Slight Bongo Comfort Issue - Suggestions Welcome. BP, you out there ?

[buzzbass]

I'm having a slight problem with my H/S 5. If I raise the single coil enough that it makes a good thumb rest (read, @ stock height), the strings will smash the pole pieces while I'm playing. Making nasty noises through the amp. I dropped the pickup slightly (1.5 full turns on each screw) and the problem subsided, but now I've lost my comfy thumbrest (which I definitely NEED). Any suggestions, anyone ? Drilling holes in the bass, for a fender type thumb rest, is out of the question.

 

[Psycho Ward]

Someone here once suggested mounting a thumb rest just to the pickguard, Strangeglow I think. Pickguards are pretty cheap and super glue is a lot of fun.

 

[mynan]

This is a technique problem. After years of playing basses with soapbars and getting away with poor technique, I had to make the same adjustment when I got my first Stingray.

 

[Big Poppa]

I know the factory set up doesw not interfere with the strings so if you are raising the pick up you are definately outside the factory spec...keep in mind with the mongo and the neodynium magnets coupled iwth the 18v preamp we strongly discourage raising the pick ups...

If you cant drill a hole then I go with an epoxy remedy

 

[buzzbass]

I know the factory set up doesw not interfere with the strings so if you are raising the pick up you are definately outside the factory spec...keep in mind with the mongo and the neodynium magnets coupled iwth the 18v preamp we strongly discourage raising the pick ups...

If you cant drill a hole then I go with an epoxy remedy

OK, I'm not the original owner. So I have no idea what he may have done to it. What is the proper spec for height, I'll try that 1st. Thanks for jumping on this so quickly. By the way, is it possible to get a small scrap of white ice PG material ? Say 3"x2", so I have room to make a mistake. I think I have an idea to fab something up and use automotive double sided tape to attach it to the PG. I want to bend a small piece into an L shape that about an inch long, and stick down. Sound like a decent idea ?

 

[mynan]

From the EB website:

Virtually all the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the finger board, counter clockwise to lower. The ideal string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. This affects the bow of the neck.

The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.

On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.

 

[Ole Man Blues]

OK, I'm not the original owner. So I have no idea what he may have done to it. What is the proper spec for height, I'll try that 1st. Thanks for jumping on this so quickly. By the way, is it possible to get a small scrap of white ice PG material ? Say 3"x2", so I have room to make a mistake. I think I have an idea to fab something up and use automotive double sided tape to attach it to the PG. I want to bend a small piece into an L shape that about an inch long, and stick down. Sound like a decent idea ?

Maybe try customer service and they may have an idea or have dealt with this before........

OMB

 

[buzzbass]

From the EB website:

Virtually all the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the finger board, counter clockwise to lower. The ideal string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. This affects the bow of the neck.

The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.

On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.

thank you, I'll check this when I get home. But yes, I did up the string guage when I got it. I put a set of DR45-125 Flats on it. It had the lightest guage Slinky set on it before. Poor Bongo, it went from a light touch slap n' tap guy to a ham fisted gorilla

 

[Smakbass]

I try not to anchor my thumb when playing 5 string I instead recommend a "floating thumb" technique where you more or less use your thumb to mute the lower strings when you are playing on the higher ones....works really well but takes some adjustment....

 

[AnthonyD]

I would expect stock height of the pick-up to provide enough of a surface to anchor on.

FWIW, I generally begin playing by anchoring my thumb on the neck-side of the bridge humbucker, but I often notice that I am not anchored at all as I play; my thumb just kind of sits along side the pickup.

My point is that the pickup becomes more of a reference point for hand placement and not so much a support for my hand and it was a natural "correction" for me. It may simply be a short adjustment period for you if you find there is less support that you're accustomed to.

 

[buzzbass]

I try not to anchor my thumb when playing 5 string I instead recommend a "floating thumb" technique where you more or less use your thumb to mute the lower strings when you are playing on the higher ones....works really well but takes some adjustment....

I know, but after playing for 25+ years, this old dog ain't learnin' any new tricks. I've tried that, but MY technique is what it is.

 

[hankSRay]

I try not to anchor my thumb when playing 5 string I instead recommend a "floating thumb" technique where you more or less use your thumb to mute the lower strings when you are playing on the higher ones....works really well but takes some adjustment....

I just started using this technique and its pretty awesome. But if having a place to rest your thumb is absolutely necessary then just get a scrap pickguard and either glue or like you said, use automotive double sided tape to affix a thumbrest.

Also theres a pic somewhere of a stingray with a bunch of holes drilled through the pickguard that can be used to rest your thumb. Looks cool and is very functional.

 

[buzzbass]

I just got off the phone with EB's vendor who makes the guards. He's sending me a scrap piece for free. So, I should be all set. I'm just going to cut a small rectangle out of it, bend it 90* length wise, and double sided tape it to the stock guard. That way it'll be totally reversable without any damage to the bass.

BP, tell your customer service folks thanks. They didn't have to give me your vendor info, but they did, and I really appreciate it.

 

[paranoid70]

I know the factory set up doesw not interfere with the strings so if you are raising the pick up you are definately outside the factory spec...keep in mind with the mongo and the neodynium magnets coupled iwth the 18v preamp we strongly discourage raising the pick ups...

If you cant drill a hole then I go with an epoxy remedy

Am I the only one that thought of Blazing Saddles after reading BP's post?

"Don't know. Mongo only pawn in game of life."

 

[Raimond S]

...keep in mind with the mongo and the neodynium magnets

Lol, M and B is even next to each other on the keyboard

 

[Fred E.]

I'm confused, I thought the whole purpose of the low "B" was to function as a thumbrest.

 

[buzzbass]

From the EB website:

Virtually all the adjustments to string height can be made with the truss rod. Turn clockwise to raise the finger board, counter clockwise to lower. The ideal string height for our basses is 3/32" or 2.4mm between the bottom of the string to the top of the fret on both the E and G strings at the 12th fret. The G string can be slightly lower due to the fact that it is the smallest string. This affects the bow of the neck.

The factory specifications for the pickup height is 6/32" or 4.76mm from the top of the plastic between the pickup covers to the bottom of the G string. The angle of the pickup is set fairly level, so the larger strings are naturally a bit closer. If you haven't already adjusted the pickup or changed to a very heavy gauge string set, you shouldn't have to do any adjustments on the pickup.

On the new 2-pickup basses, the measurements are virtually the same on the bridge pickup and the neck pickup is further away, about 8/32" or 6.35mm from the string to the pickup.

I finally had a chance to check this against the factory specs you posted. I guess the original owner must've played with a super light touch, judgeing from the pickup heights and the really skinny guage stings that were originally on it (when I got it from him). The neck p'up was set @ 4/32" , as was the bridge p'up. Setting them both to 6/32" solved my problem, and that's still a bit higher than the 8/32" you posted. At this point, I'm good. And, I play pretty ham fisted(pluck 'dem string really hard). I would still need to lower them another 1/16" to be factory compliant. There's no need to though, I tried to get the string to touch, by playing really hard(for me), and it doesn't touch now. Upon further analysis, it was only the b-string that was hitting the pole piece. And, only when I was cranking on the e-string, on songs like Blitzkrieg Bop. Thanks for your help, you rock. Thanks to you too, BP.

 

[Big Poppa]

Here is to ham Fisted Bassists! Im president!

 

[73jbass]

Am I the only one that thought of Blazing Saddles after reading BP's post?

"Don't know. Mongo only pawn in game of life."

Candygram for Mongo!!

 

[buzzbass]

Here is to ham Fisted Bassists! Im president!

Woohoo, I'm in good company. We should start a club