dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I have a p bass that i think needs some fret-dressing and was wondering who you guys use in Glasgow or Central belt area. Bass is choking from 14th fret upwards area. String height is just over 2mm and neck has a slight concave relief. I can do the usual truss, string height intonation set ups myself but have never tackled frets. I'm actually in Biggar / Lanark area but guessing most are based in Glasgow itself. Any suggestions welcome. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geek99 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Sounds like a ski ramp ? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I know you asked for Glasgow, but Edinburgh is not that far away and you have the fantastic Chris McIntyre. He's beyond very good. We got lucky when he moved here from London a few years ago. This is for your Sandberg Marlowe DK I gather? If so, it deserves the best https://www.mcintyreguitars.com/ 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 Not quite that bad and if i raise the string height its ok but i need to take it up to around 2.5-2.75mm to sort it out. Neck is not far off being straight when looking down the edge or if i fret at 1st and last frets there isn't much movement in the string in the middle of the neck arounf 8th fret. I've tried slight adjustments on the neck. If i straighten it any further i get a bit of buzz at top end of the neck (4th - 5th fret area) I've tried so many combinations but cant seem to get to a happy medium with this one. If i use a straight edge on frets there is a high one at 16th that deadens the string. if i play lightly at 14th or 17th it has a little fret buzz. Thought i would try an expert to see what difference they can make. It a 50's re-issue P bass so spending a bit of time and money on it wont be the end of the world. I've never actually used a luthier or pro set up in over 40yrs. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 (edited) 12 minutes ago, mcnach said: I know you asked for Glasgow, but Edinburgh is not that far away and you have the fantastic Chris McIntyre. He's beyond very good. We got lucky when he moved here from London a few years ago. This is for your Sandberg Marlowe DK I gather? If so, it deserves the best https://www.mcintyreguitars.com/ Chris is my goto expert but just wondered if someone a bit closer. Edinburgh is a bit of a nightmare to drive into. I used Chris few yrs back for my Warwick Thumb NT89 when the preamp failed and he replaced it for me. Just wondering who else is close to me before i dive in. I've managed to get my Marlowe to a happy point altho i do think there are a couple of slightly high frets on it but the bass in quesion is my Fender P 50's re-issue i bought 2nd hand last year. I've been using it with a higher action than i'm used to and its ok but just think it should be better. Dave Edited January 9, 2022 by dmccombe7 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Crawford13 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Jimmy Egypt is Glasgow is good. He is in the West end, so you don't have to go into the city centre. He de-fretted a bass for me years ago and did a fantastic job. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 16 minutes ago, Crawford13 said: Jimmy Egypt is Glasgow is good. He is in the West end, so you don't have to go into the city centre. He de-fretted a bass for me years ago and did a fantastic job. I googled him earlier to see where he was now. He's an option plus he has a machine for fret levelling too which i'm guessing is similar to what Sandberg use. He's been going as long as i can remember LOL Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thodrik Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Jimmy Egypt for sure. The folk at Strung Out, CC Music Guitar Guitar can do a good set up too. For anything intricate or extensive though it would be Jimmy Egypt every time for me. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 I'll maybe get a price from Jimmy Egypt and compare against Chris at McIntyre. Chris has his prices on the website. Great Western Road is easier for me to get to altho slip road onto M8 on way home is closed so that's a bit of a bummer. I know Glasgow a lot better than Edinburgh and regularly get lost there LOL Sat Nav is a wonderful thing in the car these days LOL Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 2 hours ago, dmccombe7 said: Chris is my goto expert but just wondered if someone a bit closer. Edinburgh is a bit of a nightmare to drive into. I used Chris few yrs back for my Warwick Thumb NT89 when the preamp failed and he replaced it for me. Just wondering who else is close to me before i dive in. I've managed to get my Marlowe to a happy point altho i do think there are a couple of slightly high frets on it but the bass in quesion is my Fender P 50's re-issue i bought 2nd hand last year. I've been using it with a higher action than i'm used to and its ok but just think it should be better. Dave My only problem with Chris is that he also builds some very tasty instruments, and he's very very happy to show them to you. Ufff, an exercise on strong will... Best to visit without credit cards and less than 200 in cash, just in case 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mcnach Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 1 hour ago, thodrik said: Jimmy Egypt for sure. The folk at Strung Out, CC Music Guitar Guitar can do a good set up too. For anything intricate or extensive though it would be Jimmy Egypt every time for me. Good call, I forgot about him. I had him work on a couple of guitars years ago, when Sound Control still existed. