Stingray set up?

[Bloodfist]

I was curious to see if any of yall have your rays set up with a low fast action. I've been trying to get mine there, but she wants to buzz all over the place, and for some reason my E string sounds simi dead, even though I just put on new strings today (hybrids). If anyone has any tips on setting a 4 string ray up I'd appreciate it.

 

[maddog]

lots of good reading here.

 

[Bloodfist]

I read that, but it didn't help to much

 

[mynan]

In most cases, I've found that a little "relief" is your friend. I usually tighten the truss rod until it looks perfectly flat, then back it off about 1/4 turn.

 

[oli@bass]

If you can't fix it, bring your bass to a luthier. Most probably the nut slots a bit high, i.e. cut conservatively. I brought my 2006 SR4 HS to file down the nut a bit, and all of a sudden could get very low action with little buzz.
Also I recently fetched my 20th Anniversary StingRay from the same luthier: The neck on that bass is slightly twisted and has a slight bump on the G string side at the 3rd fret. The nut is very low and it was impossible to get it to play without buzz at any set up. He did a fret levelling and dressing, and now that bass has the most amazing buzz free action I've had the joy to play on any StingRay.

 

[maddog]

Q: How do I set up my Music Man bass?

A: First check relief in the neck by holding the lowest string down on the 2nd fret with your fretting (left) hand. Then, hold the same string down on the 12th fret with your plucking thumb and tap on the string in the middle to see how straight the neck is. There should be no more than the thickness of a business card between the string and the frets. If there is no relief in the neck, a little pressure in the middle of the neck (after adjusting the trussrod wheel) should help.
The standard string gauge is .45-.100 with a .130 on the low "B" for the 5 string at 440 tuning. If you decide to tune down, typically you would increase the gauge for every 1/2 step downward that you tune. This will keep most of the measurements close by having more tension on the neck.

Factory String heights are: Bass side 3/32 to 7/64 Treble side: 5/64" to 7/64" from the top of the 12th fret to the bottom of the string. The rest of the strings should have the radius of the fretboard when looking at the top of the string, (with the A string hidden from view by the E string, etc.), rotating the bass at the same time. The "right" string height is, of course, ultimately determined by your playing style.

The pickup should be 4/32" to 5/32" on the bass side and slightly closer (4/32" to 5/32" on the treble side. This is determined by tuning and volume of strings measured by the top of the pole piece to the bottom of the strings. If the G string needs more volume, adjust it slightly more toward the pickup. Again, if you tune down, more distance is needed here, as well; but in any case, no lower than 4/32".

If fret buzz occurs from the open to the fifth fret, the neck needs more relief. If it buzzes between the 5th fret and the 12th fret, the neck needs to be straighter (turn the wheel slightly clockwise). If it occurs all over the neck, the string height need to increase (by turning the trussrod wheel slightly counter-clockwise).

For intonation: Check the harmonics to the fretted note on the 12th note on the twelfth fret if you don't play much above that fret. If you do, also check the harmonics at the 19th fret after the 12th fret is set. If the fretted note is sharp, you need to make the string longer by turning the saddle screw counterclockwise, and vice versa. Make sure that the string are coming off of the saddle straight and not in an arch. All measurements must be rechecked after each adjustment.

beyond that, asking for help here is like asking a blind, deaf quadriplegic mechanic to tune up a '63 'vette. We can offer suggestions but unless one of us can get our mitts on it, we're just shooting in the dark.

as oli pointed out, might be time to take it to a luthier and talk things over with him about what you want.

 

[bovinehost]

beyond that, asking for help here is like asking a blind, deaf quadriplegic mechanic to tune up a '63 'vette.

More like a blind, deaf, quadriplegic over-the-hill pin-up girl, but it's the thought that counts.

As the Dog of Madness points out, anything beyond basic set-up is impossible over the internetz.

Jack

 

[Oldtoe]

You guys are no help at all!


*neener!*

 

[maddog]

so Ben, what tips do you have to offer.

"Intestinal Poltergeist" indeed!

 

[Bloodfist]

Ok so here's the update so far, I turned the little wheel thingy about 8 times, and heard a pop. My strings then laid flat on the neck, so I pulled the stings back by tightening the screws on the back of the bass where the strings start, and then tuning the strings up until the neck has a semi natural bow to it. The bow in the neck is now a little to excessive so I've had to raise my pickups, but the screws were to short to achieve the height needed, so I used some longer wood screws that I have on hand.
I figure that since I've probably caused some damage to bass and now it's a $1700 paper weight, I would give it a new paint job. The BCB just wasn't working for me so I painted it "gangsta gold" all over, including the fret board, and put a big dollar bill sign sticker on the bass. And if by now you think I really did all that, your retarded lol. The bass action is perfect now after a little tweaking, just got to set the intonation after dinner and my Ball will feel the way I want my Ball to feel.

 

[maddog]

Ok so here's the update so far, I turned the little wheel thingy about 8 times, and heard a pop. My strings then laid flat on the neck, so I pulled the stings back by tightening the screws on the back of the bass where the strings start, and then tuning the strings up until the neck has a semi natural bow to it. The bow in the neck is now a little to excessive so I've had to raise my pickups, but the screws were to short to achieve the height needed, so I used some longer wood screws that I have on hand.
I figure that since I've probably caused some damage to bass and now it's a $1700 paper weight, I would give it a new paint job. The BCB just wasn't working for me so I painted it "gangsta gold" all over, including the fret board, and put a big dollar bill sign sticker on the bass.

We want pics!

Glad you got it worked out. Sorry about not being much more help. I've tried giving setup tips but it just doesn't work well so I stick with the FAQ.

 

[Bloodfist]

We want pics!

Pretty much looks the same as it did before lol.

 

[Bloodfist]

But Hey, maybe Big Poppa might consider gangsta gold as a new color to replace desert gold next year, and put some dollar signs on the fret board as the markers I want credit for the idea, cause I know a few of you on this forum would probably buy it lol.

 

[MrMusashi]

hehe.. fret markers of real gold... that would be bling bling enough for me

id never dare to take it to any shady gigs though.. never know if one of the usual suspects suddenly has a shiny gold tooth and you have empty holes in yer neck where the gold once used to rule the world

MrM

 

[SquidLizard]

I turned the little wheel thingy about 8 times, and heard a pop

ROTFLMAO

 

[RobertB]

ROTFLMAO

To tell you the truth, I was all in until the part about the gangsta gold fretboard. I wasn't a bit surprised by what I had read up to that point. It's not like we haven't seen posts like that here before. Ironically but not surprisingly, those tend to go hand in hand with resistance to reading the FAQ.

Glad you got it all worked out. One thing I love about these basses is that I always find it very easy to get/keep them in a state of effortless playability. And believe me, it's not because I know alot about tweaking them. It's because you don't have to.

 

[silverburst]

But Hey, maybe Big Poppa might consider gangsta gold as a new color to replace desert gold next year, and put some dollar signs on the fret board as the markers I want credit for the idea, cause I know a few of you on this forum would probably buy it lol.

I'd buy one.

 

[Road Pop]

Had me going, too. Woke me up, fo sho!

 

[fidooda]

what would you call it? bloodfist gangsta delight?

 

[LoEnd]

Well, you can always play in a differnt tuning. I play in drop B (B F# B E A) my action is incredibly low!! And when I tune it up to C# standard it even sounds more amazing Very very limited buzz.