How low is your fretless action? with pics!

the low one · #1 04-18-2007, 04:24 AM

I can get 3 credit cards under the 12th fretl of my MIM fretless Jazz bass. If I go any lower it starts to buzz above the 12th fret. Does this sound about right? It has a great feel and is a joy to play.

The bass has Rotosound flats fitted:

moles · #2 05-01-2007, 03:29 PM

I'm a musician -now where the heck am I supposed to get 3 credit cards from to check with??

the low one · #3 05-01-2007, 04:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by moles

I'm a musician -now where the heck am I supposed to get 3 credit cards from to check with??

simple - beg, borrow, steal

PilbaraBass · #4 05-01-2007, 09:01 PM

that's what I would consider about "medium" action for me...
my wishbass fretless is right about there, as well as my Carvin AC40 fretted...

my Yamaha RBX170 is a bit lower than that, and my BEAD cheap P-bass knockoff is a bit higher.

JAUQO III-X · #5 05-01-2007, 09:07 PM

I don't have pics but my action is so low that you can barley get one credit card under the strings.

hack · #6 05-02-2007, 01:17 AM

Nice axe, man.
My action is a bit lower on a fretted MIA P. It took me about a month of tweaking but I can just about insert a business card on the 7th fret. No buzz. BTW I run Labella Jamersons flats.

Jeff Moote · #7 05-02-2007, 01:37 AM

Looks high to me. My Rob Allen is a hair lower than that, but it's a bit of a different animal with a lot of string travel due to the Labella tapes.

On a Fender with flats, you should be able to get quite low.

KingOfStoneage · #8 05-02-2007, 03:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by the low one

[...]..It has a great feel and is a joy to play.

well, isn't that all that counts?

PilbaraBass · #9 05-02-2007, 04:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingOfStoneage

well, isn't that all that counts?

+100

the low one · #10 05-02-2007, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingOfStoneage

well, isn't that all that counts?

I quite agree, I was just interested if it could get even better

the low one · #11 05-03-2007, 03:27 PM

Acording to the Gary Willis setup guid you measure neck relief as follows:

"While the string is held down at both ends of the neck, use your 1st finger on your right hand to tap on the string. The amount it moves is how much relief is in the neck.

On my bass, it moves about the thickness of a credit card. You want it to at least move a little bit. If it doesn't move at all, then you need to loosen the truss rod."

Thanks to garywillis.com

When I get my neck straight as I read it should be and I try the test above on my MIM Fender Jazz fretless the string touches the neck all the way down. Does that mean I should slacken off the truss rod a bit to add a little relief? I won't get the dead straight neck then but Gary seems to indicate you nweed a little relief.

bgavin · #12 05-03-2007, 05:12 PM

Use business cards.. they are much easier to get in quantity, and are pretty consistent in thickness for the same card.

Mine measure 0.011" on sections without the raised printing. Measured on the printing I get 0.013".

BellBottomBlues · #13 05-03-2007, 09:43 PM

Your action is pretty low. I can stick my finger under the string at the 12th fret and not touch a thing. Course, mine is fretted.

Tbirdbassist · #14 05-04-2007, 10:00 AM

You must have some high as hell action then.

BellBottomBlues · #15 05-04-2007, 11:41 AM

Thats how I like it, and I still play faster than most people with picks.

Huzzah for finger pickers!

My first bass had really high action so I got used to it (I used to just play a lot of Iron Maiden and Jazz when I played) Now its higher than the first bass because my fingers got so strong lol.

When you get used to a bass with high action and can play fast, you can run circles around people when you pick up a bass that has its action pretty low.

00Funk · #16 05-04-2007, 11:49 AM

Percy Jones plays with high action, so thats the way I play

FenderP · #17 05-04-2007, 11:37 PM

I have supremely high action ... low action - feh!

KarateKid25 · #18 05-05-2007, 07:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BellBottomBlues

Your action is pretty low. I can stick my finger under the string at the 12th fret and not touch a thing. Course, mine is fretted.

You got a pic of that?? Does the neck look like something you might use in archery?

tbone0813 · #19 05-05-2007, 08:14 AM

I have a SX fretless 5 string, and I can't get the action lower than 1/8". I usually like it no more than 3/32" on the B string at the 12th fret which is where my fretted Warrior is at. I think I am going to change out the bridge to a Leo Quan, and see if that helps. The bridges on the SX basses are really poor quality.

Disco_Gee · #20 05-24-2007, 12:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tbone0813

I have a SX fretless 5 string, and I can't get the action lower than 1/8". I usually like it no more than 3/32" on the B string at the 12th fret which is where my fretted Warrior is at. I think I am going to change out the bridge to a Leo Quan, and see if that helps. The bridges on the SX basses are really poor quality.

I'm currently trying to set up my SX fretless 5 and it's a real pain. When I measure the relief as instructed on the Gary Willis site, I find that there is the thickness of exactly one credit card around the 8th fret location. I'm getting buzz on the first fret (with the B, E and D strings) and some buzz after the 12th fret on a number of strings, but the action is still too high for my liking. I'm not sure what to do. I've tried lowering the saddles but that only seems to add to the buzz and the 12+ end of the board.

I'd rather not have to take the bass to a shop to get it setup because the local guys are kind of expensive... any suggestions? Or should I just bite the bullet and pay the $$?