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 9, 2022 Author Share Posted January 9, 2022 5 minutes ago, mcnach said: My only problem with Chris is that he also builds some very tasty instruments, and he's very very happy to show them to you. Ufff, an exercise on strong will... Best to visit without credit cards and less than 200 in cash, just in case Yep he let me try one of his own basses last time i was in and it was very nice but i wasn't looking for a new bass at the time. At the moment i'm kind of sold on my Sandberg basses. They just seem to do what i want/need. Since the MarloweDK i've not had any bass GAS at all. I just love the feel and tone of that bass. It feels like it was built just for me. LOL Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmidget209 Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 Been brought up already but I've always used strung out. Always really nice service and no complaints from my end. Only found out about Jimmy Egypt the past few years but I've heard great things from them as well 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted January 9, 2022 Share Posted January 9, 2022 I know we all have different experiences but I had a bad time with Jimmy Egypt`s a few years back when he was in CC music. Since then I have used Strung out guitars. Just off the motorway with a car park across the road. Louise who is one of the owners, talked me out of doing some unnecessary work one time doing herself out of some business so I trust them. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 10 hours ago, jezzaboy said: I know we all have different experiences but I had a bad time with Jimmy Egypt`s a few years back when he was in CC music. Since then I have used Strung out guitars. Just off the motorway with a car park across the road. Louise who is one of the owners, talked me out of doing some unnecessary work one time doing herself out of some business so I trust them. What was the issue you had. Can PM me if you dont want to advertise the issue. Is Strung Out Guitars not down near Tollcross or Tollbooth area. ? Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmidget209 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 (edited) 17 minutes ago, dmccombe7 said: What was the issue you had. Can PM me if you dont want to advertise the issue. Is Strung Out Guitars not down near Tollcross or Tollbooth area. ? Dave It's at the back of the at Enoch's centre open air car park, beside Mr Ben's and Mono....among other establishments that I can't remember 😂 Edited January 10, 2022 by Bassmidget209 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 4 minutes ago, Bassmidget209 said: It's at the back of the at Enoch's centre open air car park, beside Mr Ben's and Mono....among other establishments that I can't remember 😂 Yep i've been in there once few years back. I've sent them an email detailing the issues i'm having with it and asking for an approx price for the work. Will see what they come back with. Altho i'm not keen driving into Edinburgh a major plus with McIntyre Guitars is you can usually park at his door so that's always a bonus. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnR Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Jimmy Egypt has done superb work on my basses and my friends guitars. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 Strung Out got back to me very quickly this morning and have said they have a long list of people waiting on appointments and dont know when they'll get to it but can add my name to the list. Chris McIntyre said to give him a call in a weeks time and he should be able to look at it end next week so i'm thinking i'll stick with Chris who i've used before. Thanks for the suggestions guys. Always good to know who else is out there. Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jezzaboy Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 11 hours ago, dmccombe7 said: What was the issue you had. Can PM me if you dont want to advertise the issue. Is Strung Out Guitars not down near Tollcross or Tollbooth area. ? Dave I got him to set up a P bass years back and it came back worse. But hey, everyone else seems to have a positive experience so maybe a one off. Aye Tollcross but the truck driver in me considers it just off the motorway 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 10, 2022 Author Share Posted January 10, 2022 7 minutes ago, jezzaboy said: I got him to set up a P bass years back and it came back worse. But hey, everyone else seems to have a positive experience so maybe a one off. Aye Tollcross but the truck driver in me considers it just off the motorway I've decided to go with who i know. Looks like there's not much difference in prices between Chris McIntyre and Strung Out but Chris can do it a lot sooner by sounds of it. Looking at distances from my house Chris is probably closer. I'm just more used to going in and out of Glasgow. Oddly enough Chris is just along the road from where i did my first gig with the punk band late last year at Hibs club. He's literally next to the football ground. Dave 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bassmidget209 Posted January 10, 2022 Share Posted January 10, 2022 Yeah I got mine setup and some fretwork done in the second half of 2020 and there was a massive backlog as they had been shut for a good few months. They then had a big break-in and were recovering from that for a while so they're maybe still trying to get caught up? I dunno but when things settle down they are really helpful and the work itself was reasonably quick....and obviously well done haha. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmccombe7 Posted January 11, 2022 Author Share Posted January 11, 2022 9 hours ago, Bassmidget209 said: Yeah I got mine setup and some fretwork done in the second half of 2020 and there was a massive backlog as they had been shut for a good few months. They then had a big break-in and were recovering from that for a while so they're maybe still trying to get caught up? I dunno but when things settle down they are really helpful and the work itself was reasonably quick....and obviously well done haha. Just sounds like they were really busy which is a good sign. They were very quick to reply to my email and found them very helpful as they explained what the problem might be on their reply and how they would do the work. I would definitely consider them in future when hopefully things settle down a bit. I remember hearing about their break in. Not good for any music shop especially during pandameic where business is slow. Dave 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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