Adjusting a bass

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Pepper Wadman

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Alright here goes.

I have a bolt on 5 string I just changed the strings for. Since I changed them (45's warwick black label) the neck has been messed up royally.

The "a"string will tighten too soon. The string is still floppy and the tuners wont tighten anymore.

the strings are really high. I cant adjust using standard procedures. When I adjust the truss rod, it doesn't appear to do anything at all. And since I did, the "d" string has a buzz on the 18th fret that wont go away. No matter how much I adjust. The neck looks pretty straight but the a string will not tune up.

I tried tuning it to "a" and it worked without the string snapping but the neck was wound so tight the height on the strings was insane!

HELP!
 
I can't quite figure out what you mean by the tuner won't turn any more and the string is floppy... maybe some pictures of your bass would help us help you!

Also, the neck should not be straight...common misconception. There needs to be some bow in the neck. There are several excellent posts in the forum from Seth Horan about setting up your bass that should help you out.
 
Gastrok said:

I can't quite figure out what you mean
by the tuner won't turn any more and
the string is floppy...

Click to expand...




@Pepper:

+1 with Gastrok about your openner.

Actually, the nature of the descriptions
of both your efforts and the resulting
effects is so ... how do I say this ... it's
just so "Nowhere" that I really hope
you just hand it over to a pro. I'm not
even trying to figger out what you do
mean here. It's just the WAY you say it
that scares me.

I mean no offense, but I fear speaking
more diplomatically might not carry the
full impact: Don't Touch it ! Turn it in.
Pay the set up cost before you pay some
seriously high costs for multiple repairs.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Look, I know I don't run the world [yet]
but Pleeassse, fellow Wicksters, don't try
to talk him thru the work. Based on that
openning post, I fear for him on that.
You all know I don't dump on people.
I am sincerely worried about him trying.

Read that OP. Those are not the words
of someone who should proceed any
further from where they've alreay gotten
with this. Again, I mean no insult but I
really do fear for that ax and for Pepper's
wallet [and heartache].
​


 
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Well I'll take your word for it and bring it in to a shop. I don't take any offense but I do feel weird because I feel like I can't or shouldn't touch a bass anymore. I used to be fine with setting up instruments but now I feel like an idiot. BUT to kind of reiterate the issue as to explain what I mean by "floppy", basically, I put the string on, began tightening it. Now, it doesn't even produce a key yet. Like, the string isn't making pitch. It's just begun the tightening process. BUT for some reason it's too tight. Like winding it anymore will break the neck clean. So I guess I'll take it in.

Thanks guys for the responses. Glad you may have got to me before I messed it up worse.
 
There were no problems with the bass before you changed the strings?
 
Actually, it seemed strange when I picked it up. I hadn't seen it in a year or so. I moved away and when I came home I attempted to restring it. And when I tried playing, the action seemed a little high.
 
Pepper Wadman said:
basically, I put the string on, began tightening it. Now, it doesn't even produce a key yet. Like, the string isn't making pitch. It's just begun the tightening process. BUT for some reason it's too tight. Like winding it anymore will break the neck clean. So I guess I'll take it in.
Click to expand...

I really don't understand, and I agree with Golem here. You don't have to feel like an idiot.
Au contraire, smart people know their limits better, and ask for help where they cannot handle the situation :-)
So it's a smart thing to do
 
You know, I'm usually the first one to step and say give it a try yourself, and I believe every bass player should know how to setup his bass, whether he normally does it or not, but in this case, I absolutely agree with Golem, Run, don't walk to your local kuthier or tech and have it professionally setup.

Now, with that said, I would also suggest you offer the man a case of beer or bottle of whatever he drinks to allow you to be there while he does the work, so perhaps he can show you what hes doing with the how and why. Just a thought.

If I am understanding what you are saying about the tuner being so tight that you are afraid your gonna break your neck, but the string is not even close to being to pitch... The only thing I can think of that might cause that, is somehow you got the wrong string on. Like an E where an A should be. Possibly and mix up at the factory. I don't know ... The luthier will be able to figure it out.

Good Luck Bro...
 
I think maybe he is tuning to the wrong octave or has his tuner to the wrong pitch. When he said he "tuned to A and the neck was crazy bent" and the "string is floppy" makes me believe he's tuning it wrong or has no clue what he is doing. He has a ton of wicks which has me even more baffled!!!!
 
Warfender said:
I think maybe he is tuning to the wrong octave or has his tuner to the wrong pitch. When he said he "tuned to A and the neck was crazy bent" and the "string is floppy" makes me believe he's tuning it wrong or has no clue what he is doing. He has a ton of wicks which has me even more baffled!!!!
Click to expand...

OUCH!

Man I have been setting up basses and guitars since I was twelve.

I know what I am doing. This is a rare exception. It IS the correct octave. And normally I tune by ear. But yeah, the tuner is fine. (this is an Ibanez Soundgear 505 by the way). Also, it is a correct "a" string. Trust me, I appreciate everyone's opinion and their help... that's why I posted, but I feel like I'm getting torn limb from limb here.

I adjusted the neck today and lowered the string height on the bridge and it appears to be fine. I guess it just needed to sit overnight, because I adjusted the tension today and it seems fine. Sorry if I took any of your posts the wrong way. Like I said, I appreciate your help. And realize that my issue was strange to say the least so I understand why some of you didn't understand.
 




Pepper, I think it's all about the confused and
desperate nature of the openning post. Thaz all
any of us have to go by for judging the condition
of the bass and your level of experience. It's the
limitation of a mainly text 'social environment'.

Seems you know your stuff, but thaz new news.
That OP was downright scary.​


 
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Thanks golum. I know. Actually, looking back, I can't believe the bass is in the shape it's in now. It's playing fine.

I honestly have no clue how this even happened in the first place. I wanna say the restringing but I don't know anymore.
 
hey Pepper Wadman - I'm really glad that the bass is behaving now! I was worried for you from the tone of your first post. I hope what I had to say didn't offend you. Just trying to help a fellow Warwickian ;-)
 
No no, I feel bad with what I said now. Even Warfender who initially offended me, was only trying to help and even helped me before I posted this in the chat box.

I thank all of you for your posts. I appreciate all the help!

Sorry if I sounded bitter.
 
The opening post was clearly from someone really really frustrated with their bass setup.
You should have waited a little to calm down a bit before posting. ;)
Glad all is well with your bass now.
 
jester said:
The opening post was clearly from someone really really frustrated with their bass setup.
You should have waited a little to calm down a bit before posting. ;)
Glad all is well with your bass now.
Click to expand...

True enough. Thanks BTW.
 
Pepper, sorry if I affended you..didn't mean too. I was just in a hurrry thowing out some chat (since I'm at work) and it did could have been stated better.
 
Ah, the instability of Ibanez necks, I remember seting mine out overnight at half-pitch because I took too long changing strings too. The maple in the neck wasn't thick enough to account for the truss rod moving so quickly.

Very shortly there after I bought a Warwick because I couldn't take how bad Ibanez necks were anymore. Not to mention the hand cramps -.-

But I will forever miss those Seymour Duncans I put in that axe...
 




Not sure what action, or result, you're describing;
but I suspect this has to do with removing all the
strings at once, when it might be safer to change
them only one at a time ?
​


 
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