wishface

I find I have to push the sale back, rather than use the screw to move it. Is this normal? The sale won't move just by turning the screw otherwise.

I think i have it more or less in tune. It plays fine. I don't theink the string is duff.

How far back is it safe to have the saddle on any given string? There must come a point where the angle is too severe?

[quote name='Grangur' timestamp='1419527213' post='2640689'] Another vote here for the soft, damp cloth with a little soap if needed. Using lighter fluid is macho BS and sandpaper on a varnished neck just plain wrong. Happy Christmas [/quote]Quite!

The strings are roundwound. I've managed to improve things as best as possible, but to get both notes equally in tune is a herculean task.

I don't know what an SR5 is.

I've just changed the strings on my bass and the intonation needs some adjustment, particularly on the G string (insert joke here). But no matter how much i push the saddle back (the fretted note on the 12th fret is slightly sharp) it's not making appreciable difference. Consequently if i play the high D note on the 19th fret over the open string below it sounds noticably out of tune. The rest of the bass is fine. Any advice? I can't keep poushing the saddle back!

[quote name='Bolo' timestamp='1419504260' post='2640456'] First some 200 grain sandpaper, then 400 then 800 grain. Finally some 0000 steelwool. Gunstock oil and wax, all done! [/quote]on varnish?

He uses 3 fingers, but does he use 3 exclusively, or just at certain times?

What is the correct fingering or way to play this part of the Teen Town riff, which i've been trying to learn. It's the part early on that starts on the 1st fret E string (F) and moves to A flat then A in some weird chromatic bluesy thing. Not really sure how else to describe the part, but the lick goes to the A string and plays C to D to F (on the D string) and then A again. That's the hard part, a string crossing thing back down to the E, unless you can use the open A, which i can't quite pull off.

What is the best method? Thanks

[quote name='chris_b' timestamp='1419266559' post='2638160'] I can't envisage playing a song where I need to pluck the strings any faster than I do with 2 fingers. I'm noticing that these days I'm playing more numbers with 1 finger. [/quote]For one example, the end of Iron Man by Sabbath (I think geezer plays that fast strummed part with a pick).

[quote name='Marc S' timestamp='1419256272' post='2638034'] I'd say stick with it, practice and the fingers' strength will build up over time..... When most players start on bass, on the left hand it can be difficult to use the 3rd & 4th fingers But persistence pays off here I use the 3rd finger of my right hand - not all the time, I just tend to use it on a whim, or on basslines which are very quick It definitely comes in handy (pardon pun!) Like icastle, I think I tilt my hand slightly, to make it easier to reach the strings.... [/quote]The purpose for me is to use 3 fingers all the time, not just for certain situations.

[quote name='Burg' timestamp='1419257008' post='2638055'] Developing your sound and technique is never a waste of time. It's part of improving as a bass player. It might be useful to ask yourself why you want to use 3 fingers? What does adding the 3rd finger on your right hand help you to do that 2 fingers doesn't? [/quote]to play faster stuff easier, simply speaking.

over the last month or so i've been practicing incorporating my third (ring?) finger as a plucking finger on my right hand. This is not easy for two reasons: firstly it's obviously unfamiliar and untrained. That can be corrected through practice. But secondly I have started wondering if the mechanics of that finger are suited to picking. For pedalling notes it's easy enough, but when dealing with more complex mechanics such as string crossing I'm starting to doubt the value. Can the third finger ever be as strong as the other fingers in all situations? If i play a string crossing line moving between third and second finger, the third finger doesn't feel like it's up to the job due to the way the hand is built. Can this be overcome with practice or am I wasting my time?

Not new to playing, just never had the money to own expenseive/name instruments or spent a lot of time in bands.

The fingerboard is excellent. The action seems higher than it plays, though it could stand to be lowered, particularly over the neck pickup to make faster plucking a little easier. That's just me. I play with the guitar higher than I'd like because i can't comfortably play lower as it inhibits movement. The neck is a little wider than would be my preference but doesn't seem to inhibit movement. The sound is decent IMO, I see no reason whyit should n't hold its own in a 'pro' situation, though I think the bridge pickup isn't as punchy as a 'real' jazz bass. Neck dive is an issue and it doesn't sit on your lap very comfortably without a strap as it has a tendency to slide off the leg. The body is quite thick but it doesn't feel as heavy as it looks.

are both pickups meant to be exactly the same height off the body?

No problem.

Perhaps I should have asked. But there you go. I didn't. I don't know if he worked on it or anything.

No problem. Correct intonation is a preference?

It's made by a company called Revelation. I have never heard of them. Model number is RBJ67 (presumably that's the model number). It's a jazz style bass; 2 single coil pickups, don't know what make they are, sounds decent to my ears. Varnished neck, very smooth, no resistance playing. Thick body. Neck is about 20 frets. Don't know what strings they are but they are new and sound nice as well. D'addarios I think. He seems like a decent guy to me. Whether he's any good at setting up instruments I don't know. Where he gets his stock and what quality, in general, they are, again I don't know. I can only hope, for the sake of £165, he is!

When I first went in the shop he was dealing with another guy who wanted to ask about putting a deposit on a particular guitar and was told don't just buy something because you like the look, bring your guitar in and maybe we can bring that up to scratch. He doesn't strike me as the dellboy type. I tried a few basses and the one I brought, which I gather isn't the most spectacular make ever (i'm sure someone would tell me how crap the make/model 'really' is), but of the few basses i've ever played it's by far the best neck i've seen. It's smooth and has a decent sound. It cost me £165. Now he has a weird mix of stock, some of it grotty looking and I gather second hand. I've no idea what he paid for it. I've no idea whether it's true that cheap guitars can also be decent, and maybe i just don't know anything about it, but he seemed ok to me. I could well be wrong.

Not to defend the guy (i don't know him) but his vibe is very much "it's how you like it to be/play/feel". YMMV. What needs tweaking is the intonation, and a little fret buzz. Other than that the 9th fret D string doesn't sustain as long as it should. It's being caught on something lightly (no buzz). Aside from those things, it plays very nicely IMO.

i've no idea if he set it up or not. He said bring it back in a couple of months and we'll do what needs ot be done. I'm just curious to see if anyone local could get it done quicker. It's only minor things. It's far from unplayable.