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Help! Ruler or feeler gauge to adjust string height?

bass thumper

bass thumper

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Joined
Jan 9, 2005
Messages
211
Location
Gallipolis, Ohio
Help! Ruler or feeler gauge to adjust string height? If feeler gauge is used (like checking gap on spark plugs, which is in thousandths: .035), where do I get one for millimeters to adjust string height, pick-up height, etc?
 
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bass thumper said:
If feeler gauge is used (like checking gap on spark plugs, which is in thousandths: .035), where do I get one for millimeters to adjust string height, pick-up height, etc?
Click to expand...

Use a ruler fot that. The feeler gauge is for the neck relief. I use a credit card.
 
I just checked and I have to put 4 to 5 credit cards to fill the gap between the top of the 12th. fret and the bottom of the strings. Even with this gap, brand new out of the box SR4, I had some fret buzz. The neck was perfectly straight so I gave a little relief (turned nut left) and buzz vanished. The string height is still high though. Question: since neck is straight with little relief, is my next step to lower bridge saddles to get the 1 credit card gap at 12th. string? Aren't these basses supposed to be set up closer than this when they come from the factory? I'm just trying to learn how to get this thing right. Thanks fellas.
 
The credit card measurements regard relief, that is when you depress the first fret and the 12th and sight how much space is between the top of the eighth or so fret to the bottom of the string you're pressing down. What you're talking about is just straight up measurement from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string, which by factory measurements should be around 3/32", I think.

Edit: I'd normally refer you to the EBMM FAQs, but Jon and Dargin plan on revising that later on. What I recommend if you need a guide to setup your bass is to do a search in the bass guitar forums regarding setups. Search for posts by Rod Trussbroken, too - he's given great posts on tutorials for these kinds of things.
 
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bass thumper said:
Question: since neck is straight with little relief, is my next step to lower bridge saddles to get the 1 credit card gap at 12th. string?
Click to expand...

Stop. Let's do this together... I've not set up my bass for a while

Fret the E string at the first and 15th frets, then measure the gap between the string and the 7th fret (you might want to use a capo if you only have two hands). There is a credit card width on mine... this hardly moves at all on my bass (so much for unstable unfinished necks). I would have straightened it by turning the truss rod right or increased the relief by turning it left. Both by 1/4 turn at a time. I'm not going to turn it at all.

Put the credit card away.

Get your tuner out and tune to pitch. Check the tuning at the 12th fret. If it's flat, you need to move the saddles towards the neck. Sharp, move it the other way. Tune it up again.

Get a little steel ruler out and measure the height at the 12th fret. EB say 3/32". Mine has 2/16" I'll probably drop this a little by adjusting the little allen screws in the saddles. Tune to pitch again.

Adjust the pickup. EB says 6/32 from the string to the polepiece. Sounds reasonable.

Now go back to the beginning and check it's all where you left it.
 
Thanks dlloyd. Im gonna get much use out of your post. I usually just aimlessly tinker aroung until it feels right. Now I have a game plan!!
 
Ernie Ball FAQ says use second and 12th fret to check the neck relief... shouldn't make much difference either way. I find the easiest way to set the string height is to use the back end of a drill bit as a feeler guage between the 12th fret and the string. I usually set mine at 5/64 which is a bit lower than the EB factory setting. You can also use a drill as a frreler guage to set the PU height.
 
dlloyd said it about as simple and good as it could be said. I won't say I measure string height though I get all else right and the height is wherever it feels good to me at. I then measure so I know where I prefer my string height. The height given for strings is just the standard that EB chose to publish.


tk
 
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