Problem With Action

Kenbuntu · #1 12-11-2006, 08:19 PM

Hey guys, its been a while.
ANyway, the action on my sr400 is super high. Ive tried to lower it countless timees but it just doesnt work. I tighten the truss rod, but then have to adjust the pridge. Its ends up being the same. Then i adjust the bridge height but hten it ALWAYS ENDS UP THE SAME

so what shold i do? i dont want to wwaste 60 buks at my lbs.

Should i keep on tightening my truss rod? I read somewhere i think it was on gary willis' site, and he said for wooden necks its not good to give the truss rod mr than a turn or so a day. is this true?

Thanks in advance,
Ken

spudmaster34 · #2 12-11-2006, 08:34 PM

STOP WITH THE TRUSS!
just needed to make sure you got that. Action should be adjusted by lowering the bridge/ filling the nut. neck relief should be altered with the truss

Kenbuntu · #3 12-11-2006, 08:37 PM

You saved my life. THanks alot buddy.

And filing down the nut, what should i use to file it? and how mcuh should i file?

Kenbuntu · #4 12-11-2006, 08:43 PM

NOPE

. im joking i think. press down first and twelfth frets.look inbetween to see if strings are close to fretboard. Correct? Last i checked the relief is good (according to my belief). id check right now but my bass is at school.

Kenbuntu · #5 12-12-2006, 05:55 PM

well i havent touched the truss rod for about 2-3 weeks. I've bared it for 2 years and since i didnt have anythign to do last night i thought id post this :P. i was oging to bring home my bass today but i wouldnt have much time to play because i have to right an english essay.

so ill fret the 1st fret and then see where the neck meets the body? Ohhso first and last fret? (24) or fret where the string next meets the neck?

spudmaster34 · #6 12-12-2006, 06:06 PM

where the neck meets the body. The truss rod dosn't actually run all the way through the neck, but it generally stops around that point. You should be able to slide something similar in size to a buissiness or credit card between the fret that it about half way between where you fretted. (usually around the 7th)

emils · #7 12-12-2006, 06:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudmaster34

where the neck meets the body. The truss rod dosn't actually run all the way through the neck, but it generally stops around that point.

All you are doing is using the string instead of a streightedge, you could use one of them if you had one handy. Most of professional setup guys would use one instead of the string freting thing. You fret the first and the LAST fret to mesure relief and check for any other issues you might have like neck twisting or uneven frets.

Kenbuntu · #8 12-12-2006, 06:56 PM

So a credit card shold fit in between.
Alright thanks ill give and update on the situation.

ALright Thanks ill check tomorow

emils · #9 12-12-2006, 08:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

The string method works just fine. Most folks don't have a 3 ft straightedge (if I'm understanding what you are saying).

I was taught to measure at the first fret and the fret where the neck meets the body. From that point to the end of the neck (the body end) there is 0 relief as it is bolted flat to the body, and the truss rod does not affect it there.

Yep, we agree there 'cept for that last point. What I am trying to say is if you have a hump at the last few frets you will pick it up if you're using the last fret instead of the one where the neck meets the body. You want the whole neck to be almoast straight with roughly .012" (.3 mm) of relief half way between the two points.

Mr. Willis' site shows how to do it nicely:

Kenbuntu · #10 12-13-2006, 05:10 AM

alright previously i went to gary willis' site, and never looked at the how to measure the relief part. heh my bad. Today i will check it out. Though ill have to fix it up, over the weekend, because i need it for music class, and some christmas concert is coming up.

Thanks alot guys.

lug · #11 12-13-2006, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by T_T

So a credit card shold fit in between.
Alright thanks ill give and update on the situation.

ALright Thanks ill check tomorow

No, a business card. A credit card is generally much wider than a business card.

spudmaster34 · #12 12-13-2006, 03:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emils

What I am trying to say is if you have a hump at the last few frets you will pick it up if you're using the last fret instead of the one where the neck meets the body.

the issue is that the truss rod dosn't alway run all the way through to the end (unless is has adjustment at the heel) so any problem you find because of those last frets will be irrelavant with truss adjustments

emils · #13 12-13-2006, 04:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by spudmaster34

the issue is that the truss rod dosn't alway run all the way through to the end (unless is has adjustment at the heel) so any problem you find because of those last frets will be irrelavant with truss adjustments

All I am saying is that you can adjust the truss rod as much as you want but check the whole neck before you do. High action might be a reflection af an issue with the last few frets sticking up and causing buzz which you wont pick up unless you check them as well. I agree that truss rod adjustment wont affect the last few frets but checking them will point out that there is a problem.

I wasn't trying to upset anyone, I just like to be systematic when I check for neck issues and relief.

Kenbuntu · #14 12-13-2006, 07:06 PM

Well i checked today, and i can fit abotu 1 credit card between the string,( using the first and 24th fret method, ill redo it using the other method tomorow just to see if i did it correct)but hteres a very smal space between. Good or no?

spudmaster34 · #15 12-13-2006, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by emils

I wasn't trying to upset anyone,

I don't think anyone was upset, we all just take our bass very seriously

Kenbuntu · #16 12-14-2006, 05:04 AM

Ok. THanks. But how would i lower the string hieght.
Lower it by the brdige and if it buzzes tighten the truss rod?

spudmaster34 · #17 12-14-2006, 06:03 AM

once you have the relief set, don't mess with it.

emils · #18 12-14-2006, 07:22 AM

Once you have your relief set to your liking use the sadlles to set the hight.

Kenbuntu · #19 12-15-2006, 06:14 PM

ok thanks

Turnaround · #20 12-16-2006, 01:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joshua

I actually was taught differently than Mr. Willis.

I prefer your way of doing it, Josh. Quite a few basses develop a bit of hump at the neck-to-body joint (ski-jump, flip, there are various names for it). You want to remove this from the equation when setting neck relief. Otherwise you may be trying to compensate for the hump and end up back-bowing the neck slightly. My preferred method is to get the relief right from the nut to the body joint, and deal with any flip as a separate issue - it often can be dealt with by dressing the upper frets. One trick used on acoutsic guitars is to actually taper the frets from the neck joint toward the bridge.