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Sandberg appreciation society


GisserD

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I made the same comment about both but just to clarify i like the Acoustic bass rig in the Ohio Players pic.

I dont follow Rage Against the Machine  or any of the other bands mentioned by Cuzzie. I'm too old for that loud noise stuff. 😂

To be fair i've never really listened to them. 

I'm more a Rush, Genesis, Floyd type person. Def an age thing there.

 

Dave

 

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7 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

Nah - just like what you like - plenty stuff I don’t know - there is a lot of noise with those bands, but some lovely melodies - Audioslave is defo worth checking - Anything with Chris Cornell singing will be very decent

Yep, I was late to the party on Audioslave. Great records. 

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1 hour ago, dmccombe7 said:

Had a listen to them but not really my kinda music. Appreciate some talented musicians there but not for me i'm afraid.

Its not specifically that band its a style of music i've never managed to get into.

Dave

Oh that’s cool - horses for course - but now you know Timmy C and Chris Cornell.

He has the most amazing voice - his solo stuff is worth checking out for sure

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Decided to set up the Marlowe today. Needed a good clean as neck and frets were pretty dirty. Neck looked fine so no truss adjustments required. String height was circa 2.5mm to 3mm so dropped the string heights to 2mm. That was the lowest saddle height i could get which surprised me as my VM4 is at just under 2mm and it has plenty more height adjustments on the saddles. Its not a major issue as most of my basses are circa 2mm or thereabouts,

Certainly plays a lot better with the action 1mm lower it just feels so much more comfortable.

It still bothers me about the height adjustment at its lowest setting for a bass that now costs over £2k new that doesn't sit well.

Anyone else come across this with their Sandberg.

Dave

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1 hour ago, Cuzzie said:

Pop a shim

What exactly does a shim look like. Its not something i've ever done. Will check Youtube clips. 

Think it just surprised me that a Sandberg bass should need a meck shim. This wasn't a cheap bass when it was new so you'd expect a lower action without any great issue.

What string height do you get on yours @Cuzzie

Dave

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8 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

What exactly does a shim look like. Its not something i've ever done. Will check Youtube clips. 

Think it just surprised me that a Sandberg bass should need a meck shim. This wasn't a cheap bass when it was new so you'd expect a lower action without any great issue.

What string height do you get on yours @Cuzzie

Dave

 

Do not, just pop a shim!

Likely the neck relief is wrong. And the truss rod needs some adjustment.

Very unlikely a sandberg would need a shim.

Absolutely no way should the bridge be maxed out at 2mm on any string.

 

You would be surprised how to much relief or little. Even in tiny amounts makes a big difference, for saddle height. The neck may of developed a tiny amount of bow which could be the difference between 2.0mm and 1.2mm. Assuming neck relief started around .007 and might of drifted to double that over time. Does happen with string changes or atmospheric conditions. 

Only if the nut adjustment is correct, frets are level and the relief is correct then and only then, a shim considered. 

And even then I would suggest saddle shaving before a shim. For multiple reasons. Others may differ in opinion. See the thread, Shims just say no in general discussion. 

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I tried straightening the neck a touch and as you say it does reduce the string height slightly but i found i was getting fret buzz at the 1st to 3rd frets.

Have to agree i'd be surprised (and disappointed) that a Sandberg from this price range needed a neck shim.

I'm gigging with it tonight with string height at 2.25mm to see how i get on with it.

No gigs till after New Year will give me more time to tweak the bass a bit more. 

I have compared the neck relief with my VM4 and they are pretty much the same but that's just a look down the neck rather than actual measurements. I'll take measurements next week when i have more time.

If all else fails i'll put into a reputable luthire for a decent set up to check fret heights.

Dave

Edited by dmccombe7
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Re Shim - I know what @Twincam is saying - a badly done shin can lead to future problems, but a well fitted full pocket shin doesn’t as far as I know have any of those draw backs - surely if required as everything else has been tried  and you have raised everything evenly then it’s not a bad thing?

 

wood is organic, even the best made bass in the whole world is subject to some change potentially

 

RE string height - I sit at that 2mm or where you have it zone and it’s fine for me - when I got mine second hand it was crazy low - can’t remember what height but rattles everywhere from what the guy liked before - and I don’t mind a little fret buzz, adds to distortion.

