To tighten or not to tighten...

[ga_edwards]

I'm trying to get the action on my relatively new Yamaha Attitude II lower, as up the dusty end, it's rather high, and proving difficult to play certain things.

I've measured the action at the last fret and the G string is around 3mm, and the E around 4mm. Ideally I like to reduce this by about a mm, even 1.5mm. That would be about the same as my Warwicks. I realise they are very different basses, with vastly different radius boards, but I just can't get the Yammy low without buzzing. The Warwick is doesn't buzz at all, even when digging in.

Even with the action as mentioned, I still get buzz when I slightly dig in. I can handle a little rattle, it gives character, but this is too much, and still too high. The buzzing I'm getting starts around the 8th fret on the G string, and moves further toward the nut on the lower string, to where it start around the 3rd/4th fret on the E. It's definitely not buzzing on the nut side either.

I checked out the guidelines on the fender site (as mentioned in the sticky). I thought, this bass it based on a P bass, so the guidelines should be good. Fender suggest action of 2mm to 2.4mm for the radius of the 10" radius of the Attitude, with a relief of 0.3mm.

My relief is nearer 0.4 0.5mm, after giving it a 1/4 turn the other day to tighten. I can't see even reducing the relief that it's going to help lower the action by 1.5mm and with less rattling.

According to the Gary Willis guide, if it buzzes at the nut end, you need to loosen, at the top, you need to tighten. Mine buzzes from the middle upwards, so I'm guessing I need to tighten even more, and raise the saddle to compensate. But I can't help thinking, with the neck straighter, it's gonna rattle even more.

Can someone explain?!

My band it recording our demo next weekend, so I'd like it to be playing really well. Not to mention I had a bad experience (on an albiet cheap olp) with a trussrod in the past, and am dubious about adjusting them these days.

Or, I may just give in and let a local repairman have a look and give it a good fettle.

BTW, I'm using roto Billy Sheehan .043 - .110s. I really love the .110 with the hipshot, but am wondering if this is an buzz influencing factor.

[elBandito]

If you're happy with the current relief(no buzz on low frets), just lower your saddles to where youre happy.

[Widdershins]

According to what you have posted, what I would try if it was my instrument would be: add more relief and drop the saddles.

This is assuming of course that the frets are level.

If they are level, then you should be able to get the action where you want it. The adjustments might make the instrument feel different to your fretting hand but since it's "relatively new" the changes shouldn't throw you off your game too much and you'll be back banging away in no time.

It's going to be a trial & error thing for the most part and if you find that this is getting you in the ballpark but you've run out of room to move the saddles; search the forums for "neck shim".