Setting up a Bass Guitar
This will be a mini series of posts – although I may put everything under this one post too.
How do you set up your bass guitar?
Obviously the ideal is to have a professional do it for you – you can’t be a skilled hand and experience to get the perfect set up. However, sometimes just a minor tweak is required, or getting a full set up isn’t affordable or practical.
Adjustments on the Bass
So, what is adjustable? Apart from the obvious one (tuning), there are four main things that are checked and adjusted during a set up:
- String height
- Intonation
- Trust rod (neck/fret board relief)
- Pick up height
The first two are made via adjustments to the bridge. Trust rod adjustment is more tricky, while pick up height is relatively straight forward. Additionally a good set up should also look at the condition of the frets and fretboard, and also check the nut for ware. If you are already someone who sets up your own bass, hopefully you’ll pick up some additional tips, but do share what you’ve learnt as well! If it is all new to you, don’t be intimidated. Think of it as a way to better understand your bass.
To be continued…
First and only time I ever tried to adjust my truss rod…I screwed the neck up. Good thing it was a cheap bass!
I let the pro’s do that.
Ouch, sorry to hear that! Truss rod is definitely the big scary one, and the one that most people get (badly) wrong – including me when I was a teenager. It’s a little different than just adjusting the intonation isn’t it? 🙂
I have two different techs that are great here in town. I am not touching anything if they are near by. But if you are traveling town to town, in and out of the humidity you have to be able to lean on the rods or you are screwed.
Great post!
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Hey
I just stumble on your blog. Terrific! Linked it at mine. I’ve been playing for 23 plus years and am still, and will always be, a student of the thing.
Happy Bass’ing
Mike @ Sonicfrog Blog.
[…] Setting up a Bass Guitar […]
I am building my first bass. I have made several electric guitars. Anywhy, here is my question. I was sculpting the body and I may have carved to much…what is the distance from the bridge to the 12th fret
jUST READ ON SETTING ACTION ON BASSES. i’M FROM sRI lANKA.
Just got a 6 string Grecco bass shipped from USA and it came with 2 truss rods on the head with all strings lowered (for shipping?) which gives fret buzz rapidly. I need to raise them back. Like you’ve adviced I ‘d turn allen keys clock wise to raise the action? My problem is as there are 2 truss rods lying parrelal to each other, how should I do this. Half turn of one and similar turn on the other? Your advice ‘d be of much help as I’d not get any luthier around in this part of the region. Thanks in advance.
Best regards
UC
.., informative blog!!! I love base guitar.. you rock!! 😉
[…] to the business of setting up a Bass Guitar. Tuning aside – do start with that first! – string height is the number one adjustment […]
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