DIY: How to Set Up a 5-String Bass Part 1 

Clear, concise, down to earth useful information! Good job!

Oh, and just to comment... I DO have a great luthier that I've taken all my guitars and basses to for years. The thing is, I get tired of a) the drive out to his shop. b) the turn around time waiting for other customers ahead of me. and c) the cost: $180 for full setup, not including any extra work. I think it's great to get a ball park understanding of how guitars work. And this guy has totally related that to me. I don't own feeler gauges and micrometers and the like. Using household items like business cards and being able to judge things by eye is invaluable and just what I was looking for! I totally appreciate the knowledge!

Sweet Low End bass made by the talented Brian Barrett.

Very good explanation of what you did and why. Thanks.

Perfect timing! Just picked up my first 5-string on Sunday!

Hey Thanks for the useful information and for making the video for the rest of us. Some people just want to bust on you for any little thing but they seem to forget their manners when they are anonymously posting a message. Keep the vids Coming ,..cheerz!

Thanks, Tony!

Did you have the Low End shop in Murfreesboro?

I know I have yet to see the second part, but It would be helpful if someone went into more detail on they reasoning behind specs and how varying them affects everything else. Perhaps something like finding the lowest possible action for your play style would also be great.

Thanks for the great info!! Just got new 5-string mail order and it was WAAY out of adjustment when it arrived. Playable, but much too high for my tastes. After following your (great) instructions, the action is worlds better, but now the low B sounds really muddy. Suggestions, anyone? Maybe I just need a new set of strings, but the others still sound nice and bright.

I like your new job, Val Kilmer.

I don't like the way he approached neck relief. Feeler guages and other precise measuring tools is the way to go.

Thanks just got a ibanez 5string

Thanks, this looks really useful. Part two should have lots of good information too.

Am thinking of buying a Fender America 5 string bass. It’s comes with low B , I like to play with the height C. With all is involved in doing that? IE changing the nut or just reset the string height

As a repairman, I want to thank you for all the work this is going to create for me. Do-it-yourselfers are like money in the bank.

My 5 string is tunes eadgc and its set up for beadg. I habe to re set it up.

thanks!!

"Some clients don't want their nuts shimmed - ever". Yup, especially from the mid-west. :-)

Id also like to add when making adjustments to the truss rod release the tension on the strings first to help avoid stripping the truss rod or breaking it..

Nice video. Keep up the good work. I have a video with a really cool 3 string bass if you are interested. Have a great day!!

Adjustments made to the truss rod on a bass should be done with the tension off of the strings. You are very likely going to strip the truss rod doing it with tension on.

Bocharnot?

15 minutes to convey 5 mins of information, some of it pretty nebulous. I would use feeler gauges. I would NOT tighten a bass truss rod w string tension on. If the truss rod is ready to strip out that can be the last straw.

first of all that is the stupidest way to judge the action on a bass you look at the tail piece using the base of the neck as the flat plain to gauge how the action will be, then you use the bridge to adjust buzz,and to make sure its playing in tune up the neck, the people who look from the head stock and other such way are ignorant fools who shouldn't be working on guitars, YOU CANT GAUGE FROM THE HEAD STOCK ITS NOT ACCURATE YOU CANT GAUGE IT PROPERLY AND YOU CANT TELL IF TWISTING OR STRAIGHT

Tony Nagy? Hungarian?