On setups (again)

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:10 pm

While I've successfully set up two guitars now, I don't think I've done so especially well, now that I've spent some more quality time with the Bronco bass. I notice that (a) the intonation still sounds flat and (b) the action is higher than I'd like.

Initially, I had it about where I wanted it, but then I had to raise it some more trying to set the intonation because I was running out of room on the bridge saddle screws. And now the intonation still isn't right, plus the action is too high for my liking. I know the stock bridge on a Bronco bass is a finicky beast, but it seems like for every detractor, there's also someone who will stick up for it and say it intonates just fine. I don't know which camp I'm in yet--a lot could be chalked up to my own incompetence--but my first impression was not favorable. Do the Bronco bass bridge defenders have any advice?

Also, what should one aim for in terms of neck relief on a short scale bass? The setup specs on Fender's website recommend .012", but I'm sure they're assuming a 34" scale. Does a 30" scale make a quantifiable difference?

I guess the broader question here is how do the rest of you go about this? How much do you go by the numbers vs. what feels right? What's your process? What have you learned?

HNB · Post by **HNB** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:13 pm

I had that same problem and what I did that ended up fixing that issue was tighten the truss rod a quarter turn.

George · Post by **George** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 7:18 pm

I haven't set up a Fender bass before but on a 25.5" you're supposed to use .010" relief but the best setups I've been able to get approach .004".

So yeah I think you have plenty of leeway to go straighter, and you'll get better results. I find I pick and choose various setup elements from across the interwebz and very few of them come direct from Fender any more.

Fran · Post by **Fran** » Sun Oct 07, 2012 8:08 pm

When you say raise the saddles for intonation you do mean move them forwards or backwards? Raising them wont affect intonation (you probably know this). If they have been moved away from the fretboard (backwards) it can make the action higher, the only answer is to shim the neck.
With neck relief i'd look at guidelines for bass then find your happy medium.
Setting guitars up can be a drawn out process but very rewarding. With truss rod adjustments its worth checking the next day if you are happy with it as it can take hours for the neck to settle in its new position, never go more than a quarter turn at one time either!

mixtape · Post by **mixtape** » Mon Oct 08, 2012 1:49 am

Fran wrote:When you say raise the saddles for intonation you do mean move them forwards or backwards? Raising them wont affect intonation (you probably know this). If they have been moved away from the fretboard (backwards) it can make the action higher, the only answer is to shim the neck.
With neck relief i'd look at guidelines for bass then find your happy medium.

I actually did mean vertically up and down. I read somewhere that if the bridge saddle has already gone as far as it will go, you can adjust intonation a little further by raising the action. This actually makes sense to me, since the farther the string is from the fretboard, the sharper a fretted note is going to be relative to the open string (I think).

I tightened the truss rod somewhere between 1/4 and 1/8 turn and tweaked everything else. It's still not perfect, but it's closer. Thanks, guys. I'm still not sold on the bridge, but I'll give it time before I give up on it.