How should i have my setup for this type of playing...???

[Grahams Groove]

I play mostly finger style, and i do a good deal of slapping and popping, but really nothing else. How should i have my bass setup to slap and pop with ease, and still be able to play faster finger style parts??? Also, how do i go about getting the right settings, and how do i know where i am starting fro, cuz obviously my bass cant tell me if the action is high.low...

And last, what is high action, and what is low action????


Thanks...(Oh, sorry, last hting, how long should you wait after making a truss rod adjustment?)

[merlin]

Well i can answer one thing hehee. A high action (well to me anyway) is when the strings feel too high off the fretboard, I saw a action so high once i could slide my hand underneath the strings.

I adjusted my bass so i have a really low action, whereby the strings are about two 0.8 mill pick thicknesses off the fretboard.

I have done away with the pick and use mostly finger style so i lowered my action to allow a faster run.

As for slap i am not sure.

Merls

[bertbassplayer]

Action is how high your strings are from your neck/fretboard. High Action means its high off the fretboard and requires you to press quite far to get sound. Low Action means its quite close to your fretboard. There are cons to both. Low action sometimes you get a buzz from the frets because you don't have enouch clearance, and high action will wear out your fingers because you have to push a quite a long way. I suggest you use low action. Also about the truss rod thing... if you don't have to adjust it... don't! Its not a time thing, its just if it starts to warp, usually by using different guage strings.

[guac mole]

isn't it true though that you compensate some of the "slap" sound by having the action too low?

[eric atkinson]

I play mainly slap and i adjust my warwick as low as i can go without buzz! But this isnt a problem with my old warwick becuase i can adjust it from the neck as well! I also use very light guage strings!

[bassboy_jordan]

When the actions to low the slap sound does'nt ring as much, so try to have you're strings low enough to be comfy to play but high enough to get a full slap sound.

[eric atkinson]

Yeah thats why i think the old warwicks are the king of funk! Because you can adjust the settings from the neck and the bridge! Truly a awsome idea!