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Action for acoustic Bass?
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=49626
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Author:  Pmaj7 [ Thu Aug 10, 2017 5:05 pm ]
Post subject:  Action for acoustic Bass?

At the 12th. Is there a consensus on this? I assume it's higher than an electric base.

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Author:  Hesh [ Thu Aug 10, 2017 7:29 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

I still do 5/64th" and 7/64th" at the 12 and only raise it if the thing won't do it. Knowing the attack of the player goes a long way toward having confidence in a set-up spec. 5/7 seems to work great though.

This is after the truss rod is properly adjusted and the nut slots have been cut nice and low.

Author:  Pmaj7 [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 1:53 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Thanks Hesh!

Author:  Terence Kennedy [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:17 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Are you guys talking about a stand up bass or a fretted acoustic bass? I am making a nut for a stand up right now and am searching for setup specs.

Author:  Hesh [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:27 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Terence Kennedy wrote:
Are you guys talking about a stand up bass or a fretted acoustic bass? I am making a nut for a stand up right now and am searching for setup specs.


Bass guitar, acoustic which can be fretless too but a fretted one.

Author:  david farmer [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 6:26 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Terence Kennedy wrote:
Are you guys talking about a stand up bass or a fretted acoustic bass? I am making a nut for a stand up right now and am searching for setup specs.



Huge subject.
Major fork in the road is if it will only played pizzicato or bowed as well.
.015"-.025" is typical for me. but a lot depends on funkyness in the fingerboard in the first position. They will play clean just about laying on the board if there are no humps and lumps to clear.
Check with a few of different length straight edges (6" and up) and make sure a swoop or hump won't throw things off. Sometimes the fingerboards get sanded or planed without removing the nut. Block plane any quick swoop off the end of the board. Short pieces of guitar string, the appropriate size, with a hockey stick bend in the end, work well for feeler gauges. A very smooth arc over the nut to the tuners is essential. The windings can be fragile and the strings expensive.
The same holds true for the bridge end. Setup numbers are really dependant on the condition of the board and style of play. A common setup is string heights measured at the end of the fingerboard that progress 1mm treble to bass. 6-9 for example.
lots of information is available on the Talkbass set up and repair forum.

Author:  Terence Kennedy [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 8:04 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Thanks David,
It is actually one of those Stagg electric thinline stand ups and the plastic nut broke. The owner got an ebony blank from a bass website and brought it to me. I think the fingerboard is a synthetic material.
Your specs sound fine, I'll start with them.

There are no plastic replacement nuts for that model that I have been able to find. Stagg was not helpful.

Interestingly I know a couple of folks I've played with that had these and didn't like them.

Author:  david farmer [ Fri Aug 11, 2017 11:51 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Action for acoustic Bass?

Every one of those I've seen was pretty horrendous. Some have Maple under the black crap.
May the force be with you.
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