| Author | Message | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 274 Registered: 11-2007 |
Hi brother bassists and Alembic lovers, I received the Dean "Jeff Berlin" custom ( the feature of my previous thread "to be or not to be" ) two days ago and it arrived with, as expected "issues." This was fine by me as I had decided after years of paying luthiers to do my set-ups etc that I was going to give it a go myself (armed with my Dan Erlewine book!) The bass was a "ebay special" and I bought it as it was cheap and I had never seen a JB model for sale in the UK before. I noticed stright away that the action was very high, the strings were heavy guage and that the neck was at a weird angle! It was also filthy. The previous owner had paid to have the original gold bad-ass 2 bridge and schaller tuners replaced with a black bad-ass 1 and black Gotoh tuners. Also, an EMG active onboard pre-amp had been added to the Bartolini pickups. The previous owner actually included all of the original hardware with the sale..just as well as it turned out! For the first time in my life, I completely stripped the bass down into its componant parts - determined to get to the root of the neck issue and clean this baby up! Off came the neck and right away I found the reason for the strange angle - two wooden shims at the body end of the neck cavity. On studying the parts I noticed that the black bad-ass 1 was very different in dimension from the original gold bad-ass 2..the strings were simply sitting much further away from the body and couldnt be lowered as much as the bad-ass 2 would allow! The shims were being used as a kind of "extra adjustment"...they had to go! The obvious thing to do after this was to re-fit the original hardware, so off came the all of the black hardware (Bad-ass 1 & Gotoh's) and on went the gold plated Bad-ass 2 & Schallers! The bass was then completely gutted. The filthy fingerboard and neck being treated to a lemon oil makeover and the body and hardware polished to a shine and the dull pickups polished with black boot polish(worked a treat!) The electrics were in good shape so left alone, all well and good so far! Now for new strings. Next problem; The neck had too much relief! simple enough? afraid not. The truss nut appears to have been stripped by over enthusiastic use, my allen key has nothing to grip..Oh man! Another reason for the wooden shims? I think so. I removed the heavy strings and replaced them with lightweight 35 - 95's, adjusted the bridge, intonation and pickups and suddenly the action has went from awful high to an acceptable medium! On plugging in the sound is surprisingly really sweet, the pre-amp and Bartolinis do a great job! All of a sudden after around three hours this guy is almost like a different instrument! It sounds great and plays very well! I honestly believe that if I can replace the truss nut that I can get the neck relief sorted and have a super low action on this bass. I contacted Dean twice, but their attitude has been shocking. I have been informed that, as the JB model is handmade in the Czech republic and is now a discounted model that they dont have anything to do with them-END OF! So there you have it. If you want a Dean bass they are delighted to deal with you if you have a bass made in a factory in Taiwan, but if its made in Europe you can kiss it! Anyone out there got any ideas about the truss nut? Suggestions would be welcome! Sorry to have rambled on here, but Im delighted that I have been able to do a nice set-up job on this bass and sort most of its problems by using my excellent "guitar player repair guide" book and some basic detective work! I cant believe how easy the set-up was and I cant believe the ammount of money I have paid in the past for this type of service! I think this bass is a winner  John. | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 275 Registered: 11-2007 |
Here it is.  | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1628 Registered: 10-2002 |
Nice bass John. Sounds like you've been having fun. All I can suggest for the Allen nut is to try to force an oversized key into the hole and take it off. If it's metric, you might find the next size up imperial wil do the job (or vice versa). Altenatively (and way more scary), you could attempt to weld an undersized allen key in place - you'll need to work really hard on protecting the wood. Graeme | ||
| bigbadbill
Senior Member Username: bigbadbill Post Number: 422 Registered: 10-2003 |
Failing that I'd take it to a decent luthier; John Diggins of JD Guitars would be a suggestion as he makes all his own hardware and truss rods (he made new rods for my oldest Ric). | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1630 Registered: 10-2002 |
John's near Glasgow so Jimmy Moon would be closer ;-) Graeme | ||
| artswork99
Advanced Member Username: artswork99 Post Number: 280 Registered: 7-2007 |
John, I followed that previous thread. Congrats on your setup success! Play it healthy! Art | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 387 Registered: 8-2005 |
I agrre with Jacko here John Jimmy Moon is apparently superb---------although John Diggins is brilliant as well---------plus-------------he's a personal friend He built the "George Waller"twin neck. Ask him about it! He remembers me fine!! G | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 276 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks guys, I have used Jimmy Moon in the past - superb craftsman, but Im trying to prove something to myself here by doing all the work myself! Im determined to see it through! The action is actually pretty good to be honest, but I believe it can be better The only thing that will stop me in my tracks is if the rod is actually broken (please god no!) but I dont believe that to be the case! I will find a way to give that darn rod a quarter turn if it kills me! John. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6163 Registered: 5-2002 |
