Gretsch Electromatic Jr vs Fender P-Bass Action

[DaleyKD]

I was practicing with the P&W band last Friday and decided to try the church's bass. I noticed it was a Gretsch and thought "eh, why not?"

As soon as I held on to it, I noticed something different: It was a Junior! The neck was so incredibly short. However, the action was, in my opinion, AWESOME. No more having to hurt my left-hand fingers to hold a string at a fret. Just barely touching it gave me the note I wanted. I could move a little easier, and all-in-all, it just felt nice.

My P-Bass, however, is not like that. The action is a higher, and I feel like I have to stretch my fingers more.

Is this all because of the shorter neck, or can I get the same 'butter feel' with the P-Bass by just adjusting the action and getting a good setup?

Please keep in mind, I'm a rhythm guitarist-turned-bassist. So the shorter neck may be what felt more natural to me.

Thanks for any insight,
Kyle

[JTE]

It's really impossible to compare the "feel" of two totally different instruments. Of course, the shorter scale makes it different. The distance between frets is closer, and if you use similar gauged strings of similar design, the shorter ones won't have nearly as much tension as the longer ones tuned to the same pitch. But beyond that there are two individual chunks of wood involved.

Now, is it possible to get your P set up so it's easier to fret? Quite probably, but without seeing the instrument no one else can really say. But you can try different strings (not just gauges- different alloys, cores, etc. have a big impact on how taut the strings feel), adjust the truss rod and bridge for lower action (at the possible expense of limited dynamic range), etc. If the P is set up per FMIC's factory specs, it's probably harder to play than it really needs to be, as I find Fender's specs to have too much relief and the action higher than it needs to be for most people.

I'd suggest getting a copy of Dan Erlewine's "Complete Guitar Repair" and read it through carefully, then start working on doing your own set-up. I suggest this as opposed to going to a tech (personal rant- a "luthier" is someone who BUILDS fretted instruments, not just a set-up and repair tech) because there's a lot of trial-and-error in finding what set-up works for YOU. Doing it yourself allows you to experiment with the different trade-offs without spending a good chunk of change and being without the bass for days.

You might start by having a GOOD tech look at the frets and make sure they're level, and that the nut is cut correctly (in my experience, most factory nuts by most manufacturers are cut much too high) so you know those two things are right before you start. But adjusting truss rods, setting saddle height, and setting intonation are things any bass player should be able to do for themselves.

John