Make Your Sh*tty Bass Play Like a DREAM (5 Steps)

Only one comment: we need more @Gio in your videos.

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Absolutely!

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I keep sending Josh my reel and headshots.
Most of the reel is me in a blindfold.

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That does seem to be a recurring theme :rofl:

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I didn’t know about the intonation step! Gotta check that. Thanks!

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Added to the After Beginner To BadAss section of the
BassBuzz YouTube Video Guide.

Just noticed this video has racked up almost a quarter million views in less than two months!
Congratulations @JoshFossgreen!

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I just re-watched this video so I could setup my Kala U-Bass.

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How’d it work on the U-bass? I’ve never actually set one up.

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There isn’t much to set up on a U-Bass other than the truss rod. Ever since I got it, the action seemed high. I re-played the video as a refresher and a confidence booster that I can adjust the truss rod without breaking anything. The bridge is non-adjustable, so no intonation or action height changes. I adjusted the truss rod and it is lowered the action a bit so it’s much easier to play now.
Thanks Josh!

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I have run out of intonation adjustment on my A string and the 12th fret is still flat. Any Suggestions? I have already brought the Bass to the local Music store.
It is a Cort C4 Plus


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That sounds odd. Just to confirm you have moved the saddle all the way forward?

Could be you have a bad string. You can get a longer saddle screw if needed.

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Just a note: When dealing with a fretless bass, it’s pretty much the same process but you need to do all your fretting on the markers themselves instead of just behind them like you would with a normal fretboard. This has a HUGE effect when you’re trying to get the intonation correct. Holy hell tweaking intonation on a fretless takes forever. You gotta shoot for more of a “close enough for government work” instead of perfection otherwise you’re going to drive yourself insane.

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Try pushing down on the string just past the saddle, insuring that the string is coming off the saddle at the right angle. Pushing down in this spot on all strings is a much missed step in bass setups and generally will show itself on the E string running out of intonation room, but can happen on any string.

If it is still a problem, check the saddle slot to insure the string is landing and coming off the saddle properly, also check that the string is in the nut properly (hey, you never know, check everything).

Short of that, you may just have a bum string.
If they are the strings that came on the bass, I would suggest replacing them (I always do this first thing with a newly purchased bass).

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If I had to replace the strings what type should I get? This is my first Bass.

Halfway through the Beginner to Badass lessons right now.

Are those saddle screws generic or do you have to get it from the MFG?

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That bass comes with D’addario EXL 165 strings. That is a really good string. You can probably purchase a longer screw online or a hardware store. You just have to make sure it’s the same diameter and thread but longer.

I would suggest taking the bass to another store, or even better a luthier if you have one around you.

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In which direction are you running out of intonation?
Are you too sharp (need to go back further but no more room left) or too flat (cannot go towards the neck any further)?

Even if the bass has good strings they could have been sitting on it a long long time.
Check with the mfg specs on the 165s to insure you get the same gauge strings if you replace.

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Double and triple check your truss rod. I had a similar problem and it turns out I adjusted the truss rod incorrectly. Re-adjusted that and the intonation changed completely and I was able to get it proper with plenty of room to spare on the saddles. I was quite surprised how much that slight change to the neck affected the intonation config.

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I am too flat.
I am going to loosen the string completely tonight and move the screw on the bridge back to center and try again.
I will make sure the string is seated in the bridge correctly by pushing down on it at the bridge.

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I will check this out tonight as well.

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So I tried to adjust the intonation last night and the screws are too short. The screw are all the way loosened and still flat on the 12th fret. The A string is the worst and the screw was out of the bridge saddle. When I tried to push on the string the saddle tilted. I tried going to home Depot and lowes last night but neither of them had that size screw that would fit in the saddle. At this point I am not sure what the screw size is but I am guessing it is smaller than a M4 metric screw. I tried emailing Cort but not sure if the message when through.
I checked the truss rod string gap per Josh’s instruction at the 7th fret and I can barely get a business card in on the E string. At this point I don’t have a lot of confidence in the local guitar shop that I paid to do the set up so not sure what to do now.

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