Help! SBMM SUB Ray4

[stingray_guy]

Hi all!

I've got a SBMM SUB Ray4 in the walnut sating finish. Absolutely great basses for the money, ideal for me because I love that stingray vibe, but I can't afford their big brothers just yet. I can't seem to put the thing down, its a real good player, but the other day I was just doing a setup/tweak and realised a gap in the neck pocket which is usually really tight. It was only half a mm if that, but I got a screwdriver and went to tighten the neck bolts. Now when I got the bass, all the screws were up tight, but I went to tighten the neck bolts and nearly all of them had got a little loose, IE I could turn the screwdriver 2-3 turns before they were tight again. I was left curious about this, and put the bass on my bench and checked every screw/bolt on there. And I once again noticed the bridge screws had loosened a little. So I tightened them up. I soon went about checking all of them on the bass and some were loose. I find this quite strange because when I first got the bass all screws were as tight as hell, wouldn't budge a bit, yet they seemed to loosen off. This isn't no major biggie, each week Ill just get the screwdriver out, but its left me wondering; how does it do this?? Any ideas from anybody out there??

 

[Soulkeeper]

2-3 turns is a lot. How is the climate where you live? Very dry or moist?

 

[stingray_guy]

I live in England, so its fairly cold and wet most of the time. My house is warm and dry though, I'd say the room its in is probably about 18-21 degrees with less than average humidity. Two weeks before I got this bass I used a dehumidifier in the house so its quite dry in here. There was the odd screw where I could probably get two turns out of it, most of them just needed a single turn and that got them up again, shouldve specified that earlier perhaps. Still confused as to why it does it, any ideas?

 

[Soulkeeper]

After a tree is killed, it can be difficult to convince the wood that it's no longer alive. It keeps reacting to the environment. As it dries, it shrinks. That can cause fret sprout and loose screws. But as the wood adapts to the dry environment, it should stabilize, at least until the environment changes again.

 

[SBMM]

I live in England, so its fairly cold and wet most of the time. My house is warm and dry though, I'd say the room its in is probably about 18-21 degrees with less than average humidity. Two weeks before I got this bass I used a dehumidifier in the house so its quite dry in here. There was the odd screw where I could probably get two turns out of it, most of them just needed a single turn and that got them up again, shouldve specified that earlier perhaps. Still confused as to why it does it, any ideas?

Hello, and thanks for choosing one of our instruments!

It definitely is a humidity issue, and the wood is drying out, which causes the fibers to "relax", hence the loosening of the strings.

Are you keeping the instrument in a case when you aren't playing it? I would suggest keeping it cased when not in use, and to get a humidifier for the case. Once it is acclimated to its' environment, it should stabilize and give many years of happy playing enjoyment!

 

[stingray_guy]

Hi guys,

Thanks for the replies. I understand what your saying, I've got some mahogany hanging in my garage for a body for a guitar my friend wants to build with me next year, and that's been in there since 2007 drying out. The bass is stored in a 25mm padded gig bag when not in use, will it do the bass any favours if I bring the dehumidifier back into the house again? Also, by retightening the screws every week or so it won't cause any sort of damage that's not visible to the eye will it? The bass is a beaut and I wouldn't want to ruin it. I want it to last years, because I've not got any plans on replacing it for a long while. The environment most likely won't change again so once its settled it should be all good.

And Brian, thanks for bringing us these basses! I cannot fault it, she plays like a dream and my girlfriend didn't go mad when I said I'd bought a new bass because of the price. I'm always getting people compliment me when they see the bass, I'm even thinking of picking up the red SUB Axis later on as funds allow.

 

[steevo]

Probably cause more damage by now tightening them, potentially if they arent tight enough the pressure of the strings will slowly pull the neck free of its fixing screws, doubt it would actually happen but best to keep them tight.

 

[steevo]

Any screws i find that come loose (like strap buttons, pickguard screws etc.) i break a match stick off in the hole (maybe two depending on the size) and refix whatever it is that has come loose.

 

[stingray_guy]

Hi man,

Thanks for the reply, I always used to do exactly that and cram up any loose holes on my old bass, but after a while it just started making the bass feel like an old shed. Yeah it wasn't the greatest thing in the first place, but it was my first bass I owned (I started on an Encore that I borrowed off a friend, I feel sick when I look back) it was ok, but I beat the thing up and ruined it to be honest. I'm trying to keep the Ray4 as best as I can.

As for the situation, its getting better. A week (roughly) after I originally posted and since I last tightened it all up and it seems to be solid as a rock. So the theory of the wood drying out I reckon is the answer, may need a tighten every now and again, but then again so does any bass here and there. No doubt shell serve me up for years to come, got no plans to upgrade now (but well see after LBGS hahaha)

 

[SBMM]

Good to hear! I don't want any sick children of ours out there

 

[stingray_guy]

I checked her over this morning, and she's got a screw on the bridge now turning endlessly. What a bugger. Would I be ok just lining the side of the screw hole slightly with wood glue so it can grip that in a tighter screw hole?

 

[Soulkeeper]

When screw holes strip, it's most often due to overzealous tightening. Just sayin'.

I think I would use a toothpick plus wood glue in that situation, but YMMV. Hard to tell when I can't see the problem with my own eyes.

 

[SBMM]

I checked her over this morning, and she's got a screw on the bridge now turning endlessly. What a bugger. Would I be ok just lining the side of the screw hole slightly with wood glue so it can grip that in a tighter screw hole?

In a perfect world, you'd want to get a wooden dowel that is almost the size of the hole, measure to just shorter than the length of the screw, cut to that size, douse it with a good quality wood glue, insert it into the stripped hole, then gently replace the screw to just above finger tight.

I agree with the above member, stripping is caused by overtightening. I'd say give it a few weeks or so in the humidified environment before you start on the tightening binge again.

 

[stingray_guy]

Hi Brian, yeah probably have been a bit overdoing it with the screws, but I love that bass and wanna keep everything nice and tight as it isn't doing that itself at the moment. Ill pop in a wooden dowell next week and that should do it nicely, silly me eh! Loving it a bit too much it seems. Never got answered before, will having a dehumidifier in the house do it any favours? I keep her in her gig bag but I've got to use a dehumidifier for two weeks soon as I've got a very slight damp problem in the walls in one room, the other end of the house?

 

[SBMM]

Instruments should be kept at around 45-50% humidity, so without knowing what is going on in your residence, it would be hard for me to comment on the dehumidifier.

I would look into getting the new Planet Waves Humidipak. It is mainly designed for acoustics, but I have some friends that use them for electrics as well, and they rave about them. Would be worth looking into

 

[stingray_guy]

Ok man thanks will do, will no doubt be able to pick one up tomorrow. I don't doubt for a second that its due to my haste overdoing the screws haha, I wouldn't want you to think its poor workmanship etc, these are great products, if I were you I'd feel proud to market these!