Can this be done to ANY bass?

stillborn86 · #1 04-08-2007, 06:19 AM

Yesterday, I ventured to my local music store and started trying out what they had there when I came across an Ibanez four-string someone had just recently traded in. I looked it over and had NEVER seen action this low. The strings looked like they were physically touching the frets all along the board.

The fretboard obviously had to be perfectly straight and the bridge had to be tuned with tremendous care. I, without a better way of saying this, loved the way this guitar played. There was ZERO fret-buzz and the action was so low that as I did slides, it sounded like a fretless. It also made hammer-ons and pull-offs so natural, you could play with one hand.

I immediately went home and started messing with the settings on my ESP to see if I could get things that low, but could never get the neck straight enough without feeling resistance.

I didn't want to push it until I asked. Is this possible on any bass or has there been something special done to this Ibanez to make this happen?

I'll try to run down there on Monday and get some pics for you guys, but they're closed for today.

202dy · #2 04-08-2007, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

Action is the sum of all the variables. The lower the action, the more precise all the variables must be set.

If all is functioning correctly, most basses will be capable of very low action...

I've never heard it put so succinctly and so correctly. Understanding this sentence is the key to understanding everything in the mechanics of set up. It should be memorized by everyone who desires to have an instrument play the way they want it to.

Human Bass · #3 04-08-2007, 11:11 PM

Wooten would approve this bass.

62bass · #4 04-09-2007, 05:52 AM

What Joshua said is true based on my experience. All my basses are now capable of very low action, but some required a lot of work to get them that way. As noted, you have to get the neck capable of being very straight, even if you eventually adjust in a bit of relief and sometimes frets have to be levelled to do this. Also the trussrods on some basses aren't all that effective in getting the neck straight.

The basses I've had the easiest time working on are my Carvin Bolt 4 (all I had to do on this one was adjust the truss rod and bridge saddles), my Ibanez SRX300 (same thing), Ibanez Artcore (just the truss rod and bridge height again) and surprisingly my Danelectro DC, which I didn't expect to be all that good considering the price. I had to level one fret on the Danelectro. The tough ones were the Fenders which required much fooling around with truss rod, fret levelling and shimming the neck pocket to get the right set to the neck.

So, it seems to me that the ones that came out of the factory with precise fret levelling and effective trussrods were the easiest to set the action low. By the way, I'd never play a bass with the action set that low. I play a little too hard with my right hand for that and don't do any tapping.

I've found the same to be true setting up guitars.

stillborn86 · #5 04-09-2007, 06:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 62bass

What Joshua said is true based on my experience. All my basses are now capable of very low action, but some required a lot of work to get them that way. As noted, you have to get the neck capable of being very straight, even if you eventually adjust in a bit of relief and sometimes frets have to be levelled to do this. Also the trussrods on some basses aren't all that effective in getting the neck straight.

The basses I've had the easiest time working on are my Carvin Bolt 4 (all I had to do on this one was adjust the truss rod and bridge saddles), my Ibanez SRX300 (same thing), Ibanez Artcore (just the truss rod and bridge height again) and surprisingly my Danelectro DC, which I didn't expect to be all that good considering the price. I had to level one fret on the Danelectro. The tough ones were the Fenders which required much fooling around with truss rod, fret levelling and shimming the neck pocket to get the right set to the neck.

So, it seems to me that the ones that came out of the factory with precise fret levelling and effective trussrods were the easiest to set the action low. By the way, I'd never play a bass with the action set that low. I play a little too hard with my right hand for that and don't do any tapping.

I've found the same to be true setting up guitars.

So I guess that answers my question. I actually liked the way that guitar played. I have shorter fingers, and the action was so low, that all you had to do was rest your fingers around the frets and that was enough to play.

I also play hard with my right hand, but still go no buzz from this thing. I don't know how it was done, but I liked it. I'm going to run down to the shop today and take pics and see what the guys down there say.

BassmanNate · #6 04-19-2007, 02:05 PM

Mmmm....Tasty. Super low action and no buzz

machine gewehr · #7 04-20-2007, 11:58 AM

Wait a sec. To have low action and no buzz,you need a "STRAIGHT" neck?

stillborn86 · #8 04-20-2007, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

Who said that?

The lower the action, the more buzz you're going to get from any frets higher than the ones before what you are playing. Example, if you are playing on the fifth fret and the sixth fret is higher, that will equal out to fret buzz. It's the same scenario as if you are playing the first fret ant the twenty-fourth fret is higher.

All of that means, the lower the action, the straighter the neck must be. And this this is as straight as an arrow. I took the guitar to the back room where they do service and they measured it out and it's less than a millimeter of play between the top of the frets (across the entire fingerboard) and the strings.

I'm thinking it's almost worth buying the thing just to have it.

ibnzneksrul · #9 04-20-2007, 01:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stillborn86

the lower the action, the straighter the neck must be.

I disagree. The lower the action (to avoid buzz), the frets must be as level as possible. The neck still needs some relief.

PilbaraBass · #10 04-22-2007, 01:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ibnzneksrul

I disagree. The lower the action (to avoid buzz), the frets must be as level as possible. The neck still needs some relief.

+1...the neck relief must match closely the string vibration shape (biggest node at mid-scale)

pkr2 · #11 04-22-2007, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PilbaraBass

+1...the neck relief must match closely the string vibration shape (biggest node at mid-scale)

+several!

machine gewehr · #12 04-22-2007, 03:43 PM

Again,there are different points of wiews.I am so confused about my action that I just leave it be.I like low action but I can never achieve that correctly,there are always flaws.I am so sick of it that I sometimes put the bass away.

lonote · #13 04-23-2007, 10:35 AM

I think string gauge/tension also enters the equation. Tight strings have less movement than loose strings, meaning the neck needs less relief to accomodate the motion of the vibrating strings.

SGT. Pepper · #14 04-25-2007, 08:40 AM

Good level frets is what it all boils down to. You can have the straightest neck in the world and if one fret is off it will ruin your whole set-up. My Peavey BXP has that problem. I had the neck super straight and action nice and low but was getting a buzz on the A string at the first fret. I had to add relief and raise the action a turn. Problem solved but I have Medium action now. It's not a bad thing because I generally like medium action. My point being it all boils down to the frets.