my action is way too high...

[duo8675309]

Ok I adjusted the trust rod for the first time today. Here's the link. Its the first two pics (DSC01813.jpg and DSC01812.jpg).Is that any better? The strings feel easier to press down now.

[duo8675309]

Ok I got the action lower and the truss rod tightened but now when I play I keep banging the string against the bass and it clanks. Now whats wrong? :'(

[Bryan R. Tyler]

Originally Posted by duo8675309

Ok I got the action lower and the truss rod tightened but now when I play I keep banging the string against the bass and it clanks. Now whats wrong? :'(

Assuming that your setup is done correctly, it's probably that you're used to playing with uber-high action. You're going to have to change your technique to play with a lighter touch. Your wrists will thank you.

[duo8675309]

Ok, I'm know I'm getting really annoying but its my first time to do this and I'm so confused.

Here is how its looking so far:






Now everytime I play 8th+ notes on the E and A string they keep clanking against the fret board. I'm really trying to play lightly but no matter how I play it it keeps happening. I also have to have my mid turned down b/c everytime I press a fret it makes a pop. But thats probably from habbit. PLEASE me!

[WesC]

You need to take it to a luthier... that is crazy high action. Playing on that has probably developed some bad habits in your technique that you're going to have to break.

But first get it set up by a professional. No offense, but you really need someone who knows when its right adjusting it.

[Poop-Loops]

Yeah. From there you can have a benchmark as to what it should be. If you've never done it before it's hard to tell where it's supposed to be at.

[SBassman]

Have you done all the steps yet, or just the truss rod turns?

Here are the steps, abbreviated:

1. Finger the E string at the top and bottom of the neck. Observe how much clearance there is between the string and the board. It should be something on the order of the thickness of a matchbook cover or two. Get that part First, with 1/4 turns of the truss rod. [one turn per day]

2. When you have achieved that clearance, then lower the saddles as low as they can go without the string buzzing. You need to check for buzzing at every fret.

At that point, you Might be done. If not, then it is definitely time to go to a pro, because you might need fret work, neck straightening, a neck shim, or - another bass.

But first, do 1 and 2 to completion, Then take more pictures and tell us where you are.

[duo8675309]

Originally Posted by SBassman

Have you done all the steps yet, or just the truss rod turns?

Here are the steps, abbreviated:

1. Finger the E string at the top and bottom of the neck. Observe how much clearance there is between the string and the board. It should be something on the order of the thickness of a matchbook cover or two. Get that part First, with 1/4 turns of the truss rod. [one turn per day]

2. When you have achieved that clearance, then lower the saddles as low as they can go without the string buzzing. You need to check for buzzing at every fret.

At that point, you Might be done. If not, then it is definitely time to go to a pro, because you might need fret work, neck straightening, a neck shim, or - another bass.

But first, do 1 and 2 to completion, Then take more pictures and tell us where you are.

I'd rather my first surgery not be brain surgery. I'll let a professional handle that and I'll wait til someone's appendix gets inflamed or something.

[morfine]

why use low action?
high action makes your hands strong
my action is even higher
but i really need it or else I would keep breaking strings

[bassist 4 life]

^
Higher than that?

OooooooKaaaaayyyy....

[BMGecko]

Wish I'd seen this thread sooner. I just had my bass adjusted... Truly, the pics of that neck didn't look bad at all to me. My bass was far worse, but now it's set near flat, and the action is sooooooo low! It's fretless, and now I get the mwaah sound easily.

[tZer]

Dude... did you know your action is way too high?

Take it in! Pay the bucks!

Then buy a book and learn about how to set up your instrument... ugh, my fingers are killing me just lookin' at that!

[Kickin'Fruit]

Originally Posted by morfine

why use low action?
high action makes your hands strong
my action is even higher
but i really need it or else I would keep breaking strings

did you wander in from the DB forum?

[bassist 4 life]

^
Hahahahahaahahaha XD!!!!

duo8675309, my bass's action is even lower than what you have now...

[jbl71004]

Have any of you ever gotten a new bass with action that's a decent amount higher than what you're accustomed to? The two I already have are low to medium, but the one I just got, while not crazy high, is taking some getting used to (just had it a couple of days). I prefer to just see if my teacher will adjust it for me Friday (he's done minor work like this on one of my other basses), but a little voice in my head keeps telling me that I'm wussing out and that my fingers will only benefit if I keep it where it is (at the moment they hurt like hell after about 15 minutes). If any of you have been in the same boat, does it get easier relatively quickly or should I just adjust it as low as I can go without getting "the buzz"?

[Poop-Loops]

Originally Posted by morfine

why use low action?
high action makes your hands strong
my action is even higher
but i really need it or else I would keep breaking strings

Not really. I mean, you'll have stronger hands than someone with lower action.

Unless they lift weights. Or do rock climbing. Or a whole slew of other physical activities that involve hand grip.

By playing a bass with high action you'll just get better at playing a bass with high action. Any strength you get is pretty much negligable.

[glivanos]

High action can lead to these medical conditions.

I would have your neck adjusted by a professional ASAP or you may even have to replace it.

It is not worth compromising the health of your arms, hands and wrists.

[Koki]

When I was buying my bass the action was really high.(Just like yours). Then I told that idiots in store to lower the strings and adjust the neck. They kinda lowered the string height but it was still very higs so i had to do it myself. I adjusted the truss rod (I straightened the neck a little). Now im getting a little fret buzz but thats ok (when im playing with amp i dont get fret buzz). But still my action isnt super low because when its too low i get too much fret buzz on almost all frets.

[lemur821]

And I have to press down so hard that my thumb ends up locking up and hurting really bad.

Nobody seems to have mentioned this yet, but you need to stop squeezing the neck with your thumb immediately. The only reason your thumb should be touching the neck is to remind you where it is.

As for the bass, there are two things that you need to be aware of.

The first is relief, which is the amount of curvature in the neck. You check this by holding down a string (go with E) at the first fret and at the fret where the neck meets the body (probably 16th or so). By doing this you can examine the amount of curvature in the neck without the disruptive influence of the nut height or the bridge height. There should be a little bit of space between the middle of the string and the frets when you do this. Around a millimeter is good, but if low frets buzz and high ones don't you'll want more clearance here. Holding down the strings at those two points is the only reliable way to check this.

Once that is correct, you can proceed to setting your action, which is done by raising or lowering the bridge saddles. You can't adjust it accurately until you get the relief right!