Jazz bass needs a makeover

[cris the man]

hello chaps, how are we?

looking at my jazz bass, i noticed the nets coming out again, so i intend to get that replaced, but this is becoming a regular thing?
my cousin eric told me about people sometimes changing to a left handed neck so that they get better string tension on the E string (something im quite keen on)
is there a way i should go about doing this?


also looking at my pickups, ive just noticed the tops are starting to rust (OMGWTFBBQ). does this affect performance? (bare with me i'm a tad dim) and should i replace them, if so what with?

any help at all is great
thanks ever so much!

[Doctor J]

Nets? What are nets?

You shouldn't listen to your cousin Eric, putting a left handed neck on your bass will not increase the string tension in any way shape or form. A higher gauge of string will, however.

As for rust, these days people will pay more for a brand new bass already with rust. Don't worry about it.

[Ou7shined]

I'm guessing that nets are frets? :wacko:

... edit : or nets = "nut is".

Edited October 7, 2010 by Ou7shined

[mcnach]

[quote name='cris the man' post='980608' date='Oct 7 2010, 03:09 PM']hello chaps, how are we?

looking at my jazz bass, i noticed the nets coming out again, so i intend to get that replaced, but this is becoming a regular thing?
my cousin eric told me about people sometimes changing to a left handed neck so that they get better string tension on the E string (something im quite keen on)
is there a way i should go about doing this?


also looking at my pickups, ive just noticed the tops are starting to rust (OMGWTFBBQ). does this affect performance? (bare with me i'm a tad dim) and should i replace them, if so what with?

any help at all is great
thanks ever so much![/quote]


nets coming out?
does your bass smell fishy?

for tension... try up the gauge of the strings, or even different brand/material. Ask around, some strings are noticeably more tense than others at the same tuning with the same scale.

as for the "bare with me i'm a tad dim"... I see how that proposition may work with another type of person, but I refuse to get naked with you at least until we've been formally introduced.

[cris the man]

oh good grief lol
i meant nut aha!

what material would you recommend for the nut? i've had bone twice before , but it keeps coming out?

Edited October 10, 2010 by cris the man

[Lfalex v1.1]

[quote name='cris the man' post='983970' date='Oct 11 2010, 12:28 AM']oh good grief lol
i meant nut aha!

what material would you recommend for the nut? i've had bone twice before , but it keeps coming out?[/quote]

Brass, Nylon or Graphlon.

[Jean-Luc Pickguard]

is the nut glued in? I bought a pack of 'fake ivory' plastic chopsticks and used a microsaw & files to make a nut when I built my fretless precision. There's enough material in the thickest part of each chopstick to make two nuts and I had a big pack for pennies so I had plenty of practice before I made the real one. Once made I put three tiny dabs of superglue on the underside and stuck it in place - the idea being that it will hold but a solid strike from the edge should break the bond cleanly if it does ever need to come out for replacement. Its never popped out in the six or so years since I made it.

You cousin does sound a bit daft. If it did make a difference, it probably wouldn't be a lot & you'll look look like a guitarist from an 80s mullet-rock band.

[Mog]

If you really want to change the pups I'd suggest DiMarzio. Not the most common choice at the mo but I swear by em.

[LawrenceH]

Actually that left-handed neck thing might well work! BIt of an expensive experiment though. I definitely noticed the change in compliance on the E string when switching to a jazz from an Ibby (using the same strings and scale). But I quite liked it. If you're not using through-stringing, then that might be worth trying if the bass is drilled for it. Whether these things make a difference or not probably depends on the friction between the string and the nut/bridge.

[cris the man]

[quote name='LawrenceH' post='984766' date='Oct 11 2010, 07:37 PM']Actually that left-handed neck thing might well work! BIt of an expensive experiment though. I definitely noticed the change in compliance on the E string when switching to a jazz from an Ibby (using the same strings and scale). But I quite liked it. If you're not using through-stringing, then that might be worth trying if the bass is drilled for it. Whether these things make a difference or not probably depends on the friction between the string and the nut/bridge.[/quote]


its all to do with the theory that theres greater distance between the nut and the machine head, along with the disc on the top that usually holds the G and D strings down

My cousin was talking to me about it, ssaying the guy from rage against the machine did it, because he's really into DIY bass stuff
it's just finding the right people to do it , i dont wanna talk about the last time i used a drill

[Bassassin]

I think the break-angle over the nut will be what makes a difference to tension rather than the length of string behind the nut. Fender types often suffer from a shallow angle on the E & A because of the headstock design, I think a second string tree for these two strings would help. Also make sure when you string up that the windings go from top to bottom of the post, so the string comes out at the lowest point. This should help make the angle sharper & improve tension.

I really wouldn't advocate using superglue to attach a nut - if it needs to be replaced there's every possibility that it'll take lumps of wood with it when you try & remove it! Use a good-quality wood glue like Titebond.

I'll agree with Mog's DiMarzio suggestion - just dropped a set of old PAF-stickered Model Js into mine & it sounds lovely.

Jon.

[LawrenceH]

[quote name='Bassassin' post='985432' date='Oct 12 2010, 10:09 AM']I think the break-angle over the nut will be what makes a difference to tension rather than the length of string behind the nut. Fender types often suffer from a shallow angle on the E & A because of the headstock design, I think a second string tree for these two strings would help. Also make sure when you string up that the windings go from top to bottom of the post, so the string comes out at the lowest point. This should help make the angle sharper & improve tension.[/quote]

This sounds more like it actually. You could also just make sure the strings are wound so that they come off the tuner nice and low down and are held there by higher winds.

[thisnameistaken]

[quote name='mcnach' post='980918' date='Oct 7 2010, 08:22 PM']as for the "bare with me i'm a tad dim"... I see how that proposition may work with another type of person, but I refuse to get naked with you at least until we've been formally introduced. [/quote]

I got an email the other day from my least-favourite customer's new underling, providing instruction and finally requesting that I lease with him if I am unshorn.