IB-5 FrankenLab Style

[Andy40]

Dayam that looks good. What do you put in the slots when wiping on poly?

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[FrankenWashie]

Dayam that looks good. What do you put in the slots when wiping on poly?

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I’m using cabots spray poly, the board is masked off while this happens. I’m going to fret it first then spray poly on top.

[FrankenWashie]

Does anyone have a rule of thumb set of measures for Bass action?

[Simon Barden]

Like a guitar, I just set the strings as low as I can get on my basses. Old-school pros tend to like heavy strings, lots of neck relief and a big gap under the strings. Factory values are always compromises towards something that's still playable but nothing too low that could start to buzz badly if the neck moves after shipping without it being set up by the store.

And some people play with gentle finger motions and let a big amp do the work. Others pluck the strings as hard as they can, so will require a much higher string setting.

[FrankenWashie]

Like a guitar, I just set the strings as low as I can get on my basses. Old-school pros tend to like heavy strings, lots of neck relief and a big gap under the strings. Factory values are always compromises towards something that's still playable but nothing too low that could start to buzz badly if the neck moves after shipping without it being set up by the store.

And some people play with gentle finger motions and let a big amp do the work. Others pluck the strings as hard as they can, so will require a much higher string setting.

Cool cool, I figured it would be up to interpretation. Not having any experience of low end plunking I wasn’t really sure, always best to ask I guess

[Simon Barden]

2mm treble, 3mm bass at 12th fret would be reasonable.

[FrankenWashie]

We’re a wee bit off that at the moment, I haven’t put a rule or gauge to it yet, but we are probably at least 6-7mm at 12. I haven’t done much more than string it as yet. The bridge is way up on the screws, the plastic nut is towering over the board end so there may be some work to do in replacing that.
I guess it’s going to be pluck it and see.

[McCreed]

FrankenWashie,
FWIW this was provided to me by one of my mentors years ago, and what I use as a starting point/guide for bass set-ups. I then tweak as needed for the individual instrument.

Set the neck relief at .012" at the 8th fret. Capo lightly on fret 1 and lightly press a string to
the 17th fret. Measure relief at the 8th fret.

String height at the 12th fret should be 5/64" - 6/64" on the low string and 4/64" - 5/64" on
the high string. Middle strings are...in the middle.

Nut height: a good number is .020" for all strings at the 1st fret.

[FrankenWashie]

FrankenWashie,
FWIW this was provided to me by one of my mentors years ago, and what I use as a starting point/guide for bass set-ups. I then tweak as needed for the individual instrument.

Set the neck relief at .012" at the 8th fret. Capo lightly on fret 1 and lightly press a string to
the 17th fret. Measure relief at the 8th fret.

String height at the 12th fret should be 5/64" - 6/64" on the low string and 4/64" - 5/64" on
the high string. Middle strings are...in the middle.

Nut height: a good number is .020" for all strings at the 1st fret.

thanks for that McC. Very useful. I did some twiddling and TR adjustment and got to 2.5 or roughly 6/64” at 12.
There’s a lot of moving going on with the strings loading up and stretching etc, I imagine I will be readjusting for a while.

At the moment I’ve pretty much got the B and G saddles slammed hard down and the EAD are only slightly off the bridge plate. I can see I’ll have to lower the nut, it’s about 2mm clear off the first fret.

It’s still sans electronics, I haven’t even mounted the pups. I just wanted to see how everything lined up. I’ll shoot some pics up tomorrow as it’s a bit late now.

[FrankenWashie]

It was all looking so promising....then I’d realised my horrific error.






I’d forgotten the electric bits!


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