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String Tension and Bongo Necks

Truss Rod maddness!

Hello again (to Jon) I just have to put in my two cents on truss rod adjustments!

The new EB truss rod is one of the finest designs in production today. I'm used to trying to deal with abused Fender, Rickenbacker and older, pre-EB rods that are broken or damaged.

What I would suggest, is have a friend help "straighten" the neck to a position of minor relief (with strings at tension), and then tighten the truss rod so that the miinor relief position is maintained. Have the person holding the bass press on the bridge and the head stock with ONLY enough pressure to maintain the slight relief (subtle bow) position. The bass should be on a padded flat surface with support for the neck.

I've had best results with stubborn rods by loostening slightly first, then tightening.

Again, local luthiers can make these adjustments in seconds. I'm sure Jon and the EBMM repair folks don't really want the risk of shipping all of these basses around for adjustments and repairs that can be done locally.
 
Jon, Mr. Bongo is on his way to the land of EB. Shoot him up with whatever Dr. "Drop the Chalupa" calls for.
 
Extra red sauce and onions, light on the action. Practically feeding itself to me.

Heck, I dunno. Nobody's ever asked. Set it like my Modulus. Yeah, like that. Which is to say, easy and smooth like ze mantequilla.
 
Everything Jack has said about you is true, Jon. You are very much unmistakeably...The Man. Thank you, thank you, thank you.

And about all that other stuff Jack told me about, I won't tell...
 
set ups

Hey Jon

I'm from the great white north (Winnipeg, if anyone saw the simpsons on sunday)
anyways when I ordered my sterling I was told I couldn't have it come from the factory with Power Slinkies on it, so I had to have it re set up when it came in, but now the set up is far from what I think it should be as a music man, I was just wondering if EB would do a re set up and how much I would be looking at to get that done, seeing as how the local guys arn't what they used to be...
 
xHARPERx said:
Hey Jon

I'm from the great white north (Winnipeg, if anyone saw the simpsons on sunday)
anyways when I ordered my sterling I was told I couldn't have it come from the factory with Power Slinkies on it, so I had to have it re set up when it came in, but now the set up is far from what I think it should be as a music man, I was just wondering if EB would do a re set up and how much I would be looking at to get that done, seeing as how the local guys arn't what they used to be...
Click to expand...

Unless there is a problem with the bass -- e.g., warped neck, unlevel frets etc. -- setting up a bass is pretty simple. Get the neck fairly straight (with the low E fretted at the first and 20th fret you should see very little daylight between the bottom of the string and the top of the 7th fret). Next set the action at the bridge as low as you like, keeping in mind if you go too low there will be too much fret buzz. Finally set the intonation: with an electronic tuner tune each string using the 12th fret harmonic; next fret the string at the 12th fret; if the note at the fretted 12th fret is sharp, lengthen the string by moving the saddle back towards the strap button; if the note at the fretted 12 fret is flat shorten the string (repeat and rinse until the 12th fret harmonic and fretted 12th fret match). This is not rocket science. With regard to the neck, its going to move as the seasons and humidity change, so if you want your bass to play its best all the time you need to learn to adjust is when necessary. I would never trust some jakeleg (not talking about the EB people here, but rather local stores :)) to put any tools to any of my basses, let alone pay them for the "service" (picture air quotes over the word service)!
 
Pete is right. It's easy and it's good to be able to tweek your own instruments. There is also info on our website about how to do set up's and if you need help, you can get it here on the forum or call me 1 866 823-2255 and I can help, but you should try and learn how.
 
I'd just like to say that I really, honestly, no kidding, most earnestly tried to get that neck to do right multiple times using all accepted methods just short of a voodoo shaman before enlisting the renowned Jon for help. Jack tried, too. I bet he broke it. I just bet. Lord Bongo indeed...hah!
 
A regular set-up is, after you figure out what does what and why, a no-brainer. It really is. Look, if it were hard, could I do it? Hell no.

I do my own unless Chuck Moses, who is a guru, is around and unfortunately he lives about six hours south of me these days. I really just let him do my setups because he likes to do it, although he is better at it than am I.

And I'm not a rocket scientist, but my basses play very well, if I do say so myself.



But yeah, I broke Ben's Bongo. I had to. I was jealous.
 
Just have to chime in to say that Jon is a hell of a guy. He's getting my Bongo fitted with a new neck and whipped back into shape so it can come home. Thaks, Jon!

BTW, how 'bout those TI Superalloys? Tight, aren't they? Good sounding string, though.
 
Jack, I don't think you did anything to break it. I think it was one of those things that can happen in any manufacturing situation. I THINK!! it was the truss rod or the actual neck causing the problem in the first place. If Jon is replacing the neck it is because it was faulty and well we all know EB won't stand for that!!

Hell, he even give a new jack to someone that complained about replacing jacks in the Stingray. We then found out the cable was being jumped on. Go figure.


I am sure Jon will let us know what happened there. I just know in my heart, you or EB will never be dishonest about a problem. I also know it will get fixed.

Life is good.
Let's all enjoy while it is so.

tk
 
No. I did a leveling and re-crowning of the frets, and a bit of a setup, but the saddles were almost resting on the bridge plate, and I didn't like it, so Ben gets a new neck.


tk...You rock sir.
 
No, man, I wanted to break that sucker. I hated Ben for having such a beautiful Bongo and so I tried to break it. I was happy when I heard that little snap inside.



















Okay, just kidding. I just want to be able to claim I broke it.
 
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