Agree. Wouldn't thin.
Agree. Wouldn't thin.
Build #1, failed solid body 6 string using neck from a scrapped acoustic (45+ odd years ago as a teenager!)
Build #2, ugly parlour semi with scratch built body and ex Peavey neck
Build #3, Appalachian Dulcimer from EMS kit
Build #4, pre-owned PB ESB-4
Build #5, Lockdown Mandolin
Build #6, Sixty six body for Squier
Build #7, Mini Midi Bass
Sounds good. Thanks!
Took a while, but I finished sanding the fretboard nice and flat. I wanted to see if I could do a setup...but realized there were two problems with that idea. The first is that the tapewound G string broke. I have now had two sets of tapewounds. The first was from Fender. One day I accidently knocked over the bass, which landed on its face, and broke the A string. Thinking that the Fenders were not durable, I got D'Addario tapewounds. More of an upright sound, but same durability problems. Setup is on hold until I can get some steel flatwounds. So this seems to be a general problem with tapewounds. It's very easy to damage the tape, and the string is totally useless once you do.
The other problem, I realized once I got out my truss rod key, is that I have on idea how to set up a fretless bass. I use a feeler gauge between fret and string on a fretted... not sure the same logic applies with a fretless? Anyone know a good reference for this?
I’d have thought the logic was the same, as the string will hit the board and buzz, rather than a fret. But I’d probably use a feeler gauge to set the nut slot height, then go by ear rather than a gauge to set the string height. Lower the saddle until the string buzzes, then raise it slightly.
Whereabouts are the tape-wounds breaking (and not ‘in my study’ etc.?)
So far I have had no problems on The Hoff with tape wound Pyramid strings. I do love the upright sound, but if there were serious durability issues, no one would buy them cause let's face it, they are FRIGGIN EXPENSIVE!Originally Posted by fender3x
Hope you have better luck with the flats!
The Fender string broke at the saddle. The D'Addario at the nut. Once the tape breaks, the string sounds like a tennis racket. I had a set of flats on my Fender P forever with no issue... And yeah, Rabbit, I agree. Too expensive to throw good money after bad ;-)
Last edited by fender3x; 18-11-2020 at 10:37 AM.
Been a while getting back to this. I put a set of steel flatwounds on the, now fretless bass. Sounds intersting, but the setup is clearly wrong. Not much on setting up a fretless on Youtube. I have found a bit on forums... So here's what I plan to go with.
Neck Relief:
Capo at 1st fret
Fret at body attach point (circ 19th-21st Fret)
Should be .010-.012” @ 7th Fret
Neck height:
Check at 17th Fret.
Low at 5/64ths, High 6/64ths
Nut:
.018-.022 at first Fret
Intonation (some people do intonation before nut).
at the 12th fret.
Obviously there are no actual frets, but I put in a lighter wood line, so I can see where they were. All measurements are from the fretboard to the bottom of the string. Hoping this is not too far off!
Finished the setup last night. It's officially a fretless bass. Set the action at the first fret to .022"...which is as low as I think I want to go. Very playable without buzz. It feels a lot better in my hand as a fretless than it did as a fretted...maybe because I don't really know how a fretless should feel.
I can get a nice mwah out of it. It also has a nice woody bluesy tone. Listened to some Willie Dixon as I was finishing the setup. Not *that* good an upright sound, but closer than any of my other bass guitars ;-) I think the lipstick tube pickups may help with that. That's supposed to be Joey Spampinato's secret to getting close to an upright blues sound....
I guess I am going to have to refinish this thing, so that it's not as ugly as my fretless playing... ;-)
Last edited by fender3x; 07-11-2021 at 10:07 PM.
Every once in a while I fall down a NRBQ rabbit hole on YT... I just crawled out of one now...That's supposed to be Joey Spampinato's secret to getting close to an upright blues sound....
Thanks! That brings back some memories!
Making the world a better place; one guitar at a time...
I saw NRBQ live in a bar in Ft Lauderdale, which is how God intended that they be heard, I think. Best bar band I have ever heard. Also the first time I ever saw someone playing a Dano bass live. (I later learned it was a Jerry Jones). That was how I got the idea to put these pups on the current bass. In my college days NRBQ were regulars on my radio show. Remember radio shows? ;-)
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