generalized bass adjustment inquiry(not a simple see the faq answer :) )

[kevins]

Hi ive been adjusting the crap out of my stingray lately for the winter. i happen to have a room that leaks water when it gets really rainy out here or the snow melts and combines with rain(i live near chicago). anyways as you probobly can infer this means there is rapid moisture changes going on at all times.

ive adjusted my truss rod and now it is a perfect 3/32 above the 12th fret but heres the problem, various frets particularily towards the 10th buzz ever so slightly on the upper strings.

i was told you have to "wait" for new settings to set in before, is this necessarily true? i have just adjusted and played and been fine before, maybe i didnt notice it. or should i look towards the bridge as the source of the problem?

i know this is a non musicman related post here but you guys are pretty darn smart on this and ive come to appreciate your help when it comes to various things involving bass knowledgery.

thanks much

-kevin

 

[djaxup]

pretty much any adjustments made will take some time to "settle", especially the truss rod related ones. I usually wait a few hours until i make further adjustments. Always check intonation after adjusting and tuning.

 

[oli@bass]

i was told you have to "wait" for new settings to set in before, is this necessarily true?

Yes. You are changing the physical forces (trussrod pressure) applied to a slowly adjusting non rigid material (wood). The larger the change, the more it needs to adjust.

or should i look towards the bridge as the source of the problem?

Not if the change in buzz happened as a result of your trussrod adjustment. Bridge is made from metal, and does generally not react to climate changes. Also, adjusting the saddles generally changes the buzz on the upper frets (15th and above).

 

[T-bone]

kevins,

I live out here in the Pacific Northwest where it rains - a lot. In the 10 years of owning different Stingray basses, I believe I've adjusted the truss rod on each of my instruments once. And these are gigging basses, too. They're out every week. So I'm always a bit surprised when I read about how much people have to adjust their truss rods.

Maybe I'm just lucky?

tbone

 

[oli@bass]

So I'm always a bit surprised when I read about how much people have to adjust their truss rods.

Maybe I'm just lucky?

I don't think so. But there are two factors that are pretty hard to replicate: Climate changes at a particular place on earth, and the piece of wood used for the neck. A long time ago, I had beautiful birdseye maple necked bass that needed adjustment on a daily base. And no, it was not off brand.

 

[kevins]

i used to not care much about it but i can sense, yes even the slight difference in sound from the strings being further from the pickups. and since im playin' a fancy bass and the thing is ridiculously easy to adjust i figure, "why not have it perfect all the time?"


thanks for all yer help here, the fretboard indeed settled!

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Kevins...use the search function. There's a wealth of Forum info that can more answer your questions!

 

[Kirby]

I don't think so. But there are two factors that are pretty hard to replicate: Climate changes at a particular place on earth, and the piece of wood used for the neck. A long time ago, I had beautiful birdseye maple necked bass that needed adjustment on a daily base. And no, it was not off brand.

I agree Oli. My first Stingray 5 that I bought has an insane birdseye neck and it requires frequent adjustment.

I also agree about letting the adjustment settle. I usually will let a bass sit overnight after I have set it up and recheck settings in the morning.

Have you considered a de-humidifier for the moisture? It will help greatly if the room is getting too damp. I have both a dehumidifier in my studio and a humidifier on the HVAC system to keep a constant humidity around 45%. Since I have done this, my necks move less.

 

[kevins]

Kevins...use the search function. There's a wealth of Forum info that can more answer your questions!

sorry about that, i thought for some reason i had something that was unquestioned before or so dumb that not even the FAQ had it in there.(no sarcasm or anything is in there).

i had no idea there would be slight buzzes in places until the neck settled. however i do hear buzzing when i pluck the d string really really hard but otherwise with my playing style none whatsoever.

 

[Rod Trussbroken]

Generall speaking...Adjust the neck straight and then set the string height. After that, if there's string buzz at the lower frets...add relief. If there's buzz at the higher frets... you have too much relief (straighten neck). If the buzz is all over the neck then the strings are too low (for your playing style).

Again, do a search. All the info is there.

 

[Rick Auricchio]

I live out here in the Pacific Northwest where it rains - a lot. ....So I'm always a bit surprised when I read about how much people have to adjust their truss rods.

In colder climates (like Chicago), the interior humidity drops significantly when the home is heated.

An increase of 20 degrees F will halve the relative humidity!

 

[kevins]

In colder climates (like Chicago), the interior humidity drops significantly when the home is heated.

An increase of 20 degrees F will halve the relative humidity!

amen to that! im nearby chicago, its nuts, and the temperature does switch often 20 degrees F during the winter months a ton of times. it'll go from 0 to 20 to 40 to 0 to 20 to 40 or whatever direction the weather "feels" like going at that point at least 3 times a month.