A while back I made a video about how to easily find the perfect setting for an electric guitar. But what about finding the perfect setting for another instrument, like a bass? That’s what we’re going to look at today.
A new bass for my compositions
I recently acquired a bass on Facebook so that I could practice this instrument at home, and integrate it into my compositions. I think it's an excellent find, especially since I already had a guitar from this brand and I found their quality to be rather honest.
Before I bought it, I gave it a quick once-over without adjusting anything. I just tuned it and played it a bit to get a feel for it. Now that I've received it, I need to make a few adjustments to get the most out of it.
First adjustment: the curvature of the neck
As with a guitar, the first step is to check the curvature of the neck. The method is similar: pluck the string at the first fret and where the neck touches the body of the instrument, then estimate the distance between the string and the fret halfway.
Measure the curvature
On a bass, the measurement should be a little larger than on a guitar. I use a tool found in hardware stores, designed to measure the distance in car spark plugs. This tool helps find the correct setting for the curvature of the neck.
If this setting doesn't suit me, I could adjust the handle stem by turning it clockwise to tighten or counterclockwise to loosen, as needed.
Second adjustment: the height of the strings at the first fret
String height at the first fret is another important measurement. Here, the ideal height is around 22 to 24 thousandths of an inch (about the thickness of a credit card). I use an orange Tortex pick to check this height.
If the fit was not correct, it would have required some intervention at the head of the bass. However, in this case, the height seems perfectly adapted.
Third adjustment: string height at the 17th fret
On a guitar, string height is often measured at the 12th fret, but for a bass, the measurement is usually taken at the 17th fret. This is normal, because bass strings are thicker and longer, and they have a greater range, especially around the higher frets.
Adjusting the height of the strings
I use a 2mm Ultex 2.0 pick to gauge the string height at the 17th fret. If the height is too high, the bridge needs to be adjusted. Once adjusted, I make sure the pick sits just above the frets, with a slight amount of play.
Handle radius tracking
It is also interesting to follow the radius of the neck when adjusting the strings. A good tool for this is a curvature guide adapted to each instrument. This guide allows you to adjust the strings according to the specific curvature of the neck to ensure optimal playing.
Height adjustment according to radius
Once the two outer strings are adjusted to the correct height, I use the guide under the strings to adjust the middle strings to the same curvature. This ensures consistency in string height across the entire neck.
Conclusion: first successful adjustments
After making these adjustments, I am pleasantly surprised by the quality of the result. This gives me a good idea of what I still need to do to refine this instrument. All the adjustments made today will serve as a basis for future videos where I will show you further improvements.
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