Can you have a low action and very little string buzz?

[eoinwalsh]

I've played some basses that had low actions and were effortlessly playable that also had pretty much no fret buzzing. So, I've concluded that you can have both.

The guy who does my setup tells me it's either one or the other. I told him I want to get rid of the fret buzz on my jazz bass because it's ****ing ridiculous - it buzzes like a mother****er - and he told me that I'll have to lose the nice low action and the playability. But as I stated above, my experience tells me that he must be wrong.


Also, I met the great bass player Calvin Parmer this week and I asked him about having a low action and minimal fret buzz. He said if that's what you want you can keep your low action and just raise the string saddles at the bridge.

Now, this is what I don't understand - Wouldn't raising the saddles defeat the purpose of having a low action? If you raise them, then the strings will be further from the neck which would be the same result you would get if you raised the action, right?

Any help would be much appreciated. Thanks.

[VincentSalizeri]

A light touch is crucial to low action without buzz. It's also important to make sure the truss rod has a decent amount of relief (it varies depending on what you want, but a totally straight neck is usually not enough), and that all the frets are level. If a few frets are higher, it will buzz.

[Konigstiger22]

My tech setups all my bass with the saddles cranked all the way up and then shims the necks a little and bam super low action no buzz. Light touch is definitely beneficial on this set up thou!

[eoinwalsh]

Originally Posted by Konigstiger22

My tech setups all my bass with the saddles cranked all the way up and then shims the necks a little and bam super low action no buzz. Light touch is definitely beneficial on this set up thou!

Sorry to sound like a dumbass, but what does this mean?

[eoinwalsh]

Originally Posted by VincentSalizeri

A light touch is crucial to low action without buzz. It's also important to make sure the truss rod has a decent amount of relief (it varies depending on what you want, but a totally straight neck is usually not enough), and that all the frets are level. If a few frets are higher, it will buzz.

Ok but could you answer the part about raising the saddles? Wouldn't raising the saddles be the same as raising the action? ie What is the difference between making adjustments to action height and making adjustments to saddles height?

I still don't get why he told me to have low action and then raise the saddles. Wouldn't that be just like raising the action back up?

Thanks

[Konigstiger22]

Originally Posted by eoinwalsh

Sorry to sound like a dumbass, but what does this mean?

He usually puts like a business card etc. underneath to raise the neck up in the pocket a little. With the saddles raised he needs to raise the neck to get the angle right so it doesn't just raise the action.

[Konigstiger22]

However I think my tech is the devil himself because he is the only one I know that can get the neck off a Guild acoustic without breaking the dovetails.

[john grey]

On a realistic level if my necks have clear note when I am plugged into an amp and am playing, I really don't care a bit if the they buzz when they are not plugged in. I understand what the guy was saying. This issue comes up very frequently as many people think there is something wrong when they hear a buzz un-amplified.
I know it's very possible to make a fairly low action and eliminate string buzz for the most part when not plugged in - however if you get low enough & pluck strongly, it will buzz. The whole agenda to many is getting it LOW, using a light touch and being able to move quicker with more accuracy.
Some folks just don't like playing like that (or haven't tried it for awhile). But if a person gets used to the gently touch thing (it seems) your form improves and your speed does also.

[eoinwalsh]

Originally Posted by john grey

On a realistic level if my necks have clear note when I am plugged into an amp and am playing, I really don't care a bit if the they buzz when they are not plugged in. I understand what the guy was saying. This issue comes up very frequently as many people think there is something wrong when they hear a buzz un-amplified.
I know it's very possible to make a fairly low action and eliminate string buzz for the most part when not plugged in - however if you get low enough & pluck strongly, it will buzz. The whole agenda to many is getting it LOW, using a light touch and being able to move quicker with more accuracy.
Some folks just don't like playing like that (or haven't tried it for awhile). But if a person gets used to the gently touch thing (it seems) your form improves and your speed does also.

