RockfordStone Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Hi guys i own one of these and have done for a year, but im really starting to find that at times it's unplayable. no matter how many times i spend setting it up i end up with fret buzz and bad intonation on the low E (6th string). having researched more im hearing that this is a common issue related to the bridge and there has been some suggestion that shimming and flipping the bridge solves the issue. Has anyone else encountered any problems with their bass VI and it's intonation? if so how did you fix it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
howdenspur Posted September 4, 2015 Share Posted September 4, 2015 Hi If you don't get an answer here and if you do Facebook, it would be worth checking the Bass VI group there. A lot of knowledge and experienced owners. Rod Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 In my experience, you'll need to do (at least some of) the following: 1 New strings - La Bella or Kalium. The 84 E string is never going to work properly for intonation or tone; you need to get into the 90s or even 100s for the E string. ESSENTIAL 2 Get a locking tremolo - the standard Fender Jaguar one fits. NOT ESSENTIAL 3 Replace the bridge - there are other possibilities but my preference is the Staytrem bridge, turning the bridge around helps but not enough , in my view. PROBABLY ESSENTIAL 4 Shim the neck - it took me three goes at shimming before I got the correct bridge height and break angle - the bottom of the bridge needs to stand roughy 1/4 inch above the thimbles and this will not happen without a typical 1950/60s Leo Fender neck shim. For the shim use ordinary business card; there are instructions on how to do it here on BC if you search (as well as on Youtube). ABSOLUTELY ESSENTIAL. 5 Set the neck relief, action, intonation in the normal way. ESSENTIAL 6 Remember this is a 1960s design (based on a 1950s design) for fast mass production; its engineering precision (pun intended) is not up to modern standards but that doesn't mean that it can't be made to work. ESSENTIAL Here's mine ... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 [quote name='howdenspur' timestamp='1441407817' post='2858772'] Hi If you don't get an answer here and if you do Facebook, it would be worth checking the Bass VI group there. A lot of knowledge and experienced owners. Rod [/quote] Also, [url="http://offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71490"]http://offsetguitars.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=71490[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 And ... [url="http://bassvi.org/index.php"]http://bassvi.org/index.php[/url] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EssentialTension Posted September 5, 2015 Share Posted September 5, 2015 I forgot to mention that ... 7 The nut may need some attention or even replacing if it's cut very badly. Mine was fine. 8 High frets may need filing down. Again mine were fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted September 7, 2015 Author Share Posted September 7, 2015 i have shimmed the neck and flipped the bridge which has made the world off difference. i am going to restring it with a single .095 string at the bottom E. if this doesn't work for me i will just set it back to normal and sell it. i don't use it enough to be spending money on new trems and bridges. thanks for the responses tho Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CH161 Posted September 9, 2015 Share Posted September 9, 2015 +1 Get the right strings on this VI for a start. I have a 1965 with the right - heavy - strings. La Bella's. It can be set up like a normal guitar with no issues. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maude Posted September 11, 2015 Share Posted September 11, 2015 (edited) If you order the individual strings direct from LaBella then it doesn't work out expensive either. On their website you can build your own set or just order the invidual gauges of a pre packaged set, it works out cheaper than buying the set. I've bought heavier gauge rounds and they were less than twenty quid including postage from America. Edited September 11, 2015 by Maude Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RockfordStone Posted September 12, 2015 Author Share Posted September 12, 2015 [quote name='CH161' timestamp='1441841857' post='2862328'] +1 Get the right strings on this VI for a start. I have a 1965 with the right - heavy - strings. La Bella's. It can be set up like a normal guitar with no issues. [/quote] i had originally tired a set of specific strings for it from d'addario and found the e string to be the issue. in the end i put a new set of d'addario's on with a seperate string for the low E. this with a shim and flipping the bridge has made a massive difference to both intonation and playability. i have gone from wanting to sell it to enjoying playing it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CH161 Posted September 12, 2015 Share Posted September 12, 2015 [quote name='RockfordStone' timestamp='1442077997' post='2864301'] i had originally tired a set of specific strings for it from d'addario and found the e string to be the issue. in the end i put a new set of d'addario's on with a seperate string for the low E. this with a shim and flipping the bridge has made a massive difference to both intonation and playability. i have gone from wanting to sell it to enjoying playing it now. [/quote] Great news! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.