Bass Setup

Changing Strings

• Bend the string at 90 degrees and leave around 2mm past the bend then cut, leaving, the length of two tuning pegs of excess (this stops the inner wire from slipping around the outer sheath
• Insert bent end into the string tuner and ensure string is being wound the correct way and each wind is below the previous
• Stretch the strings, working your way up the neck, then re-tune and repeat
• Seat the string along the bridge saddle by pushing down (not too hard) on the string just past the bridge saddle to get a sharper angle along the saddle (mostly for the low B and E strings)

Electrics

Set the multi-meter to check for resistance:

• No connection - OL
• Connected and no resistance zero or close to zero reading
• Connected with resistance - shows resistance value

Cables

• Same end tip and sleeve should not be connected
• Tips on either ends should be connected
• Sleeves at either end should be connected

Guitar

Start from the output jack and work inwards towards the pickups.

• Plug working cable into guitar and measure resistance from tip to sleeve on the free end of the cable

• Repeat this check for all pick ups

• Check all pots/switches/shielding/pickups are grounded

Bass EQ

• Bass - thin > boomy
• Treble - muffled > bright
• Mids - ??

Potentiometers

• Higher values will create a brighter tone
• Higher values don't allow high frequencies to be diverted to ground as easily
• Lower value pots tend to bleed higher frequencies to ground, only allowing lower frequencies to pass through the pickups
• Two types of taper: A(udio) pots with a logarithmic taper and B pots - with a linear taper

Capacitors

• Used to manipulate specific frequencies to shape tone, combined with a potentiometer to create a low-pass filter
• Lower value capacitors with retain more high frequencies than higher value capacitors

Tools

• Allen keys (imperial/metric)
• 6" rule - no excess on the end
• Screwdrivers
• Wire cutters
• Small adjustable spanner
• 50/1000th" file, rounded cutting edge for filing the nut, 40 string, use 50 file so the string can slide
• Polishing cloth, micro-fibre etc
• Furniture polish (non-wax) on synthetic finishes
• Panel wipe from car shop, similar to white spirit
• Wire wool (fine grade - 000, only for rosewood fingerboard)
• Oil for rosewood fingerboard to stop it drying out and shrinking (teak oil)
• Kitchen roll to apply the oil and cleaning it
• Small paintbrush
• 3-1 oil for oiling threads, apply with a a cotton bud
• Masking tape
• 600 grit paper

Setup

Initial check

1. Use straight edge to check neck bowing
2. Measure action at 12th fret (from top of fret to bottom of string)
3. Fret on the 3rd fret and check if there's space between the string and the first fret

Clean

1. Remove strings (don't re-use, affects intonation)
2. (If taking off the neck, there may be a shim in there - don't lose it! When replacing the neck, make sure everything is on tight).
3. Cover body the body around the neck and the pickups with masking tape
4. Use panel wipe (mild de-greaser) to clean the fingerboard
5. Wire wool scrub parallel to frets (don't do this with ebony fingerboard, only length-ways) to clean then length-ways down the next
6. Apply the oil then clean off any excess oil
7. Check every screw and nut to make sure they are secure
8. Set up the bass with the strings you'll be using (slight variation between string manufacturers) 1. Careful to make sure there are no kinks in the string 2. Need two or three wraps of the machine head, cut the string and put the string into the middle

Neck

1. To straighten the neck (tighten the truss rod) go clockwise
2. Two 1/8 turns then re-check
3. Check with the straight-edge and run it along the fingerboard, it should clip the frets as you slide it up the neck, by the time the end of the straight edge is on the 7th fret the clipping should stop as the neck straightens out

Nut

1. Once the neck is properly set up, push down on the third fret and check to make sure there's only enough room to slide a bit of paper between the string and first fret
2. If too high, loosen the string and get the correct size file and file down at the same angle as the headstock

Bridge

1. Check the action above the 12th fret, should be 1/16th" (1.6mm), getting higher as the string gets thicker, up to ~3/32" (2mm) at the E string 6.

Intonation

1. Tune the open string
2. Check the string pushed down at the twelfth fret a. If it's flat, need to shorten the string by moving the saddle forward b. Can also check with

Pickup

1. Check all pickups are even
2. Check there's balance between both pickups (Ideally between 5-6mm from the string, depending on playing style)