DIY: How to Set Up a 5-String Bass Part 2 

the problem with the metric system in america is that americans have no perspective on how far a kilometer or millimeter or how much a kilogram is. if i tell you the store is 2 miles down the road. you can visualize 2 miles, if i tell you i weigh 140 pounds you can visualize that. 63 kilos has no relevance to our perception. it may as well be a thousand pounds or 5 pounds.

About .2 and .3 cm.

use a converter app just like we have to when you talk metric!

@@babayaga1767 same but opposite here: I use metric (I'm portuguese) but I can visualize inches and miles, due to being a car guy, and being around both metric and imperial type tools...and because those are fairly easy. But you lose me when it gets to feet or pounds. I just don't visualize it right away. If you tell me someone is 5'6 and 140 pounds, I have no idea how they look...short, yes, but no idea how short.

i realize I'm kinda off topic but does anybody know a good website to stream new series online?

to answer question 1, a 35" scale length is a bit longer than many manufacturers do, i.e. fender. this means that the strings are more taut, so they don't have to vibrate as much, and possibly rattle against the frets. this means that you can get a much lower action overall, and makes for a clearer, punchier low end.

to answer question 2: string thru body or top load thru bridge makes no difference to intonation. Many feel that string thru body gives more sustain and better tone as it involves more of the body to the string as opposed to stringing thru the bridge.

and as a guess to question 3, correct me if I'm wrong, but it could be uneven fret height. For example, if you have 3 frets, and the middle one is lower down that the other two, and you play just in front of the middle fret, the string is not going to clear the taller fret beside it. instead, it will rattle against it and you won't get any sustain, or in some extreme cases, even a note.

to reiterate; a guess

pickup hight is subjective! closer to strings the loader the sound!

Most hardware shops that sell tools will have a machinist's rule that measures 64ths of an inch.

I'm Peru, so I have to buy it on line, any suggestions??

Kenneth Quiroz Menacho Stewmac have a purpose-designed gauge www.stewmac.com/Luthier_Tools/Tools_by_Job/Measuring/String_Action_Gauge.html

Thanks Jess and Grace​!!

Kenneth Quiroz Menacho You're welcome Kenneth, but beware, that website incites heavy spending haha