Is high action hurting my technique?

Waspinators · #1 12-06-2009, 10:38 PM

I play on a cheap Dean Edge bass that I've been using for close to 3 years. I've only changed the strings once and it's never been setup, professionally or by me, and the action is very high. When I try to play faster, more complicated lines, I find myself choking notes and losing speed, not to mention hurting my fingers. As a 17 year old kid with no job (but looking), I can't really cough up the cash for a $35+ setup at my local guitar shops.
But I've noticed when playing on my school guitar teacher's bass (which is professionally set up), I can play much smoother and longer without pains. My question is, is the high action on my own bass hurting my technique in the long run? Should I make getting a pro setup an immediate priority, or wait til I have some extra cash?

Jlinnell7 · #2 12-06-2009, 10:51 PM

I'd say, if you can play "complicated lines", then you should know how to setup a bass.....CRUCIAL to sounding good and in tune. try searching Google for how to setup a guitar or bass. its actually pretty easy.

steelhead2 · #3 12-06-2009, 10:57 PM

i'm just now getting over a`high action' dliemna,dilemma(something along those lines)

,,,there's a thread here=`learn to set up your bass',,study it(i saved it to faves),,ANY improvment will help,wait till you're 54,hands are beat up,you work a job all day,,,THEN you won't even want to play unlessthey `are right down on the neck'

peace man! you'll get er,,,don't be afraid to tinker it's only a piece of equipment,go back if you go to far,ask your teach for assistance,,wash some cars/mow some lawns for the techs at the local shops,hang out,BEG!

,,,not beg but,,,find a friendly shop

they're out there

a1bassguy · #4 12-06-2009, 11:01 PM

It sounds like you have the potential and ability to improve further, the high action is holding you back. If you can squeek out the $35+ bucks for the set-up and the $$ for a new set of strings at the same time (Ernie Balls are less than $20 bucks), you're bass will feel like a new bass to you when you get it back. Try talking to the place that will do the set-up and explain that you are a kid on a tight budget, they may cut you a break.

I would cut a kid a break if they needed it, for sure. Good luck!

ishouldbeking · #5 12-06-2009, 11:09 PM

I'd say do everything you can to make it a priority. ALSO, do what the others above have said and do some research on how to do a setup. Chances are you just need a simple truss rod adjustment. As long as you take it easy on your bass and don't attempt anything drastic, you should be able to handle it yourself. And adjusting intonation is incredibly easy if you have a tuner and a screwdriver. I've found that even the cheapest basses can play pretty dang well with a proper setup. Your Dean should be perfectly capable of providing you the platform to improve. Good luck!

EDIT: by "taking it easy on your bass" I mean limit the amount of truss adjustment you do in one day. Say, no more than a quarter or half turn per day, so you don't go too far and end up with buzzing frets. There are a lot of great resources available online (including TB)!

Metaltronix · #6 12-06-2009, 11:25 PM

Ask your guitar teacher if he can help you in any way. Maybe he can get you setup way better then you are now with a simple truss rod adjust, if needed, and adjusting your saddle height. You NEED to learn how to do this on your own though. It will help you out so much in the future, just knowing the basics of setup can make you the last minute star of a show like fixing your guitards broken whatever or your bass loses output after you did a sound check and you can immediately fix it. Simple soldering and basic setup should be skill that all Bassists possess.

Also what ishouldbeking said is dead on.

standupright · #7 12-06-2009, 11:27 PM

really? set up questions? really?

ALL BASIC SETUP QUESTIONS ANSWERED HERE

gavnel · #8 12-07-2009, 07:32 AM

look at some videos and get a bit of an idea of what to do and then try setting it up ur self, lower the action to where you feel comfortable... im 15 and never had a professional set up but the internet is an amazing place and i taught myself how

4StringedFiend · #9 12-07-2009, 08:19 AM

Personaly I think that the high action could help you in the long run, not harm you. Having higher action forces the muscles in your hand and arms to work harder, and become stronger. If you can play a line on bass with high action, you can play it on anything. For my first 7 years of playing i never setup my bass or had it set up. I just left it be with the high action it came with. I just had to practice an awful lot to get all those Jamerson lines up to speed and with the right tone. Plus a high action gives you a brighter pop-ier sound if you're into slap and pop. At this point i don't think fixing your action should be a prioity, maybe wait a couple years once and you've mastered the higher action lower it and find where you're most comfortable.

cmewhinney · #10 12-07-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4StringedFiend

Personaly I think that the high action could help you in the long run, not harm you. Having higher action forces the muscles in your hand and arms to work harder, and become stronger. If you can play a line on bass with high action, you can play it on anything. For my first 7 years of playing i never setup my bass or had it set up. I just left it be with the high action it came with. I just had to practice an awful lot to get all those Jamerson lines up to speed and with the right tone. Plus a high action gives you a brighter pop-ier sound if you're into slap and pop. At this point i don't think fixing your action should be a prioity, maybe wait a couple years once and you've mastered the higher action lower it and find where you're most comfortable.

I completely disagree. High action will only create bad habits- you have to work much harder (I should specify that I don't think this is a good thing. Playing without tension or stress should be the goal.) to fret or pluck the strings, so you will not be able to achieve any kind of fluidity or economy of motion.

And IMO, tone suffers when the action is too high.

Chasarms · #11 12-07-2009, 08:29 AM

I don't think you are doing yourself any favors by learning to play with high action.

I agree with the many who have suggested that you do a little homework and figure it out.

If you are just really uncomfortable with doing it, I would suggest a plea to the masses. Of the 138,000 members of talkbass, surely there is someone with some setup experience in the greater Miami area that would help you out.

I know if you lived in the St. Louis area, I would be happy to set up your bass and show you how to do it in the future. There are a few decent people left in the world.