unusual adjustable nut question

[BeenDown139]

#80-1681 is finally due for a setup after some minor spiffing up.  i noticed the nut on this bass is rather unusual (just like almost everything else on it - not that i'm complaining).  i'm gonna guess the two inner setscrews are the locking setscrews and the two outer ones are the adjustment ones.  i'm gonna further guess this is so i can fine tune the string height on both edges of the fingerboard independently.  i've owned a few of these basses and i've never seen one quite like this.  on a number of levels.

if someone has knowledge of this type of adjustable nut, please chime in and save me some guesswork.

[edwardofhuncote]

I'm smiling on the inside, because I'd just about bet everything Thomas insisted on the locking screw not be located under the A string, like any other 5-string Alembic. That kinda' thing corrupted his groove. And in response, 1681 got fitted with two locking screws on its adjustable nut.


Yeah, just loosen those two inward screws first, then adjust the outer ones to set the height. Snug them back when you're done. One of the coolest basses on this crazy planet right there. It already was, then they rebuilt it, and really went overboard.

*if you have never seen it, here's the thread on your bass, https://club.alembic.com/index.php?topic=8344.0 it's a great look at the artistry to recreate, and the peach of a guy who had it. There is no mention of the nut, but it appears on the last page.

**read Thomas' post #39 from August 5, 2014. 

[rv_bass]

Greg is correct, Poor_nigel requested the four screw positions so that none of the strings sat on the screws.  Just one of the fine details in that magnificent bass

[jazzyvee]

I have never even noticed, maybe because it's not something I have to change with any degree of regularity.
I think much of the income to Poor_nigel from my purchase of his Series II went towards funding that work. He certainly had great taste and i'm so glad he contacted me when he decided to sell it.

[JimmyJ]

Nice detail! 

Just came in to mention that those "hold down" bolts should not be over-tightened.  Greg mentioned "snug" and that's as far as you should go.  The nut is perched on the end points of the two outer bolts while the inner two (in this case) simply hold the nut in place.  No need to add to the downward pressure that the strings are already providing.

That's a lovely axe!
Jimmy J

[BeenDown139]

thanks for the help, folks.  we were having a little fret rattle on the B string in the lower registers but a  little bridge tweak and intonation adjustment fixed us right up.  i always give the instrument a quick all-around once over twice before working on it and that when this little detail popped up.  gotta say that i've yet to run into an adjustment on this bass that isn't smooth as silk.  i've had other basses where setting the string length was a battle of wills.

One of the coolest basses on this crazy planet right there

indeed.  i read through the build history when i was on the fence about buying this bass and missed the part about the nut.  this thing is chock-full of little details like that, some of them i'm sure i'm yet to find.  i wasn't realy sold on the hipshot tuners until after i changed strings a couple of times.  those lightweight high ratio tuners are the bomb!   much easier to tune to pitch.  it still neck-dives a little when i strap it up but i mostly play semi-seated on a stool so it's not really a big deal.

and just so you know, this bass gets a pretty good workout at least once a day.  i'm trying to figure out to get it (and myself) up on stage again but then that means i gotta hump two bass amps (small ones, but not inconsiderable) and the support gear around with a bad back and arthritic hands.  not really sold on that part, yet.

i have 3 other perfectly wonderful instruments that used to get a lot of play time that are now gathering dust.  seriously thinking about putting them on the block.  i'd like to get back down to 2 instruments again: a 5-string fretted and a 5-string fretless.  anybody got a series I or II 5-string long scale unlined fingerboard fretless with neck LEDs that they wanna trade for an '83 koa exploiter, '18 MK buckeye burl deluxe and a '96 fretless walnut essence?  drop me a line if so.