For as long as I’ve been playing guitar, I’ve been afraid to “mess with” the truss rod, intonation, etc. for fear for destroying my instrument. I have no idea where this irrational fear came from as I’ve had my Chevelle, as well as various other cars and motorcycles, in several pieces, taken my drums completely apart, computers, other machines, electronics, house wiring, plumbing, etc.
But the idea of breaking the neck of my beloved Les Paul kept me from tinkering. Not even my $100 Explorer knock-off, or my Epiphone Telecaster were worth the risk. When I bought my first bass, I got it from Guitar Gallery (where I purchased the aforementioned guitars) and had them do the set up on my $150 Squier Bronco (aka “Count Basey”).
Jim with “Count Basey.”
Well, then I went a got me a Fender P-Bass. Because there is no such thing as “too many guitars.” I took it out to my guys to have them do a set up on it and check it out for me. It played even better and was worth every penny. It wasn’t long until I read that Duck Dunn played a P-Bass with LaBella Flatwounds (760M to be exact), and went and ordered a set for mine. What a difference!
Jim with “The New Hotness.”
Exactly the sound I was looking for. Booker T. and the MGs, half of Motown, every funk record, that was the sound! However, flat wound strings have a much different tension and it threw the whole set up off. The action was so much higher, intonation was off, just a mess. So I went looking..
That’s when I came across John Carruthers’ videos on the Elixir Strings YouTube Channel and decided to go for it. It was surprisingly easy, I took my time and now the “New Hotness” sounds great again, and plays beautifully. I’ll be doing all of my axes in the coming weeks, and looking forward to doing it.
Post pick guard, pre flat wounds.
I’m sharing the videos in hopes that it inspires someone else to give it a shot. I already had feeler gauges, and the .050 hex for the saddle, but I did have to go buy a 6 inch scale ruler, and SAE hex for the formerly terrifying truss rod adjustment.
Jim Says: “Born to do it.”
