DHB-5 Semi Hollow Bass: Final Stages PLEASE Help

Howdy folks,

I was hoping someone could give me some tips for the final stages of this build.

1. I have been meticulously getting everything ready for tonight and the body is all wired up and ready to go. I installed the machine head and neck this evening and while I was getting ready to string I noticed something that almost made me cry ....

The nut is missing :((((( I had a good look through all the remaining parts along with the box that it came in and cant find it anywhere .... (see pic below).
Attachment 35950

Does anyone have any ideas on how I can make one, or do I need to buy something? Sooo sad right now ... boooo ...

2. Do I adjust the Truss Rod after the strings are installed?

3. Are there any video links to help me with this final process? There are loads of guitar tutorials, but not many bass tutorials.

4. Action: What is the recommended distance between the frets and the strings for a bass?

5. Very open to any tips to help me during these final stages :)

Hope someone can help me - thank you!!

PS Were there meant to be strings in the kit? Mine did not have any so I needed to buy some. Wow, bass strings are expensive.

1. See other post.
2. Truss rod is adjusted before strings - you want the fretboard to be very slightly convex (curved) once you have the strings on - if you try to adjust the truss rod with the strings on you are likely to damage it as you're working against the neck and the strings.
3. Process is no different for bass than guitar. If you find a video that works for you - go with that one.
4. Will depend on the bass and playing style - I like low and fast, but some like a little higher action because they dig into the strings a little. Some information here: https://support.fender.com/hc/en-us/...itar-properly- and here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c2DlwxSIPA0
5. Take your time - truss rods are strong, but you are putting a lot of pressure on them - give the neck time to adjust. You're close to the end and taking your time now will give the best chance for a good outcome.

PS: Usually there are strings in a kit - not sure why you didn't get some - don't worry you didn't miss out on much - they are not the greatest quality and I haven't used mine for anything apart from setting up guitars. BTW know your pain with how expensive bass strings are - even worse if you look at flatwounds and higher end...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Brendan

2. Truss rod is adjusted before strings - you want the fretboard to be very slightly convex (curved) once you have the strings on - if you try to adjust the truss rod with the strings on you are likely to damage it as you're working against the neck and the strings.

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???

Perfectly fine to adjust the truss rod with the strings on. You normally need to slacken off the inner two strings so that you can turn the hex key in its socket, but no need to remove them. You certainly won't damage it. But if the truss rod nut suddenly becomes very hard to turn, don't force it as you can certainly damage the thread or even break the truss rod. Do not use a lever or pliers etc. to try and get more turning force. If the nut won't move, it's reached the end of its adjustment or there's something in the threads that needs removing.

I find it best to get the neck level before stringing up. String tension once the strings are on and tuned up will give the neck then some concave relief. Normally a bit too much (or more than is necessary), so you may need to then tighten the truss rod slightly, but I always wait until the next day to make any adjustments and give the neck time to settle. If you keep removing all the string tension to adjust the truss rod, the neck simply can't settle down properly and you have to do the final adjustments with most of the string tension applied.

But never do more than 1/4 turn at a time, even if there's a lot of relief to remove. Always check what has happened to the neck are after turning the rod, and if you are close to where you want to be, it's always best to wait a while between subsequent turns of the truss rod to allow the neck to settle. The closer you are, then the smaller the amount you move the truss rod. Once you think you are there, then check again the next day, in case the neck has moved overnight.

As Brendan says, action is really down to the player's preference. I'm a low action person and I play fairly gently. But some players really like to pluck hard at the strings, which gives them a lot of amplitude. The bigger the amplitude, the more neck relief you need to stop the strings catching the frets, and the higher off the fretboard the strings need to be.

Attachment 35958

The amount the strings vibrate is very exaggerated in that diagram, but you can see that the bigger the amplitude of vibration, the more the neck needs to curve for the middle of the vibrating part of the string to not hit the frets.

What whatever action you decide on, what you do want are the strings to be as low as possible at the nut without them buzzing on the first fret. The higher they are at the nut, the more tension you need to push them down on the first frets, and the more out of tune they will be. But don't adjust the fret slot height until you've got the rest of the action (neck curve and then saddle height) sorted.

I have used this guy's videos to do bass setups:

https://youtu.be/te44eWXd9pc

https://youtu.be/c2DlwxSIPA0

https://youtu.be/cI9Y9MsmnEc

https://youtu.be/FC30nJgIAJM



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@Simon thanks for clarifying. I am not sure what to do next. I realised the strings I purchased are too short (the strings were missing in the kit). The company (RotoSound) have a long scale as well as a extra long scale.
http://www.rotosound.com/wp-content/...chure_2015.pdf - see page 10

The long scale strings are suitable for 34" scale length (my bass), but when I tried to put them on they didnt quite reach. Guess it has something to do with the fact that the strings feed up from the back through the body and that takes a bit of length away.

Ben posted me out another nut and the strings that were missing so I need to wait for them to arrive. I might try to exchange the strings I bought, but I feel bad cause I already opened the pack, and the owner has been super helpful. Maybe I will just cut my losses and wait for the pitbull strings to arrive.

....... Orrrrr ..... I could make the strings into tools! Expensive gauges, but how cool. I saw this hack on youtube this eve for re-using old strings and turning them into gauges. Great for checking spacing between strings and fret. And I can make them into art. Useful art! Expensive useful art! Enough for a setup i guess then i will order some white or black strings online. i think it would look awesome with white strings.

Check out this hack wow!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p4MAtfDiy6k

Oh yes, any suggestions on size and/or company to go with regarding the bass strings, preferably white/coloured?
I am a drummer from way-back-when, later on picked up the guitar, dabbled in electronics, learnt the didjeridoo, sang, and only ever-so-slightly tinkered with the bass. I need the new bass to complete my latest album, but first I need to learn it bahahaha!!!

@fender3x thanks for the links. He explains it well and seems like a nice bloke! I like the detail he goes into.

I've just come across a tale of Rickenbacker bass dual truss rods not being up to the job of adjusting the neck profile under tension. But this seems to only relate to basses built with a folded single-piece rod they used in the 60s and early 70s, and it was made from very soft steel indeed. They since changed the design to use two separate rods made of stronger steel, and I don't believe they've had problems since. But this was one pretty specific example. There may be one or two more, but it's not at all commonplace.