action

nvilla · #1 11-17-2001, 03:56 PM

I know this is probably a stupid question but I am pretty new to the bass and was wondering how high or low the action should be or if it is just preferecne. sorry for the stupid question.

bizzaro · #2 11-17-2001, 04:55 PM

Action height depends on numerous varibles. Type of music you play, style of playing, attack, the bass guitar, and mostly personal preference. As your experience grows you will find what is right for you. Generally height measured at the twelfth fret should be between 2mm to around 5mm. If you do a search you will find many threads on this subject. You should be able to get the recommended adjustment for your make and model bass from the manufacturer, but it is just a rough guide and probably not where you will ultimatly end up. I fine tune by playing and making adjustments as I play.

Hambone · #3 11-17-2001, 10:52 PM

Welcome to TalkBass nvilla!

Action height is more a matter of preference than anything else. There are some guidelines that you can use for choosing an action height if you aren't sure of how things should go. Higher actions tend to be less noisy, and perhaps help to define notes when used by a new player. What it limits is speed, but speed is not neccessarily what a new player needs. Conversely, lower actions can help with speed, but aren't as forgiving when it comes to rapid articulation as the higher setups.

The best advice I could give you is to learn to do your own setups now or develop a relationship with a technician that can help you. As a pure newbie you might want to experiment a little and having the new, experimental setups done correctly will make the difference in whether you can make an informed decision.

merlin · #4 11-17-2001, 10:56 PM

I agree with Hambone. I have been playing bass for nearly 5 years and only now am i starting to do my own setups. And even then i only adjust action etc, no truss rod adjustment, got no confidence (thanx dad!).

it is all preference. Once u know how to adjust the action, play with the heights. You'll find one that is just right.

Merls

yes i am still alive, just hadn't had to move any threads of late.

bizzaro · #5 11-17-2001, 11:43 PM

Thanks for moving my post Hambone.