Setup for Lighter Gauge Strings

[DavePlaysBass]

My right hand really likes the La Bella Hard Rockin' Steel set that goes 40-60-80-100-128. However, I am having a time getting the optimum setup. I was wondering if there are trends as to how to setup basses with lighter strings.

I have a Sadowsky that has good fret work, but I am getting the buzzes. In general, do lighter gauge strings lead one to more relief than they would otherwise use with heavier strings? I realize the end result will probably be higher action but I feel like I am running in circles trying to get the relief in the right place. At this point I have almost no relief which probably is not good, but it seems to result in the lowest action with only minimal buzzing.

I was also wondering if light gauge strings and their increased travel result in lowering the pickup more than with heavier strings. Last week after raising the action my bass seemed to lose some cut that I thought may be do to the increased height above the pickup. This week I raised the pickup to something close to factory spec and it almost felt like it was too hot. Certain notes sounded distorted. I was louder than usual and may have been getting some room resonances. I am not sure.

Any advice appreciated.

Dave

[DavePlaysBass]

Thanks for the reply Joshua.

I added about 0.015" of relief to my neck. I had to raise the D (60) and A (80) to about 0.128" at the 12th fret to get the buzzing to go away which seems like awfully high action even for light gauge strings. And I still have some on the D if I hold the note for a while. The weird thing is the buzzing seems to be in the 8th to 12th fret area (this was on the E and B string too but to a lesser degree). Down low they are good and up high they are good. I am almost ready to take it in to someone. I feel like I am missing something.

I am listening to my bass thru head phone thru by BOSS BR-864. I wonder if that makes my observations more sensitive.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

[Ostinato]

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

Thanks for the reply Joshua.

I added about 0.015" of relief to my neck. I had to raise the D (60) and A (80) to about 0.128" at the 12th fret to get the buzzing to go away which seems like awfully high action even for light gauge strings. And I still have some on the D if I hold the note for a while. The weird thing is the buzzing seems to be in the 8th to 12th fret area (this was on the E and B string too but to a lesser degree). Down low they are good and up high they are good. I am almost ready to take it in to someone. I feel like I am missing something.

I am listening to my bass thru head phone thru by BOSS BR-864. I wonder if that makes my observations more sensitive.

Any advice appreciated.

Thanks,

Dave

.128 seems VERY high for the 12th fret to me...If it's a large radius board I usually set my bass up for 5/64" at the 17th fret for all strings--17th fret on most Fender-style basses is where the neck meets the body--more accurate than the 20th, 21st, 22nd etc. fret.
I would just try to set it up the same way you would with a heavier gauge...the only thing that SHOULD need adjusting is the tension of the neck, your relief should be what ever you want it to be (meaning the relief can be the same but you usually have to loosen the truss rod because of the decreased pulling from lighter gauge strings).

EDIT 5/32" was changed to 5/64" ...friggin imperial measurements..

[DavePlaysBass]

Originally Posted by Ostinato

.128 seems VERY high for the 12th fret to me...If it's a large radius board I usually set my bass up for 5/64" at the 17th fret for all strings--17th fret on most Fender-style basses is where the neck meets the body--more accurate than the 20th, 21st, 22nd etc. fret.
I would just try to set it up the same way you would with a heavier gauge...the only thing that SHOULD need adjusting is the tension of the neck, your relief should be what ever you want it to be (meaning the relief can be the same but you usually have to loosen the truss rod because of the decreased pulling from lighter gauge strings).

Thanks for the check point. That is pretty much where I started at with a nearly zero relief setup. I had a lot of buzzing on the lower frets. So I then added the relief of 0.015". If I go with the measurements you state which seem reasonable I get a lot of buzzing in the 8th to 12th fret. Does that mean I have two much relief?

Thanks,

Dave

[Ostinato]

Originally Posted by DavePlaysBass

Thanks for the check point. That is pretty much where I started at with a nearly zero relief setup. I had a lot of buzzing on the lower frets. So I then added the relief of 0.015". If I go with the measurements you state which seem reasonable I get a lot of buzzing in the 8th to 12th fret. Does that mean I have two much relief?

Thanks,

Dave

The best way to see what the relief is doing is to fret the first and last frets of the E string and carefully spend a few minutes looking at the string all along the neck...you might see that the area thats buzzing is where the string is touching the frets.

Then try sighting the neck from the end of the fingerboard...you might have what's called an "S'" curve, it's where the normal relief on a neck takes a bit of a dive, and it usually happens in the lower register when you try to straighten the relief on a stubborn neck...this is just one of those things that maple likes to do and there's not a whole lot that can be done except...well...They are a pain to deal with.

If that isn't what's going on (and I hope for your sake it isn't) then a professional fret dress MIGHT help with the buzzing. Hope this helps...