Alembic Guitars Club

Alembic products => Owning an Alembic => Troubleshooting => Topic started by: mumra on January 02, 2013, 01:32:53 AM

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 02, 2013, 01:32:53 AM

Happy new year to all.Sorry for my english.I give my alembic bass to a proffesional for set up.I took back and I have the following:
1.the screws of the pickups are in the same side and not as usual like X(i hope to understand what i meen)
2.The strings touch the frets.I return to the store and says that the truss rod are in the end and he can't adjustment them more.So....he make the string distance (from frets)bigger and now I can;t play easy.What can I do.Maybe this is because the weather changes?
I hope to understanding the problem i have.Thanks a lot

Title: Europa problem
Post by: cozmik_cowboy on January 02, 2013, 08:59:48 AM

Sounds like your professional is anything but, Daffy.  The best bet would be to do your own set-up; even if you've never done it before, Joey's instructions (http://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=311) make it easy.  Good luck, and have fun.
 
Peter

Title: Europa problem
Post by: tncaveman on January 03, 2013, 04:56:49 AM

That is a bummer.  
 
Not sure what he did to the pick ups - were they in the X before?  Hopefully he did not mess them up.
 
And, if the truss rod is real tight, it will bow the neck back pretty badly.  This is not good.  Both of my Alembics barely have any force on the nuts on the truss rod.  In fact, my fretless just barely has the nuts on.
 
Another possibility would be to use Joey's instructions coupled with several videos on bass set-up on You-Tube.  And, if you have any bass or guitar friends, they could possibly help.  
 
I'm pretty lucky.  I know a good luthier and 2 really good guitar techs.  Plus, I learned by watching and playing with a cheap MIM Jazz first.
 
Good Luck,
 
Stephen

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mario_farufyno on January 03, 2013, 02:21:37 PM

look for a real professional, that guy is giving you excuses for his lack of knowledge

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 03, 2013, 10:06:36 PM

Thanks to all.I hope for not have any problem from the pro hands.

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 03, 2013, 10:22:29 PM

I will upload some photos from pickup and from the truss rods in the next hours. tncaveman i used to have an excellent professional but the crisis in Greece push him to close the store and then I can't find him.

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 03, 2013, 10:43:35 PM

I am so frightened if my europa have any problem now.If you could help me with instructions for unload and reload the pickup (to put the screws in the correct side) and for the truss rod adjustment (I'll try alone with the Joeys instructions.Also the tech man said that the truss rod not responding more.Sorry if I become annoying.

Title: Europa problem
Post by: tbrannon on January 04, 2013, 06:05:18 AM

for the pickups- two of the screws go UNDER the pickups on opposite corners.  The other two go on top of the pickups on opposite corners.  
 
So- remove all 4 screws, lift up the pickup and insert two of the screws diagonally across from one another.   These will set the height of the pickup.  Then, place the pickup on top of those screws and use the last two screws on the other 2 corners to tighten the pickup down against the height setting screws.  Be careful to not tighten them down too much- you don't want to break the plastic housing of the pickup.  
 
In terms of the truss rods- can you see thread remaining on the truss rod or are they tightened all the way up?

Title: Europa problem
Post by: keith_h on January 04, 2013, 06:30:27 AM

If you are loosening the truss rod to get more relief (i.e. forward bow) it can take a day or two for the neck to settle into position.  
 
All of my Alembic basses respond differently to loosening the truss rods. My Brown Bass is very responsive, my Series 1 takes a day to settle and my fretless Orion can take a day or two. When tightening the changes are are almost immediate (as I would expect).  
 
In addition to following Joey's setup I would start by loosening the truss rod nuts fully. After that just tighten them until they touch the adjusting plate. Leave the bass alone for a day or two to let the neck reset to it's natural relief. After this start the setup. I use a Fender Heavy pick as a gauge and use it to set my relief at the 7th fret. With that I usually set my string height at the 24th fret to about 1.5 millimeters.  
 
What type of strings are you using? Some people use a very light gauge that does not have enough tension to pull the neck forward. If you are using a very light gauge set I would try to use a set that goes .045 to .105, .128 if a 5 string, to see if that helps.
 
Keith

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 04, 2013, 09:35:18 AM

Thanks fro the answers.I use 45-105 rotosound stainless steel

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 04, 2013, 10:01:42 AM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146876.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146877.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146878.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146879.jpg)
 
(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146880.jpg)
  Some photos  (Message edited by mica on January 04, 2013)

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 04, 2013, 10:04:16 AM

(http://club.alembic.com/Images/394/146884.jpg)

Title: Europa problem
Post by: keith_h on January 04, 2013, 10:14:27 AM

Do you see screws under the two open holes of the pickup?  
 
If you do what you need to do is to swap positions of the screws on one side of the pickup. The two screws underneath the pick up should be on a diagonal and the two screws on top should be on a diagonal.  
 
Keith

Title: Europa problem
Post by: adriaan on January 04, 2013, 02:37:05 PM

How did it play before the professional setup? If it was better then, then you will be able to return the bass to that point.

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on January 06, 2013, 01:42:56 AM

The bass plays excellent before. Finally i found my old bass tech and the next week I will go it to him.
Thanks to all dudes

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mumra on March 05, 2013, 01:14:12 AM

Finally I check my europa with my old real professional and everything it's ok.Thanks to all.

Title: Europa problem
Post by: mario_farufyno on March 05, 2013, 10:31:48 PM

glad to know