How to Set Up a Michael Kelly AB4 Acoustic Bass Guitar
Most guitar manufacturers try to scare you away from playing with the string height--or "action"--on their products, but Michael Kelly has actually made it easy with their patented Variable Set Neck. This neck, which is included on the AB4 acoustic bass, actually slides forward and back on the body of the guitar, driven by a hex socket located at the back. This feature makes guitar setup easier and safer than ever before.
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Things You'll Need
- Michael Kelly AB4 acoustic bass
- Hex wrench (provided)
- Screwdriver (optional)
Instructions
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1
Play the bass, running scales up and down the neck. Check to see that the strings are easy for you to press, and that there is no string buzzing. If the strings are too hard to play, you need to lower the action. If there's buzzing, you need to raise the action.
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2
Turn the bass over, and insert the provided hex key into the hex socket just under the neck joint on the back of the guitar.
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3
Raise the action on the guitar by turning the hex wrench clockwise; this pulls the entire neck toward the back of the guitar. Lower the action by turning the hex wrench counterclockwise.
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4
Play the guitar again and check to see whether the problems with the action have been corrected. Continue to make adjustments to the neck position until it is set at a point where you have a playable, buzz-free action.
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Correct the neck underbow or overbow by adjusting the truss rod. If you can't find a neck position that plays easily without buzzing, you may need to adust the bow in the neck. Remove the truss rod cover on the head stock by removing the screws. Insert the hex wrench in the hex socket at the end of the truss rod. Turn it clockwise to raise the action (correct underbow); turn it counterclockwise to lower the action (correct overbow). Make only about 1/8th turn at a time, rechecking the action frequently.
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Tips & Warnings
The Variable Set Neck on the AB4 allows you to play your acoustic bass with string tunings that would cause a buzz on a regular bass. Retune the bass, and if lowering the pitch causes buzzing, simply raise the action until the buzzing stops.
The AB4 neck adusts so quickly and easily that neck action can actually be changed on stage.
You should rely on the Variable Set Neck adjustment whenever possible. Adjusting the truss rod is trickier and can potentially damage the guitar.
When adjusting the truss rod, always make small moves and then retest the action; overadjustments can be difficult and time consuming to correct.
