Setup Specs

[projectapollo]

Poking around trying to find factory specs for Bongo setup. I thought there would have been a sticky thread?

I'd like complete my setup, appropriately. I believe I have the physics of the process in hand - can set intonation properly with my strobe tuner, etc. What I need are some specs for key parameters and measurement tools/methods.

Point me to an existing thread or MM web page? Thx.

 

[bdgotoh]

From the FAQ section: could-you-tell-me-music-mans-stingray-factory-settings-for-relief-string-height-and-pickup-height | music-man-basses | faq

 

[adouglas]

I highly recommend setting everything to factory specs, putting on new strings, putting in new batteries, and only then start fiddling.

I strongly suspect that a lot of "problems" are actually caused by owners who do not truly know what they're doing... such as adjusting bridge saddles to lower action instead of using the trussrod, or raising pickups to "improve" output instead of sorting out amp issues.

The basses come from the factory perfect IMHO. It only makes sense to keep them that way.

 

[danny-79]

So if changing gage from the factory standard (100-45s) to either heavier or lighter gage strings, the measurements should remain the same after making all the necessary adjustments ?
(i.e drop the saddles and lower the pickup to accommodate heavier strings, keeping the factory measurements the same,)
(other way around if going light etc)
So basically if you move one thing then usually need to adjust something else to match

 

[adouglas]

String height (from the fretboard) and pickup height are relative to the "bottom" of the string, so changing gauges should have no effect on either measurement.

You will have to adjust intonation, though, if you change gauges.

And yeah, everything affects everything else.

Here's the order I use:

- Relief (truss rod)
- Intonation (saddles)
- Check relief and adjust if needed
- String height (saddles)
- Check relief and adjust if needed
- Pickup height (pickup screws)

Once set, the only thing I ever need to touch is the truss rod, and then only when the weather changes.

In five years of using MM basses I've only touched the saddles once, and that was when I tried stringing my fretless EADGC. Well, twice... I put it back.

I've never adjusted the pickup height, nor have I had to.... the MM elves know what they're doing.

 

[projectapollo]

From the FAQ section: could-you-tell-me-music-mans-stingray-factory-settings-for-relief-string-height-and-pickup-height | music-man-basses | faq

Thank you!
Anyone know the factory spec for the saddle heights. Looks like mine had been set pretty low previously. Can't find that spec in the faq's.

 

[adouglas]

String height is the pertinent measure.

First you set relief (bow) - which is NOT a measure of string height - using the trussrod. Then you set string height by adjusting the saddle height.

 

[EagleMoon]

String height is the pertinent measure.

First you set relief (bow) - which is NOT a measure of string height - using the trussrod. Then you set string height by adjusting the saddle height.

Quick question after reading this...how hard should it be to adjust the truss rod wheel to tighten the neck? If I stick an allen wrench down in the hole to move the wheel the wrench almost bends by the time the wheel turns. And I am taking pressure off of the neck.

 

[adouglas]

You're encountering "stiction" (yes, it's a real word).

Any threaded fastener that's left in place under tension for a while will be a bit hard to turn at first.

Use a bigger lever.

I don't use an allen wrench... not enough leverage. I use a small screwdriver... not a jeweler's screwdriver, a regular screwdriver with a plastic handle. I think it's a #1 size.

 

[EagleMoon]

You're encountering "stiction" (yes, it's a real word).

Any threaded fastener that's left in place under tension for a while will be a bit hard to turn at first.

Use a bigger lever.

I don't use an allen wrench... not enough leverage. I use a small screwdriver... not a jeweler's screwdriver, a regular screwdriver with a plastic handle. I think it's a #1 size.

Stiction...have to remember that.

I thought about using a screwdriver but didn't have one small enough. Guess it's time for a trip to the hardware store. I was just afraid maybe the rod was reaching it's turning limit or something.

 

[Moose308]

You may also be encountering wrench-to-wood forces. Being an even holed wheel, there is nothing stopping that wrench from going through the other side of the wheel and digging into the body wood. Be careful of how far that wrench goes into the wheel.

 

[EagleMoon]

You may also be encountering wrench-to-wood forces. Being an even holed wheel, there is nothing stopping that wrench from going through the other side of the wheel and digging into the body wood. Be careful of how far that wrench goes into the wheel.

Yeah that's true. I'll make sure I don't do that.

 

[SeismicAssault]

One thing I noticed is that in the FAQ, it never does say what the actual factory relief is set to. On all my other bass guitars (all Fenders), it says to put a capo on the first fret of the E string, and depress the last fret of the E-string, and measure the relief at the 8th fret. Should be about 0.012".

Does anyone know what the factory relief on a Stingray 4 should be?

 

[adouglas]

That should do, IMHO.

What I do is very simple and involves no actual measurement.

I fret the first fret with my left hand (I play righty), put my right thumb somewhere around the 15th fret, then, while holding the string down, reach across with my middle finger and tap the string with my right middle finger halfway between (7th fret).

What I'm looking for is a noticeable but not really visible movement. I need to hear the string tap against the fret, but I don't want to see it move much.

If I see a lot of space between the string and the fret, it's too much relief. If I get no tapping noise, it's too little.

Works every time.

 

[projectapollo]

Bought a little measure and finished the setup and intonation. The custom Bongo sounds and feels perfect!! Someone had the saddles too low and strings too close to the pickups. The gain at the output was surprising and not bongo-like tone. The damping effect on the strings at some positions was amazing All is good now. Thx for all the advice!

Is there really such a thing as dead spots on a fretboard? Or just bad setup?

 

[bovinehost]

Bought a little measure and finished the setup and intonation. The custom Bongo sounds and feels perfect!! Someone had the saddles too low and strings too close to the pickups.

On the advice of my therapist, I can no longer get involved in threads about setups, but I'm not at all surprised about the saddles being too low and the pickups too high. Those are typical 'rookie' adjustments. "Oh, my action is too high, let me screw around with the bridge saddles until I've REALLY effed it up." When clearly the first thing to check is relief - but that involves turning the truss rod, which is TOO SCARY for the rookie. And then the pickups come up because "If some is good, more is more gooder!"

I'm glad you've got your bass back to simple health. Amazing that the factory specs are actually pretty good, eh? Wonder how they come up with that stuff!

Is there really such a thing as dead spots on a fretboard? Or just bad setup?

My personal opinion is that any instrument with a wooden neck and a headstock will have positions on the neck which are not quite as resonant. Not "dead" by any means, but not as resonant. Some instruments have more obvious spots and in very predictable places. I don't have any complaints about my EBMM basses.

Anyhoo, congrats on bringing it back to life!

Jack

 

[maddog]

You're encountering "stiction" (yes, it's a real word).

stiction = static friction.

'tis a real word so ya don't need the quotes.

 

[projectapollo]

Pickup Height for Big Al

The MM website says this:
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.


Apply this to the SSS Big Al, as well? The BA I just got had all three pickups at the same height with the bridge pickup just a tad (.5 mm) closer to the strings. For now, I set the neck S pickup to the lower 6.35mm spec mentioned above. Anyone know the SSS spec for this pickup spacing.

 

[Manfloozy]

What is the factory spec for the low-B, does anyone know?

 

[garythenuke]

Thank you for this thread. I spent some quality time with my Bongo, my digital caliper and my OCD... What a difference it makes to have the thing set up properly... Why do people insist on taking things way out of factory spec? Do they think the Cal Poly engineers don't know what they're doing????

We're awesome again!!