 

Hope it goes well tonight - I am sure it will

Edited by Cuzzie
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Good news guys so thanks for the sensible advice. I've got the action down to 2mm with a combination of a very slight tweak of the neck to straighten it a bit more and adjustment of the rear saddle screw. I didn't notice the back screws were a little higher than the front two. Still have a little more drop on the saddles but it's where I like my string height as I play a bit harder live.

Feeling a lot happier today. I think maybe I just made too much adjustment at one time.

Thanks guys. BC is the place to learn. 

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22 minutes ago, Cuzzie said:

@dmccombe7 come on - Wakey Wakey!!!

 

How was the DK last night?!

Knocked out by how great it sounded. Sometimes a jazz bass doesn't work in certain bands but that Marlowe was superb. The tone was exactly what i was looking for. It kinda sat in between a J and a P bass but with the narrow jazz neck it just suits me far better.

I did find the D & G strings a little quieter than E & A but it was maybe down to standing directly in front of the amp or i may have to tweak things a little bit. Think i might go to the 45, 65 80 100 strings to see if that helps but i need to trial it more to see if its just where i was standing. I did boost the hi mids a little for the 2nd set and that did seem to help the high end come thru the mix a bit better.

Tone was warm, round with a decent amount of depth. It definitely cuts thru mix far better than my P bass and even my wife noted that. She said she could hear the bass far better. 

No fret buzz noted and action was pretty good. 

I did make the mistake of putting new strings on before the gig with subsequent finger damage the end result. I usually put strings on a week before a gig.

The bass just looks amazing and its funny but because its relic'd i'm not worrying so much about it getting a little knock here and there.

Overall very pleased with it and i think this will now be my main gigging bass. I took the P bass as a back up but didnt use it.

Compared to my Fender Geddy Jazz this has more depth, warmth and mid punch where the Jazz has more top end zing.

Definitely a great purchase and i'm chuffed.

Dave

 

On a side note got home 2am, had my coffee and biccies watched the F1 qualifiers and went to bed 3am only to be wakened by cats at 7am to get fed and then builders arrived 9:30 so its a busy morning.

Edited by dmccombe7
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  • 2 weeks later...
3 minutes ago, fretmeister said:

What do those big Delanos sound like?

 

Very good, and very versatile. I own a Sandberg custom so very similar to the supreme range pictured above, except I cannot coil split, yet. Currently musing over adding the requisite switches for that in the new year, but even if I don't I'm happy with the sounds I currently have.

 

I've just looked at the price at Bass Direct and eeek! I bought mine new a few months ago for less than half that.

 

I could do some samples, but there's already a video with these pickups, played by someone who can play better than me. The single coils to my ear get very close to the jazz/p sound

 

 

 

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Decided to have another look at MarloweDK as i'm still getting a bit of fret buzz at 3-5th fret. Seems the 4th fret is high. Straight edge is rocking a bit over it when resting over 3rd to 5th fret. Also same around the 12th fret so gonna speak with Chris at McIntyre guitars after the festive period and get him to sort out. 

My VM4 has string height 1mm at 3rd fret on E string and 1.5mm at 12th fret and no fret buzz at all. There's not much in it and thinking its down to this 4th fret being a touch high.

Bit surprised that 4th fret is slightly high considering the get "plek" treated at factory. Bass is a 2016 model but there's no fret wear that i can see.

Dave

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19 hours ago, dmccombe7 said:

Decided to have another look at MarloweDK as i'm still getting a bit of fret buzz at 3-5th fret. Seems the 4th fret is high. Straight edge is rocking a bit over it when resting over 3rd to 5th fret. Also same around the 12th fret so gonna speak with Chris at McIntyre guitars after the festive period and get him to sort out. 

My VM4 has string height 1mm at 3rd fret on E string and 1.5mm at 12th fret and no fret buzz at all. There's not much in it and thinking its down to this 4th fret being a touch high.

Bit surprised that 4th fret is slightly high considering the get "plek" treated at factory. Bass is a 2016 model but there's no fret wear that i can see.

Dave

 

Buzz at 5th fret would indicate a back bow - have you checked the neck/truss rod? 

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