Can you post a pic of the troublesome nut? | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 277 Registered: 11-2007 |
Dave, I will try to do just that tomorrow! The thing is, it doesnt really look as if it has been abused - there just doesnt seem to be any kind of shape where the allen/other shape for the tool should be! Its quite circular and smooth. Perhaps Im missing something with my inexperience? Will post pic soon, John. | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6168 Registered: 5-2002 |
I did some searching, and apparently Deans do use an Allen wrench, though I couldn't find the size. | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 281 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks Dave, I took pics of the nut but they just arent clear enough to post Im afraid. Im going to try to use long nose pliers to gently turn the not, failing that Im going to super glue (Graeme welding on my bass scares the hell outta me) a sacrificial allen key into the nut and remove it. The next issue after that I suppose will be finding a replacement nut..Dean still dont want to talk to me. Perhaps another brand will be of a similar type? I could just leave everything as is (the action being wholly acceptable now) but feel that this is glossing over an issue that would surely arise again when future adjustments need to be made! John. | ||
| georgie_boy
Advanced Member Username: georgie_boy Post Number: 392 Registered: 8-2005 |
Moon guitars will fix it for you John. | ||
| adriaan
Senior Member Username: adriaan Post Number: 1792 Registered: 6-2002 |
It could be a matter of metric versus imperial sizes - and someone may well have ruined the nut with the wrong size tool. | ||
| hieronymous
Advanced Member Username: hieronymous Post Number: 253 Registered: 1-2005 |
John - there is probably a different setting you need to use on your camera in order to take a picture from that close. On my Canon there is a pair of icons - a mountain and a flower - the flower is for taking pictures up close - I believe it's the micro/macro setting? The symbol for it might be different on your camera but it should be there. Oh, and congrats on the self-setup! (I was following the other thread too) | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 282 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks for the support folks - very appreciated Update; I have found a tool in my garage that fits the nut, I dont know why but it does - hurrah! However heres the deal, the nut will loosen off but wont tighten - its obviously at its limit. The relief in the neck could still be better so Im thinking perhaps I should take the nut off completely, add a washer to give a little better travel for the nut on the truss, and re-fit. What do you guys think? I guess its now a question of how straight I can get the neck and how low will the action go. Im really finding out now how much of this set-up business boils down to feel! P.s. its worth mentioning that I would never attempt this stuff on my Alembic yet! (Message edited by white cloud on February 09, 2008) | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6175 Registered: 5-2002 |
When you are looking down the neck from the headstock, is there still a lot of bow? If so, then I'm thinking that, for this particular bass, adding the washer should be ok. | ||
| jacko
Senior Member Username: jacko Post Number: 1631 Registered: 10-2002 |
Go with the washer and while you have the nut off, take it into guitar guitar or sound control and see if they can supply a replacement with an undamaged allen profile. It should be a standard thread but the guys in the shop ought to be able to check. Graeme | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 283 Registered: 11-2007 |
Dave, I wouldnt describe the neck as having a lot of bow - with no strings fitted the neck has a touch of back bow, with strings fitted just a touch too much up-bow! I reckon a further 1/5th turn on the nut will do the job and bring the action into the low category. I guess my decision is do I settle for a medium action or go for a low? This model of bass is hyped as being supremely playable (JB uses it as his main gigging instrument after all) but Im aware that each indiviual instrument will naturally have its own characteristics. It also has to be remembered that this bass has previously been meddled with by someone of little skill/knowledge. Im spoilt by the fact my Persuader has the lowest action feasible on a bass - its actually a bit too low for me! I wouldnt have believed an action as low was possible before I bought her! John | ||
| davehouck
Moderator Username: davehouck Post Number: 6180 Registered: 5-2002 |
Well with this bass, why not try to make it work. However, you have made a lot of changes in just one day; so you may want to give it a couple of days to a week or so to settle in before tightening further. | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 285 Registered: 11-2007 |
Thanks Dave and Graeme, Good advice that I will follow! John. | ||
| white_cloud
Advanced Member Username: white_cloud Post Number: 292 Registered: 11-2007 |
Okay, Washer fitted and rod tightened - neck is straighter and action has lowered a bit more! Time to leave for a day or two and see how the land lies! John. |
