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Golem

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Aug 30, 2005
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`
Shimming is a normal element of setting up. If
the shim is invisible ... a zero shim ... then your
ax hit factory spec set up that way. But set up is
personal and subjective and you may prefer to
shim your neck, especially if you de-fret it !

IOW shimming is not a "build quality" issue. It's
one huge reason to favor bolt-on necks as well.
 
Last edited:

sanderhermans

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Nov 5, 2013
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belgium
You should go to the ebmm website and folow the instructions in the faq page under "how do i set up my musicman bass?" Follow these steps and sugested measurements and 99% chance you'll be fine if you set it up properly.
 

Golem

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Hello,

I have 3/32inch on the E string with the saddle low as possible...
So I need a shim ?

At the octave ? Thaz an OK setup, but you should be able to
get that without setting your saddle to bottom out. You'd do
well to put a shim in the rear of the neck socket. Biz card or
slightly thicker ... but I avoid using paper and prefer plastic
or metal. IOW "biz card" is a unit of [approximate] measure
but not really the recommended material. I use plastic from
"blister pack" consumer goods packaging, or metal from pie
pans, etc. Disposable CHEAP [thin] pie pans are good. The
better quality [tho also disposable] can be too thick. Credit
card plastic is usually too thick. Playing cards may work but
I've never tried them.
 

Lucas Vecco

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Jun 15, 2013
Messages
7
Location
Marignane, France
I use the FAQ and the very interesting setup on this link : https://gc.guitarcenter.com/basses/musicman/instrument_setup.pdf

My neck is straight and not warp : I depress on the E string the 1st and the 15th fret and the gap on the 7th fret is around 0.010 inch.

So the neck is adjust. I put a pink shim send by MusicMan in the neck pocket and the saddles are a little higher. At the beginning, before I put the pink shim the saddles are low as possible and I couldn't lower them more with the neck adjusted.

Now my action at the 12th fret :

E string : 6/64
A = 5/64
D = 5/64
G = 6/64

This is good for the A and D string ? Because I have no radius gauge..
 

Golem

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Don't see why you have the action on the
'G' higher than the A- and D-strings. Not a
big deal, but customarily, action descends
continuously from E-to-G. If your reason is
that your G-string saddle is bottomed out,
then you need a slightly thicker shim. Two
layers of heavy gauge plastic packing tape
on your current shim would be equally OK.
 
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