Do you set-up your own bass?

[fretmeister]

No fret work for me, but the rest is ok.

 

I am a liability with  a soldering iron though. 

[Owen]

Every time I try to do anything further than intonation and setting saddles without buzz, I have to pay someone to do it properly. One day I shall pay someone to teach me. I would pay someone to give some of my basses a general,  good set up, but there is no one local I trust. I understand that it is easy. It is not easy for me.

[Machines]

My take on this:

 

Simple - little to no risk

• Intonation
• Bridge height
• Pickup height
• Neck shims
• Truss rod adjustment (assuming you know which way you need to go, and can judge when to stop)

 

Medium - can cause issues if you are heavy handed, usually requires some planning:

• Replacing pots/switches/jack socket/pickups
• Nut replacement (although have never needed to)

 

Hard (I don't do these)

• Fretwork
• Replacing onboard EQ/multiple pickups/complicated switching

 

 

Edited January 28, 2022 by Machines

[Lozz196]

2 hours ago, gary mac said:

Thanks Lozz. I did once have a curly perm but never actually owned a Capri.

A bit like Bon Jovi then, halfway there

[Owen]

32 minutes ago, Lozz196 said:

A bit like Bon Jovi then, halfway there

Whoa-oh, livi...... sorry. 

[Velarian]

YouTube is your friend here as there are loads of videos on all aspects of how to do set ups. The only thing that does my head in is, having committed to metric measurements a long time ago, many of the US videos insist on quoting imperial measurements which just confuses the hell out me. 😂

[Owen]

Finding a few spare hours to run through a set up video with a bass in front of me is on my slightly fuzzy, mental wish-list but it keeps getting knocked down by life.

 

This one looks good for starters. Any other suggestions?

 

[Reggaebass]

I remember Dood posted this a few years back, there’s a series of them covering different things 

 

[Silvia Bluejay]

I do most setup work on my bass guitars but stop at swapping pickups or anything to do with soldering. Not because I'm not able to solder - I am, my Dad taught me when I was a kid - but because I never seem to have at hand the correct worktop, rigs, accessories, lights etc., indispensable in the case of a small, awkward thing like a bass cavity where a wrong move will have you burn a wire that was never meant to be touched.

 

As for upright bass, I have turned a right-handed electric upright left-handed, including filing the nut, re-shaping the bridge, adjusting the tailpiece and re-positioning the spacing bracket. Great fun. I wouldn't want to work on a proper DB or similar though - opening the damn thing in the first place, and then repositioning the bass bar and the soundpost, and reshaping the fingerboard, are definitely best left to a pro luthier!

Edited January 28, 2022 by Silvia Bluejay

[Lo-E]

I started doing my own setups in the early 1990s and followed soon after with nut replacement, then fret work. Complete re-frets with extensive fingerboard dressing: no problem.  I already had a background in electronics so that’s never been much of a problem. 
 

These various skills were learned one at a time; Each time I payed a lot of money to a “craftsman” who did a disappointing job for me I swore to myself I’d figure it out on my own and never be taken in again. I’d find cheap, beater instruments to make my mistakes on and learn. Thankfully, I found a number of genuine craftsmen in the area who were very generous with advice and whom I can still turn to when I’m stumped. 
 

I also enjoyed restoring amps and cabinets but I’ve never designed my own. 

[RhysP]

33 minutes ago, Owen said:

Finding a few spare hours to run through a set up video with a bass in front of me is on my slightly fuzzy, mental wish-list but it keeps getting knocked down by life.

 

This one looks good for starters. Any other suggestions?

 

There are lots of really good videos on the Stewmac website, covering all manner of set-up, repair & finishing topics from beginner to advanced.

https://www.stewmac.com/video-and-ideas/

[dmccombe7]

Wont do fretwork or truss rods if tight. Basic set ups i'm fine with. Electrical problems i can usually cope with but on an expensive bass i would probably take to a luthier.

