OW N E R’S M A NUA L For Fender Bass Guitars
L A N GUAG ES Si necesita acceder a los manuales de instrucciones de las guitarras en Español, visite nuestra página web http://www.fender.com/support Vous trouverez le mode d’emploi des guitares Fender® en français sur le site Internet http://www.fender.com/support Il manuale d’uso delle Chitarre Fender in Italiano disponibile nel nostro sito web http://www.fender.com/support Das Fender Bedienungshandbuch für Gitarren in Deutsch, finden Sie auf unserer Website http://www.fender.
CO N G R AT U L AT I O NS … On your new Fender ® electric instrument. You’re now part of a worldwide family of Fender musicians inspired by an expansive musical future and connected to more than half a century of heritage. The sound of Fender is heard everywhere. It’s the culmination of musical expression that drives the sound of modern music. You can now contribute your sound with unlimited musical imagination and creativity. Pick up your instrument and let it take you where you want to go.
S I N C E 194 6... Your new Fender ® bass guitar holds more than half a century of musical history. Fender was founded in 1946 by Clarence Leonidas “Leo” Fender, a Southern California inventor and businessman with a talent and passion for electronics. He started the company in his small radio repair shop in Fullerton, Calif., building solid amplifiers and lap steel guitars that were popular with Western swing bands of the era.
OV E R 60 Y E A RS O F I N N OVAT I O N 8
G E N E R AT I O NS O F WO RLD - C H A N G I N G MUS I C 9
FE AT U RES, CO N T RO L S, A N D S PECS 10
For details on the features and specifications of your bass guitar model, visit the Products section of www.fender.com, where each individual bass guitar listing has a Specs link that provides complete and comprehensive information. For wiring diagrams, switch/control function diagrams and parts lists for your specific model, visit the Knowledge Base in the Support section of www.fender.com, where the Service Diagrams link presents detailed information on more than 250 Fender instrument models.
FAC TO RY S PECS A N D S E T U P Your bass guitar is solidly built with the best materials and craftsmanship. As part of its final assembly, we’ve hand-adjusted it and set it up to Fender ® factory specs, which give you the best possible playing action. Like all instruments made of wood, your bass may have experienced moderate changes brought about by exposure to different temperatures and humidity levels. This happens naturally with time and with changes in your instrument’s geographic location.
TA KE N OT E When you first get your bass guitar, don’t be alarmed if the playing action is no longer set to exact factory specs. It is natural for an instrument’s setup to change due to the factors just listed. Your bass is designed to include many adjustment points that allow you to compensate for changes that might have taken place after final assembly but before you received it, or to simply customize the instrument to fit your personal preferred playing style.
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1. S T R A P B U T T O N 2. BRIDGE 3. BRIDGE SADDLES 4 . I N P U T J AC K 5. TON E CONTROL 6. VO LUME CO N T RO L 18 7. P I C K G UA R D 8. PICKUP 16 9. L O W E R B O U T 15 14 10 . U P P E R B O U T 11. F I N G E R B OA R D 17 19 12 . S T R A P B U T T O N 13 . 12 T H F R E T M A R K E R 14 . F R E T B OA R D 15 . N U T 16 . M AC H I N E H E A D 17. S T R I N G T R E E 18 . T U N I N G K N O B 19.
BAS S GU ITA R S E T- U P To put your bass guitar in top playing shape, follow the five steps presented here. First, you’ll need the right tools: • Electronic tuner • Wire cutters • Capo • Set of automotive feeler gauges (.002” - .
If you’re playing a 4-string bass, tune the open strings to E, A, D, G E TUNING If you don’t own an electronic tuner, you may want to purchase one. It will simplify many of the following procedures. If you already have one, just plug in and turn the bass’s volume control all the way up. Pluck either an open string or the 12th fret harmonic*, to produce the clearest tone for the tuner.
