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08-08-2011, 04:25 PM
|  | Never Satisfied | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Staten Island, NY | | | Getting lower action
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How do you know if you should tighten the truss rod and take out some relief or if you should adjust your saddle height? The action on my bass is pretty high and I'm having trouble getting it lower without fret buzz. I do not have any tools besides the allen keys for the truss rod and the saddles and a phillips head for intonation.
Steve
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His Love endures forever
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08-08-2011, 04:32 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: Oracle, Arizona | | | IMO - Always the simplest method 1st. If you're looking for a lower action lower your saddles first. Truss-rod adjustment (again IMO) should be in situations where there is direct bearing on neck issues per se'. now if your relief is extreme, then obviously there is some neck issues, etc. but all is well. begin with the simplest method & work slowly. |
08-08-2011, 05:08 PM
| | | | First is truss rod adjustment so neck is allmost dead straight. Then saddle adjustment. If you get too much buzzing you may need a shim to tilt neck slightly rearward. You may also need fret levelling if you have any high frets.
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life for its own carnal pleasure. Bass: Jackson JS3. Guitars: BC Rich IT Warlock & BC Rich masterpeice Mockingbird shortscale. Zoom club#2. BC Rich club#26.
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08-08-2011, 10:50 PM
|  | <---Shinola Shite--^ | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manitoba, Canada | | | The official theory: some relief is desirable. More relief will allow lower action, but higher frets may buzz. Lower relief may cause buzz lower frets.
An universal consensus is that relief should be about the thicknes of a business card or two, PERSONAL PREFERENCE, measured at the 8th fret. Press e string at fret 1 and last fret and measure 8th. Adjust as necessary. Set action at saddles so no buzzes up or down the neck. Intonate.
Too much relief may cause poor intonation at the middle of the neck. If yours is out, you have too much relief.
Work slowly, over a day or three. You may need fret leveling as well like Darkstorm says to eliminate buzzes high on the neck.
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08-08-2011, 11:01 PM
|  | Registered User | | Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: SF Bay Area | | This: ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE
First, adjust the truss rod to get the proper relief.
Then adjust the saddle to get the desired string height. Then intonate, and repeat if necessary. |
08-08-2011, 11:25 PM
| | Registered User
I setup & repair guitars & basses | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kensington, Ca | | Quote:
Originally Posted by darkstorm  First is truss rod adjustment so neck is allmost dead straight. Then saddle adjustment. If you get too much buzzing you may need a shim to tilt neck slightly rearward. You may also need fret levelling if you have any high frets. | Repeat after me: The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
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Instrument repair/setup, Bay area
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08-09-2011, 12:38 AM
| | <---Shinola Shite--^ | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manitoba, Canada | | | Absolutely.
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'74ish Ampeg V4B, 115/210. * '75 Gibson G3. *Epi Tbird. *Squier: VM Jazz, CV 50's P. *Squier VM Jazz Assoc. *MBC 641. Squier owners club
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08-09-2011, 12:40 AM
| | <---Shinola Shite--^ | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manitoba, Canada | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by Mickey Mao This: ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE
First, adjust the truss rod to get the proper relief.
Then adjust the saddle to get the desired string height. Then intonate, and repeat if necessary. | Is there an echo in here? 
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'74ish Ampeg V4B, 115/210. * '75 Gibson G3. *Epi Tbird. *Squier: VM Jazz, CV 50's P. *Squier VM Jazz Assoc. *MBC 641. Squier owners club
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08-09-2011, 06:23 PM
|  | Signed, Sealed, Delivered | | Join Date: Dec 2006 Location: NY & MA | | | |
08-10-2011, 12:36 AM
| | Registered User
I setup & repair guitars & basses | | Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Kensington, Ca | | Quote:
Originally Posted by Slowgypsy | When your like, running low on 420, duuuuuude...
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Instrument repair/setup, Bay area
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08-10-2011, 01:05 AM
|  | Looking for Opportunities to Create Harmony | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada | | 1. Truss rod
2. bridge saddles
3. nut
4. intonate Adjusting the Truss Rod on Your Bass - YouTube
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Stambaugh Shortscale Jazz - GK MB800 - fEARful 15/6
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08-10-2011, 02:02 AM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bonerific | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by JLS
When your like, running low on 420, duuuuuude...
| What?
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Cool new way to spell BASS, BAß
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08-10-2011, 02:11 AM
| | Looking for Opportunities to Create Harmony | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada | | | ^If your serious, he's talking about dope. 420 is the cool way of naming dope these days.
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Stambaugh Shortscale Jazz - GK MB800 - fEARful 15/6
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08-10-2011, 01:40 PM
| | Registered User | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Bonerific | | Quote: |
Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST:::: ^If your serious, he's talking about dope. 420 is the cool way of naming dope these days. | I've smoked my fair share of weed and calling it 420 I just stupid why not just bud ?or some of the many not stupid names it has
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Cool new way to spell BASS, BAß
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08-10-2011, 02:30 PM
| | Looking for Opportunities to Create Harmony | | Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: Vancouver, BC Canada | | | Don't know man. The whole thing is not my scene.
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Stambaugh Shortscale Jazz - GK MB800 - fEARful 15/6
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08-10-2011, 03:47 PM
| | Never Satisfied | | Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: Staten Island, NY | | Quote:
Originally Posted by ::::BASSIST:::: | So adjusting the truss rod is the first thing to do before the saddles. I've been tweeking back and forth trying to find what works without leaving a buzz behind.
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His Love endures forever
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08-10-2011, 04:16 PM
| | <---Shinola Shite--^ | | Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Manitoba, Canada | | | 420 refers to the time of day when you spark up. Not the substance itself. WIKI for the story.
Set your relief first. Set action. If still buzzing below 12th, add more relief, set action. If buzzing above 12th, a tad bit less relief may help, or you need a fret leveling. Intonate.
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'74ish Ampeg V4B, 115/210. * '75 Gibson G3. *Epi Tbird. *Squier: VM Jazz, CV 50's P. *Squier VM Jazz Assoc. *MBC 641. Squier owners club
Last edited by 96tbird : 08-10-2011 at 04:18 PM.
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08-10-2011, 06:47 PM
|  | Quatre-cordes | | Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: New Orleans, LA /El Paso TX | | Quote:
Originally Posted by JLS Repeat after me: The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower. | yep, one more time.
The only time you need to shim a neck, is when your saddles are bottomed out, and you are unable to get the action any lower. | | Thread Tools | Search this Thread | | | | 
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