ACTION: 6 string help

lousy hero · #1 10-12-2007, 12:14 PM

Hi all,

Im new here and from what i've seen so far you guys have some good adivce.

Recently I have purchased a 6 string bass as I do alot of tapping and 6 strings gives that certain edge.

BUT.. when it arrived the action was very high and tapping on it was a nightmare, I needed hands of iron. Upon looking at the bridge I noticed it was on the deck and couldn't be lowered anymore.

Bridge picture below (not the bass but bridge is same)

Looking at the height of the strings from the fretboard without placing any fingers on it i can get a slimline cd case under it with ease. When fretting 1st and last fret i can get about 4 credit cards under ... is this as low as i can b

So now my attention has turned to the truss rods.

is this a right step to take? Seeing is there are two of them do I give them the same amount of turns?

When adjusting the rods you have to let them settle, i have heard various amounts of time to leave them. Overnight crops up alot... so adjusting it once a day for 5 days(if was needed) would take a week. Or can it be done with rests of an hour?..

The strings are factory so a lighter gauge may help?

any help in the right direction would be apreciated.

Thanks

Philbiker · #2 10-12-2007, 12:31 PM

The truss rods might be the problem or might not. If you press the string down at the first and last frets, how much space is there between the string and the fret in the middle of the neck? If that distance is small, tweaking the truss rod won't help and you will probably look at shimming the neck. If that distance is large, tightening the rods may help. In some ways setup is as much art as science.

BTW that Shine bass looks just like a Douglass from Rondo! It must be the same bass in other markets. Looks nice, too! Hope your bass is that nice!

pointbass · #3 10-12-2007, 12:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Philbiker

BTW that Shine bass looks just like a Douglass from Rondo! It must be the same bass in other markets. Looks nice, too! Hope your bass is that nice!

Yes, it does look a lot like the Douglas WEB ... If it is the same type of construction you may not be able to lower your action any further as the bridges on the Douglas line are quite restrictive. After messing with the truss rods a bit, obviously being cautious as mentioned earlier, if the action is still high you may need to shim the neck. That is commonly the case with the Douglas basses .....

lousy hero · #4 10-12-2007, 01:01 PM

I'd like to say thanks for the posts and the image tweak!..

The action in the middle (around 7th fret i looked at) was about 4 - 5 credit cards stacked. I was looking for lower formy tapping. I may be asking for something that cant be done but i'd like to try as I dont want this bass to be a carrier for dust.

I have given the two truss rods a small tweak as it had back bow from what i could see when looking down the side of the neck. I have given them each about 1/4 of a turn and its settling now (truss rods poping trough necks i dont want).

Could any of this be due to my nut?.. the cuts look very rough and seem not to have been filed. Also when looking at the bass nut on when lying on the floor the lowest string side looks a little higher placed then the opposing side (thinest string) or maybe its just me?..

Neck shimming?.. would this achive a low action? does the shim lift the neck out of the body cut slighly thus making it closer to the strings?..

Im going to be really patient with achiving my goal but im really hopping i find a cure fast.

Action is a science.

Philbiker · #5 10-12-2007, 01:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lousy hero

Neck shimming?.. would this achive a low action? does the shim lift the neck out of the body cut slighly thus making it closer to the strings?..

Usually what one accomplishes by shimming is to change the angle, or pitch of the neck, but, yes, it can also be used to simply bring the neck further away from the body of the bass guitar as well. Usually what you do is bring the front of the neck (part closest to the bridge) further out from the body of the bass, angling the headstock (and rest of the neck) back slightly. Think about it a bit and you can get an idea for what the implications are. You can fine tune the pitch of the neck. You'd be amazed at what kind of huge differences can be had with just a business card shim!

Quote:

Originally Posted by lousy hero

Im going to be really patient with achiving my goal but im really hopping i find a cure fast.

Action is a science.

It certainly is!

There are two main things you need to deal with here:

(1) Relief, the amount of curvature in the neck. You want enough curvature that it more or less matches the natural arc of the vibrating string. Hold your bass upright and look from the headstock down, you should see a slight curve in the neck - pluck your "B" string, you will see an arc of vibration. Ideally the curvature (or 'relief) of the neck matches the arc of vibration perfectly - this is the "ideal" relief for the lowest action. If the neck is too straight or has too much relief you will have action that is too high. (there are other problems, such as neck twist, rising tongue, etc. which come into play, but let's assume that your bass does not have any structural defects)

(2) Neck pitch or tilt. The actual angle of the neck - this is often overlooked, but is actually the main advantage of a bolt-on neck contructed bass IME. The angle of the neck needs to be lined up so that the bridge and strings can be adjusted.

When you measure the neck relief be sure to do what I suggested above, push the strings against the fingerboard at the top and bottom of the neck. That way you're seeing only the relief in the neck using a perfect straight edge - the string.

Good luck and take your time. With patience and luck most basses can be set up very nicely.

lousy hero · #6 10-14-2007, 06:09 AM

half a turn to each rod spread over 2 days, and some new strings my action is perfect and tapping is a joy!..

thanks all!..