Hot Tips
How to Make Your 12 Look, Play and Sound Even Better
These are some "Tricks Of The Trade" used by working musicians to make their 12-string basses sound, play and perform better. If you have a tip that would be helpful to other bassists, send it in!
A
Quick Fix for
E-String Rattle
A Hot Tip from Ken Ritchie
Ken had trouble with the two 'E' octave strings rattling against each other. The string slots on the saddle were the same distance apart as on all the other saddles, but due to the larger diameter of the strings they were close enough to hit each other when played. As a temporary fix Ken simply removed the outside 'E' string from it's saddle. He positioned it about the width of a .060 pick away from the other octave 'E' string and the problem was solved.
When asked if the string stayed in that position Ken wrote, "On mine, the string stayed out of the groove but only because of the 'bearing' angle of that string across the saddle, based on the where that string is anchored in the tailpiece of the bridge system. In my case, the geometry was such that the unsaddled string had a straighter run to the tail, so it wants to stay out. HOWEVER, I do recommend cutting a new notch for two reasons: it keeps the string in place on a heavy downstroke near the bridge; and it maintains the original string height."
Nylon Tuning Machine
Bushing Replacement
A Hot Tip from Philip
Snyder
"Instantly I began going over my choices to resolve this problem. I scoured
the internet looking for a source for these bushings but found nothing. From
there my path went directly to replacing all of the fundamental tuners, as
they are only sold in sets of four! I just couldn't justify spending $45.00 to
replace a 1¢ part."
"At that point the creative juices kicked in. In rummaging through all sorts
of parts I found a pack of four 10-24 Nylock nuts. The nylon inserts in these
nuts appeared to be roughly the same size as the bushing I was trying to
replace. I took one to a lathe and slowly began machining off the crimped lip
that holds the nylon insert in place. As it turns out, the O.D. (outside
diameter) of the insert
was just about exactly the same size as the tuner bushing, but the I.D.
(inside diameter) needed
to be opened up some to accommodate the size of the shaft that fits into the
tuning key. This was difficult to do with the insert loose so on the next
try I reamed out the I.D. before I removed the insert from the nut."
"And there it was... a perfect replacement nylon bushing for my tuning
machine. Not only is it the correct size but it is also made of a
higher-quality grade of nylon and it was FREE!"
"Having the nut re-grooved to fit
new string gauge specifications is not advisable unless you are an experienced
player and know for certain what gauges you will be sticking with. Even after
having this modification done the Chap-Stick trick is still a useful tip."
Tuner Maintenance
String Changing Made Easier Tired of
twisted octave pairs and disorderly arrangements?
"This simple
trick makes string changing easier. Take a low-octave E string that has
outlived its usefulness. Cut it to a length of about three inches. It
should fit through the ball ends of most brands and gauges of strings, but
if it's too snug the low A string will work just fine. Use this Guide to
line up the new strings as you change them. I always start with the E's
and work my way across the neck. After the entire 12 strings have been
lined up and changed just remove the Guide." "You can also
cut the Guide a bit shorter, leave it in place and then put a 90° bend in
it. This way the new strings will be "locked" into place between the ball
and the bend."
WD-40 and the 12-String Bass
WD-40 is widely used throughout many
different industries to maintain equipment in top working order. Veteran
12-string bassist Jamie Hunting sent in this Hot Tip:
"I use
the stuff on all of my instruments and carry a small can in all cases and it is
wonderful. It preserves strings and also acts as finger ease. It works great.
Try it. It keeps the machinery in tip top condition. I don't put it on my
cornflakes although it is not out of the question! That's a joke."
Adjusting String Spacing
For FREE
"For those of you who like the idea that the octave strings should be spaced a
little further away from the fundamental strings here's one you can try and it
doesn't cost a thing! Take a black medium gauge pick. Gibson makes them. Cut it into
four tiny
squares about 1/8" x 1/8". Prying your octaves away from your fundamental
string with you fingers near the bridge, gently wedge the pick-piece / shim in
between the saddles until it is just below the surface. Voilą! Instant
wide string spacing - and with no ugly side effects!"
