he says, it hurt. It always did hurt Ian Stewart and he never made as much money as anyone else. Edited February 6, 2018 by Grangur Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Bluewine said: Easy for who ? 😁 Trust rods, saddles all I've ever managed to do is screw things up. $60.00 gets me new strings and adjustments by an ace luthier. I use to do those sort of things when I was young and could see and think clearly. Blue It is easy... but I can see your point too. Often I just want things to work, without spending time on them, so if I can pay someone to get it just right, why not? However, let that be by choice. I think a lot of people, especially when not very experienced, they find the whole set up business a bit daunting, when it really isn't and it can be very rewarding as you will be able to get your own instrument exactly the way you want it. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Grangur Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 Something I've picked up in my later 50s: Practical things are odd. Some of us find it SOOoooo easy. It takes no time and what to do to get a great job is reeeeeallly obvious. To others, practical stuff is a total mystery and no matter how many hours they spend on YouTube, they'll still end up wrecking things and stripping threads. It's a shame, but that's life. I can't sing and I'll never be great on bass, but I can do most things to fix up a bass. Each to their own. Don't knock folk for what they find hard. It's not helpful. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
discreet Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) I didn't touch my bass for about thirty years... sounded good to me! Then I became a member of BassChat and the enormous amount of time I've spent since (some would say 'wasted') getting my set-up just right on various basses is considerable. I don't think of myself as a particularly technical person, but if you have a bit of nous and a modicum of confidence, and (importantly) find out about what you want to do before you do it, then it's not that hard. For example, truss-rod adjustment seemed like a black art to me, and something I'd most likely feck up and then have to spend money on to rectify. But if you know what a truss rod is, what it does and what you can expect it to do (Google is your friend) then again, it's not that hard... with a bit of application you can save yourself a few bob. Edited February 6, 2018 by discreet Edited after reading Grangur's post!! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cato Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 (edited) 13 minutes ago, Grangur said: Something I've picked up in my later 50s: Practical things are odd. Some of us find it SOOoooo easy. It takes no time and what to do to get a great job is reeeeeallly obvious. To others, practical stuff is a total mystery and no matter how many hours they spend on YouTube, they'll still end up wrecking things and stripping threads. It's a shame, but that's life. I can't sing and I'll never be great on bass, but I can do most things to fix up a bass. Each to their own. Don't knock folk for what they find hard. It's not helpful. I'm somewhere in the middle. I have no problems with setting action and intonation on my basses and guitars, but truss rods scare me. So far, touch wood, I've never had to adjust one, but if one of my instruments did ever develop neck bow it would be going straight to a tech. I love my guitars too much to risk effing it up. Edited February 6, 2018 by Cato Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bluewine Posted February 6, 2018 Share Posted February 6, 2018 1 hour ago, Grangur said: Having read Bill Wyman's book about his days in the Stones, it seems within the bands there are some people who are Premier League and others who're not accepted to be in the front line. In the Stones Mick, Keith and Brian were the "in crowd". They lived together in 1 house. Charlie and Bill were never on the same league. Ian Stewart was even never accepted to be on stage even though he was in the band. "A good face for radio", i think is the term used. Bill Wyman says in the book, Jagger tried to convince Stewart that even if he wasn't on stage he was just as much a member of the band. Bill did he best too to help hold it together, but he says, it hurt. It always did hurt Ian Stewart and he never made as much money as anyone else. I would think a Rolling Stone package invoices out for at least million dollars. After all the agents are paid, 54 trucks and all the production, who knows what is left. However the lion's share go to Mick & Keith and then Ronnie as a full member gets a nice chunk. I would bet any other sidemen other than Daryl are walking away with anything between 3 and 5 grand.And that goes for Bernie & Lisa. It's still cool money for an hour and a half of work. I could be wrong. Blue Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.