How do you like your action? please vote

I will have 3 choices and since i am trying to do this very basic and the most effective way. . .

Its impotant that everyone realises this poll is what action is closest to yours

[JustDavid]

What if you have low action & no fretbuzz?

i would say medium

[mytmous]

I'm constantly checking and rechecking my action. I guess I could be considered OCD about it actually. I check and adjust my action before every show and practice. I usually don't have to make any actual adjustments, but I like to have the peace of mind.

[JustDavid]

Originally Posted by garretibanez

i would say medium

I wouldn't. I hate medium action. I'd guess I'm not alone from a lot of threads & posts I've read in the Setup/Repair forum.

Interested in adding "low / no fretbuzz" as a choice?

[neurotictim]

And what makes you think that high action = not being able to slap on it?

[Cyber Soda]

I said medium, but I do the credit card thing when I adjust.

[ultrabass6]

low with no buzz...of course

[IbanezATK]

Low. No fret buzz is preferred.

[mjwhit]

what makes you think high action a better fingerstyle tone? im curious...

Mine is set up as low as possible without fretbuzz

[bassteban]

Mine is PRECISELY between low & medium, so I cannot in good conscience vote.

[edbutler3]

Originally Posted by mjwhit

what makes you think high action a better fingerstyle tone? im curious...

Mine is set up as low as possible without fretbuzz

High action gives a better fingerstyle tone IMO *if* you like to dig in and pick hard. (I do, and I go for medium to high action.) If you have a very light picking style, higher action probably would offer no advantages.

EDIT: Realize I didn't really answer your question. I think the higher action reduces the clank of strings against frets for heavy handed players. There's more to it, but it's hard to put into words. It sounds "meatier" to my ears. I think part of it is that if you pick hard with very low action, most of your dynamic range gets wasted (dampened) by the string hitting the fretboard and not having much room to vibrate freely. Higher action gives the string more room to vibrate when you hit it hard.

[aus_bass]

As low as possible without buzzing. And.... no, I don't slap.

[ghiadub]

I go for low low action with no buzz (cause I play lightly). Most anyone else gets buzz if they are not used to it.

For slap, I like action to be medium to high.

I have basses set up for both.

[RONQUITO]

Originally Posted by aus_bass

As low as possible without buzzing. And.... no, I don't slap.

Another one over here that likes low action without the fret buzz. (That´s why i didn´t vote)

[winterburn69]

I like it low, very low.

its what action is closest to your bass

If you have high action your not going to vote anything but high

if you have medium your gonna vote medium

If you have low your gonna vote low


and your probably thinking well what the definition of high and low its what your opinion is if you think its low medium or high people are way overthinking it

[edbutler3]

Originally Posted by garretibanez

its what action is closest to your bass

If you have high action your not going to vote anything but high

if you have medium your gonna vote medium

If you have low your gonna vote low


and your probably thinking well what the definition of high and low its what your opinion is if you think its low medium or high people are way overthinking it

Or maybe you're *under-thinking* it.

IMHO the poll would have worked out better with 5 choices instead of 3.

EDIT: I agree that it's an interesting topic though. But since there's no real definition for "low", "medium", or "high" action, it's probably more useful if people say something about their playing style and what sound and feel they're going for. Personally, I'm a very heavy-handed player, so I like a medium-high action so I can hit hard without smacking the strings into the pickups, and so the string has more room to vibrate without wasting all its energy clattering against the frets. I bet most of the people who like a really low action use a very light picking technique. Comments?

oh well put my friend