My good deed for today

[adouglas]

On the way to band practice I had a little extra time so I stopped in at a GC that's sort of on the way. Their prices are too high (there's a copperhead bronze SR5 there that appeals to me, one of those with the GC-specific funky acid-washed aluminum pickguard... they want way too much for it), but it's always fun to drop in to see what's new.

Spotted a nice blue Sterling, missing the plastic bit off the end of the selector switch. Picked it up and EECCHHH!!! Buzzes everywhere. Sighted down the neck and sure enough, a backbow like you wouldn't believe.

Now, it just so happened that I had a small set of allen keys in my pocket. Conspiracy theorists might say that I put them there knowing that I'd encounter horrible setups, but they'd be wrong. Well, half wrong...I knew there would be horrible setups (this is GC), but they were in my pocket only because I'd forgotten to put them back in my Bongo case after tweaking my own trussrod last night.

Whipped it out (the set of allen keys, that is), selected the appropriate one, gave the wheel a few cranks (at least three as far as I could go...this thing was WAY out), re-tuned it and hey presto, perfect action.

I LOVE that little wheel. BP, that was a stroke of pure genius.

 

[Figjam]

3 cranks all the way, yowza.

 

[midopa]

... you can do that? -shock-

 

[Figjam]

Seriously though thats a lot of adjusting really fast. I would have let it sit. Next time you go in, it may have way too much relief. If everyone that came into GC tried their hand at giving a bass a setup, well, it would look like it does now.

 

[bovinehost]

Not 3 complete turns.

Surely not.

You mean like 3 quarter turns, right?

 

[adouglas]

Right, right...I mean sticking the key in where it would fit and going as far as I could go without removing it...not even getting to where the key would hit the pickguard. If you tweak the rod on a bass with strings installed, the key hitting the strings limits the amount the wheel can turn on any given pass.

Total movement was probably no more than 120 degrees.

And I'd NEVER tighten anything that much, that fast. I was loosening it.

I know about letting it settle...but this thing was dead flat unplayable. Strings in contact with every fret. It might wind up a bit higher than it should by tomorrow, but at least it'll make noise.

 

[AnthonyD]

Sounds like you left it in better shape than you found it... Commendable...

 

[Disquieter]

how come so many people always try and say GC wants way too much for something when in actuality, they are generally cheaper than anyone else....


it just seems kind of ridiculous...


you should get the copperhead, they only made a very few of them...

 

[bdgotoh]

GC's prices on new stuff are usually not bad but they put crazy prices on used basses where I live.

 

[MingusBASS]

I'd say they(GC) has fair prices most of the time, and chances are you can get them to go down a bit. I honestly doubt the Copperhead bronze was selling for an outrageous amount, but obviously Andrew thought so. The bass has probably been in the store for quite some time, perhaps you could make a pretty good deal on it if you really wanted it.

 

[Randracula]

GC's prices on new stuff are usually not bad but they put crazy prices on used basses where I live.

+1