Is This Normal On My J Neck

[Bassman101]

Hey, ive just bought this bass, and i kinda think i need to do something about the bridge, because i havent had a bass with something like this before


What im refering to is the saddles being so low to the plate thing, and the screws being at an angle..,

Is this normal?

[captain black]

Doesn't look right at all, is there a shim in the neck pocket?
Photos of the neck pocket would help.

[captain black]

They normally point downover a bit but that looks a bit more than usual imo.
Will post photos of mine.

[Bassman101]

Hey, i figured that if i place a shim on the body side of the neck pocket, it would push the whole neck back a little, meaning i could adjust the saddles so their higher,


Theirs no shims in the neck pocket.

[captain black]

These are pics of my Highway One Jazz.
Actually it doesn't look too different to yours.
I have the action set quite low.
Hope the pic upload works.

[Bassman101]

hey, thanks man, much appreciated, i think that means my bridge is fine then i hope, im fitting a badass 2 soon, so ill probably have to shim it then anyways, my camera is bad, but comparing your photo to mine, its pretty much the same, and the guy i bought it off is from basschat aswell, said he has gigged and recorded with it in the past, and it hasnt given him problems. so i guess ill leave it untill i get the badass.

Thanks alot for your response, really really put my mind rest about it.

[BigRedX]

Do you need to get the action lower, and if so is there sufficient downward travel in the height adjusting grub screws?

Only bother with shimming the neck if you need the action to go lower than the available adjustment in the screws or if you plam-mute at the bridge and the screws are sticking into your hand otherwise you are best off leaving the bass alone if it's otherwise OK.

[Bassman101]

Hey, yea, otherwise its fine, just it was concerining me is all.

I dont need to lower the action at all,

[Mr. Foxen]

Only thing that could be a concern, if you are wicked fussy, is break angle of strings over saddles, probably plenty as it is, but when its nearly none at all, can be a pain. Sure some people have a particular angle that must be achieved in mind.

[Dr.Dave]

[quote name='Bassman101' post='364484' date='Dec 27 2008, 09:57 PM']Hey, yea, otherwise its fine, just it was concerining me is all.

I dont need to lower the action at all,[/quote]

Good idea for you to ask if it was bothering you - but if it's not causing a problem go with the golden rule. If it ain't broke don't fix it.

[Bassman101]

Yh, im just glad its not messed up, i really really do love the sound of it.

Thanks for your help guys, much appreiciated :D:D:D

[BigRedX]

If the action is OK and unless you're getting string rattle from behind the saddles due to the break angle, I'd leave it alone.

You could shim the neck and raise the saddles to compensate but if it doesn't feel as good once you've done that it'll be a lot of mucking about to fix a non-problem.

[Marcus]

I'd have to shim that...... couldn't live with that bridge set up...... but I am fussy / anal / obsessive !!!

[Jase]

My bridge is like that on my Jazz too.

[dave_bass5]

The B string on my P5 is worse than that.
It plays fine but i guess being .132" and coming in from the back of the bridge there is a lot of pressure against the saddle.

I do have my action low and found that the D and G saddle posts were digging in to my hand as i tend to rest it on the bridge (i play with a pick).
I got some shorter posts and now its a lot more comfortable.

[octavedoctor]

[quote name='dave_bass5' post='370669' date='Jan 5 2009, 10:09 AM']The B string on my P5 is worse than that.
It plays fine but i guess being .132" and coming in from the back of the bridge there is a lot of pressure against the saddle.

I do have my action low and found that the D and G saddle posts were digging in to my hand as i tend to rest it on the bridge (i play with a pick).
I got some shorter posts and now its a lot more comfortable.[/quote]

It's not normal on a J.

The likeliest cause is that you have too much arc relief in the neck and the nut is too high.

In an attempt to reduce the action someone will have made a beeline for the saddles, which is [i]exactly[/i] the [i][b]wrong[/b][/i] approach.

Buzzing and choking in the higher reaches of the fret board will be the most obvious symptoms and a stiff feel to the action around the middle of the neck and close to the nut.

[dave_bass5]

[quote name='octavedoctor' post='375133' date='Jan 9 2009, 02:05 PM']It's not normal on a J.

The likeliest cause is that you have too much arc relief in the neck and the nut is too high.

In an attempt to reduce the action someone will have made a beeline for the saddles, which is [i]exactly[/i] the [i][b]wrong[/b][/i] approach.

Buzzing and choking in the higher reaches of the fret board will be the most obvious symptoms and a stiff feel to the action around the middle of the neck and close to the nut.[/quote]


Seeing as you quote my post ill just say i have no Buzzing or choking to speak off although i dont really go above the 12th fret (and not on the B string).

I would have thought that the higher the saddle the more it would be prone to lean, could be wrong of course.

Can you elaborate a bit more on the rest of your post, im all for getting a better set up.