neck relief Q

[dadodetres]

Hello!

I always setup my basses myself, and like low action.
I always come to the point where lowering the action result on higher frets being unplayable......

today I came to the conclusion that if i straighten the truss rod (no relief), the higher frets will be more playable.... but I want some feedback before doing so...

does that makes sense?


thanks !!

[Zooberwerx]

Originally Posted by dadodetres

Hello!

I always setup my basses myself, and like low action.
I always come to the point where lowering the action result on higher frets being unplayable......

today I came to the conclusion that if i straighten the truss rod (no relief), the higher frets will be more playable.... but I want some feedback before doing so...

does that makes sense?


thanks !!

Standard Zooberwerx disclaimer: some talented folks with a super-light touch can get away with a -0- relief fretboard. I cannot. I am able to strike a more-than-satisfactory balance with relief @ ~ .012" and string height ranging from 1/16" (G) to 3/32"+ (B). So much depends on the particular bass, playing style, touch, and muting technique.

Riis

[JLS]

Originally Posted by dadodetres

Hello!

I always setup my basses myself, and like low action.
I always come to the point where lowering the action result on higher frets being unplayable......

today I came to the conclusion that if i straighten the truss rod (no relief), the higher frets will be more playable.... but I want some feedback before doing so...

does that makes sense?


thanks !!

It sounds like your neck(s) need some fallaway in the higher frets. No relief is pretty much a pipedream, Rickenbacker
specs notwithstanding.

And, what Riis said: "So much depends on the particular bass, playing style, touch, and muting technique." Ab-so-lutely!

[jumbodbassman]

relief is your friend !!!!!

[JTE]

Well, it does make sense (Anthony Jackson's a fan of zero relief), but there're a few caveats. First, it requires that your frets be dead0n level (and the fingerboard be perfectly straight). Second it reduces the dynamic range you can extract from your plucking hand touch. Too much excursion and the strings will rattle. Like the esteemed riis says, it always depends on how YOU want it to work. It's always a trade-off and only you can make the decision as to where the balance needs to be. For me and most others, that's the higher action that comes with moderate relief.

John

[jumbodbassman]

Originally Posted by JTE

Well, it does make sense (Anthony Jackson's a fan of zero relief), but there're a few caveats. First, it requires that your frets be dead0n level (and the fingerboard be perfectly straight). Second it reduces the dynamic range you can extract from your plucking hand touch. Too much excursion and the strings will rattle. Like the esteemed riis says, it always depends on how YOU want it to work. It's always a trade-off and only you can make the decision as to where the balance needs to be. For me and most others, that's the higher action that comes with moderate relief.

John

as we all know studio is very different than a live setting. also anthony gets the best out of Vinny, how many are fortunate enough to have that luxury

[JTE]

And don't forget that AJ's notorious for being a no compromise kind of person. Besides insisting on no relief, he's been known to change strings every take (Al DiMeola session at least), he's gone completely away from on-board electronics because he could hear some very slight distortion even using the most expensive IC, etc. I'm sure he's just as critical for his live performance.

The point being that it IS possible to set up for a perfectly straight neck, but it involves trade-offs that most people aren't willing to make. And how much fret buzz is acceptable to YOU? Entwistle once described is preference as wanting to have the strings "... on the other side of the frets", meaing just stupid low action...

John

[JLS]

Originally Posted by JTE

Entwistle once described is preference as wanting to have the strings "... on the other side of the frets", meaning just stupid low action...

John

Entwistle had an extremely light right hand touch.