64 4001 fg pics at the dudepit

keb · Post by **keb** » Fri Jan 16, 2004 8:33 pm

Yeouch that's high. Time to sling up some arrows.

headbanger · Post by **headbanger** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 4:01 am

That's massively high. The strings are near the top of the mute housing! How can you play that thing? Unless....maybe you have a modern saddle in the old housing and then it doesn't fit properly?

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 7:03 am

yeah simply lower that bridge from all the other photos the neck looks straight enough.

kksalm · Post by **kksalm** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 12:32 pm

The previous owner had much success with this massively high set up. I've been speaking with the technician that set this 4001 up. Tha player would hit the strings," hammer, snap, pull, and slap this bass hard. This, mind you, was way before this became popular as a style." He went on at length, "A lower action would have caused the strings to strike the fretboard so this action was set high for tone. It caused a piano like tone that was percussive." This technician wonders what all this fuss is about. This action enabled a musician to take it to another plane and create some massive sounds. I'll again mention this player cranked his amp all the way up and held the volume down on the 4001 enabling him to manipulate huge volume swells. This 4001 has been where few have gone before, apparently.
Best regards, kksaslm

ojobob2 · Post by **ojobob2** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 12:50 pm

sounds interesting but can you play it like that LOL

kksalm · Post by **kksalm** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 1:56 pm

Good point. I'll take a few whacks at it and let you know. After all, it's set up for it. I'll even unplug the hotplate and crank up my amp, surf some volume swells. Best regards, kksalm

rictified · Post by **rictified** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 2:01 pm

You would not believe how high the bass players here in Lima set their basses, that is low action compared to some of the Fenders I've seen around here. Not exactly finess basses but some people like them like that, especially the 60's guys. And I agree with Owen just lower the bridge, it's way up near the top of the allen screws, that indicates it could come down a lot.

jps · Post by **jps** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 2:30 pm

Maybe they are used to Guitarrons!

mortivan · Post by **mortivan** » Sat Jan 17, 2004 3:02 pm

Then again, didn't Tony Levin play sometimes by hammering the strings with little drumsticks tried to his fingers?

A fellow forum member bought Jon Camp's Great White not too long ago (from someone who bought it from Jon in the 80's) and was suprised to find a piece of electrical tape covered wood mounted between the bridge and body giving the bass telephone-wire action.

No accounting for setup tastes I guess...