Setup on Fender '08 AM STD Jazz Bass

Killens84 · #1 10-19-2010, 08:06 PM

I've had a new '08 Fender American Standard Jazz Bass for about a month and a half now. I love the tone, the finish, and the size and feel of the neck. But I can't the strings low enough withouth them buzzing.

I've got really good at setting up basses myself, and I set my new jazz bass up pretty close to the specs Fender calls for on that bass. It said to set it with .015 of neck relief, and I actually have it at about .016. I even have the action set slightly higher than Fender suggests. I'm happy with the neck relief, and I basically have the strings set now to where they won't buzz. But they're still too high for my preference, and they'll buzz if I go any lower.

So I'm just wondering if it's common for Fender Jazz basses to not have really low action. I'm wondering this because my other bass is a Peavey Cirrus USA. I have my Peavey set with very low action, and I can really dig and and play with no string buzz. It's pretty amazing. So I don't know if I've just gotten used to the action of my Peavey over the past year, and that's why I feel that my Fender Jazz's action is too high. Anyone have any advice? Is it common for a Fender Jazz to not have really low action?

walterw · #2 10-19-2010, 09:36 PM

straighten the neck a little more (.016" is a lot); see how close to straight you can get away with with (without "going over", just like on The Price Is Right

)

after that, you'll likely need to have the nut slots filed down a little. hold down the string at the first fret and look at the second fret; that's your ideal height at the first fret when open, which again you can't quite get to, but it should be pretty close.

InLeoWeTrust · #3 10-20-2010, 05:16 AM

I also have an '08 MIA Jazz, and my experience is similar to yours. One thing I found is that the stock Fender taperwounds are pretty floppy and require a higher action to avoid buzz. I imagine that other round core strings (EB Slinkys, etc.) would give a similar result. If you want to go lower, stick with hex core strings which are stiffer. I've tried D'A EXLs (which I did not like) and I'm currently running Chromes - both allow a lower setup and have eliminated fret buzz on my bass. DR Lo-Riders are another option that I will try in the future.

2400 · #4 10-20-2010, 06:05 AM

Same bass. I do my setups as well, and I've pretty much replicated the setup parameters of another J that I consider to be very low action indeed. But it doesn't feel the same. I think it's because of the fretwire, which is huge. I'm used to the more vintage fretwire that my Hagström has.

CPplaysBASS · #5 10-20-2010, 06:19 AM

I find my '08 Fender American Standard Jazz to be more finicky than my P-Bass, and need to have it spot on the Fender specs for it to play perfectly. Just double check the specs you have ... relief should be .012" (9.5 radius neck) if you're going by Fender recommendations. I'm guessing, but if the fret buzz is primarily happening in the higher frets (10 and above), straightening the neck will fix that - .016" seems to be unusually generous amount of relief.

With .012" relief, I can get my strings (45-100 Fender flats, new packaging) down to 5/64" without any buzz (I keep the E and A at 6/64 though).

Personally I wouldn't touch the nut until you get the relief correct.

Killens84 · #6 10-20-2010, 07:34 PM

I have DR Lo-Rider nickel strings on it right now.
The manual that came with the bass said to place a capo at the first fret, depress the last fret, and check the height between the top of the 8th fret and the bottom of the first string. I'm assuming that's referring to the low E string. However, the manual suggests .015 of relief, but Fender's website suggests .012 of relief.

mr.hughes · #7 10-20-2010, 07:39 PM

You might need to get your frets dressed - especially around the 15-19th frets. I had an 08 Precision and still have an 08 Jazz V and both needed serious fret dressing.

Killens84 · #8 10-20-2010, 07:42 PM

What is done to the frets when they are "dressed?"

mr.hughes · #9 10-20-2010, 07:52 PM

For mine it was basically 'sanding' them down - I'm sure there's a proper term for it - to make all of the frets the same height. There were quite a few high ones on mine, and not all evenly high either.

CPplaysBASS · #10 10-20-2010, 08:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Killens84

The manual that came with the bass said to place a capo at the first fret, depress the last fret, and check the height between the top of the 8th fret and the bottom of the first string. I'm assuming that's referring to the low E string. However, the manual suggests .015 of relief, but Fender's website suggests .012 of relief.

That's the way I measure it too with .012 of relief at the 8th fret and 5/64" action at the 17th fret (without the string being held down). Again, just try that easy fix and then determine whether nut filing, fret dressing, etc. is required. Even when I used to have very high tension strings, I had no problems adjusting the truss rod to the recommended amount of relief.

joeyl · #11 10-20-2010, 09:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mr.hughes

You might need to get your frets dressed - especially around the 15-19th frets. I had an 08 Precision and still have an 08 Jazz V and both needed serious fret dressing.

yep, there was no way I could lower the action on mine because the 15-19 frets were way too high

walterw · #12 10-20-2010, 10:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CPplaysBASS

With .012" relief, I can get my strings (45-100 Fender flats, new packaging) down to 5/64" without any buzz (I keep the E and A at 6/64 though).

Personally I wouldn't touch the nut until you get the relief correct.

right.

you can't judge the bridge saddle height or the nut height until after you get the relief right.