Bass Guitar repair and installation topics.
Best Bass Gear receives a lot of communication from first-time builders asking for advice on how they should go about building a bass guitar properly. One of the first things asked is one simple question: Do you have a plan? 1. It’s all about having a goal A plan does not necessarily mean a blueprint … Read more
What is a passive tone control? A Passive Tone control is a low pass filter comprised of a three-way variable resistor (potentiometer), and a capacitor. How does a passive tone control work? The passive tone control on your electric bass guitar is a subtractive device. The capacitor allows high frequencies to pass or be bled … Read more
A shim when referred to guitar neck usage is for all intents and purposes a thin spacer. In rare instances a shim is sometimes called a wedge, but the standard terminology used by luthiers for a thin wedge is to call it a shim. What is the purpose of a neck shim? To adjust the … Read more
Almost nobody these days starts out with an American-made instrument as far as modding is concerned. That may change in the future, but for now, those who mod start out with Asian-made guitars simply for the reason they’re affordable. Said another way, Asian vs. Non-Asian can sometimes literally be the difference between a $100 and … Read more
Saving cash for a budget bass build doesn’t necessarily mean buying parts and components that are less in price, but rather just shopping smarter. Yeah, I know, “shopping smarter” is a very cliché phrase, but when it comes to budget bass builds, it totally applies. Shopping smarter simply means this: 1. Avoid needless cost.2. Use … Read more
Most bass players new to building a bass don’t actually scratch-build the instrument but rather modify an existing one, and that’s fine. However, when the modding starts, sometimes it can end up in disaster where the bass becomes ruined and unplayable from modifying too much stuff. That’s also fine because sometimes the best way to … Read more
Second in a series of articles about tools in the small builder’s workshop, this is a brief overview of the smaller tools commonly used in a shop. A later article will cover specialized jigs used in instrument building. As mentioned in the previous article on large tools, several of the tools in the small builder’s … Read more
First in a series of articles about tools in the small builder’s workshop, this is a brief overview of the larger power tools commonly used in a shop. Later articles will cover smaller power/hand and luthiery tools, as well as specialized jigs used in instrument building. To a large degree, bass (and general instrument) building … Read more
[CORRECTION: This article originally stated to use epoxy; that was incorrect. The correct material is silicone. Apologies for the misinformation.] I’ll start off this one by saying up front that this topic is a little gross. Okay, let’s not sugar-coat it.. this is really gross… but it happens. Some guys sweat buckets when playing their … Read more
All bass players at some point eventually buy “the good bass”; this is a bass that’s either a premium model (such as the Fender Select Active Jazz Bass) or something custom-built just for you by a luthier where you wait weeks to months to get it. Either way, that’s your “baby”; that’s the bass you … Read more