"In fact, this also solves another problem I've noticed about 12-string basses
- saddle rattle! Some saddles rattle against
each other as you play, some don't. No more! The shim insulates the saddles and prevents
them from vibrating against each other thus totally eliminating any buzzing
you might be getting from the bridge! Try it, it really works. If you aren't completely thrilled it is also
totally reversible without any harm to the bridge."
"Here is the pattern for the
pickguard and the directions for making it. You may want to go to the Warmoth website to see what material options are available."
"Print out the pattern and cut it
out. Fit the paper pattern on your bass to see that the openings for the pickups
line up and fit properly. Make any adjustments needed and trace the revised
pattern on another sheet of paper. Cut out the new pattern and trace it onto the
clear protective film on the face of the blank pickguard material of your
choice. Also mark where the screws will go. A Sharpie is good for this."
"Drill a couple of small holes in the
area outside of the pickguard and where the pickguard screws will go on the
finished piece. Be sure that the holes in the pickguard area are the correct
size for the screws you will be using to attach it to the bass. Pickguard screws
can be purchased at any music store, and for this design you will need six of
them. Screw the material to a piece of wood that is at least as large as the
pickguard area, a 1x6 piece of lumber makes a good backing. This will prevent
the material from splintering while cutting."
"Using a band saw, cut the pickguard
out following the lines drawn on the film. Go slowly! Unless you have lots of
material laying around this is a one-shot deal."
"Take the cut pickguard and
countersink the screw holes so that the screws fit flush with the face of the
pickguard. Be sure to use a sharp tool and go slowly as this can splinter the
material as well. Then take a medium file and carefully file an even bevel
around the pickguard. Don't bevel the area around the pickups. After that take a
very fine piece of sandpaper and smooth out the bevel to a professional finish."
"Lay the pickguard on the bass and
mark the screw holes in the instrument with a small nail. Drill the holes ¼"
deep into the body and attach the pickguard. With the leftover material, trace
the stock truss-rod cover on the protective film and repeat the steps above to
make a matching truss-rod cover for the headstock."
Doug Pinnick of
King's X And Philip
"During
the re-stringing of my 12 the other day an unfortunate thing happened: the
nylon bushing that separates the tuning key from the machine-head housing
broke. This bushing not only provides smooth operation of the tuner but it
also acts as a spacer. As insignificant as it may seem it's actually an
important part."
Lubricating
The Nut
A Hot Tip from Philip
Snyder
"Many stringed-instrument players
experience tuning issues that are caused by a variety of variables. One factor
in the tuning equation is the nut. The string grooves in the nut are sized
accordingly to the gauge of the strings applied at the factory. Usually,
although not always, keeping with these exact gauges will reduce the
likelihood of tuning problems concerning the nut. However, most players over
time will begin to experiment with a variety of gauges to find what suits
their needs best. Since most manufacturers use lighter gauge strings, most
changes in gauge by the player will be towards the heavier side. This causes a
pinching of the strings at the nut. This pinching can produce a 'pinging'
sound when tuning the instrument and cause the pitch of the string to jump
dramatically during tuning. This can make it difficult to tune the instrument,
especially when you have 12 strings to go through."
"Here's a cheap and
reliable solution. Carefully pull each string out of its groove in the nut one
at a time. Apply a small amount of regular Chap-Stick to the groove with a
small flat-head screwdriver. Wipe away any excess and gently return the string
to its groove. The Chap-Stick will not corrode the string and will provide
ample lubrication for the life of the string. You should repeat this procedure
each time you change strings."
A Hot Tip from
Bob Nimmo
"When changing strings,
it's a good idea to check the ring nuts on your tuners as well as the
screws on the back. I assume it's due to the massive tension as well as
the vibration, but I'm amazed at how loose these things often are. I also
tighten the screws on the string retainer at the bridge."
A Hot Tip from
Mark Rowe
A Hot Tip from
Jamie Hunting
A Hot Tip from Philip
Snyder
Hamer "PS Custom"
Pickguard
A Hot Tip from Philip
Snyder
