Geezer Butler's extremely low action

GL797 · #1 12-18-2010, 04:18 PM

I found the ending to this video interesting in how low of an action Geezer uses. Here is probably the only footage of him playing his Fender unplugged. I also read somewhere that John Entwhistle set his basses up like this with the strings practically resting on the frets.... and it annoyed the hell out of his bass techs.

I posted this for all those who say that they have too much string buzz/clakking. This shows that not much, if any buzz will be heard once plugged in.

The part starts around 1:20 of the video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2OWxxA28U3w

EdHunter · #2 12-19-2010, 01:35 AM

Low action makes you cool!

My Thunderbird used to have an action high enough to hold a party under, and ever since sorting it out to the point where the strings are more or less on the fret it's made a world of difference.

AcidFripp · #3 12-19-2010, 09:26 AM

Dude, my strings are IN my neck. Fantastic tone, brooooo.

Stick_Player · #4 12-19-2010, 09:37 AM

Quote:

and it annoyed the hell out of his bass techs.

So what? "Techs" are replaceable.

Scrappersa · #5 12-24-2010, 03:15 PM

Thank you.

FunkMetalBass · #6 12-24-2010, 03:37 PM

It depends on how you EQ. If you roll off the treble, the click is going to be nearly inaudible.

Listening to NIB, I still hear a decent amount of click coming through, but it sounds like he has dead strings and rolls his tone knob all the way down, like they commonly did back in those days.

Chrisk-K · #7 12-24-2010, 03:45 PM

My strings are on the other side of the fingerboard.

Scrappersa · #8 12-24-2010, 04:05 PM

I've had a Schecter Stiletto 4 for about five years and I've always loved the action. It's extremely low with almost no buzz at all. I just bought a Fender Jazz (MIM) and I lowered the action to the same height. I had the frets evened out as well but there is a ton of buzz and it's been annoying me sooooooooo much and making me feel that I had a bad neck even though the frets are leveled and the truss rod is straight. This thread makes me feel a lot better.

Lesfunk · #9 12-24-2010, 04:08 PM

My actions so lo I have to play on my knees!

Loel · #10 12-24-2010, 04:34 PM

My actions so lo i have to reach up to tie my shoes!

**pacojas** · #11 12-24-2010, 04:36 PM

low action has improved my technique in every way. i tried playing my friends MM and his action felt terrible.
(HEY MIKE!!! i know you're lurking out there,... lower that baby)

MRDOOM · #12 12-24-2010, 04:38 PM

My action's so low that I have people in China tie my shoes.

JimmyM · #13 12-25-2010, 01:10 AM

i've seen lower action.

LiquidMidnight · #14 12-26-2010, 03:50 PM

Ugg, I hated Geezer's tone on those first couple early Sabbath albums.

Floyd Eye · #15 12-26-2010, 03:58 PM

Geezer also tunes down a step and a half.

Volume4 · #16 12-26-2010, 05:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LiquidMidnight

Ugg, I hated Geezer's tone on those first couple early Sabbath albums.

Blasphemy!!

GL797 · #17 12-26-2010, 05:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Floyd Eye

Geezer also tunes down a step and a half.

Not at this point. The first two albums were in E tuning. They started using C# tuning with "Master of Reality", They went back to E for "Technical Esctasy".

I think Geezer's tone on the first two albums is one of the best ever.

Scrappersa · #18 12-26-2010, 06:06 PM

How much buzz do you jazz bass guys have? When you play loud, do your notes almost die out?

ysand · #19 12-26-2010, 06:09 PM

Depends what sound are u after.

I believe in low action without fret buzz.

St Drogo · #20 12-26-2010, 06:19 PM

How can you judge his action from that footage? Sure, it goed a bit clackity-clack, but he's probably playing it harder there, because he's not plugged in. Also, that clickyclicky wasn't that bad, right? I've heard worse. Hell, my basses all do that