so, does anyone NOT use low action?

[biff malibu]

i like mine low enough to be comfortable but high enough to sound clean and none of that strings smacking the pickups stuff. i use .45-.100 gauge

what about you?

[pbass2]

Strings smacking the pickups just means some combo of a bad set-up combined with flawed technique.
My mindset about action and setups stems from the fact that I record everyday, and don't play live regularly. I keep my action on all my basses, whether roundwound strung sadowsky or flatwound p, as HIGH as I possibly can, and still maintain good playability. You simply get a cleaner, punchier tone to "tape" with higher action. And I dare say it makes you play better(unless you're tapping and doing all that stuff).
However, if I were going on tour, I might have my basses set up with just slightly lower action (but that would still be pretty high compared to lotsa folks

[ProgRapture]

Low as I possibly can. I like that bright punchy tone I get from really low action. Unless it's flatwounds, then I prefer high action just due to the fact I usually don't play aggressive prog metal with a bass and flatwounds.

[Rick_no7]

People say "low action" all the time when talking about how to measure how good a bass is. My friends that play bass also worship low action. The first bass I own I bought because I listened to my friend telling me how well the low action is on the bass(at the time I had almost zero experience with basses).

I have decided that I can not stand low action. I like resistance to my fretting fingers, it just feels good. Now, I am not the fastest player around, but it feels reassuring(my keyboard preferances are similar, I like heavy resistance on my computer keys, unlike bass I AM a fast as hell typer).

I had several people set up my basses in the beginning, each time hoping the other would do something that felt better. And each time I end up increasing string height. So I just stopped fighting it.

I like higher action and its not a sin. After all, these guys do not play my bass every day. Set your bass up for how YOU like it, not how you're supposed to like it.

[Stereo Joe]

I like high action too. I always hated it when I got a bass back from the shop and the repair guy had courteously set it up with super-low action...
Now I setup my own basses - it's pretty easy when you aren't picky about really low action!

[Captain_Arrrg]

I used to have high action up untill this afternoon, and it will be low untill I decide it's time for another change

[DavePlaysBass]

I practice a lot with head phones and hear all the buzzes. I think things sound better when the string is given enough room to vibrate freely. For lighter strings, I set things higher.

On my RV5 I play 40-100-128 and the action is medium to high according to Sadowsky measurements. On my P Bass with 45-100 nickel rounds the action is medium. My J with TI flats is high with a lot of relief. My L-2000 with 50-105 EB Flats is super low.

[musicelectronix]

IMO, I prefer higher action when I try to be funky. Other than that, as low as possible without buzzin frets.

[Lesfunk]

I like low action. My old fingers get tired. But high action does certainly give you a bigger, fuller tone.

[bassbully]

Not to high not to low right in the middle for me. I hate low, to buzzy and clacky and if the neck moves a bit buzz city and out comes the allen wrench. I read and article where a studio pro said alot of bassists complain when using his studio basses (vintage Fenders Etc) and he has the action high since it records clean and so much better...i agree.

[Drucocu]

as low as low goes! I dont care buzzing and clanging, thats the way I like it baby!

[Oric]

I like my action rather high. I guess I prefer my bass hard to play- high action and high gauge strings. It makes it more fun when a g*******t attempts to play it.

[projectMalamute]

Heavy gauge flats and high action. No knobs on the bass, no pedals, no overdrive on the amp. Better control of dynamics this way. Same recipe jazz guitarists have been using forever and those guys get around the instrument plenty quick.

[Eric Perry]

I like higher action. I like to *really* dig in a lot. It's nice to know I can get as aggressive as possible without dealing with fret buzz, noise, and deadening notes from contact.

[lamarjones]

there are few people that knowingly go with high action, but I don't doubt at all that is what they prefer.

What I do doubt is people saying they like low action, because too many freakin time someone says 'blah blah blah my action is real low' and then I feel it and the neck has a fair bit of bow in it and the strings are way high.

sorry, but I don't beleive for one second that everyone knows what low action is really all about. I like it pretty low, but high enough that I can dig in a little bit because sometimes my agressive side needs to be unleashed.

[Captain_Arrrg]

Originally Posted by projectMalamute

Heavy gauge flats and high action. No knobs on the bass, no pedals, no overdrive on the amp. Better control of dynamics this way. Same recipe jazz guitarists have been using forever and those guys get around the instrument plenty quick.

My fretless ABG is that way. A freind of mine said I sould get it's action lowered, I told him I needed to get heavier strings

[NickD]

As high as possible, without impeding playability.

[Surly]

I like pretty low/med action. Stock Stingray setup is good. I played a bass that had super low where I almost couldn't get my finger under the higher strings to pop. It felt great otherwise, but I was afraid that it would buzz sometime down the road too.

[Lon86]

I use high action also...

I play hard, very hard at times, with a lot of dynamics.

Higher action suits my style.

[Brad Johnson]

Originally Posted by lamarjones

there are few people that knowingly go with high action, but I don't doubt at all that is what they prefer.

What I do doubt is people saying they like low action, because too many freakin time someone says 'blah blah blah my action is real low' and then I feel it and the neck has a fair bit of bow in it and the strings are way high.

sorry, but I don't beleive for one second that everyone knows what low action is really all about. I like it pretty low, but high enough that I can dig in a little bit because sometimes my agressive side needs to be unleashed.

I'd have to agree that many people I've heard say they like low action don't like actual low action.

BTW the hitting the pickups sound is a sign of a poor setup of the pickup height. You can do that with high or low action.