Increasing Action At First Fret

KingRazor · #1 04-11-2011, 05:48 PM

It seems like my strings start out low at the first fret and go up from there. Is there a way I can tweak the truss rod so that the action gets higher as you get closer to the first fret?

RCCollins · #2 04-11-2011, 08:24 PM

you could try a new nut with shallower slots to raise the strings at the first fret, but with a proper setup, the action should still increase a bit as you go toward the bridge

darkstorm · #3 04-11-2011, 08:30 PM

You wouldnt want that. Youd have high action at the nut and low action at body end of neck and all kinds of fretting problems as a result I think. You can go for very low action which is best doable with the nut slots cut just right and relief just right. That gives a more even/less diff from 1st to 24th fret for string distance above fret tops.

KingRazor · #4 04-11-2011, 08:52 PM

I tried loosening the truss rod just a hair. Tuned it back up to pitch and am gonna let it sit this way for a day and then see if it needs any more loosening.

ehque · #5 04-12-2011, 01:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingRazor

It seems like my strings start out low at the first fret and go up from there. Is there a way I can tweak the truss rod so that the action gets higher as you get closer to the first fret?

Why would you want to do that? What are you trying to achieve?

It goes against all proper technique and build and introduces biomechanical problems in your fingers and intonation problems on your bass.

TheSuzie · #6 04-12-2011, 01:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingRazor

I tried loosening the truss rod just a hair. Tuned it back up to pitch and am gonna let it sit this way for a day and then see if it needs any more loosening.

Yeah if you are talking about buzz at the first fret or two and the nut is not cut too low, you are doing the right thing. Might want to give this a look.

http://www.sadowsky.com/media/suppor...bass_setup.pdf

Chris K · #7 04-12-2011, 02:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingRazor

I tried loosening the truss rod just a hair. Tuned it back up to pitch and am gonna let it sit this way for a day and then see if it needs any more loosening.

You're on the right track. Seems like your neck is a bit overstretched. A hair might not be enough. 1/8 to 1/4 turn would be more like it. Tune up and press a string down before the 1st fret and behind the last fret. Set up the neck bent inward a tiny bit. You need to see a sniff of space halfway the strings (at fret 9 or so. hold it against the light).

I know it takes some courage to start doing these things yourself, but don't worry. The truss rod is there to be adjusted. Don't force, take care, and you'll be OK.

Chrisk-K · #8 04-12-2011, 02:47 AM

Quote:

It seems like my strings start out low at the first fret and go up from there. Is there a way I can tweak the truss rod so that the action gets higher as you get closer to the first fret?

If you set up the bass that way, lower notes (i.e., notes below 5th fret) will likely go sharp even when the intonation is set correctly at the 12th fret.

Zooberwerx · #9 04-12-2011, 05:01 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Chrisk-K

If you set up the bass that way, lower notes (i.e., notes below 5th fret) will likely go sharp even when the intonation is set correctly at the 12th fret.

Yep. First fret gap should be .003-.005" while fretted at the third. Don't guess; snag a cheap set of feeler gauges at Pep Boys. If you get the action too high at the nut, you can always pretend it's a Dobro and play it with a slide like JPJ.

Riis

KingRazor · #10 04-12-2011, 09:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ehque

Why would you want to do that? What are you trying to achieve?

It goes against all proper technique and build and introduces biomechanical problems in your fingers and intonation problems on your bass.

The action on this bass was lower than necessary to begin with. Not a bad thing, but it definitely means I have some wiggle room there.

The problem was that the strings (or at least the low B string) would rattle against the first few frets when plucked hard at all. I noticed it was closer to the first few frets than the rest of the board, which would explain why it was rattling there.

I'm not using the kind of allen key that normally comes with a bass. It's one of those ones that has a bunch of various sizes. I'm not even 100% sure I did anything to the truss rod. I simply stopped as soon as I felt something move. Tonight I'll actually make sure I'm doing it right.

Thanks for the advice so far, guys.

tobiasaurusrex · #11 04-13-2011, 11:59 PM

Adjusting the truss rod to gain height at the nut is the least efficient way to gain action at the early frets. You will have terribly high action and poor intonation on most of your fingerboard.

You need to raise the strings at the nut. One easy way to do this is to get thin, precision brass strips from a hobby shop, remove the nut, and fashion a brass shim to go under the nut. This can also help you find the proper height for if and when you decide to fabricate a new nut from a blank. Use single pieces of brass, rather than stacking pieces. Brass is a very vibration friendly, musically resonant material (think trumpet and saxophone).

The field service, laziest, worst, "ghetto", way would be to cut slivers of aluminum can the width of the string slots and slightly longer than the length of their path through the nut, and one at a time, loosen the strings and stick these on top of the nut, lining up the ends at the finger board side of the nut. If it's slightly longer than the path, you can bend down the headstock end, to help them hold their place. You may have to cut double-long pieces and fold them over for thickness. [Graphite nuts forced me to learn this at-the-gig trick to eliminate open string first frett buzz during aggressive playing. NOT recommended as a long term cure, but a mock up or troubleshooting method.]

ehque · #12 04-16-2011, 10:38 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tobiasaurusrex

Adjusting the truss rod to gain height at the nut is the least efficient way to gain action at the early frets. You will have terribly high action and poor intonation on most of your fingerboard.

You need to raise the strings at the nut.

No. You do not raise the nut if your first few frets are buzzing. Nut height does nothing once you fret a string, and hence should not be adjusted to address any buzz except open string buzz.

Unless your fretboard is wavy or your neck is warped, addressing first few fret buzzing is done via the truss rod.

loinmute · #13 04-16-2011, 11:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingRazor

It seems like my strings start out low at the first fret and go up from there. Is there a way I can tweak the truss rod so that the action gets higher as you get closer to the first fret?

How high are the strings at the 1st fret? I like to see pics w/threads such as this, I am sure you know that the strings are supposed to higher at the higher frets.