This may be what I’m getting with the D’addario NYXLs. They are nice and bright, but with a nice midrange tone and they are smoother to the touch than stainless strings.
I'm a bit confused with these Groobars, they don't seem to make gauges for basses specifically, just 4 different sizes for who knows what? I understand the principle but I would be confused which gauge to use on which string considering they are for 6 strings as well? Remember I'm not even a journeyman in all things bass, but keen to sharpen my knowledge. I'm going to undertake a project on a Harley Benton Jazz bass tomorrow, which includes changing the nut. I've ordered a Tusq nut and have the nut files ready but still not sure whether to order these things yet as I have no clue on which gauge to use.
This is an old thread, and most of the time in the world of basses I don't know what I'm talking about, but feel compelled to answer. I can tell you that feeler gauges should not be made of mild steel. There are reasons why. Mild steel is prone to rust due to humidity in the air. The gauge will soon loose it's accuracy even if you have 20 or less microns of oxidisation on the surface unless you keep them constantly in an oil bath. Even then, the oil will add to the innaccuracy.
I'm a bit confused with these Groobars, they don't seem to make gauges for basses specifically, just 4 different sizes for who knows what? I understand the principle but I would be confused which gauge to use on which string considering they are for 6 strings as well? Remember I'm not even a journeyman in all things bass, but keen to sharpen my knowledge. I'm going to undertake a project on a Harley Benton Jazz bass tomorrow, which includes changing the nut. I've ordered a Tusq nut and have the nut files ready but still not sure whether to order these things yet as I have no clue on which gauge to use.
Errm, I was watching a video on YT of someone changing his bass nut which I'm planning to do on the Harley along with the removing the fret sprout. At the end when he was filing the nut he used a Groobar, but it was a like 2 second shot. I don't particularly want to file onto my feelers as I don't want to damage them and the groobars looked like a decent solution. The only thing is I don't understand which thickness of groobar or indeed feeler to use when I do it.
) and you want the string height at 0.020” above the first fret add those numbers together and you get 0.055”. So either use the 0.055” bar or gauge or, more likely, stack up a couple that total 0.055”. Then file the slot until your file just touches the gauge. I’d probably err on the side of cutting the slots less deep then check where you’re at and adjust by two or three file strokes at a time until the strings are where you want them especially on your first few tries.Thanks Matt, that now makes perfect sense to me,You’re wanting to use the Groobars / feeler gauges as a stop for the nut files? If that’s the case you’ll need to do some maths. Please excuse the example as I’m going to use inches since I have an idea of those numbers for frets without converting. You need to figure out the height of your frets. I’m sure there are several places that sell dial gauges on brackets for just this purpose but you can get close enough by measuring carefully with calipers or possibly even one of those set up gauges with marks on it. Level the frets first then measure the first fret. Assuming you’re not using a fancy gauge, or even if you are, measure it a couple of times and average the numbers or use your best judgement for the height. If the first fret height is for example 0.035” (auuuugh! Inches!
Take a deep breath, relax, you got this. This type of work can seem daunting but work through the first few you do slowly and carefully and you’ll be fine.
I'm about to start cleaning up the frets this afternoon and do the nut tomorrow so it gives me time to prepare and take my deep breath
Thanks Matt, that now makes perfect sense to me,
I can work in 'old money' too. That's the advantage of being born in the early 60's before decimalisation took place. When I started out as an apprentice in the 70's a lot of factories were still working in inches as well as metric - for our European neighbours - so we were sort of ambidextrous in terms of measurement. I do prefer metric as it's far simpler since it's always tenths or multiples of, but my feeler gauges are imperial and metric (as are most I suppose) and calipers, height gauges have the metric/imperial switch.
I'm in a strange state really, I weigh myself in stones and lbs, I measure myself in feet and inches. Distance I measured in metres or millimetres - unless it's long distance where I revert to miles. Kilometres have no meaning for me and I still measure my car's economy as MPG not km/l.
I drink pints in the pub but buy cooking oil in litres. I can picture a kilo (the weight of water in a 1000mm cubed vessel) in my head when buying weighted goods and yet I'll still buy a hundredweight of potatoes, well it all makes sense to me, but confuses the hell out of my son.
