How much should action affect fretting speed?

Kwesi · #1 01-24-2009, 05:56 PM

I keep my action pretty high (which I think is actually, VERY high compared to what I've seen) to eliminate as much buzzing a possible on my basses. I'm not all that fast a player to begin with but I was wondering if having it so high could be holding me back from playing fast. My basses are long overdue for a pro setup and I can swing the cash but would it be worth it to get the strings closer to the board and get rid of a little buzz? To me, my basses are comfortable but if making it lower could significantly increase how quickly I can get around the fretboard the setups may be worth the money.

pin_head_47 · #2 01-24-2009, 06:13 PM

Increasing your string height is generally not a good solution to get rid of buzz, unless you had it set way too low in the first place. In fact, it could be bad for your bass to not have it setup properly! And yeah, having them set too high, to the point that it becomes difficult to play with, WILL limit your abilities in the long run. You'll also tire more quickly and it could lead to problems with carpal tunnel down the road. Put it this way... once you get a good quality setup, you'll wonder how you ever played with it that high in the first place.

20db pad · #3 01-24-2009, 06:26 PM

There is such a thing as action that's too high - it's the point where intonation gets to be a problem and long periods of playing cause discomfort. That said, action is a very subjective and personal thing, and one man's "high action" may be "way too low" for the next guy. String buzz isn't always a bad thing, either, as it adds some personality and "grind" to the sound.

The majority of players known for their speed use pretty low action. For comparison's sake, this is around 1/16" at the 12th fret measured from the top of the fret to the bottom of the string. In some cases, this measurement may be lower.

OTOH, John Patitucci and Hadrien Feraud, two of the speediest players out there, use pretty high action. With this in mind, the idea of low action always resulting in better speed isn't always a constant.

I'd suggest getting a pro setup at least once to see what it can do for your playing. A pro setup can be high or low action, depending on the needs and wants of the player.

TFunkadelic · #4 01-24-2009, 06:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kwesi

I keep my action pretty high (which I think is actually, VERY high compared to what I've seen) to eliminate as much buzzing a possible on my basses. I'm not all that fast a player to begin with but I was wondering if having it so high could be holding me back from playing fast. My basses are long overdue for a pro setup and I can swing the cash but would it be worth it to get the strings closer to the board and get rid of a little buzz? To me, my basses are comfortable but if making it lower could significantly increase how quickly I can get around the fretboard the setups may be worth the money.

Beyond the ability to fret quickly, it forces you in to using more refined right hand technique which also will increase your speed, accuracy, tone and intonation.

You shouldn't raise your action to get rid of fret buzz, as this shouldn't be an issue to begin with on a properly set up bass. And you don't need a tech to do this for you. It's easy to learn, and once you know how to do it you'll be able to dial in all of your basses (should you buy more) exactly the way you like. Besides, why would a technician at a guitar shop know whats most comfortable for you?

Silas Martinez · #5 01-26-2009, 12:10 PM

For me, fret buzz has been mostly a result of personal technique issues, both a matter of proper alignment of the fretting fingers, and digging in too hard on the plucking. Fret buzz has only been a result of setup when I haven't introduced enough relief in the neck, and I've seen cases where action being too high can cause fret buzz.

That being said, I personally find very low action, proper plucking hand technique (possibly reinforced with a ramp), and proper fretting hand technique to be the best combination for speed. Realistically, though, my personal limits are most commonly defined by my plucking speed, rather than fretting speed. I can usually find my self limited by plucking speed on anything with a fair (medium-low) or better setup.