Confused noob in need of some reason. (Or help with setup.)

[Frank Blank]

@Andyjr1515 is your man, he builds basses and gave a very informative talk at the last Bass Bash.

[P-Belly Evans]

Welcome mucka!

 

Just my two penneth if I may. I set up my basses to produce quite a bit of fret buzz when playing acoustically. I play hard like a mountain gorilla and my amplified tone is enhanced by the buzz. I find that  amplified buzz (unless it is really too extreme) tends to disappear and translates to a gnarly growly tone which I find intoxicating. I say embrace the buzz and use it to your advantage if you can!!

Edited May 8, 2023 by P-Belly Evans

[Viperpunk]

I did it! 😁 I loosened the truss rod. Everything is fine, no one died. I don't know why I was so worried 😆 No casualties unless you count ages it took me to tune the strings back, that time will never be recovered. 

 

The quality of life improvement... Oh my! Massive! I almost feel like I'm cheating now, it's hard to get buzz! Well not really but considering the difference it is great. And I didn't even listen to it amplified after surgery yet (yes I know bad practice for a noob to play acustically, I was very bad today). A bit more loosening will probably be good at some point but I am happy for now and will leave it alone. Unless it will get worse after it settles.

 

Thanks everyone for all the help I got here! 

 

 

44 minutes ago, P-Belly Evans said:

Welcome mucka!

 

Just my two penneth if I may. I set up my basses to produce quite a bit of fret buzz when playing acoustically. I play hard like a mountain gorilla and my amplified tone is enhanced by the buzz. I find that  amplified buzz (unless it is really too extreme) tends to disappear and translates to a gnarly growly tone which I find intoxicating. I say embrace the buzz and use it to your advantage if you can!!

 

I get you! I totally get that and love that kind of tone as well. It didn't work for me though, neither playing hard or the tone. My headphone device probably not capable to do that. Maybe in the future when I build up my strength and gear 😆

 

(I swear I forgot how to write in english in only five years. Use it or lose it I guess)

[Twincam]

If you have a standard paper business card. Like one you would get for a taxi company. These are normally between 0.10 to 0.15 of an inch and that would be an OK relief at the 7th fret. When fretted at first and last fret.

I say this because too much relief and you make the bass harder to play.

A plastic bank card is 0.33 of an inch and way way way to much relief. 

 

Also when playing un amped, you can hardly hear things, so to amplify this you pluck harder and therefore get fret buzz.

Normally when amped you gently pluck unless you really are purposely digging in. 

This dynamics of plucking is hard to master and I think practising amped is probably better for someone just starting out. 

Better dynamically plucking, controlling the strings also allows a lower string height which can but not always, make you play better. 

 

Adding most of the better players I have heard and seen play, use a bit of string noise to get a better tone. So don't be afraid of some slight buzzing. 

 

And it's important just to practice, rather than worry about little things. That can come later. I know as for years, I was overly distracted by noises, fret buzz, setup, tone. When I should of been focusing on playing the thing. Haha. 

 

 

[Downunderwonder]

.15 of an inch is over 3.6mm which is a bit ott if you ask me and way thicker than an business card!

[diskwave]

Well done and good to hear you've sorted it. But just to say and I fully respect all opinions here., You dont really need to measure anything...you can set the strings by look, feel and how they sound. Adjusting the bridge saddles is very simple but what you MUST have is the correct tools for the work AND you must treat the ole trust rod with a lot of respect cause if u dont things can go south very quickly.

Learn how to adjust it carefully and with great care and you'll find you'll be adjusting it on a regular basis without any probs. Just My 0.2$

[Viperpunk]

13 hours ago, Twincam said:

If you have a standard paper business card. Like one you would get for a taxi company. These are normally between 0.10 to 0.15 of an inch and that would be an OK relief at the 7th fret. When fretted at first and last fret.

 

 

 

 

I am assuming it was supposed to be 0.010 to 0.015 of an inch, as all business card type of paper I have currently is  0.29 mm which is 0.012 of an inch according to my callipers. I still have a lot less than that. In fact it is exactly 0.16 mm ( 0.006 of an inch ) at the moment. I am satified for the time being though.

[Paolo85]

Well, if you have a relief of 0.16mm and string height jjust over 2mm at the 12th fret, it looks like you have a bass with very good fretwork. Which does not surprise me as Cort basses tend to be well built in my experience.

[Viperpunk]

22 hours ago, Paolo85 said:

Well, if you have a relief of 0.16mm and string height jjust over 2mm at the 12th fret, it looks like you have a bass with very good fretwork. Which does not surprise me as Cort basses tend to be well built in my experience.

Do I? Or do I just settle because I don't know any better? It is more like 2.5 now. I know nothing but to my layman eye it does feel nice, don't tell anyone but the Squire affinity I was 'feeling' seemed worse qualitywise but of course that might be just my bias, I really dislike the Fender style basses 😅

[Twincam]

On 09/05/2023 at 05:41, Downunderwonder said:

.15 of an inch is over 3.6mm which is a bit ott if you ask me and way thicker than an business card!

 

Indeed i meant 0.015

Funny as I knew reading it back I should edit. But assumed as referenced a business card then it would be OK. 

 

 

 

[Twincam]

On 09/05/2023 at 13:42, Viperpunk said:

 

I am assuming it was supposed to be 0.010 to 0.015 of an inch, as all business card type of paper I have currently is  0.29 mm which is 0.012 of an inch according to my callipers. I still have a lot less than that. In fact it is exactly 0.16 mm ( 0.006 of an inch ) at the moment. I am satified for the time being though.

 

0.006 is OK. 

When you have a very straight neck though you sometimes have to adjust in different seasons. Or environments.

 

If I've worked on a bass for someone or even setting up my own, I aim for 0.009. Maybe to 0.007.

Fender specs are 0.010 to 0.015.

Sadowsky 0.007.

Some boutique makers as low as 0.004.

For very low levels off relief. Nut height is critical. If too low you get horrible back clanking when fretting higher notes past the 12 fret. 

 

[Downunderwonder]

12 minutes ago, Twincam said:

 

Indeed i meant 0.015

Funny as I knew reading it back I should edit. But assumed as referenced a business card then it would be OK. 

 

 

 

And .36mm is ambitious on a budget instrument if you ask me.

[Twincam]

Just now, Downunderwonder said:

And .36mm is ambitious on a budget instrument if you ask me.

 

As someone who maybe not so much now, but used to work on instruments.

There has not been a bass guitar, that assuming had a working truss rod and not a warped neck. That I couldn't get to play well. 

Level the frets, set nut height, relief, then bridge height. Adding neck shim if really necessary.

 

[dmccombe7]

When i first started playing bass 40+ yrs ago i would never dream of adjusting a truss rod but i was lucky that the necks were already bowed in to start with.

Like others have said best adjust the neck a little to get a slight bow and from there just practice. Fender guidelines set up on string height is 2.5mm to start and adjust from there.

One thing i would add at this stage is if you use a pick you might need the strings a little higher than 2mm.

2mm is where i set my string height but that's after years of playing.

You can google Fender set up guide once you've been playing for a while otherwise take the bass to a specialist and get it set up correctly until you are happy in doing it yourself.

Dave