34" Scale bolt on neck "settings"

[Brian T. Williams]

Hi,

I have just acquired a damaged 34" scale bass (St. Blues King), nice instrument; bought it cheap and worth a bit of TLC!!

The previous owner had overtightened and sheared off two of the neck fixing screws. I have managed to remove the broken pieces, repaired the damage and am ready to re-fit the neck. I am quite confident at setting up the bass (neck relief, string height, nut height etc) once the neck is fitted back on, but I have no idea how to set the angle of the neck in relation to the body/ bridge etc. 

Are there any "rules of thumb" to use as a starting point?

Is it just a case of using a straight edge to get the neck parallel to the body?

All help and advice GREATLY appreciated

Cheers........Brian.

[Paul Breen]

I assume your bass has up and down adjustable string saddles? The neck is set so that the desired action/ string heights can be achieved within the up/ down adjustable operating range of the string saddles. Some trial and error may be required but I would start with no shims, tune to pitch, adjust truss rod for correct relief and then see what happens when you adjust the saddles for the string heights you want. If it doesn't fall into place the first time, shim the neck back or forward as required, string up and try again until you find out where it will work. Make sure to adjust the relief after you string up and before saddle adjustments.

[Jeff Highland]

I'll just add to Paul's comment that if you put a capo on the neck and release the tension on the strings, it is not necessary to remove the strings completely when removing the neck to shim.

[Brian T. Williams]

Thanks for your help guys; job's now finished and I have a fantastic bass; definitely a "keeper".

I hadn't heard of St. Blues guitars before and had never seen one in the UK., but this bass is truly superb. I believe that they're assembled in Korea but checked and overseen by the "St. Blues" workshop in Memphis USA.

Whatever the story, this really is a fantastic instrument

[Andrew]

I would adjust the truss rod til the neck is straight, then use a straightedge to determine what angle would land me at the middle ground of adjustment for the saddle height, so when its strung up you have some play to work with. Do your best to take into account the amount of relief the neck takes when strung to pitch when considering this 'middle ground'.

[Paul Verticchio]

"Thanks for your help guys; job's now finished....."