Saddle height on fretless?

Proki · #1 11-15-2010, 07:54 AM

Just wondering what other people prefer on the height of their strings on fretless bass, currently I have the strings around 1.5cm off of the fretboard but it gets a little closer as the strings reach the headstock, but I've heard fretless play nicer with the strings really close to the fretboard.

Just asking as I recently converted to fretless p bass
Thanks in advance

hoshbrown41 · #2 11-15-2010, 06:14 PM

I recently bought a frettless Jazz bass and the action on it is really low - and really amazing

I just measured and the bottom side of my E string is between five and six millimeters off the fretboard at what would be the 12th fret. It's pretty much as low as can be without buzzing like a bee.

Brad Johnson · #3 11-15-2010, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Proki

Just wondering what other people prefer on the height of their strings on fretless bass, currently I have the strings around 1.5cm off of the fretboard but it gets a little closer as the strings reach the headstock, but I've heard fretless play nicer with the strings really close to the fretboard.

Just asking as I recently converted to fretless p bass
Thanks in advance

Depending on your touch it can go almost as low as you can have an open string without buzzing. That can be extremely low. It depends on what sound you're after. Too low might hamper that, the same goes for too high.

Bottom line, it's really up to you.

ilmaio · #4 11-16-2010, 06:00 AM

Quote:

I just measured and the bottom side of my E string is between five and six millimeters off the fretboard at what would be the 12th fret

Just got my first fretless last sunday (Cort B4FL) and after tweaking saddles and truss-rod i have now about 4mm at 22nd fret, but honestly i believed that fretless can go much lower.
Tonight after work i'll try another tweaking session on my bass to see if can achieve a 2mm action.

darkstorm · #5 11-16-2010, 07:54 PM

I see no reason why adjusting action on a fretless would be diff then on a fretted. If you like low action, and it sounds great to you with very low action, use that. Same if you prefer medium to high action. I do hope thats a typo about your action putting the strings at 1 and half centemeters above the fretboard. That would be rediculous high imo. More then a half inch above the fretboard. When I taught my brother to adjust action on his fretless we found he liked low to medium low action for his playing and sound pref. For others with fretless its been very low to medium range.

**lowendfriend** · #6 11-16-2010, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by darkstorm

I see no reason why adjusting action on a fretless would be diff then on a fretted. If you like low action, and it sounds great to you with very low action, use that. Same if you prefer medium to high action. I do hope thats a typo about your action putting the strings at 1 and half centemeters above the fretboard. That would be rediculous high imo. More then a half inch above the fretboard. When I taught my brother to adjust action on his fretless we found he liked low to medium low action for his playing and sound pref. For others with fretless its been very low to medium range.

That's worse than my Dean ABG with the bubbling spruce top!

groooooove · #7 11-16-2010, 09:37 PM

on a fretless, allow buzzing up and down the neck. playing through an amp, and even moreso in a mix, all that buzzing comes through as growl. and not to mention, the action will be so comftorble and low.

i've seen no real advantage to having the strings any higher than so low that theres a bit of acoustic buzzing. it actually sounds better like that. growly and punchy.. this is exactly how jacos basses were setup- of course the epoxy added to the growl..

edit- this is all IMO, of course.. but worth trying once no matter how much you like medium - or high - action..

**Staccato** · #8 11-16-2010, 09:41 PM

Low is usually desirable on the bridge. Some experimenting might be necessary to arrive at the height that sounds best to your ears.

Proki · #9 11-17-2010, 06:06 AM

Thanks for the replies everyone

and darkstorm lol yes that was a typo about the 1.5cm lol... not sure how I achieved that

ilmaio · #10 11-17-2010, 07:42 AM

Here's two pics of the action on my cort B4FL at 24th fret and at nut.
The action at 24th fret is 2,4mm
What do you think?
This is my first fretless, and honestly i expected to be able to go much lower with the action, but then the strings begin to buzz too much.

Skitch it! · #11 11-17-2010, 07:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilmaio

Here's two pics of the action on my cort B4FL at 24th fret and at nut.
The action at 24th fret is 2,4mm
What do you think?
This is my first fretless, and honestly i expected to be able to go much lower with the action, but then the strings begin to buzz too much.

2.4 mm is low imo, that's what my fretted basses are set at, my fretless is about 3mm and that's easy enough to get around, your bass has set up well, I wouldn't knock it, I have played expensive stuff that wasn't capable of that set-up.

los100malditos · #12 11-17-2010, 07:58 AM

as low as can be without buzzing

ilmaio · #13 11-17-2010, 07:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skitch it!

your bass has set up well, I wouldn't knock it, I have played expensive stuff that wasn't capable of that set-up.

Thanks, this setup is the result of two evening spent with wrench and screwdriver, instead of playing:P

I read online that with fretless you can achieve 1mm action or lower, but maybe is just another internet myth!
In fact the action shown in the previous picture is the very best i can achieve, i can't go much lower; maybe if i learn to play more "gently" on the strings i can gain some 0,2-0,3mm, but not more.

It would be interesting if someone could post pictures of their fretless action.

Skitch it! · #14 11-18-2010, 06:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilmaio

Thanks, this setup is the result of two evening spent with wrench and screwdriver, instead of playing:P

I read online that with fretless you can achieve 1mm action or lower, but maybe is just another internet myth!
In fact the action shown in the previous picture is the very best i can achieve, i can't go much lower; maybe if i learn to play more "gently" on the strings i can gain some 0,2-0,3mm, but not more.

It would be interesting if someone could post pictures of their fretless action.

It is about 0.5 mil higher than your E string in the top pic, 2.4 is a nice action imo, I wouldn't want it any lower, I like the string to have a little space to breath if I decide to dig-in with the right hand, less buzz, more note/tone ; )

Proki · #15 11-19-2010, 04:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilmaio

With the action this low, don't the strings tap on the fretboard as you play? my action is about 0.4cm at the moment, any lower and there's noise from the strings hitting the fretboard, even if I'm playing quite gently.

ilmaio · #16 11-19-2010, 05:32 AM

Quote:

With the action this low, don't the strings tap on the fretboard as you play?

Yes, i had to play veeery gently to avoid string noise with this action.

This setup was an experiment in order to find how low i can go on this fretless; i actually raised the action to about 3mm, because i'm used to play a little hard.

Proki · #17 11-26-2010, 04:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilmaio

Yes, i had to play veeery gently to avoid string noise with this action.

This setup was an experiment in order to find how low i can go on this fretless; i actually raised the action to about 3mm, because i'm used to play a little hard.

Ah yeah. I just got in my flatwounds and they tapped more so I had to raise the action a bit. Considering getting a new bridge, but new pickups are priority :P