Dave

[DawnPatroller]

3 hours ago, chris_b said:

I just play them.

 

I'll change the strings and fit strap locks, but that's it. I want everything else to be handled by a professional.

 

Having the manual dexterity of a housebrick, I was REALLY pleased with myself when I fitted strap locks on mine ... until a mate came round and pointed out I'd somehow done it flipping wrong (and kindly corrected it for me).

My other problem is I know way too many guitarists just itching to get their paws on it for a bit of set up practise.

[tauzero]

I bought my first real bass as a load of bits. Hayman had gone bust and there were a load of necks, bodies, electrics, etc at the Fender Soundhouse, which coincidentally had a fire, so I bought all the bits for a 40/40 and put it together. That was a good learning experience - I had adjusted truss rods, string height, and intonation on guitars before. I don't do fret work or nuts, but I'm happy doing electronics.

[Downunderwonder]

I know you are correct because every used bass I ever bought came with lousy intonation. Some way off at 7th fret!

[Geek99]

6 hours ago, Lozz196 said:

Basic set up is fine, but fret work, nut work & electrics (other than installing a KiOgon loom) I leave to the professionals, which in my case is our very own @gary mac (sadly minus the curly perm & Capri).

But also less dead … which can only be a good thing 

[Geek99]

10 minutes ago, DawnPatroller said:

 

Having the manual dexterity of a housebrick, I was REALLY pleased with myself when I fitted strap locks on mine ... until a mate came round and pointed out I'd somehow done it flipping wrong (and kindly corrected it for me).

My other problem is I know way too many guitarists just itching to get their paws on it for a bit of set up practise.

You’d let a guitarist touch anything of yours ? 🥺

[Downunderwonder]

I was at a late afternoon pub gig, sparse attendance. Guitarist B.V and singer GF. Every tune guitar boy was retuning his guitar by playing chords of the next number and never really getting it too great before kicking off. I had a fair idea what might be going on so on their break I collared him and got him to play just the octave. Yup. So I taught him how to intonate his guitar with the aid of a screwdriver borrowed from the barman. GF was well pleased.

[ambient]

I’ll make truss rod and bridge adjustments on my electric basses yes. I wouldn’t touch the frets though, I don’t have the necessary skills.

[Thunderbird]

I do pretty much all of it and I look after a couple of other bc members basses 

[Nail Soup]

I don’t do much of my own… although I have built a couple of cigar box guitars. 
The action on my bass needs lowering since a string change a couple of months ago and I vowed to do it myself. But I got the Allen key out of my tool kit and it is too long to fit in the recess. Never got round to getting a new key and  not even sure what to google to get one. Must get into gear!

[Burns-bass]

Guitars are simple things really, but I’ve realised it’s all about patience (I have none!).

 

I recently did some work on a DB and it took hours of constantly reviewing, checking and working until it worked out. It did, but I could have earned more money doing my job than attempting to save a few quid by taking it to a pro.
 

Nowadays I have an exceptional luthier who’s a friend so I’m happy to pay him to sort all my guitars (6 strings) and I’ve only got two basses and I can manage those…

[TimR]

Yes. 

 

The guitarist in the band told me I should get it done where he gets his done. As it would be much better. He then spent 3 practices complaining about how badly his guitar had been set up.

 

I pulled all the frets from a bass in the 80s and filled the slots with polyfilla. 

 

I guess some people are just more able to handle handy tasks. I have friends unable to put up shelves or curtain poles and I have other friends who can change gearboxes and cylinder head gaskets, and piston rings on cars.

[Bassfinger]

I do my own.  I can read, have the correct number of limbs, and put my trousers on one leg at a time like the man at the shop.  I even have a suitable hammer for the fine adjustments.

[Richard R]

3 hours ago, Bassfinger said:

I... put my trousers on one leg at a time like the man at the shop.  I even have a suitable hammer for the fine adjustments.

 

A man who makes fine adjustments to his trousers with a hummer.  Tough dude!