I don't play heavily at all and the E and A strings buzz terribly. Even with a light stroke you'll get a load of buzz. And you can hear it through the amplifier.

[tekdiver500ft]

I did it. Of course, it was on a fretless...

Okay, I've never seen it on a bass, but my Guild SF4 guitar had a super low action, and no buzz at all, so it can be done. You just need a really good luthier or tech to set it up. Get the frets exactly the same height (or better yet, progressively taller as you move toward the nut), well dressed, low action, high saddle...

[john grey]

Originally Posted by eoinwalsh

I don't play heavily at all and the E and A strings buzz terribly. Even with a light stroke you'll get a load of buzz. And you can hear it through the amplifier.

I understand. THAT IS a very different issue indeed. Obviously without playing and looking at it all replies are opinions based on experiences.
Occasionally this can be uneven fret heights. But since you're dealing with the slope of the radius (strings being the E & A), it may be a widened nut cut (or both).

I would suggest you take it to someone who have a good deal of experience and is ethical (doesn't just want to make money). Not someone at a large commercial guitar store but a real repair place & ask him to take a look. A fret dressing and a bit of work on the nut wouldn't cost more than a cheap date.

[klaus486]

I think the key is a professional fret dress combined with a light touch.

[Konigstiger22]

Originally Posted by john grey

I understand. THAT IS a very different issue indeed. Obviously without playing and looking at it all replies are opinions based on experiences.
Occasionally this can be uneven fret heights. But since you're dealing with the slope of the radius (strings being the E & A), it may be a widened nut cut (or both).

I would suggest you take it to someone who have a good deal of experience and is ethical (doesn't just want to make money). Not someone at a large commercial guitar store but a real repair place & ask him to take a look. A fret dressing and a bit of work on the nut wouldn't cost more than a cheap date.

Good advice!

[tabdog]

I found a cheep DeArnold Pilot form about 2000.
It had the darndest 22 fret neck on it. It could
be set super low without fret noise.

Even though it didn't fit,,, I modified until I got
that neck on a P body,



Those DeArnold basses sold for $100 close-out
when the company closed in about 2000.

It is just one of those 1 in 1,000 necks, and it's
mine,

Tabdog

[darkstorm]

Well made basses with excellent fretwork can have very low action with very little fret buzz. Your neck may need fretjob and maybe new nut if slots where cut to low. Tech who says you cant have low action and minimal fretbuzz should be replaced. A tech who cranks the bridges saddles all the way up and uses shim in neck to compensate to create low action should also be replaced. Some basses do need neck shim for low action. But that is normally due to bridge sitting to high even with saddles all the way down. or to give neck slight back tilt.

[FunkyMcNasty]

You could look into getting your bass plekd. It's around $200 but the basses with the lowest action that I have ever played were all plekd'ed (I don't know how to say it...

[GeneralElectric]

I've had the basses that've been in my stable for a long time go through a plek machine. It cuts a new nut and levels the frets. Super low action. Zero buzz. The only issue for me now is that I changed to a slightly lighter gauge E and A string I get some nut rattle. A rubber band fixed that for me.

[GeneralElectric]

Originally Posted by FunkyMcNasty

You could look into getting your bass plekd. It's around $200 but the basses with the lowest action that I have ever played were all plekd'ed (I don't know how to say it...

Hey look, same post I got 3 basses currently that have been plek'd and I've had it done to a few others I sold. Its a bit more than $200 in NYC. Then again, its NYC...

[eoinwalsh]

Thanks for all the replies but can someone answer this please :

Wouldn't raising the saddles be the same as raising the action? ie What is the difference between making adjustments to action height and making adjustments to saddles height? Why would you make these individual adjustments?

I still don't get why he told me to have low action and then raise the saddles. Wouldn't that be just like raising the action back up?

[tabdog]

Originally Posted by GeneralElectric

If you're killed by a wild pig, does that
mean you were boared to death?

No, only when you are killed by a tame
pig are you truly boared to death, lol

Tabdog