1. C H A N GE S T RI N GS A fresh set of strings can breathe new life into your bass, and something as simple as how you wind the strings onto the tuning machine posts when changing your strings, will determine tuning stability and string tension. It’s also a good idea to stretch your strings a little as you tune to make sure that each string is seated well and snugged down on the tuning machine post. This will save you some tuning frustration down the road.
2. C H A N GE BAT T E RI ES Fender ® offers basses with passive electronics (no batteries) and basses with active (battery-powered) preamps. Depending on the instrument, your active bass may have either a 9-volt (one-battery) system, or an 18-volt (two-battery) system. Visit the Knowledge Base in the Support section of www.fender.com, where the service diagrams link presents detailed information on more than 250 Fender instrument models.
3. T RUS S RO D A DJUS TME N TS The truss rod is the ingenious unseen device inside the neck that counteracts the bending force caused by string tension. An ideally adjusted neck will have a moderate amount of relief (curvature) in it to accommodate the vibrating strings. The factory specification for neck relief on Fender ® bass guitars is between .012” and .014”, measured between the bottom of the string and the top of the fret, at the 7th fret. To adjust the truss rod, fasten a capo to the first fret.
4 . S T RI N G H E I GH T String height is more about personal preference and playing style than a pre-determined spec. Check your tuning first, then use a 6” ruler to measure the distance between the bottom of each string and the top of the 17th fret. That distance should be approximately 6/64”, which is Fender’s recommended spec on both the bass and treble sides. Adjust each bridge saddle accordingly, and keep in mind that string height can be set to whatever feels right for you.
PI C KU P H E I G H T A DJ US TME N T C H A RT Pickup Type Bass Side Treble Side Vintage Style Precision Bass® 8/64” 6/64” Vintage Style Jazz Bass® 8/64” 6/64” Standard Jazz Bass 7/64” 5/64” Standard Precision Bass 7/64” 5/64” American Standard Jazz Bass 7/64” 5/64” American Standard Precision Bass 7/64” 5/64” Vintage Noiseless™ Jazz Bass 8/64” 6/64” N3 Noiseless Jazz Bass 8/64” 6/64” Special Design Humbucking 7/64” 5/64” 25
5. S E T I N TO N AT I O N You can easily set your bass guitar’s basic intonation. Plug into your tuner and tune a string to pitch using the 12th-fret harmonic. Then fret the string at the 12th fret and compare that pitch to the 12th-fret harmonic pitch. If the pitch of the harmonic and the pitch of the fretted note agree, the string is properly intonated and no adjustment is necessary.
C A RE A N D M A I N T E N A N C E Your Fender ® bass guitar is precisely crafted to give you years of satisfaction and enjoyment. Occasional routine maintenance will go a long way toward keeping it looking, sounding and playing great for many years. Several helpful tips are listed here: Keep it clean. Dirt, dust, sweat, skin oil, smoke and other pollutants can prematurely age your bass’s finish and hardware. Wipe the strings, neck and bridge often with a lint-free cloth regularly.
S E RV I C E Fender ®, Bassman®, Twin Reverb®, SuperSonic®, G-DEC ®, Stratocaster®, Strat ®, Telecaster ®, Tele®, Jaguar ®, Jazzmaster ®, Mustang®, Precision Bass®, P Bass®, Jazz Bass®, J Bass® and the distinctive headstock designs commonly found on these guitars are U.S. registered trademarks of Fender Musical Instruments Corporation. All rights reserved. IMPORTADO POR: Instrumentos Musicales Fender S.A. de C.V., Calle Huerta # 132, Col. Carlos Pacheco, C.P. 228890, Ensenada, Baja California, Mexico.
MO D I FI E D AC T I V E GU ITA R WA RN I N G WARNING - To maintain product safety: Batteries and/or the product in which they are installed, shall not be exposed to excessive heat such as sunshine, fire, or the like. • DO NOT replace batteries with rechargeable types of any kind. • Replace only with same or equivalent PP3, 9V type battery. • There may be a danger of fire or explosion if the battery is incorrectly connected/replaced.
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Register your new Fender electric instrument at www.fender.com/prodreg P/ N 0079381000 RE V.
