logicred Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Bought this S/H without seeing it front on. A pal picked it up for me on the way past as it was a long way away. It's pretty much new and still has the protective cellophane on the scratchplate. As you can see from the photo, it looks like the pickups + scratchplate is twisted slightly so it's not lined up with the strings. In fact, one of the top pickup first pole doesnt even go beneath the E string is so far off. I thought it might be the bridge to start with, but it looks like the pickups are slightly slanted so its the whole routing/scratchplate that's on the wonk! You can see the bottom screw of the pickguard is not between the two middle strings and is WAY over to the left. I have checked other stock photos and used photos of similar basses and they all look ok. It's a shame as it sounds perfect. The neck is buzzy and there are dead spots on notes above the 12th fret. I am guessing the guy bought it as a 'second' and has now passed it on. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 This seems to be fairly typical of EBMM QC standards at the moment. Absolutely diabolical. You get better fit and finish on a £120 Harley Benton. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pineweasel Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 I think it’s the bridge. You can draw a straight line down through the fingerboard dots and the pickup centres which doesn’t end up in the centre of the bridge. Still inexcusable but it’s more easily explained than both the pickups being misaligned. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Doctor J Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) This type of misalignment costs big money when seen on 70's Fenders. Loosen strings a lot. Loosen neck screws just enough for the neck to move about. Pull the headtock to the left as you're looking at it in the pic, i.e. in the direction of the E string. Tighten neck screws. It won't totally resolve the issue but might mitigate it a little bit. Failing that, get some cocktail sticks and plug the existing scratchplate holes and redrill. You should be able to get it centred with all the old holes covered. Edited January 24 by Doctor J 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 Another vote here for it being the bridge being misaligned. Given the body would probably have been cut and routed using a CNC machine I think it's unlikely the pickups would be off, and the strings look slightly out on the neck as well. I imagine this will be relatively easy to remedy but it's still annoying. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 (edited) Honestly it looks like someone tried a little 'home luthiering' and put stuff back together poorly. I've not found pictures of this misalignment, even if these are the cheapest import models. Or it could be a Chinese fake? Edited January 25 by Bolo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barking Spiders Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 I've also a feeling that a previous owner has tinkered about and not properly realigned the strings or the bridge. I've a Ray4 HH in cherry red and the strings and bridge are aligned just fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted January 24 Share Posted January 24 The bridge isn't just off centre, it's squint as well. Look at the top of the bridge next to the scratchplate. It's not straight. Now, I'm sorry, but that bass would cost more than a grand new. That's utter crap. People rightly complain about fit and finish. How is it so difficult? On the other hand, does this not prove that the Sterling series is overpriced by a factor of 2? It really gives me the fear when manufacturers are so stupid to use pickups with exposed pole pieces but don't actually think this might show up the fact the bridge isn't aligned properly. See Gibson Les Paul's as well. What sort of mugs do they think we are to accept this? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 (edited) 7 hours ago, Wolverinebass said: The bridge isn't just off centre, it's squint as well. Look at the top of the bridge next to the scratchplate. It's not straight. Now, I'm sorry, but that bass would cost more than a grand new. This is a €500 bass though. The Sterling By Musicman 4hh Still too much for this kind of work but as said above, someone likely messed with it. No others left the shop like this that we know of, and plenty have been sold. Edited January 25 by Bolo Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logicred Posted January 25 Author Share Posted January 25 (edited) Thanks for your comments everyone. Yes, this was a used £350 Sub bass (not a RAY34). I have got to the bottom of it! The photo does indeed look like the bridge is slightly askew, but it's actually ok. I removed the pickguard and I can now see that the routing is correct, but the pickups have been screwed in at an angle and the plate is thus now also at an angle. The routing has quite a gap around the pickups so easily rectified, but I will need to fill the existing holes for the pickguard and hopefully the old holes will "just" be covered up. There is no evidence of the screws being removed and no evidence of old screw holes for the pickups or pickguard, so it came from the factory like this. The 5 way selector switch crackles badly, but I remember reading about this on some videos. Edited January 25 by logicred Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wolverinebass Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 2 hours ago, Bolo said: This is a €500 bass though. The Sterling By Musicman 4hh Still too much for this kind of work but as said above, someone likely messed with it. No others left the shop like this that we know of, and plenty have been sold. The title did say RAY4HH hence my slight confusion. I guess that's a bit better then if it's only 500 quid? Still not acceptable in any way though. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolo Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 5 hours ago, Wolverinebass said: not acceptable Agreed Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
acidbass Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 17 hours ago, Rich said: This seems to be fairly typical of EBMM QC standards at the moment As much as I am inclined to agree with you, EBMM don't really have much to do with the manufacturing of this bass bar licensing the design. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Take the bridge off and have a look underneath. It's very wonky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rayman Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Angle + lighting + photograph can make stuff like this hard for us all to get an accurate opinion, but I would assume the bridge too.... but dunno without seeing it in person. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asingardenof Posted January 25 Share Posted January 25 Using my MS Paint-fu it looks like a) the bridge is wonky, but rotating it clockwise about the centre screw should solve that one, and b) that the pickups and pickguard want rotating the other way about the truss rod adjustment wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
logicred Posted January 31 Author Share Posted January 31 Thanks all. Sorry, the photo was slightly misleading as the bridge does look wonky, but it's not. All fixed now though and looks good. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted January 31 Share Posted January 31 What did you do? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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