how do i fix my action problem

**BassIsFun17** · #1 07-16-2006, 10:53 PM

well this past week i was at a bass and guitar camp.

the bass teacher i had noticed i had some problems when i would slap and pop and he said it was because my action was to high when i already had my saddles as low as possible. so he suggested to adjust my truss rod. so i did and it helped a little bit but my string are still about 4mm off the fretboard a little past the 10th or 11th fret and i dont like that.

so if anyone had any idea of how to fix this problem please help.

thanks in advance,

-Rory

pkr2 · #2 07-17-2006, 03:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

well this past week i was at a bass and guitar camp.

the bass teacher i had noticed i had some problems when i would slap and pop and he said it was because my action was to high when i already had my saddles as low as possible. so he suggested to adjust my truss rod. so i did and it helped a little bit but my string are still about 4mm off the fretboard a little past the 10th or 11th fret and i dont like that.

so if anyone had any idea of how to fix this problem please help.

thanks in advance,
-Rory

You have recieved some bad advice. The truss rod is not designed for nor should it EVER be used as an action adjustment.

You need to reset the truss rod adjustment so the relief is around 25% of the diameter of the G string as a starting point. Once the relief is set, if the action will not come into proper adjustment by adjusting the bridge saddles, the neck angle, or "tilt" should be adjusted by shimming the neck.

Once the action is brought into proper adjustment range by using the saddle and shim adjustments, fine tune the TR by tightening the TR untill you start getting some buzz on the first 4 or 5 frets. Then gradually loosen the TR untill the buzzing just clears up.

If your bass is a neckthrough, ignore this message.

**BassIsFun17** · #3 07-17-2006, 11:47 AM

what do you mean by shimming the neck?

Kickin'Fruit · #4 07-17-2006, 12:12 PM

Take the neck or your bass off.

Add a piece of 'whatever' cloth, wood, metal between the neck and body to bring the neck further away from the body and thus closer to the strings.

BassSlave · #5 07-17-2006, 12:18 PM

You can have someone adjust the action by shaving a little off the nut. I don't suggest you try this on your bass, but if you have an old bass laying around or an extra nut, it would be good to try to get the feel of this adjustment. Even though I have done this for almost 30 years, I've sent my beloved MTD 6 string to Mike Tobias to have this adjustment made. It does make a vast improvement on lowering the action at the nut end and makes it play easier. Anthony Jackson also talked about this before by saying that the angle or slope of the string makes it easier to play in the lower register when the angle is straighter. Makes sense to me.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

well this past week i was at a bass and guitar camp.

the bass teacher i had noticed i had some problems when i would slap and pop and he said it was because my action was to high when i already had my saddles as low as possible. so he suggested to adjust my truss rod. so i did and it helped a little bit but my string are still about 4mm off the fretboard a little past the 10th or 11th fret and i dont like that.

so if anyone had any idea of how to fix this problem please help.

thanks in advance,

-Rory

**BassIsFun17** · #6 07-17-2006, 12:55 PM

my bass teacher did suggest putting a guitar pick between the neck and body thats what he had to do to his jazz bass.

but he didnt call it shimming so i did know what you meant at first

Youngspanion · #7 07-17-2006, 03:25 PM

Find a good tech before you mess it up too much. If you dont have experience doing a set up, find some one who does. Some times if you have more than one bass to play with, its worth tinkering because you always have another to play if you screw it up.

**BassIsFun17** · #8 07-17-2006, 03:39 PM

well im gonna take my bass to my dads friend who is a luthier and tech. he should know what to do.

Youngspanion · #9 07-17-2006, 03:41 PM

Excellent choice my man.

Ole Man Blues · #10 07-17-2006, 06:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BassIsFun17

well im gonna take my bass to my dads friend who is a luthier and tech. he should know what to do.

Now you're using your head.......

OMB